81 FR 69779 - Notice of Proposed Changes to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 195 (October 7, 2016)

Notice is hereby given of the intention of NRCS to issue a series of revised conservation practice standards in NHCP. These standards include Brush Management (Code 314), Herbaceous Weed Treatment (Code 315), Lined Waterway or Outlet (Code 468), Prescribed Grazing (Code 528), and Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities (Code 643). NRCS State Conservationists who choose to adopt these practices for use within their States will incorporate them into section IV of their 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 a wetland. Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 requires NRCS to make available for public review and comment all proposed revisions to conservation practice standards used to carry out HEL and wetland provisions of the law.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 195 (Friday, October 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69779-69780]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-24329]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket No. NRCS-2016-0008]


Notice of Proposed Changes to the National Handbook of 
Conservation Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Department 
of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed changes in the NRCS National 
Handbook of Conservation Practices (NHCP) for public review and 
comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intention of NRCS to issue a 
series of revised conservation practice standards in NHCP. These 
standards include Brush Management (Code 314), Herbaceous Weed 
Treatment (Code 315), Lined Waterway or Outlet (Code 468), Prescribed 
Grazing (Code 528), and Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural 
Communities (Code 643). NRCS State Conservationists who choose to adopt 
these practices for use within their States will incorporate them into 
section IV of their 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 a wetland. Section 343 
of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 requires 
NRCS to make available for public review and comment all proposed 
revisions to conservation practice standards used to carry out HEL and 
wetland provisions of the law.

DATES: Effective Date: This is effective October 7, 2016.
    Comment Date: Submit comments on or before November 7, 2016. Final 
versions of these new or revised conservation practice standards will 
be adopted after the close of the 30-day period and after consideration 
of all comments.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted, identified by Docket Number 
NRCS-2016-0008, using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attention: Regulatory and Agency Policy Team, Strategic Planning and 
Accountability, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 5601 Sunnyside 
Avenue, Building 1-1112D, Beltsville, Maryland 20705.
    NRCS will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. In 
general, personal information provided with comments will be posted. If 
your comment includes your address, telephone number, email, or other 
personal identifying information, your comments, including personal 
information, may be available to the public. You may ask in your 
comment that your personal identifying information be withheld from 
public view, but this cannot be guaranteed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terri Ruch, acting national 
agricultural engineer, Conservation Engineering Division, Department of 
Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Room 6133 South Building, Washington, DC 20250.
    Electronic copies of the proposed revised standards are available 
from http://go.usa.gov/TXye. Requests for paper versions or inquiries 
may be directed to Emil Horvath, national practice standards review 
coordinator, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Central National 
Technology Support Center, 501 West Felix Street, Fort Worth, Texas 
76115.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The amount of the proposed changes varies 
considerably for each of the conservation practice standards addressed 
in this notice. To fully understand the proposed changes, individuals 
are encouraged to compare these changes with each standard's current 
version as shown at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/technical/cp/ncps/?cid=nrcs143_026849 .To aid in 
this comparison, following are highlights of some of the proposed 
revisions to each standard:
    Brush Management (Code 314): The brush management standard was 
reviewed and updated to reflect current agency policy and science. 
Changes also were made to bring the standard up to date on current 
ecological site descriptions. Added statement to the ``purpose'' that 
when standard is applied successively, it facilitates the process to 
achieve the desired plant community. ``Criteria'' section was changed 
to add statement to ensure practice area has the correct plant 
diversity for the desired plant community after completion.
    Herbaceous Weed Treatment (Code 315): The herbaceous weed control 
standard was reviewed and updated to reflect current agency policy and 
science. Changes also were made to bring standard up to date on current 
ecological site descriptions. ``Purpose'' was adjusted to focus on 
consideration of reducing wildfire fuel loading. Two ``purposes'' were 
added that reflect agency consideration and focus on improving 
rangeland health, and that when the standard is applied successively, 
it facilitates the process to achieve the desired plant community.
    Lined Waterway or Outlet (Code 468): The entire document is edited 
for clarity. Restriction for maximum capacity is removed. Criteria for 
minimum capacity is modified to include provisions for minimal slopes 
and downstream conveyance capacities. Specific ``n'' values and design 
criteria

[[Page 69780]]

are replaced with references to NRCS National Engineering Handbook. 
References and citations are updated to the current editions.
    Prescribed Grazing (Code 528): The prescribed grazing standard was 
reviewed and updated to reflect current agency policy and science. 
Changes were made to clarify and recognize the benefits of prescribed 
grazing on soil health. Clarified ``practice description'' by adding 
``. . . with the intent to achieve specific ecological, economic, and 
management objectives.'' In ``purpose,'' the concept of plant community 
``structure'' was added when addressing plant communities, and added 
verbiage identifying the benefits of this practice to soil health.
    Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities (Code 643): 
Changed title from Restoration and Management of Rare and Declining 
Habitats to Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities. The 
term ``habitats'' is changed to ``natural communities'' to encompass 
not only wildlife resource concerns, but also activities targeting a 
unique plant community. Unique to restoration efforts of rare and 
declining natural communities, the restoration of the abiotic 
conditions is typically necessary, prior to restoration of biotic 
conditions. Broadened the scope to include abiotic restoration and 
restoration of plant communities.

    Dated: September 29, 2016.
Jason A. Weller,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-24329 Filed 10-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-16-P