Proposed Revisions to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, 25619-25620 [2023-08842]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 81 / Thursday, April 27, 2023 / Notices
public record and be summarized in the
request for OMB approval.
Signed at Washington, DC, April 11, 2023.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023–08847 Filed 4–26–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–20–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation
Service
[Docket No. NRCS–2023–0005]
Proposed Revisions to the National
Handbook of Conservation Practices
for the Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Natural Resources
Conservation Service, U.S. Department
of Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of availability, request
for comments.
AGENCY:
The Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) is giving
notice that we intend to issue a series
of revised conservation practice
standards in the National Handbook of
Conservation Practices (NHCP). NRCS is
also giving the public an opportunity to
provide comments on specified
conservation practice standards in the
NHCP.
SUMMARY:
We will consider comments that
we receive by May 30, 2023.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit
comments in response to this notice.
You may submit your comments
through one of the following methods
below:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRCS–2023–0005. Follow
the online instructions for submitting
comments; or
• Mail or Hand Delivery: Mr. Clarence
Prestwich, National Agricultural
Engineer, Conservation Engineering
Division, NRCS, USDA, 1400
Independence Avenue, South Building,
Room 4636, Washington, DC 20250. In
your comment, please specify the
Docket ID NRCS–2023–0005.
All comments received will be made
publicly available on https://
www.regulations.gov.
The copies of the proposed revised
standards are available through https://
www.regulations.gov by accessing
Docket No. NRCS–2023–0005.
Alternatively, the proposed revised
standards can be downloaded or printed
from https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/gettingassistance/conservation-practices.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
DATES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:49 Apr 26, 2023
Jkt 259001
Mr.
Clarence Prestwich; telephone: (202)
720–2972, or email:
clarence.prestwich@usda.gov.
Individuals who require alternative
means for communication should
contact the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Target Center at
(202) 720–2600 (voice).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Background
NRCS plans to revise the conservation
practice standards in the NHCP. This
notice provides an overview of the
planned changes and gives the public an
opportunity to offer comments on the
specific conservation practice standards
and NRCS’s proposed changes.
NRCS State Conservationists who
choose to adopt these practices in their
States will incorporate these practices
into the 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 wetland.
Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996
(Pub. L. 104–127) 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.
Revisions to the National Handbook of
Conservation Practices
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, which can be found at:
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/
guides-and-instructions/conservationpractice-standards.
NRCS is requesting comments on the
following conservation practice
standards:
• Anaerobic Digester (Code 366);
• Drainage Water Management (Code
554);
• Irrigation and Drainage Tailwater
Recovery (Code 447);
• Pond Sealing or Lining,
Geomembrane or Geosynthetic Clay
Liner (Code 521);
• Roofs and Covers (Code 367); and
• Surface Drain, Main or Lateral
(Code 608).
The following are highlights of some
of the proposed changes to each
standard:
Anaerobic Digester (Code 366):
Reorganized requirements and clarified
wording and formatting to increase
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
25619
readability of the standard. Aligned
criteria with other Conservation Practice
Standards and planning criteria to
maintain consistency. Strengthened
requirements to account for effects of
nutrients and hazardous gases when
implementing anaerobic digesters.
Incorporated a limited allowance for
emergency venting of biogas when the
operation of a flare would lead to an
exceedance of local air pollution
regulations.
Drainage Water Management (Code
554): Clarified wording and formatting
to increase readability of the standard.
Added text to general criteria section
that the project is required to comply
with Federal, State, Tribal, and local
laws, and regulations. Also clarified
within general criteria section the
allowance of manual and automation
technology. Added text to the additional
criteria to ‘‘Reduce Nutrient, Pathogen,
and Pesticide Loading’’ section.
Irrigation and Drainage Tailwater
Recovery (Code 447): Clarified wording
and formatting to increase readability of
the standard. Added text to general
criteria section that the project is
required to comply with Federal, state,
tribal, and local laws, and regulations.
The water quality practice purpose was
clarified to include downstream
drinking water source improvement.
Pond Sealing or Lining,
Geomembrane or Geosynthetic Clay
Liner (Code 521): Revised the materials
table; the gas venting, water drainage,
and leak detection criteria; and the
slope requirements. Also, added new
considerations on safety, leak detection,
and liner protection.
Roofs and Covers (Code 367):
Clarified wording and formatting to
increase readability of the standard. The
purpose was updated to be consistent
with the resource concern list. The
allowable flexible cover material
thickness was updated based on
industry standard change.
