Request for Public Input About Implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act Funding, 70770-70772 [2022-25292]
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70770
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 87, No. 223
Monday, November 21, 2022
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
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
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 December 21,
2022 will be considered. Written
comments and recommendations for the
proposed information collection should
be submitted within 30 days of the
publication of this notice on the
following website www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain. Find this
particular information collection by
selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day
Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or
by using the search function.
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
21:25 Nov 18, 2022
Jkt 259001
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
Title: Horse Protection Regulations.
OMB Control Number: 0579–0056.
Summary of Collection: The Horse
Protection Act (HPA) of 1970 (Pub. L.
91–540), as amended July 13, 1976 (Pub.
L. 94–360), was enacted to prevent
showing, exhibiting, selling, or
auctioning of ‘‘sore’’ horses, and certain
transportation of sore horses in
connection therewith, at horse shows,
horse exhibitions, horse sales, and horse
auctions. ‘‘Soring’’ is a process whereby
chemical or mechanical agents, or a
combination thereof, are applied to the
limbs of a horse in order to exaggerate
its gait. A ‘‘sore’’ horse is one that has
been subjected to prohibited practices
and, as a result, suffers, or can
reasonably be expected to suffer,
physical pain or distress, inflammation,
or lameness when walking, trotting or
otherwise moving. A horse that is
‘‘sore’’ is prohibited from entering or
participating in HPA-regulated events
because exhibitors, owners, and trainers
of such horse may obtain unfair
advantage over individuals exhibiting
horses that are not ‘‘sore.’’
Need and Use of the Information:
APHIS uses the following information
collection activities to enforce the Horse
Protection Act:
Access to and Inspection of Event
Management Records;
Request for Certification of DQP
Program and Detailed Outline of Such a
Program, Including Standards of
Conduct and Procedures for Enforcing
Such Standards;
List of DQPs and Notification to
USDA of Changes to the List and Any
Warnings or Revocations Issued to Any
DQP;
HIO Report of Violations and
Recordkeeping;
Certified DQP Program Written
Warning to DQP of Unsatisfactory
Performance;
Certified DQP Program Cancellation
of DQP License After Warning;
Request by DQP to USDA to Appeal
License Cancellation;
Appeal of Revocation and DQP
Access to Records (previously titled
Appeal of Revocation);
Written Notification to USDA and
Certified DQP Programs by Event
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Management of Unsatisfactory DQP
Performance;
Records of Events Containing
Tennessee Walking Horses or Racking
Horses Maintained by Management;
Providing Contact Information for
Recordkeeper;
Inspection of Horse Industry
Organization Records;
Management Report to USDA of Any
Regulated Horse Event Involving
Tennessee Walking Horses or Racking
Horses;
Management Report to USDA of Any
Regulated Horse Event Not Involving
Tennessee Walking Horses or Racking
Horses;
Required Information in Rulebooks
and Rulebook Submission;
Appeals and Reports; and
Certified DQP Program Quarterly
Reports on Disciplinary Action and
Recordkeeping (previously titled
Certified DQP Program Quarterly
Reports on Disciplinary Actions);
If the information were collected less
frequently or not collected, APHIS
would not be able to accurately assess
compliance with the HPA.
Description of Respondents: Business
or not-for-profit; individuals and
households.
Number of Respondents: 442.
Frequency of Responses:
Recordkeeping; reporting.
Total Burden Hours: 2,650.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022–25255 Filed 11–18–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation
Service
[Docket ID: NRCS–2022–0015]
Request for Public Input About
Implementation of the Inflation
Reduction Act Funding
Natural Resources
Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Request for information.
AGENCY:
The Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) requests
public input for NRCS to use to inform
how NRCS will implement funds
received under the Inflation Reduction
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\21NON1.SGM
21NON1
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 223 / Monday, November 21, 2022 / Notices
Act (IRA) to fund the deployment of
climate-smart practices on US farms,
ranches, and forestlands through four
Farm Bill conservation programs. NRCS
is also requesting input on funding to
quantify carbon sequestration and
carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous
oxide emissions at the field scale. NRCS
is specifically interested in public input
and recommendations that NRCS can
use to improve, expand, and/or build on
scientifically-designed quantification
systems to monitor and quantify
improvements in soil carbon, reductions
in nitrogen losses, and the reduction,
capture, avoidance, or sequestration of
carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous
oxide emissions, associated with
agricultural production. In
implementing the IRA, NRCS is
interested in supporting program
implementation and improving program
delivery by effectively leveraging
partners to increase outreach and
expand access to underserved
producers. This effort will help NRCS
identify and prioritize process
improvements for the delivery of
funding made available under IRA and
the overall administration of the NRCS
conservation programs. NRCS will look
to identify immediate changes that can
be implemented for funding available
for fiscal year (FY) 2023 and will
continue to identify and adopt
additional changes in future years.
DATES: We will consider comments that
we receive by December 21, 2022.
Comments received after that date will
be considered to the extent possible.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to send
comments in response to this notice.
You may send comments through the
method below:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID: NRCS–2022–0015. Follow
the online instructions for submitting
comments.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Background
On August 12, 2022, President Biden
signed IRA, (Pub. L. 117–169) into law.
IRA builds on the Biden-Harris
Administration’s historic investments in
rural America and furthers the
commitment to rural communities
demonstrated in the American Rescue
Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117–2) and the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
also known as ‘‘Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law’’ (Pub. L. 117–58). IRA is a oncein-a-generation opportunity to build
critical infrastructure, to protect
communities from wildfire and extreme
heat and to drive climate-smart
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:25 Nov 18, 2022
Jkt 259001
agriculture and renewable energy
initiatives nationwide.
Agriculture, in particular, is at the
forefront of the United States’ effort to
address climate change. From
incentivizing the adoption of climatesmart agriculture, to supporting healthy
forests and conservation, to clean energy
tax credits, to biofuels, infrastructure
and beyond, IRA provides the United
State Department of Agriculture (USDA)
with significant additional resources to
lead this historic charge.
IRA provides unprecedented funding
levels targeted to improve soil carbon,
reduce nitrogen losses, or reduce,
capture, avoid, or sequester carbon
dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide
emissions, associated with agricultural
production for several NRCS programs.
The increased funding levels begin in
FY 2023, and rapidly build over 4 years,
resulting in the following total
additional funds by program and NRCS
administrative costs:
• Environmental Quality Incentives
Program—$8.45 billion;
• Conservation Stewardship
Program—$3.25 billion;
• Regional Conservation Partnership
Program—$4.95 billion;
• Agricultural Conservation Easement
Program—$1.4 billion;
• Conservation Technical
Assistance—$1 billion;
• Greenhous Gas (GHG) Monitoring—
$300 million; and
• Administrative costs—$100 million.
These funds provide NRCS with an
unprecedented opportunity to
implement practices and quantify
greenhouse gas emission reductions.
NRCS is soliciting public input and
recommendations to determine how
NRCS can maximize, target, monitor,
and quantify improvements to soil
carbon, reductions in nitrogen losses,
and the reduction, capture, avoidance,
or sequestration of carbon dioxide,
methane, or nitrous oxide emissions,
associated with agricultural production.
To minimize complexity and ensure
equity across NRCS program
implementation, NRCS also requests
recommendations on how to streamline
and improve program delivery while
also expanding access for underserved
producers. NRCS will use the input
provided in response to this request to
implement IRA funding over the next
several years.
List of Questions for Commenters
The list of questions below is nonexhaustive, but meant to assist members
of the public in formulating comments
on some of the most important issues
that NRCS is considering as they
implement the program. This list of
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
70771
questions is not intended to restrict the
feedback that members of the public
may provide:
(1) What systems of quantification
should NRCS use to measure the carbon
sequestration and carbon dioxide,
methane, and nitrous oxide emissions
outcomes associated with activities
funded through IRA?
• How should NRCS design a
scientifically-based framework for fieldbased quantification and analysis that
can integrate into USDA’s Greenhouse
Gas Inventory and Assessment Program?
• What methods should NRCS use to
quantify carbon sequestration and
carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous
oxide emissions?
• What sources of information should
NRCS consider in developing protocols
or what preexisting, standardized
protocols should be used to support
field-based data collection and analysis?
• What types of field-based data
should be collected and analyzed to
assess carbon sequestration and
reduction in carbon dioxide, methane,
and nitrous oxide emissions outcomes
associated with agricultural and
conservation activities?
• How should USDA monitor and
track carbon sequestration and
greenhouse gas emissions trends and the
effects of NRCS supported activities?
• How or should the framework
developed by NRCS to provide fieldbased quantification integrate with
satellite data to provide a
comprehensive picture of GHG
emissions and removals from
agricultural activities and conservation
practice implementation?
(2) How can NRCS engage the private
sector and private philanthropy to
leverage the IRA investments, including
for systems of quantification?
(3) How should NRCS target IRA
funding to maximize improvements to
soil carbon, reductions in nitrogen
losses, and the reduction, capture,
avoidance, or sequestration of carbon
dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide
emissions, associated with agricultural
production?
(4) How should NRCS streamline and
improve program delivery to increase
efficiencies and expand access to IRA
funded programs and projects for
producers, particularly underserved
producers?
(5) How can NRCS expand capacity
among partners to assist in providing
outreach and technical assistance to
support the implementation of IRA
funding?
E:\FR\FM\21NON1.SGM
21NON1
70772
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 223 / Monday, November 21, 2022 / Notices
Review of Public Feedback
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Maximizing the Value of Public
Feedback
NRCS plans to use the answers
provided by the public to inform the
approach to determining the best
delivery of the IRA funds and the
overall administration of NRCS
conservation programs. NRCS
encourages public comment on these
questions and requests any other
information or data commenters believe
are relevant to this document. The type
of feedback that is most useful to NRCS
will be comments that identify specific
data, policies, procedures or processes,
and include actionable information and
data, or viable alternatives that meet
IRA and other programmatic goals and
requirements. To be most useful to
NRCS, comments need to do more than
simply state that the commenter feels
strongly that NRCS should change
processes. Instead, to be most helpful,
comments should state in plain
language what change NRCS should
consider or how a suggested change will
meet specific goals and requirements, or
otherwise improve existing processes.
We highlight a few of those points
here, noting that comments that will be
most useful to NRCS are those that are
guided by the following principles.
Commenters should consider these
principles as they respond to the
questions in this document:
• Specify, to the extent possible, the
NRCS program, regulation, or policy at
issue and provide the Code of Federal
Regulation (CFR) and NRCS Manual
citation, where available or applicable.
See https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov
for NRCS current policy manuals and
handbooks.
• Explain, in the most specific and
concise language, why an NRCS
regulation, policy, form, or program
process should be modified,
streamlined, expanded, or removed, as
well as specific suggestions about how
NRCS can better achieve IRA objectives
and reduce unnecessary burdens on
producers and partners.
• Provide data to support how
specific recommendations would
increase benefits achievable by the IRA
funding. Commenters may also address
how NRCS can best quantify or
otherwise obtain and consider accurate,
objective information and data about
outcomes achieved through IRA
funding.
You may contact us by sending an
email to: NRCS.IRA.Input@usda.gov if
you have questions or concerns. Please
specify the docket ID Docket ID: NRCS–
2022–0015 in the subject line.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:25 Nov 18, 2022
Jkt 259001
NRCS will use the public comments
to improve our program delivery with
the funds made available by IRA and to
consider NRCS conservation program
improvements more broadly.
This document is issued solely for
information and program-planning
purposes. Public comments provided in
response to this document will not bind
NRCS to any further actions, including
publication of any formal response or
agreement to initiate a recommended
change. NRCS will consider the
feedback and make changes or process
improvements at our sole discretion.
Finally, comments submitted in
response to this document will not be
considered as petitions for rulemaking
submitted as specified in the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.
553(e)).
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,
gender identity (including gender
expression), sexual orientation,
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.
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means of communication for
program information (for example,
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 text telephone users can
initiate this call from any telephone).
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-fileaprogram-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.
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Submit your completed form or letter to
USDA by mail to: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
DC 20250–9410 or email: OAC@
usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity
provider, employer, and lender.
Terry Cosby,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation
Service.
[FR Doc. 2022–25292 Filed 11–17–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–16–P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Notice of Public Meeting of the South
Carolina Advisory Committee to the
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights.
ACTION: Announcement of business
meeting.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given,
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
and regulations of the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights (Commission) and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, that
the South Carolina Advisory Committee
(Committee) to the U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights will hold a business
meeting on Thursday, December 1,
2022, at 12:30 p.m. (ET). The purpose of
the meeting is to discuss the post-report
stage of the Committee’s project on Civil
Asset Forfeiture in South Carolina.
DATES: The meeting will take place on
Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 12:30
p.m. (ET).
Meeting Link (Audio/Visual): https://
tinyurl.com/2s64wdex.
Telephone (Audio Only): Dial 1–833–
568–8864 USA Toll Free; Meeting ID:
160 518 4384.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Barbara Delaviez, DFO, at ero@usccr.gov
or 1–202–529–8246.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Committee meetings are available to the
public through the conference link
above. Any interested member of the
public may listen to the meeting. An
open comment period will be provided
to allow members of the public to make
a statement as time allows. If joining via
phone, callers can expect to incur
regular charges for calls they initiate
over wireless lines, according to their
wireless plan. The Commission will not
refund any incurred charges.
Individuals who are deaf, deafblind, and
hard of hearing may also follow the
proceedings by first calling the Federal
Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 and
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\21NON1.SGM
21NON1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 223 (Monday, November 21, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70770-70772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25292]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket ID: NRCS-2022-0015]
Request for Public Input About Implementation of the Inflation
Reduction Act Funding
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Request for information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) requests
public input for NRCS to use to inform how NRCS will implement funds
received under the Inflation Reduction
[[Page 70771]]
Act (IRA) to fund the deployment of climate-smart practices on US
farms, ranches, and forestlands through four Farm Bill conservation
programs. NRCS is also requesting input on funding to quantify carbon
sequestration and carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions
at the field scale. NRCS is specifically interested in public input and
recommendations that NRCS can use to improve, expand, and/or build on
scientifically-designed quantification systems to monitor and quantify
improvements in soil carbon, reductions in nitrogen losses, and the
reduction, capture, avoidance, or sequestration of carbon dioxide,
methane, or nitrous oxide emissions, associated with agricultural
production. In implementing the IRA, NRCS is interested in supporting
program implementation and improving program delivery by effectively
leveraging partners to increase outreach and expand access to
underserved producers. This effort will help NRCS identify and
prioritize process improvements for the delivery of funding made
available under IRA and the overall administration of the NRCS
conservation programs. NRCS will look to identify immediate changes
that can be implemented for funding available for fiscal year (FY) 2023
and will continue to identify and adopt additional changes in future
years.
DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by December 21, 2022.
Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent
possible.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to send comments in response to this notice.
You may send comments through the method below:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID: NRCS-2022-0015. Follow
the online instructions for submitting comments.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On August 12, 2022, President Biden signed IRA, (Pub. L. 117-169)
into law. IRA builds on the Biden-Harris Administration's historic
investments in rural America and furthers the commitment to rural
communities demonstrated in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub.
L. 117-2) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act also known as
``Bipartisan Infrastructure Law'' (Pub. L. 117-58). IRA is a once-in-a-
generation opportunity to build critical infrastructure, to protect
communities from wildfire and extreme heat and to drive climate-smart
agriculture and renewable energy initiatives nationwide.
Agriculture, in particular, is at the forefront of the United
States' effort to address climate change. From incentivizing the
adoption of climate-smart agriculture, to supporting healthy forests
and conservation, to clean energy tax credits, to biofuels,
infrastructure and beyond, IRA provides the United State Department of
Agriculture (USDA) with significant additional resources to lead this
historic charge.
IRA provides unprecedented funding levels targeted to improve soil
carbon, reduce nitrogen losses, or reduce, capture, avoid, or sequester
carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide emissions, associated with
agricultural production for several NRCS programs. The increased
funding levels begin in FY 2023, and rapidly build over 4 years,
resulting in the following total additional funds by program and NRCS
administrative costs:
Environmental Quality Incentives Program--$8.45 billion;
Conservation Stewardship Program--$3.25 billion;
Regional Conservation Partnership Program--$4.95 billion;
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program--$1.4 billion;
Conservation Technical Assistance--$1 billion;
Greenhous Gas (GHG) Monitoring--$300 million; and
Administrative costs--$100 million.
These funds provide NRCS with an unprecedented opportunity to
implement practices and quantify greenhouse gas emission reductions.
NRCS is soliciting public input and recommendations to determine how
NRCS can maximize, target, monitor, and quantify improvements to soil
carbon, reductions in nitrogen losses, and the reduction, capture,
avoidance, or sequestration of carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous
oxide emissions, associated with agricultural production. To minimize
complexity and ensure equity across NRCS program implementation, NRCS
also requests recommendations on how to streamline and improve program
delivery while also expanding access for underserved producers. NRCS
will use the input provided in response to this request to implement
IRA funding over the next several years.
