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[Federal Register: February 19, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 33)]
[Notices]               
[Page 7438-7440]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19fe10-27]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

Commodity Credit Corporation

 
Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement for the Conservation Reserve Program

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation and Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability (NOA) and request for comments.

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[[Page 7439]]

SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Farm Service Agency (FSA), on 
behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), has completed a Draft 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to examine the 
potential environmental consequences associated with implementing 
changes to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) required by the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill), and assist in 
developing new regulations. FSA is requesting comments on the Draft 
SEIS.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by April 5, 2010.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this Draft SEIS. In your 
comments, include the volume, date, and page number of this issue of 
the Federal Register. You may submit comments by any of the following 
methods:

 E-Mail: CRPcomments@tecinc.com.
     Online: Go to the Web site at http://public.geo-marine.com. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Fax: (757) 594-1469.
     Mail: CRP SEIS, c/o TEC, 11817 Canon Blvd., Suite 300, 
Newport News, VA 23606.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver comments to the above 
address.
    Comments may be inspected in the Office of the Director, CEPD, FSA, 
USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 4709 South Building, 
Washington, DC, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except holidays. A copy of the Draft SEIS is available through the FSA 
home page at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=ecrc&topic=nep-cd or at http://public.geo-marine.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Ponish, National Environmental 
Compliance Manager, USDA, FSA, CEPD, Stop 0513, 1400 Independence Ave., 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-0513, (202) 720-6853, or e-mail: 
matthew.ponish@wdc.usda.gov. Persons with disabilities who require 
alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audio tape, 
etc.) should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice 
and TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 2008 Farm Bill (Pub. L. 110-246) 
authorizes certain changes to CRP. A Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (PEIS) was completed in 2003 to evaluate the environmental 
consequences of implementing the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) provisions for CRP and a Record of Decision 
was published May 8, 2003 (68 FR 24848-24854). This SEIS tiers from the 
2003 PEIS and, with certain exceptions, only evaluates those provisions 
changed in the 2008 Farm Bill governing CRP not previously addressed. 
The changes assessed in the SEIS include:
     In general, the CRP purposes now explicitly include 
addressing issues raised by state, regional and national conservation 
initiatives (see 16 U.S.C. 3831(a)).
     The cropping history requirements are updated to four of 
six years in the period from 2002 to 2007 (see 16 U.S.C. 3831b(g)(2)).
     The enrollment authority is set at 39.2 million acres 
through fiscal year (FY) 2009 and reduced to 32.0 million acres for 
fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012 (see 16 U.S.C. 3831(d)).
     Alfalfa and multiyear grasses and legumes in a rotation 
practice with an agricultural commodity may contribute towards meeting 
crop history requirements (see 16 U.S.C. 3831(g)).
     The authority is granted to exclude acreage enrolled under 
Continuous Signup and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program from 
the 25 percent cropland limitation, provided county government concurs 
(see 16 U.S.C. 3844 (f)(3)).
     Management activities by the participant throughout the 
contract term to implement the conservation plan (see 16 U.S.C. 
3832(a)(5)).
 CCC may provide exceptions to general prohibitions (see 16 
U.S.C. 3832 (a)(8)) on use of the property including:
    [cir] Managed harvesting with appropriate vegetation management 
during named periods and with a payment reduction,
    [cir] Managed harvesting for biomass with appropriate vegetation 
management during named periods and with a payment reduction,
    [cir] Grazing of invasive species with appropriate vegetation 
management during named periods and with a payment reduction, and
    [cir] Installation of wind turbines with appropriate vegetation 
management during named periods and with a payment reduction.
 Utilization of dryland and cash rental rates developed by the 
National Agricultural Statistics Service (see 16 U.S.C. 3834(c)(5)) for 
establishment of annual CRP rental rates.
 New incentives for socially disadvantaged farmers and 
ranchers, as well as limited resource farmers and ranchers and Indian 
tribes, to participate in conservation programs (see 16 U.S.C. 3844 
(a)).
 Development of habitat for native and managed pollinators and 
use of CRP conservation practices that will enhance habitat for 
pollinators (see 16 U.S.C. 3844(h)).

    Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the EIS process 
provides a means for the public to provide input on program 
implementation alternatives and on environmental concerns. CCC provided 
notice of its intent (NOI) to prepare the CRP SEIS in the Federal 
Register on September 3, 2009 (74 FR 45606-45607), and solicited public 
comment on the proposed SEIS for CRP. Nine public scoping meetings were 
held in September and October 2009 to solicit comments on the proposed 
alternatives and to identify environmental concerns.
    FSA considered comments gathered from the scoping process, 
initiated with the September 3, 2009 NOI, to develop the alternatives 
analyzed for the administration and implementation of CRP. The Draft 
SEIS assesses the following alternatives with the recommended changes 
to CRP:
     No Action Alternative--continuation of CRP as currently 
implemented.
     Action Alternative 1--full implementation of the 
applicable 2008 Farm Bill Provisions in accordance with current 
procedures.
     Action Alternative 2--implementation of CRP in accordance 
with applicable 2008 Farm Bill provisions exercising discretion that 
differs from current procedures.
    The Draft SEIS also provides a means for the public to voice any 
suggestions they may have about the program and any ideas for 
rulemaking. The Draft SEIS can be reviewed online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=ecrc&topic=nep-cd or at 
http://public.geo-marine.com.
    The Draft SEIS was completed consistent with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural 
Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and FSA's regulations for 
compliance with NEPA (7 CFR part 799).


[[Page 7440]]


    Signed in Washington, DC, on February 12, 2010.
Jonathan W. Coppess,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency, and Executive Vice President, 
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2010-3272 Filed 2-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P
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