Surface Drain, Main or Lateral (Code
608): Added statement that the project
is required to comply with all Federal,
State, Tribal and local laws, rules, and
regulations. Removed statement on
wetland determinations to make the
standard more consistent with other
drainage standards. Added other minor
changes to improve clarity and
readability.
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
E:\FR\FM\27APN1.SGM
27APN1
25620
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 81 / Thursday, April 27, 2023 / Notices
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.
Individuals 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’s TARGET
Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and text
telephone ( TTY)) or dial 711 for
Telecommunicaions Relay Service (both
voice and text telephone users can
initiate this call from any phone).
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 to
program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity
provider, employer, and lender.
Louis Aspey,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–08842 Filed 4–26–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–16–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Announcement of Approved
International Trade Administration
Trade Mission
International Trade
Administration, Department of
Commerce.
SUMMARY: The United States Department
of Commerce, International Trade
Administration (ITA), is announcing
one upcoming trade mission that will be
AGENCY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:49 Apr 26, 2023
Jkt 259001
recruited, organized, and implemented
by ITA. This mission is: Trade Mission
to Canada and Mexico—September 17–
22, 2023. A summary of the mission is
found below. Application information
and more detailed mission information,
including the commercial setting and
sector information, can be found at the
trade mission website: https://
www.trade.gov/trade-missions. For each
mission, recruitment will be conducted
in an open and public manner,
including publication in the Federal
Register, posting on the Commerce
Department trade mission calendar
(https://www.trade.gov/trade-missionsschedule) and other internet websites,
press releases to general and trade
media, direct mail, broadcast fax,
notices by industry trade associations
and other multiplier groups, and
publicity at industry meetings,
symposia, conferences, and trade shows.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jeffrey Odum, Events Management Task
Force, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington DC 20230; telephone
(202) 482–6397 or email Jeffrey.Odum@
trade.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Following Conditions for
Participation Will Be Used for the
Mission
Applicants must submit a completed
and signed mission application and
supplemental application materials,
including adequate information on their
products and/or services, primary
market objectives, and goals for
participation that is adequate to allow
the Department of Commerce to
evaluate their application. If the
Department of Commerce receives an
incomplete application, the Department
of Commerce may either: reject the
application, request additional
information/clarification, or take the
lack of information into account when
evaluating the application. If the
requisite minimum number of
participants is not selected for a
particular mission by the recruitment
deadline, the mission may be cancelled.
Each applicant must also certify that
the products and services it seeks to
export through the mission are either
produced in the United States, or, if not,
are marketed under the name of a U.S.
firm and have at least fifty-one percent
U.S. content by value. In the case of a
trade association or organization, the
applicant must certify that, for each firm
or service provider to be represented by
the association/organization, the
products and/or services the
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
represented firm or service provider
seeks to export are either produced in
the United States or, if not, marketed
under the name of a U.S. firm and have
at least 51% U.S. content.
A trade association/organization
applicant must certify to the above for
every company it seeks to represent on
the mission. In addition, each applicant
must:
• Certify that the products and
services that it wishes to market through
the mission would be in compliance
with U.S. export controls and
regulations;
• Certify that it has identified any
matter pending before any bureau or
office in the Department of Commerce;
• Certify that it has identified any
pending litigation (including any
administrative proceedings) to which it
is a party that involves the Department
of Commerce; and
• Sign and submit an agreement that
it and its affiliates (1) have not and will
not engage in the bribery of foreign
officials in connection with a
company’s/participant’s involvement in
this mission, and (2) maintain and
enforce a policy that prohibits the
bribery of foreign officials.
In the case of a trade association/
organization, the applicant must certify
that each firm or service provider to be
represented by the association/
organization can make the above
certifications.
The Following Selection Criteria Will
Be Used for the Mission
Targeted mission participants are U.S.
firms, services providers and trade
associations/organizations providing or
promoting U.S. products and services
that have an interest in entering or
expanding their business in the
mission’s destination country. The
following criteria will be evaluated in
selecting participants:
• Suitability of the applicant’s (or in
the case of a trade association/
organization, represented firm’s or
service provider’s) products or services
to these markets;
• The applicant’s (or in the case of a
trade association/organization,
represented firm’s or service provider’s)
potential for business in the markets,
including likelihood of exports resulting
from the mission; and
• Consistency of the applicant’s (or in
the case of a trade association/
organization, represented firm’s or
service provider’s) goals and objectives
with the stated scope of the mission.
