42864 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 165 / Friday, August 24, 2018 / Notices 

more of the following crops: corn, 

soybeans, wheat, rice, peanuts, or 

sorghum (Texas only). The results of 

this benchmark survey shows that in the 

11 surveyed States, there was damage to 

an estimated $190 million in crops for 

the six target crops. The published 

findings from this benchmark survey 

can be found at http://

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/ 

pii/S0261219416301557. 

In 2017, this survey was conducted in 

the following 13 States: Alabama, 

Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, 

Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North 

Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, 

Tennessee, and Texas, to measure the 

damage to livestock that is associated 

with the presence of feral swine. These 

States were chosen because they had 

high feral swine densities and a 

significant presence of cattle, hogs, 

sheep and/or goats. The findings from 

this survey are scheduled to be 

submitted for publication around the 

end of September 2018. 

In 2019, the survey will be conducted 

in 12 States: Alabama, Arkansas, 

California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, 

Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, 

Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. 

The operators in 11 of the States will be 

selected from operations that recently 

produced hay/haylage, tree nuts, 

melons, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, or 

cotton. In California, operators will be 

selected from operations that produced 

hay/haylage, tree nuts, grapes, sod, 

carrots, lettuce, or strawberries. 

The Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS), Wildlife 

Services’ (WS) National Wildlife 

Research Center (NWRC) is the only 

Federal research organization devoted 

exclusively to resolving conflicts 

between people and wildlife through 

the development of effective, selective, 

and socially responsible methods, tools, 

and techniques. As increased 

urbanization leads to a loss of 

traditional wildlife habitat, the potential 

for conflicts between people and 

wildlife increases. Such conflicts can 

take many forms, including property 

and natural resource damage, human 

health and safety concerns, and disease 

transmission among wildlife, livestock, 

and humans. 

Free-ranging populations of feral 

swine exist in at least 35 states, and the 

nationwide population is estimated at 

approximately 5 million animals. Feral 

swine damage pastures, agricultural 

crops, lawns, landscaping, and natural 

areas due to feeding, rooting, wallowing, 

grazing, and trampling activities. Feral 

swine are reservoirs of many diseases 

and act as a host to parasites that can 

negatively impact agricultural animals, 

especially swine. 

Authority: These data will be 

collected under the authority of 7 U.S.C. 

2204(a). The eradication of feral swine 

is authorized by the Animal Health 

Protection Act (Title 7 U.S.C. 8301 et 

seq.) and the 2014 Farmbill. The $20 

million program aims to help states deal 

with a rapidly expanding population of 

invasive feral swine. 

Individually identifiable data 

collected under this authority are 

governed by Section 1770 of the Food 

Security Act of 1985, as amended, 7 

U.S.C. 2276, which requires USDA to 

afford strict confidentiality to nonaggregated data provided by 

respondents. This Notice is submitted in 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 Public Law 104– 

13 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) and Office 

of Management and Budget regulations 

at 5 CFR part 1320. 

NASS also complies with OMB 

Implementation Guidance, 

‘‘Implementation Guidance for Title V 

of the E-Government Act, Confidential 

Information Protection and Statistical 

Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA),’’ 

Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 115, June 

15, 2007, p. 33362. 

Estimate of Burden: Reporting burden 

for this collection of information is 

estimated to average 45 minutes per 

response. This was determined by our 

Survey Methodologists, who compared 

the length and difficulty of the 

questions with similar surveys. They 

also took into account the projected 

number of farmers who will skip some 

sections of the questionnaire due to the 

presence or absence of damage due to 

feral swine. Burden is based on an 

estimated minimum response rate of 

80%. On similar types of surveys and 

through the use of a mail questionnaire 

and telephone follow-up to nonrespondents NASS has been able to 

contact and collect some data from 

approximately 80% of the target sample. 

After removing the out of business 

operations and those with no items of 

interest we hope to have at least a 65 to 

70% usable response rate. 

NASS will be utilizing several pieces 

of publicity and informational materials 

to encourage respondents to participate 

in this important survey. NASS will 

conduct the survey initially by mail 

with phone follow-up for non-response. 

Respondents: Farm Operators. 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Respondents: 15,000. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 11,600 hours. 

Comments: Comments are invited on: 

(a) Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate 

of the burden of the proposed collection 

of information including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, 

and clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) 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, 

technological or other forms of 

information technology collection 

methods. 

All responses to this notice will 

become a matter of public record and be 

summarized in the request for OMB 

approval. 

Signed at Washington, DC, August 8, 2018. 

Kevin L. Barnes, 

Associate Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2018–18316 Filed 8–23–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–20–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Natural Resources Conservation 

Service 

[Docket No. NRCS–2018–0005] 

Notice of Proposed Changes to the 

National Handbook of Conservation 

Practices for the Natural Resources 

Conservation Service 

AGENCY: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

ACTION: Notice of availability of 

proposed changes to the National 

Handbook of Conservation Practices 

(NHCP) for public review and comment. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the 

intention of NRCS to issue a series of 

revised conservation practice standards 

in the NHCP. These standards include 

Combustion System Improvement (Code 

372), Dust Control on Unpaved Roads 

and Surfaces (Code 373), Integrated Pest 

Management (Code 595), Nutrient 

Management (Code 590), Pesticide 

Mitigation (Code 594), Subsurface Drain 

(Code 606), Waste Facility Closure 

(Code 360), and Wildlife Habitat 

Planting (Code 420). 

NRCS State Conservationists who 

choose to adopt these practices in their 

States will incorporate them into 

Section IV of their 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 a 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 165 / Friday, August 24, 2018 / Notices 42865 

wetland. Section 343 of the Federal 

Agriculture Improvement and Reform 

Act of 1996 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. 

