[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 217 (Friday, November 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88719-88721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26051]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket ID NRCS-2024-0015]
Request for Public Input About Implementation of the Conservation
Practices To Support Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Request for information.
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SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) requests
public input for the improvement of the Conservation Practice Standards
(CPS) to maximize climate mitigation and adaptation benefits, as
supported by peer-reviewed scientific literature. Conservation
practices providing climate benefits are delivered through existing
conservation programs popular with producers, including the
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); Conservation
Stewardship Program (CSP); Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
(ACEP); Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP); and
Conservation Technical Assistance. These programs are funded through
both the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Farm Bill.
DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by December 23, 2024.
Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent
possible.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments in response to this notice.
You may submit your comments through one of the following methods
below:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRCS-2024-0015. Follow the
online instructions for submitting comments; or
Mail or Hand Delivery: Ms. Sara del Fierro, Climate
Mitigation Lead, NRCS Climate Office, Office of the Chief, NRCS, USDA,
1400 Independence Avenue, South Building, Room 4613, Washington, DC
20250. In your comment, please specify the Docket ID NRCS-2024-0015.
All comments received, including those received by mail, will be
posted without change and made publicly available on http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Ashford-Kornburger, National
Climate Coordinator, at (202) 205-9434, or by email at
[email protected]. Individuals who require alternative means for
communication may contact the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600
(voice and text telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunications
Relay service (both voice and text telephone users can initiate this
call from any telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Voluntary, incentive-based approaches in agriculture play an
important role in the United States' effort to address climate change.
NRCS conservation programs support financial and technical assistance
for producers to improve soil carbon; reduce nitrogen losses; or
reduce, capture, avoid, or sequester carbon dioxide, methane, or
nitrous oxide emissions associated with agricultural production for
several NRCS programs.
The additional funding through the IRA provides NRCS with an
unprecedented opportunity to implement conservation practices that
provide climate mitigation benefits and quantify greenhouse gas
emission reductions and carbon sequestration.
For EQIP and CSP conservation activities, IRA funding may be used
for Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities and
appropriate facilitating practices supporting their functions. While
the IRA funding is focused on CPS that provide climate change
mitigation benefits, NRCS also assists producers in addressing climate
change impacts by providing climate change adaptation options and
benefits.
As part of the implementation of the Climate Change Adaptation
Plan,\1\ NRCS is integrating climate information into current business
procedures, assessments, and opportunities including CPS. All CPS are
reviewed at least once every 5 years. This request provides the public
an opportunity to provide input at the beginning of the
[[Page 88720]]
review cycle for several CPS. NRCS will consider public comments,
technical literature references, and input from subject matter experts
and researchers. The CPS review process facilitates inclusion of new
scientific findings, updated or new technology, and implementation
experience. While NRCS welcomes comments on all CPS, as a priority NRCS
is requesting input on the CPS listed in the two tables below, which
are at the beginning of the review process. NRCS is also specifically
requesting additional data and scientific literature related to the
evaluation criteria and implementation that maximizes climate-related
benefits.
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\1\ We published our Climate Change Adaptation Plan on our
website in July 2022; it is available at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/1_FPAC_NRCS_ClimateAdaptationPlan_2022.pdf.
Table 1--CPS for Review That Are Currently Considered Climate-Smart
Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities
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Code Name
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313.................................... Waste Storage Facility.
314.................................... Brush Management.
315.................................... Herbaceous Weed Treatment.
336.................................... Soil Carbon Amendment.
338.................................... Prescribed Burning.
367.................................... Roofs and Covers.
383.................................... Fuel Break.
420.................................... Wildlife Habitat Planting.
554.................................... Drainage Water Management.
590.................................... Nutrient Management.
592.................................... Feed Management.
632.................................... Waste Separation Facility.
643.................................... Restoration of Rare or
Declining Natural Communities.
666.................................... Forest Stand Improvement.
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Table 2--CPS for Review That Are Not Currently Considered Climate-Smart
Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities
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Code Name
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316.................................... Animal Mortality Facility.
360.................................... Waste Facility Closure.
605.................................... Denitrifying Bioreactor.
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Mitigation
NRCS is seeking input on improvements to maximize climate benefits
to CPS currently considered Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry
Mitigation Activities \2\ as well as input regarding other conservation
practices and innovative technologies or strategies that may also
result in climate change mitigation benefits. NRCS also requests
information to support the agency's estimation of the mitigation
benefits associated with conservation practices.
