[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 84 (Monday, May 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 25300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10800]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Notice and Comment Period for the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service Revised Pest Management Policy

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the decision of the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to adopt a revised policy for 
providing pest management technical assistance. This revised policy 
will be disseminated within the agency through updates of the agency's 
General Manual. It includes revision of existing policy in Title 450, 
Part 401, Subpart A, Technical Guides, Policy and Responsibilities and 
new policy in Title 190, Part 404, Ecological Sciences, Pest Management 
Policy. This policy will be implemented through the revision of the 
agency's conservation practice standards for Pest Management (595). 
This national conservation practice was developed to reflect the new 
policy.

DATES: This Federal Register notice will commence a 30-day comment 
period which will end May 31, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The revised policy can be viewed on the internet at: http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/BCS/pest/pest.html. Address requests and comments 
to: Lara Philbert, Natural Resources Conservation Service, P.O. Box 
2890, Room 6158-S, Washington, DC 20013-2890.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Benjamin F. Smallwood, Natural 
Resources Conservation Service, (202) 720-7838; fax (202) 720-1814.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Pest Management Policy is a document 
intended for NRCS employees as they provide technical assistance to 
landowners and land managers. Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, requires NRCS to make available for 
public review and comment proposed revisions to conservation practice 
standards used to carry out the highly erodible land and wetland 
provisions of the law. This policy supports the conservation practice 
standard for Pest Management (Code 595), which is being prepared for 
publication in the Federal Register.
    USDA prohibits discrimination in its programs and activities on the 
basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, sexual 
orientation, or disability. Additionally, discrimination on the basis 
of political beliefs and marital or family status is also prohibited by 
statutes enforced by USDA. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all 
programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication of program information (braille, large print, audio tape, 
etc.) should contact the USDA's Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice 
and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination to USDA, write to the 
Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 325-W, Whitten Building, 14th 
and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (202) 
720-5964 (voice and TDD).

    Signed in Washington, DC, on April 21, 2000.
Danny D. Sells,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 00-10800 Filed 4-28-00; 8:45 am]
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