DATES: These revisions shall be 

applicable as of August 24, 2018. 

Comment Date: Submit comments on 

or before September 24, 2018. Final 

versions of these new or revised 

conservation practice standards will be 

adopted after the close of the 30-day 

period and after consideration of all 

comments. 

ADDRESSES: Comments should be 

submitted, identified by Docket Number 

NRCS–2018–0005, using any of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Mail or hand-delivery: Public 

Comments Processing, Attention: 

Regulatory and Agency Policy Team, 

Strategic Planning and Accountability, 

Natural Resources Conservation Service, 

5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Building 1– 

1112D, Beltsville, Maryland 20705. 

NRCS will post all comments on 

http://www.regulations.gov. In general, 

personal information provided with 

comments will be posted. If your 

comment includes your address, phone 

number, email, or other personal 

identifying information (PII), your 

comments, including PII, may be 

available to the public. You may ask in 

your comment that your PII be withheld 

from public view, but this cannot be 

guaranteed. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Bill Reck, National Environmental 

Engineer, Conservation Engineering 

Division, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, 1400 

Independence Avenue Southwest, 

South Building, Room 6136, 

Washington, DC 20250. 

Electronic copies of the proposed 

revised standards are available through 

http://www.regulations.gov by accessing 

Docket No. NRCS–2018–0005. 

Alternatively, copies can be 

downloaded or printed from http://

go.usa.gov/TXye. Requests for paper 

versions or inquiries may be directed to: 

Mr. Emil Horvath, National Practice 

Standards Review Coordinator, Natural 

Resources Conservation Service, Central 

National Technology Support Center, 

501 West Felix Street, Fort Worth, Texas 

76115. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/ 

nrcs/detailfull/national/technical/cp/ 

ncps/?cid=nrcs143_026849. To aid in 

this comparison, following are 

highlights of some of the proposed 

revisions to each standard: 

Combustion System Improvement 

(Code 372)—Revised language of the 

general criteria and criteria applicable to 

the air quality and energy purposes to 

address some confusion encountered in 

the implementation of the practice. 

Dust Control on Unpaved Roads and 

Surfaces (Code 373)—Relatively minor 

changes have been made to the 2010 

version. Two purposes were added to 

more adequately describe the reasons 

for using this practice: ‘‘improve 

visibility by reducing emissions of 

particulate matter;’’ and ‘‘improve plant 

health and vigor by reducing emissions 

of particulate matter.’’ 

Integrated Pest management (Code 

595)—The standard definition and 

purposes have been updated to reflect 

current agency policy and science. The 

standard has been edited to clarify 

criteria, and support farmers and 

ranchers wanting to address resource 

concerns and implement an integrated 

pest management system where landgrant-university guidelines are 

available. 

Nutrient Management (Code 590)— 

The revision has no significant 

definition technical changes. Instead, it 

has a focus on improving the usability 

of 590 at the operational level of the 

agency (i.e. the State and field). The 

formatting and writing style were 

updated to meet current agency 

requirements. Bullet point statements 

were used to specify single concepts 

and replace paragraphs containing 

multiple concepts. 

Pesticide Mitigation (Code 594)—A 

new standard to support farmers and 

ranchers wanting to address resource 

concerns created by the use of 

pesticides in areas where they do not 

have land-grant university integrated 

pest management guidelines for one or 

more of their crops or cropping systems. 

Proposed Standard 594 offers resource 

protection using site-specific techniques 

designed to mitigate the impacts of 

chemical pest suppression on natural 

resources. 

Subsurface Drain (Code 606)—The 

formatting and writing style were 

updated to meet current agency 

requirements. Sections of the standard 

were relocated and rearranged to 

improve document flow. The minimum 

velocity has been raised to 0.8 feet-persecond for areas without sedimentation 

problems. Provisions have been 

included for the use of square junction 

boxes. 

Waste Facility Closure (Code 360)— 

The formatting and writing style were 

updated to improve clarity. Criteria was 

added to dry-waste storages to render 

the site unsuitable for stacking or 

treating waste. Language was added to 

the standard to make it clear that the 

standard is not used for the 

rehabilitation or expansion of existing 

facilities. 

Wildlife Habitat Planting (Code 

420)—This is a new conservation 

practice standard developed to better 

address the technical complexities of 

establishing wildlife habitat, including 

pollinator and monarch butterfly habitat 

plantings. Wildlife Habitat Planting 

(420) will be planned and applied when 

establishing herbaceous vegetation for 

wildlife. Planting trees for wildlife will 

be planned and applied using Tree and 

Shrub Establishment (612). 

Signed this 25th day of June 2018, in 

Washington, DC. 

Leonard Jordan, 

Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–18296 Filed 8–23–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P 

ARCHITECTURAL AND 

TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS 

COMPLIANCE BOARD 

Meetings 

AGENCY: Architectural and 

Transportation Barriers Compliance 

Board. 

ACTION: Notice of meetings. 

SUMMARY: The Architectural and 

Transportation Barriers Compliance 

Board (Access Board) plans to hold its 

regular committee and Board meetings 

in Washington, DC, Thursday through 

Friday, September 6–7, 2018 at the 

times and location listed below. 

DATES: The schedule of events is as 

follows: 

Thursday, September 6, 2018 

9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Information 

Meeting on Assembly Areas 

Friday, September 7, 2018 

9:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m. Budget Committee 

9:30 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Planning and 

Evaluation Committee 

10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Technical 

Programs Committee 

11:00 a.m.–Noon National Council on 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES