[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 123 (Monday, June 30, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27832-27833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-12056]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 123 / Monday, June 30, 2025 /
Notices
[[Page 27832]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket No. NRCS-2025-0004]
Proposed Revisions to the National Handbook of Conservation
Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of availability, request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is revising
specific conservation practice standards (CPS) in the National Handbook
of Conservation Practices (NHCP). NRCS is also giving the public an
opportunity to provide comments on the proposed changes to the specific
CPS.
DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by July 30, 2025.
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-2025-0004. Follow the
online instructions for submitting comments; or
Mail or Hand Delivery: Mr. J'Que C. Jones, National
Agricultural Engineer, Conservation Engineering Division, NRCS, USDA,
1400 Independence Avenue, South Building, Room 4949, Washington, DC
20250. In your comment, please specify the Docket ID NRCS-2025-0004.
All comments received will be made publicly available on http://www.regulations.gov.
The copies of the proposed revised standards are available through
http://www.regulations.gov by accessing Docket No. NRCS-2025-0004.
Alternatively, the proposed revised standards can be downloaded or
printed from the https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/conservation-practices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. J'Que C. Jones at (443) 926-6957,
or by email at [email protected]. Individuals who require alternative
means for communication should 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
NRCS plans to revise the CPS in the NHCP. This notice provides an
overview of the planned changes and gives the public an opportunity to
offer comments on the specific CPS and NRCS's proposed changes.
NRCS State Conservationists who choose to adopt these practices in
their States will incorporate these practices into the respective
electronic Field Office Technical Guide. These practices may be used in
conservation systems that treat highly erodible land (HEL) or on land
determined to be wetland. Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-127) requires NRCS to
make available for public review and comment all proposed revisions to
CPS used to conduct HEL and wetland provisions of the law.
Revisions to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices
The amount of the proposed changes varies for each of the CPS
addressed in this notice. To fully understand the proposed changes,
individuals are encouraged to compare these changes with the current
version for each standard, which can be found at: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/conservation-practice-standards.
NRCS is requesting comments on the following CPS:
Access Control (Code 472);
Controlled Traffic Farming (Code 334);
Irrigation Canal or Lateral (Code 320);
Irrigation Ditch Lining (Code 428);
Irrigation Field Ditch (Code 388);
Open Channel (Code 582);
Pest Management Conservation System (Code 595);
Pumping Plant (Code 533);
Waste Treatment Lagoon (Code 359);
Waste Recycling (Code 633);
Wildlife Habitat (Code 645).
The following paragraphs highlight some of the proposed changes to
each standard:
Access Control (Code 472): Revised to add clarity, to align the
purposes with resource concerns, and to clarify that the practice is
used to protect sensitive areas and practice is not used to manage
livestock. The general criteria information was incorporated into to
the plans and specifications section.
Controlled Traffic Farming (Code 334): Only minor changes were made
in this revision to simplify language in the ``Definition, Practice
Purpose, and the Conditions Where Practice Applies sections''. The term
``tram lines'' changed to traffic lanes. The ``General Criteria''
section received minor changes such as: removal of the axle weight and
tire PSI as these are difficult for conservation planners to determine.
Wording was also included to state this practice should be focused on
the interior of the field production footprint with lesser emphasis on
incidental turning at the ends of the field. Only minor wording changes
were made to the ``Considerations, Plans and Specifications, Operation
and Maintenance'' section. No Reference changes.
Irrigation Canal or Lateral (Code 320): Minor rewording edits were
made throughout the standard to provide clarity and improve
readability. A new subsection was added to address considerations for
cultural resources. Revised the ``Plans and Specifications'' and
``Consideration'' sections to account for safety features and
relationship between freeboard and overtopping.
