Notice of Proposed Changes to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, 5731-5732 [2015-02084]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 22 / Tuesday, February 3, 2015 / Notices under 7 CFR part 340 may voluntarily submit a conflict analysis and coexistence plan to advance agricultural coexistence strategies. Additional coexistence documents will be made available in the weeks prior to the March workshop. Workshop presentations and summaries from plenary sessions and working group meetings will be made available after the event. Documents can be found as indicated above via the agricultural coexistence workshop Web page. Additional information regarding the workshop may be obtained from the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of January 2015. Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture. [FR Doc. 2015–02035 Filed 2–2–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Natural Resources Conservation Service [Docket No. NRCS–2014–0013] Notice of Proposed Changes to Section I of the Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota State Technical Guides Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA. ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed changes to the NRCS Statespecific Field Office Technical Guides for review and comment; extension of comment period. AGENCY: NRCS published a notice of proposed changes to section I of the State-specific technical guides for Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota on November 5, 2014, with a comment period ending February 3, 2015. This document extends the comment period. DATES: The comment period for this notice (79 FR 65615, November 5, 2014) is hereby extended until February 20, 2015. SUMMARY: Comments should be submitted for each specific State, identified by Docket Number NRCS– 2014–0013, using any of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. • Mail or hand-delivery: Submit State-specific comments to the appropriate State contact. The contact rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES ADDRESSES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:46 Feb 02, 2015 Jkt 235001 information for each State is shown below. • NRCS will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov. Personal information provided with comments will be posted. If your comment includes your address, phone 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: The NRCS State Conservationist specific to your response. • Iowa, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jay Mar, State Conservationist, 210 Walnut Street, Room 693, Des Moines, Iowa 50309– 2180; telephone: (515) 284–4769; email: jay.mar@ia.usda.gove; Iowa Web site: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/ nrcs/site/ia/home/ • Minnesota, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Walter Albarran, Acting State Conservationist, 375 Jackson Street, Suite 600, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101–1854; telephone: (651) 602–7854; email: walter.albarran@ fl.usda.gov; Minnesota Web site: https:// www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/ site/mn/home/ • North Dakota, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Mary Podoll, State Conservationist, 220 East Rosser Avenue, Room 278, Bismarck, North Dakota 58502–1458; telephone: (701) 530–2003; email: mary.podoll@ nd.usda.gov, North Dakota Web site: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/ nrcs/site/nd/home/ • South Dakota, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jeff Zimprich, State Conservationist, 200 Fourth Street SW., Room 203, Huron, South Dakota 57350; telephone: (605) 352–1200; email: jeff.zimprich@sd.usda.gov; South Dakota Web site: https:// www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/ site/sd/home/ Electronic copies of the proposed revised offsite methods are available through https://www.regulations.gov by accessing Docket No. NRCS–2014–0013. Alternatively, copies can be downloaded or printed from the Statespecific Web site listed above. Requests for paper versions or inquiries may be directed to the specific State Conservationist at the contact points listed above. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NRCS has received a number of questions about the proposed changes referred to in this notice, including several requests for additional time to complete detailed PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 5731 reviews and comments. This action extends the comment period to ensure that the public has sufficient time to review and comment on the proposed changes. Signed this 28th day of January, 2015, in Washington, DC. Jason A. Weller, Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service. [FR Doc. 2015–02083 Filed 2–2–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–16–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Natural Resources Conservation Service [Docket No. NRCS–2015–0001] Notice of Proposed Changes to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA. ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed changes in the NRCS National Handbook of Conservation Practices for public review and comment. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given of the intention of NRCS to issue a new conservation practice standard in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices. This standard is High Tunnel System (Code 325). NRCS State Conservationists who choose to adopt this practice for use within their States will incorporate it into section IV of their respective electronic Field Office Technical Guide. This practice 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 February 3, 2015. Comment Date: Submit comments on or before March 5, 2015. Final versions of this new conservation practice standard will be adopted after the close of the 30-day period and after consideration of all comments. ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted and identified by Docket Number NRCS–2015–0001, using any of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\03FEN1.SGM 03FEN1 rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 5732 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 22 / Tuesday, February 3, 2015 / Notices • 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 https://www.regulations.gov. In general, personal information provided with comments will be posted. If your comment includes your address, phone 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: Wayne Bogovich, National Agricultural Engineer, Conservation Engineering Division, Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 6136 South Building, Washington, DC 20250. Electronic copies of the proposed new standard is available through https:// www.regulations.gov by accessing Docket No. NRCS–2015–0001. Alternatively, a copy can be downloaded or printed from the following Web site: https://go.usa.gov/ TXye. Requests for a paper version 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: To fully understand the new conservation practice standard, individuals are encouraged to acquire the document from one of the means listed. To aid in this understanding, following are some highlights of the proposed new standard: High Tunnel System (Code 325)—This is a new National Conservation Practice Standard with a 5 year lifespan. Prior to this new National Conservation Practice Standard, there existed an Interim Conservation Practice Standard, ‘‘Seasonal High Tunnel’’ (Code 798), that has been utilized extensively by a number of States since 2010. Because the Interim Conservation Practice Standard has been used so widely (10 thousand structures with financial assistance amounting to about $20 million), States recommended conversion of this interim standard to a new National Conservation Practice Standard. ‘‘High Tunnel System’’ (Code VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:46 Feb 02, 2015 Jkt 235001 325) applies to ‘‘kits’’ that can be purchased from a number of suppliers. Improving plant health and vigor has been identified as the purpose of this standard. The conservation practice describes ‘‘an enclosed polyethylene, plastic, or fabric covered structure used to cover and protect crops from sun, wind, excessive rainfall, or cold to extend the growing season in an environmentally safe manner.’’ Signed this 26th day of January, 2015, in Washington, DC. Jason A. Weller, Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service. [FR Doc. 2015–02084 Filed 2–2–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–16–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Business-Cooperative Service Notice of a National Public Stakeholder Forum on the Rural Energy for America Program Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. AGENCY: The Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBS), an Agency within the USDA Rural Development Mission area, will hold an informational meeting, entitled ‘‘Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) National Stakeholder Forum,’’ associated with the recently published REAP rule and notice. The Stakeholder forum is open to the public, and participation can be in person or via webinar. DATES: The Stakeholder Forum will be held on February 6, 2015, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. EDT. There will be two sessions with a short break in between. Session one will focus on the program changes to the grant and guaranteed loan components of REAP as a result of the recently published REAP rule and enactment of the 2014 Farm Bill. Session two will include a panel of guests who will discuss opportunities and successes within REAP. A question and answer session will follow the panel discussion. For those wishing to attend in person, seating will be available on a first come first serve basis. You must register, as described in the Instructions for Attending the Meeting in Person section, by noon EDT February 4, 2015. ADDRESSES: The Stakeholder Forum will take place in room 107–A of the Whitten Building on Jefferson Drive SW., located SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 between 12th and 14th Streets SW., in Washington, DC 20250. For webinar participation, you must register for the webinar at https:// www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/ 694/7209 prior to or during the webinar. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Venus Welch-White, Rural BusinessCooperative Service, Room 6870, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250–3221, Telephone: (202) 720–0400. Email: venus.welchwhite@wdc.usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The REAP final rule and accompanying notice were published in the Federal Register on December 29, 2014 (https:// www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-12-29 (December 29, 2014, page 78029)). In order to familarize the public with the changes to the REAP rule, representatives of the Department of Agriculture are conducting a National Stakeholder Forum. The purpose of this forum is to provide information on the final rule for the Rural Energy for America Program, focusing on the changes associated with application submittal, scoring, funding, and other program information. Participants will be afforded the opportunity to ask questions on the material in the presentation through the webinar software. Date: February 6, 2015. Time: 1 p.m.–3 p.m. Location information: USDA headquarters, in the Whitten Building, 1400 Jefferson Drive SW., Room 107–A, Washington, DC 20250. Webinar registration information can be found at https:// www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/ 694/7209. Participants are responsible for ensuring their systems are compatible with the webinar software. Instructions for Attending the Meeting In Person: Space for attendance at the meeting is limited. Due to USDA headquarters security and space requirements, all persons wishing to attend the public meeting in person, must send an email to energydivision@ wdc.usda.gov by noon EDT February 4, 2015, to register the names of those planning to attend. Registrations will be accepted until maximum room capacity is reached. To register, provide the following information: • • • • • First Name Last Name Organization Title Email E:\FR\FM\03FEN1.SGM 03FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5731-5732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02084]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket No. NRCS-2015-0001]