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\2\ The Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation
Activities List is available at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2023-10/NRCS-CSAF-Mitigation-Activities-List.pdf.
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Adaptation
NRCS is also seeking input to improve CPS to assist producers in
adapting to and building resilience to current and future climate
changes, including seasonal temperature shifts and extremes; drought;
increasing wildfire hazards; sea level rise; movement of invasive
species; and other issues.
Information provided through this request will help NRCS identify
and prioritize improvements to CPS or associated technical guidance.
NRCS will identify immediate changes to be implemented for available
funding for fiscal year 2026 and will continue to identify and adopt
additional changes in the future.
List of Questions for Commenters
The list of questions below is not exhaustive and serves only to
assist members of the public in formulating comments on some of the
most important issues that NRCS is considering as it relates to CPS
with consideration of climate change benefits. For responses, please
consider including, if available: specific requirements, tools,
procedures, etc. supported by scientific literature, handbooks, or
other technical standards that support a specific implementation of CPS
to maximize the mitigation benefits or provide benefits (for those not
considered mitigation activities); and planning or design details that
would further enhance the mitigation benefits of the conservation
practice. The questions are not intended to restrict the feedback that
members of the public may provide.
Climate Change Mitigation
1. What changes are needed to CPS to add flexibility or support
implementation options to provide mitigation benefits? When evaluating
conservation activities for inclusion on the Climate-Smart Mitigation
Activity List, NRCS considers the following criteria:
a. Mitigation Benefit: An implementation of the activity is
expected to result in a direct impact on either (or both) the carbon or
nitrogen cycle, resulting in net greenhouse gas emission reduction or
removal (that is, carbon sequestration) within a given scope (for
example, geography, timeframe, or system) as supported by the
scientific literature; and
b. Quantification of Estimated Benefit: For the activity under
consideration, NRCS should have a science-based approach for
quantitatively estimating annual mitigation benefits at a scale
consistent with available NRCS activity data.
2. What additional technical guidance should NRCS provide or
develop to support planning, designing, and implementing the CPS in a
way to maximize mitigation benefits? Input may include specific
implementation of CPS to maximize the mitigation benefits or provide
benefits (for those not considered mitigation activities).
3. What models, methods, data, literature, and tools should NRCS
consider as it develops and refines its estimation of the climate
change mitigation benefits associated with CPS?
Climate Change Adaptation
1. What changes are needed to CPS to add flexibility or support
implementation options in a way that considers potential climate change
impacts and provides adaptation benefits, when possible?
2. What additional technical guidance should NRCS provide to
support planning, designing, and implementing the CPS to ensure
consideration of climate change impacts and maximize adaptation? Input
may include specific implementation of CPS to maximize the adaptation
benefits.
Innovation
1. What other innovative, economically viable ideas, technologies,
or solutions are available to provide climate change mitigation or
adaptation benefits that NRCS should consider for development of a new
CPS?
Maximizing the Value of Public Feedback
NRCS plans to use the answers provided by the public to inform its
approach to improve CPS. NRCS encourages public comment on these
questions and requests any other information, scientific literature, or
data that commenters believe are relevant to this request. NRCS is
particularly interested in feedback that identifies specific CPS and
includes scientific literature citations, data, guidance, benefit
estimation methods, procedures or processes, and actionable
information, data, or viable alternatives that would assist in
implementing programmatic goals and requirements. You may contact us by
sending an email to: [email protected], if you have
questions or concerns. Please specify the Docket ID: NRCS-2024-0015 in
the subject line.
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Review of Public Feedback
NRCS will use the public comments to inform review of our CPS and
associated technical documents.
This document is issued solely for informational purposes and
program planning purposes. Public comments provided in response to this
document will not bind NRCS to any further actions, including
publication of any formal response or agreement to initiate a
recommended change. NRCS will consider the feedback in the public
comments and make changes or consider improvements at our sole
discretion.
Finally, comments submitted in response to this document will not
be considered as petitions for rulemaking submitted as specified in the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(e)).
USDA Non-Discrimination Policy
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights
regulations and policies, USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees,
and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are
prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin,
religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family or parental
status, income derived from a public assistance program, political
beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in
any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases
apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by
program or incident.
Individuals who require alternative means of communication for
program information (for example, braille, large print, audiotape,
American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible agency or
the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone
(TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Service (both voice and
text telephone users can initiate this call from any phone).
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages
other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint and
at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in
the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy
of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form
or letter to USDA by: (1) mail to: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410; (2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3)
email: [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Louis Aspey,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-26051 Filed 11-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P