Notice of Availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for the Farm Service Agency's Conservation Reserve Program, 52868-52869 [2019-21481]

Download as PDF 52868 Notices Federal Register Vol. 84, No. 192 Thursday, October 3, 2019 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. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13. Comments are requested regarding; whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments regarding this information collection received by November 4, 2019 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov or fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250–7602. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720–8958. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:22 Oct 02, 2019 Jkt 250001 displays a currently valid OMB control number. Food and Nutrition Service Title: Food Program Reporting System (FPRS). OMB Control Number: 0584–0594. Summary of Collection: The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is consolidating certain programmatic and financial data reporting requirements under the Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS), an electronic reporting system. The purpose is to give State agencies and Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) agencies one portal for the various reporting required for the programs that the State and ITO agencies operate. Need and Use of the Information: The data collected will be used for a variety of purposes, mainly program evaluation, planning, audits, funding, research, regulatory compliance and general statistics. The data is gathered at various times, ranging from monthly, quarterly, annual or final submissions. Without the information, FNS would be unable to meet its legislative and regulatory reporting requirements for the affected programs. Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government. Number of Respondents: 12,708. Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly, Semi-annually, Monthly; Annually. Total Burden Hours: 105,670. Ruth Brown, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2019–21529 Filed 10–2–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–30–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Commodity Credit Corporation Farm Service Agency Notice of Availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for the Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Program Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), Farm Service Agency (FSA), USDA. ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA); request for comments. AGENCY: PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 FSA, acting on behalf of the CCC, announces the availability for review and comment the draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) assessing the alternatives to and anticipated environmental impacts of potential changes from the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The intent of this notice is to make the draft PEA available for review and request comments by the public, other agencies, and Tribes on the proposed alternatives and their potential impacts to the human environment. The feedback we receive from this notice will be incorporated into the final PEA, as appropriate, prior to FSA’s decision. DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by October 27, 2019. Comments received after this date will be considered to the extent possible. ADDRESSES: The CRP draft PEA is available at: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/ programs-and-services/environmentalcultural-resource/nepa/current-nepadocuments/index. We invite you to submit comments on the CRP draft PEA. In your comments, include the volume, date, and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. You may submit comments: • By mail at Conservation Reserve Program PEA Comments, c/o CardnoGS, 2496 Old Ivy Road, Suite 300, Charlottesville, VA 22903, or • Electronically at FPAC.Comments@ usda.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Robyn Rose, (202) 720–5104. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FSA is assessing mandatory and potential discretionary changes to CRP resulting from the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, by preparing a PEA to provide FSA decisionmakers, other agencies, Tribes, and the public with an analysis that evaluates effects in appropriate contexts, describes the intensity of adverse as well as beneficial impacts, and addresses cumulative environmental impacts associated with proposed programmatic changes to these programs. CRP was first SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\03OCN1.SGM 03OCN1 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 192 / Thursday, October 3, 2019 / Notices authorized in the Food Security Act of 1985 (Pub. L. 99–198, 99 Stat. 1509– 1514, 16 U.S.C. 3831–3835), and is governed by regulations in 7 CFR part 1410. CRP is a voluntary program that supports the implementation of longterm conservation measures designed to improve the quality of ground and surface waters, control soil erosion, and enhance wildlife habitat on environmentally sensitive agricultural land. In return, CCC provides participants with rental payments and cost share assistance under contracts that extend from 10 to 15 years. CRP is a CCC program administered by FSA with the support of other Federal, State, and local agencies and organizations. More information on CRP is available at: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programsand-services/conservation-programs/ conservation-reserve-program/index. The CRP draft PEA is available at: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programsand-services/environmental-culturalresource/nepa/current-nepa-documents/ index. The availability of the CRP draft PEA was announced on September 27, 2019, through an FSA news release; that announcement started the 30-day public comment period. The draft PEA evaluates No Action and Proposed Action Alternatives to ensure the full range of mandatory and potential discretionary alternatives and impacts are analyzed. The alternatives and impacts included in the draft PEA will be amended, as appropriate, based on input from the public, other agencies, and Tribes submitted during this comment period, in the final PEA and FSA’s decision document, which will made available at the site listed above under Addresses. Robert Stephenson, Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation. Richard Fordyce, Administrator, Farm Service Agency. [FR Doc. 2019–21481 Filed 10–2–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–05–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Housing Service Rural Utilities Service Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program Guarantee Fee Rate, Annual Renewal Fee, Rural Area Definition, and Funding Priority for Fiscal Year 2020; and Water and Waste Disposal Programs Guaranteed Rural Area Definition and Funding Reservation for Fiscal Year 2020 Rural Housing Service and Rural Utilities Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This notice announces implementation of several provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill related to the Rural Housing Service (RHS) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) agencies of the Rural Development mission area of the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, sometimes hereinafter referred to as Agency. Specifically, it provides notice of the population change in the rural area definition for the Community Facilities (CF) Guaranteed Loan Program and the Water and Waste Disposal (WWD) Guaranteed Loan Program and priorities for each program. It also provides established fee levels for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 for the CF Guaranteed Loan Program. This Notice is being issued prior to enactment of full year appropriation for FY 2020. The Agency will publish the amount of funding received in the final appropriations act on its website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/ fy2020-appropriated-funding. DATES: Applicability date: The Agency will not act on any applications received under this Notice until December 2, 2019. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karla Peiffer, USDA Rural Development, Community Facilities Program at (515) 238–6668 or via email at karla.peiffer@ usda.gov; or Susan Woolard, USDA Rural Development, Water and Waste Disposal Program at (202) 720–9631, or via email at susan.woolard@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: Congressional Review Act Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this notice as major, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2). Background The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115–334, 2018 Farm Bill) VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:22 Oct 02, 2019 Jkt 250001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 52869 was signed into law by the President on December 20, 2018. The Farm Bill included several statutory provisions affecting the CF and WWD Programs. Rural Area Population Threshold Section 6402 of the Farm Bill amended section 343(a)(13) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (CONACT) to change the eligible population threshold in the definition of ‘‘rural’’ and ‘‘rural area’’ for the CF and WWD Guaranteed Loan Programs to 50,000. As a result of this amended definition, § 343(a)(13)(D) ‘‘Areas Rural in Character’’ is also applicable to CF and WWD Guaranteed Loans, but this portion of the definition has been determined to not be selfexecuting and, therefore, will be implemented through the rulemaking process consistent with Administrative Procedure Act requirements. While the guaranteed programs generally are available in more highly populated rural areas, Section 306(a)(24) of the CONACT was amended to establish a reservation of funds for CF Guaranteed Loans for projects in rural areas with a population of not more than 20,000 inhabitants and to provide a prioritization for WWD Guaranteed Loans for rural areas with a population of not more than 10,000 people. CF Guaranteed Loans Section 6402 of the 2018 Farm Bill amended § 343(a)(13) of the CONACT to define a rural area for CF Guaranteed loans as ‘‘an area other than (i) a city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants; and (ii) any urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town described in clause (i).’’ Applications for CF Guaranteed Loan funds for projects in rural areas with a population up to 50,000 may be submitted to RHS in accordance with 7 CFR 3575.52 for processing. Pursuant to Section 6402 of the 2018 Farm Bill and Section 306(a)(24) of the CONACT, guarantee funds appropriated during the fiscal year (including FY 2020) will be reserved for projects in rural areas with a population of not more than 20,000 inhabitants based on the following reservation of funds schedule: (1) 100 percent of the first $200,000,000 so made available; (2) 50 percent of the next $200,000,000 so made available; and (3) 25 percent of all amounts exceeding $400,000,000 so made available. Based on the reservation of funds schedule outlined above, applications received where no funds are available (i.e. applications for projects in areas with more than 20,000 inhabitants, but E:\FR\FM\03OCN1.SGM 03OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 192 (Thursday, October 3, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52868-52869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21481]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Farm Service Agency


Notice of Availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment for the Farm Service Agency's Conservation Reserve Program

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), Farm Service Agency (FSA), 
USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA); request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: FSA, acting on behalf of the CCC, announces the availability 
for review and comment the draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment 
(PEA) assessing the alternatives to and anticipated environmental 
impacts of potential changes from the Agricultural Improvement Act of 
2018 (2018 Farm Bill) to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), in 
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). 
The intent of this notice is to make the draft PEA available for review 
and request comments by the public, other agencies, and Tribes on the 
proposed alternatives and their potential impacts to the human 
environment. The feedback we receive from this notice will be 
incorporated into the final PEA, as appropriate, prior to FSA's 
decision.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by October 27, 2019. 
Comments received after this date will be considered to the extent 
possible.

ADDRESSES: The CRP draft PEA is available at: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/environmental-cultural-resource/nepa/current-nepa-documents/index.
    We invite you to submit comments on the CRP draft PEA. In your 
comments, include the volume, date, and page number of this issue of 
the Federal Register. You may submit comments:
     By mail at Conservation Reserve Program PEA Comments, c/o 
Cardno-GS, 2496 Old Ivy Road, Suite 300, Charlottesville, VA 22903, or
     Electronically at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Robyn Rose, (202) 720-5104. 
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 
(voice).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FSA is assessing mandatory and potential 
discretionary changes to CRP resulting from the passage of the 2018 
Farm Bill, by preparing a PEA to provide FSA decisionmakers, other 
agencies, Tribes, and the public with an analysis that evaluates 
effects in appropriate contexts, describes the intensity of adverse as 
well as beneficial impacts, and addresses cumulative environmental 
impacts associated with proposed programmatic changes to these 
programs. CRP was first

[[Page 52869]]

authorized in the Food Security Act of 1985 (Pub. L. 99-198, 99 Stat. 
1509-1514, 16 U.S.C. 3831-3835), and is governed by regulations in 7 
CFR part 1410. CRP is a voluntary program that supports the 
implementation of long-term conservation measures designed to improve 
the quality of ground and surface waters, control soil erosion, and 
enhance wildlife habitat on environmentally sensitive agricultural 
land. In return, CCC provides participants with rental payments and 
cost share assistance under contracts that extend from 10 to 15 years. 
CRP is a CCC program administered by FSA with the support of other 
Federal, State, and local agencies and organizations. More information 
on CRP is available at: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/conservation-reserve-program/index.
    The CRP draft PEA is available at: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/environmental-cultural-resource/nepa/current-nepa-documents/index. The availability of the CRP draft PEA was 
announced on September 27, 2019, through an FSA news release; that 
announcement started the 30-day public comment period.
    The draft PEA evaluates No Action and Proposed Action Alternatives 
to ensure the full range of mandatory and potential discretionary 
alternatives and impacts are analyzed. The alternatives and impacts 
included in the draft PEA will be amended, as appropriate, based on 
input from the public, other agencies, and Tribes submitted during this 
comment period, in the final PEA and FSA's decision document, which 
will made available at the site listed above under Addresses.

Robert Stephenson,
Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
Richard Fordyce,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2019-21481 Filed 10-2-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P

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