Balance of company size and location
may also be considered during the
review process.
E:\FR\FM\27APN1.SGM
27APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 81 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25619-25620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08842]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket No. NRCS-2023-0005]
Proposed Revisions to the National Handbook of Conservation
Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of availability, request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is giving
notice that we intend to issue a series of revised conservation
practice standards in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices
(NHCP). NRCS is also giving the public an opportunity to provide
comments on specified conservation practice standards in the NHCP.
DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by May 30, 2023.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments in response to this notice.
You may submit your comments through one of the following methods
below:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRCS-2023-0005. Follow the
online instructions for submitting comments; or
Mail or Hand Delivery: Mr. Clarence Prestwich, National
Agricultural Engineer, Conservation Engineering Division, NRCS, USDA,
1400 Independence Avenue, South Building, Room 4636, Washington, DC
20250. In your comment, please specify the Docket ID NRCS-2023-0005.
All comments received will be made publicly available on https://www.regulations.gov.
The copies of the proposed revised standards are available through
https://www.regulations.gov by accessing Docket No. NRCS-2023-0005.
Alternatively, the proposed revised standards can be downloaded or
printed from https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/conservation-practices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Clarence Prestwich; telephone:
(202) 720-2972, or email: [email protected]. Individuals who
require alternative means for communication should contact the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Target Center at (202) 720-2600
(voice).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NRCS plans to revise the conservation practice standards in the
NHCP. This notice provides an overview of the planned changes and gives
the public an opportunity to offer comments on the specific
conservation practice standards and NRCS's proposed changes.
NRCS State Conservationists who choose to adopt these practices in
their States will incorporate these practices into the 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 wetland. Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-127) 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.
Revisions to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices
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, which can be found
at: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/conservation-practice-standards.
NRCS is requesting comments on the following conservation practice
standards:
Anaerobic Digester (Code 366);
Drainage Water Management (Code 554);
Irrigation and Drainage Tailwater Recovery (Code 447);
Pond Sealing or Lining, Geomembrane or Geosynthetic Clay
Liner (Code 521);
Roofs and Covers (Code 367); and
Surface Drain, Main or Lateral (Code 608).
The following are highlights of some of the proposed changes to
each standard:
Anaerobic Digester (Code 366): Reorganized requirements and
clarified wording and formatting to increase readability of the
standard. Aligned criteria with other Conservation Practice Standards
and planning criteria to maintain consistency. Strengthened
requirements to account for effects of nutrients and hazardous gases
when implementing anaerobic digesters. Incorporated a limited allowance
for emergency venting of biogas when the operation of a flare would
lead to an exceedance of local air pollution regulations.
Drainage Water Management (Code 554): Clarified wording and
formatting to increase readability of the standard. Added text to
general criteria section that the project is required to comply with
Federal, State, Tribal, and local laws, and regulations. Also clarified
within general criteria section the allowance of manual and automation
technology. Added text to the additional criteria to ``Reduce Nutrient,
Pathogen, and Pesticide Loading'' section.
Irrigation and Drainage Tailwater Recovery (Code 447): Clarified
wording and formatting to increase readability of the standard. Added
text to general criteria section that the project is required to comply
with Federal, state, tribal, and local laws, and regulations. The water
quality practice purpose was clarified to include downstream drinking
water source improvement.
Pond Sealing or Lining, Geomembrane or Geosynthetic Clay Liner
(Code 521): Revised the materials table; the gas venting, water
drainage, and leak detection criteria; and the slope requirements.
Also, added new considerations on safety, leak detection, and liner
protection.
Roofs and Covers (Code 367): Clarified wording and formatting to
increase readability of the standard. The purpose was updated to be
consistent with the resource concern list. The allowable flexible cover
material thickness was updated based on industry standard change.
Surface Drain, Main or Lateral (Code 608): Added statement that the
project is required to comply with all Federal, State, Tribal and local
laws, rules, and regulations. Removed statement on wetland
determinations to make the standard more consistent with other drainage
standards. Added other minor changes to improve clarity and
readability.
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
[[Page 25620]]
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.
Individuals 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's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone (
TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunicaions Relay Service (both voice and
text telephone users can initiate this call from any phone).
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-a-program-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 to [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Louis Aspey,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-08842 Filed 4-26-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P