List of Questions for Commenters
The list of questions below is non-exhaustive, but meant to assist
members of the public in formulating comments on some of the most
important issues that NRCS is considering as they implement the
program. This list of questions is not intended to restrict the
feedback that members of the public may provide:
(1) What systems of quantification should NRCS use to measure the
carbon sequestration and carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide
emissions outcomes associated with activities funded through IRA?
How should NRCS design a scientifically-based framework
for field-based quantification and analysis that can integrate into
USDA's Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Assessment Program?
What methods should NRCS use to quantify carbon
sequestration and carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions?
What sources of information should NRCS consider in
developing protocols or what preexisting, standardized protocols should
be used to support field-based data collection and analysis?
What types of field-based data should be collected and
analyzed to assess carbon sequestration and reduction in carbon
dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions outcomes associated with
agricultural and conservation activities?
How should USDA monitor and track carbon sequestration and
greenhouse gas emissions trends and the effects of NRCS supported
activities?
How or should the framework developed by NRCS to provide
field-based quantification integrate with satellite data to provide a
comprehensive picture of GHG emissions and removals from agricultural
activities and conservation practice implementation?
(2) How can NRCS engage the private sector and private philanthropy
to leverage the IRA investments, including for systems of
quantification?
(3) How should NRCS target IRA funding to maximize improvements to
soil carbon, reductions in nitrogen losses, and the reduction, capture,
avoidance, or sequestration of carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous
oxide emissions, associated with agricultural production?
(4) How should NRCS streamline and improve program delivery to
increase efficiencies and expand access to IRA funded programs and
projects for producers, particularly underserved producers?
(5) How can NRCS expand capacity among partners to assist in
providing outreach and technical assistance to support the
implementation of IRA funding?
[[Page 70772]]
Maximizing the Value of Public Feedback
NRCS plans to use the answers provided by the public to inform the
approach to determining the best delivery of the IRA funds and the
overall administration of NRCS conservation programs. NRCS encourages
public comment on these questions and requests any other information or
data commenters believe are relevant to this document. The type of
feedback that is most useful to NRCS will be comments that identify
specific data, policies, procedures or processes, and include
actionable information and data, or viable alternatives that meet IRA
and other programmatic goals and requirements. To be most useful to
NRCS, comments need to do more than simply state that the commenter
feels strongly that NRCS should change processes. Instead, to be most
helpful, comments should state in plain language what change NRCS
should consider or how a suggested change will meet specific goals and
requirements, or otherwise improve existing processes.
We highlight a few of those points here, noting that comments that
will be most useful to NRCS are those that are guided by the following
principles. Commenters should consider these principles as they respond
to the questions in this document:
Specify, to the extent possible, the NRCS program,
regulation, or policy at issue and provide the Code of Federal
Regulation (CFR) and NRCS Manual citation, where available or
applicable. See https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov for NRCS current
policy manuals and handbooks.
Explain, in the most specific and concise language, why an
NRCS regulation, policy, form, or program process should be modified,
streamlined, expanded, or removed, as well as specific suggestions
about how NRCS can better achieve IRA objectives and reduce unnecessary
burdens on producers and partners.
Provide data to support how specific recommendations would
increase benefits achievable by the IRA funding. Commenters may also
address how NRCS can best quantify or otherwise obtain and consider
accurate, objective information and data about outcomes achieved
through IRA funding.
You may contact us by sending an email to: [email protected]
if you have questions or concerns. Please specify the docket ID Docket
ID: NRCS-2022-0015 in the subject line.
Review of Public Feedback
NRCS will use the public comments to improve our program delivery
with the funds made available by IRA and to consider NRCS conservation
program improvements more broadly.
This document is issued solely for information and program-planning
purposes. Public comments provided in response to this document will
not bind NRCS to any further actions, including publication of any
formal response or agreement to initiate a recommended change. NRCS
will consider the feedback and make changes or process improvements at
our sole discretion.
Finally, comments submitted in response to this document will not
be considered as petitions for rulemaking submitted as specified in the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(e)).
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, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual
orientation, 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.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication for program information (for example, 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 text telephone users can initiate this call from any
telephone). 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-aprogram-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 mail to: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or email:
[email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Terry Cosby,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-25292 Filed 11-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P