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

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intention of NRCS to issue a new 
conservation practice standard in the National Handbook of Conservation 
Practices. This standard is High Tunnel System (Code 325). NRCS State 
Conservationists who choose to adopt this practice for use within their 
States will incorporate it into section IV of their respective 
electronic Field Office Technical Guide. This practice 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 February 3, 2015.
    Comment Date: Submit comments on or before March 5, 2015. Final 
versions of this new conservation practice standard will be adopted 
after the close of the 30-day period and after consideration of all 
comments.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted and identified by Docket Number 
NRCS-2015-0001, using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

[[Page 5732]]

     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 https://www.regulations.gov. In 
general, personal information provided with comments will be posted. If 
your comment includes your address, phone 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: Wayne Bogovich, National Agricultural 
Engineer, Conservation Engineering Division, Department of Agriculture, 
Natural Resources Conservation Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Room 6136 South Building, Washington, DC 20250.
    Electronic copies of the proposed new standard is available through 
https://www.regulations.gov by accessing Docket No. NRCS-2015-0001. 
Alternatively, a copy can be downloaded or printed from the following 
Web site: https://go.usa.gov/TXye. Requests for a paper version 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: To fully understand the new conservation 
practice standard, individuals are encouraged to acquire the document 
from one of the means listed. To aid in this understanding, following 
are some highlights of the proposed new standard: High Tunnel System 
(Code 325)--This is a new National Conservation Practice Standard with 
a 5 year lifespan. Prior to this new National Conservation Practice 
Standard, there existed an Interim Conservation Practice Standard, 
``Seasonal High Tunnel'' (Code 798), that has been utilized extensively 
by a number of States since 2010. Because the Interim Conservation 
Practice Standard has been used so widely (10 thousand structures with 
financial assistance amounting to about $20 million), States 
recommended conversion of this interim standard to a new National 
Conservation Practice Standard. ``High Tunnel System'' (Code 325) 
applies to ``kits'' that can be purchased from a number of suppliers. 
Improving plant health and vigor has been identified as the purpose of 
this standard. The conservation practice describes ``an enclosed 
polyethylene, plastic, or fabric covered structure used to cover and 
protect crops from sun, wind, excessive rainfall, or cold to extend the 
growing season in an environmentally safe manner.''

    Signed this 26th day of January, 2015, in Washington, DC.
Jason A. Weller,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-02084 Filed 2-2-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P

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