Notice of Availability of the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Upper Kanab Creek Watershed Vegetation Management Project, 48725 [2014-19519]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 159 / Monday, August 18, 2014 / Notices
Roof Runoff Structure (Code 558)—
The agency added inventory and
assessment information, clarified the
language and organization of the
standard, added conditions and criteria
for capturing roof runoff for other uses,
and added considerations.
Surface Roughening (Code 609)—
NRCS resource concerns were
associated with each of the conservation
practice purposes. Revised the
condition where the practice applies to
stress the practice is ‘‘emergency
tillage’’ and not the primary method of
erosion control. The general criterion for
the random roughness based in the ‘‘soil
erodibility factor’’ from the former Wind
Erosion Equation was removed as the
current technology is now based on the
Wind Erosion Prediction System
technology.
Tree/Shrub Pruning (Code 660)—The
agency added two new purposes, and
updated the criteria, considerations,
plans and specifications, operation and
maintenance, and references sections of
Tree/Shrub Pruning (Code 660). The
original DEFINITION of Tree/Shrub
Pruning was retained. Two PURPOSES
were added to address soil quality and
energy use. They are, ‘‘Maintain or
improve soil quality and organic matter
content’’, and ‘‘Reduce energy use.’’
Other purposes were rephrased for
clarity and consistency but their
meanings are unchanged. The
CRITERIA section on methods and
timing for pruning, and minimizing
damage to the residual plant, was split
into several separate sections and
clarified. A restriction on treating cuts,
and another on pollarding, was added.
Timing to minimize disturbance to
wildlife, formerly in Considerations,
was moved to this section. A section on
‘‘Additional Criteria for Maintaining
Health and Vigor’’ was added; material
on pruning to limit insect infestations
and plant diseases was moved to this
section and expanded to address root
pruning. A section on ‘‘Additional
Criteria to Maintain or Improve Soil
Quality’’ was added, calling for pruning
residues to remain on site unless insect
or disease considerations prevail.
Finally, a section on ‘‘Additional
Criteria to Reduce Energy Use’’ was
added for situations where alternative
methods are available and one is less
energy-intensive than others.
CONSIDERATIONS: Additional
considerations were placed in this
section, including those for the effects of
pruning on plant health, retaining and
treating pruning residues for soil
quality, pruning for disease or pest
control, and pruning for fire hazard
reduction. A reference to NRCS
Conservation Practice Standard (CPS)
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Woody Residue Treatment (Code 384)
was included for treatment of pruning
residues when needed, and a reference
to NRCS Conservation Practice Standard
(CPS) Forest Stand Improvement (Code
666) was added for situations where
disease or pest control requires cutting
or killing entire trees. The PLANS AND
SPECIFICATIONS section was
expanded to include a list of the
minimum information needed to
prepare a plan. The OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE section was expanded
to include additional requirements for
controlling invasive plants. The
REFERENCES were updated to include
more current information.
Waste Transfer (Code 634)—The
agency removed ‘hauling waste material
with equipment or vehicles’ from the
conditions where this practice is
applied and expanded the design
criteria information specific for waste
transfer pipelines.
Water Well Decommissioning (Code
351)—The agency revised the purposes
and criteria sections. Disinfection was
moved from criteria to considerations.
Wildlife Structure (Code 649)—This is
a new National Conservation Practice
Standard with a five-year lifespan. Prior
to this new National Conservation
Practice Standard, there existed no
minimum requirements for applying
fish and wildlife structures or
retrofitting existing structures as needed
to improve management and
conservation of fish and wildlife
habitats, and to achieve their intended
purpose. To address this technical gap,
an Interim National Conservation
Practice Standard, ‘‘Fish and Wildlife
Structures’’ (Code 734) was developed
and tested in several states. Ultimately,
States recommended conversion of this
interim standard to a new National
Conservation Practice Standard.
‘‘Structures for Wildlife’’ does not apply
to structures benefitting aquatic species.
During field testing, NRCS found that
most habitat structures for aquatic
species (e.g. fish ladders) are adequately
addressed in other National
Conservation Practice Standards. Also
discovered during the testing process,
was that the interim standard (Code
734) did not provide for retrofitting
existing structures that pose a threat to
wildlife. This standard corrects that
oversight by providing for retrofitting
existing structures, such as the
installation of wildlife escape ramps to
existing water troughs and retrofitting
existing fencing to allow for safe passage
by wildlife.
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48725
Signed this 6th day of August, 2014, in
Washington, DC
Jason A. Weller,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–19520 Filed 8–15–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–16–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation
Service
[Docket No. NRCS–2014–0012]
Notice of Availability of the Finding of
No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the
Upper Kanab Creek Watershed
Vegetation Management Project
Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the
Finding of No Significant Impact.
AGENCY:
This notice announces the
availability of NRCS’s adoption, under
provisions provided for in 40 CFR
1506.3, of an Environmental Assessment
(EA) prepared by the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) for the Upper Kanab
Creek Watershed Vegetation
Management Project, dated April 2012.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the EA and FONSI
are available upon request from the
Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building,
125 South State Street, Room 4010, Salt
Lake City, Utah 84138.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary
McRae, Resource Conservationist,
Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building,
125 South State Street, Room 4010, Salt
Lake City, Utah 84138; telephone: (801)
524–4599.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NRCS
prepared the FONSI in compliance with
the National Environmental Policy Act
after reviewing the EA and concurring
with the analysis and findings therein,
and the finding that the proposed
project modifications described in the
EA will not result in significant impacts
to the environment.
The project area encompasses the
upper portion of the Kanab, ArizonaUtah 4th level, 8-digit HUC
(#15010003). The project is needed to
rehabilitate vegetation communities.
SUMMARY:
Signed this 8th day of August 2014, in Salt
Lake City, Utah.
David C. Brown,
State Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 2014–19519 Filed 8–15–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–16–P
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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 159 (Monday, August 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 48725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19519]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket No. NRCS-2014-0012]
Notice of Availability of the Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) for the Upper Kanab Creek Watershed Vegetation Management
Project
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Finding of No Significant Impact.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of NRCS's adoption,
under provisions provided for in 40 CFR 1506.3, of an Environmental
Assessment (EA) prepared by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the
Upper Kanab Creek Watershed Vegetation Management Project, dated April
2012.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the EA and FONSI are available upon request from
the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wallace F. Bennett Federal
Building, 125 South State Street, Room 4010, Salt Lake City, Utah
84138.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary McRae, Resource Conservationist,
Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wallace F. Bennett Federal
Building, 125 South State Street, Room 4010, Salt Lake City, Utah
84138; telephone: (801) 524-4599.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NRCS prepared the FONSI in compliance with
the National Environmental Policy Act after reviewing the EA and
concurring with the analysis and findings therein, and the finding that
the proposed project modifications described in the EA will not result
in significant impacts to the environment.
The project area encompasses the upper portion of the Kanab,
Arizona-Utah 4th level, 8-digit HUC (15010003). The project is
needed to rehabilitate vegetation communities.
Signed this 8th day of August 2014, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
David C. Brown,
State Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 2014-19519 Filed 8-15-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P