Irrigation Ditch Lining (Code 428): The ``Definition,'' and
``Purpose'' sections of the standard were edited for clarity. A section
on ``Additional Criteria to Reduce Energy Use'' was added. Revised the
minimum required thickness for reinforced polyethylene and reinforced
flexible polypropylene lining materials under the heading
``Geosynthetic and semi[hyphen]rigid formed plastic'' in the
``Materials'' subsection of
[[Page 27833]]
``General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes'' section. The
``References'' section was also updated. Minor rewording edits
throughout the standard to improve readability.
Irrigation Fieldy Ditch (Code 388): Improved readability and added
statements ensuring compliance with laws and regulations to the
``General Criteria Application to All Purposes'' subsection. Removed
reference to Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) Open Channel (Code
582) within the ``Capacity requirements'' subsection since it does
contain requirements pertaining to these criteria. Added new
``Vegetation'' subsections within ``General Criteria'' section. Updated
``Spoil'' subsection to reflect the name change of CPS Code 572 to
``Spoil Disposal.'' A new subsection was added to address
considerations for cultural resources. In the ``Cross section''
subsection, clarified the freeboard requirement. A new consideration
for overtopping was added to the ``Consideration'' section.
Open Channel (Code 582): Revised the ``Purpose'' section to clarify
that the CPS will provide outlets to drainage systems and to protect or
enhance wildlife habitat. Moved the statement of ``In urban areas,
consider the design impacts on high-value developments'' from the
``Criteria'' section to the ``Consideration'' section. Removed the
``Cultural Resources'' section because the policies and regulations
should not be repeated in CPS's. Minor revisions were made for clarity
and readability purposes.
Pest Management Conservation System (Code 595): Reworded throughout
to clarify statements that have caused confusion. Reworded purposes for
air resource concerns. Clarified ``Purpose'' section to reduce
emissions of volatile organic compounds is only applicable in ozone
nonattainment areas. Included additional land uses: pasture, range, and
forest. Updated ``Reference'' section to the updated Technical Note 5.
Added reference to Prescribed Burning (CPS 338) when using it as a pest
management technique in ``General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes''
section. Added the table of hazard rating categories and mitigation
points needed in the ``Additional Criteria to Reduce Pesticides
Transported to Surface and Ground Waters'' section. Separated the
``Additional Criteria'' into different sections. Refined the
``Considerations'' section and updated the ``References'' section.
Pumping Plant (Code 533): The revised standard expands the practice
purpose to include fire suppression. Methods for gathering wind speed
data were added to the ``Windmills'' subsection. Also, pump enclosure
criteria were added to the ``Buildings and accessories'' subsection.
Renamed ``Photovoltaic panels'' subsection to ``Photovoltaic arrays''
and established degradation rate criteria therein. Additionally,
updates were made to the ``Considerations'' section to include
opportunities for greenhouse gas emissions reduction and the use of
water well yield capacity data. Further, minor rewording edits were
made throughout the standard to improve readability.
Waste Treatment Lagoon (Code 359): The practice standard was
updated to include requirements for foundation and embankments to
improve consistency with conservation practice standard, waste Storage
Facility (Code 313). A requirement was added to require a lagoon cover
for lagoons used on operations with greater than 1000 animal units.
Changes to the ``Purposes'' section were made to adequately align with
resource concerns. Minor changes were made for clarity and to better
describe the practice definition, purpose, criteria, and
considerations. The ``References'' section was also updated.
Waste Recycling (Code 633): The document revisions are minor and
include adding a new purpose, revising wording to clarify meaning,
modifications to align with the current format requirements, NRCS
general writing guidelines, and the Plain Language Act.
Wildlife Habitat (Code 645): This new standard combines
Conservation Practice Standard 644 Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management
and 645 Upland Wildlife Habitat Management. The title has been revised
to ``Wildlife Habitat Management'' which articulates the use of this
practice is appropriate on all land uses where habitat exists and can
be managed. The updated version of the standard removes all habitat
development actions and focuses on management actions, better aligning
with the one-year lifespan.
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, 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 (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, American
Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible agency or USDA
TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY)) or
dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Service (both voice and 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
email: [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Louis Aspey,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-12056 Filed 6-27-25; 8:45 am]
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