Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 217 / Friday, November 8, 2024 / Notices 88717 

plan revision (36 CFR 219.6). The 

assessment rapidly evaluates existing 

information about relevant ecological, 

economic, and social conditions, trends, 

and sustainability and their relationship 

to the land management plan within the 

context of the broader landscape (36 

CFR 219.5). The assessment must 

identify and evaluate existing 

information relevant to the plan area for 

the following: (1) Terrestrial ecosystems, 

aquatic ecosystems, and watersheds; (2) 

Air, soil, and water resources and 

quality; (3) System drivers, including 

dominant ecological processes, 

disturbance regimes, and stressors, such 

as natural succession, wildland fire, 

invasive species, and climate change, 

and the ability of terrestrial and aquatic 

ecosystems in the plan area to adapt to 

change; (4) Baseline assessment of 

carbon stocks; (5) Threatened, 

endangered, proposed, and candidate 

species, and potential species of 

conservation concern present in the 

plan area; (6) Social, cultural, and 

economic conditions; (7) Benefits 

people obtain from the national forest 

system planning area (ecosystem 

services); (8) Multiple uses and their 

contributions to local, regional, and 

national economies; (9) Recreation 

settings, opportunities and access, and 

scenic character; (10); Renewable and 

nonrenewable energy and mineral 

resources; (11) Infrastructure, such as 

recreational facilities and transportation 

and utility corridors; (12) Areas of tribal 

importance; (13) Cultural and historic 

resources and uses; (14) Land status and 

ownership and access patterns; and (15) 

Existing designated areas located in the 

plan area including wilderness and wild 

and scenic rivers and potential need and 

opportunity for additional designated 

areas. 

During this assessment phase, the 

Forest Service invites other government 

agencies, Tribes, non-governmental 

parties, and the public to share 

information about social, economic, and 

environmental conditions of the CCNGs 

and the broader landscape. Existing 

information about conditions on the 

CCNGs, supplemented with information 

gathered through public engagement, 

from cooperating agencies, and Tribal 

consultation, will be integrated into the 

assessment. The Forest Service will host 

public outreach forums to share 

progress and gather additional 

information. Information on upcoming 

engagement opportunities will be 

posted on the Cimarron and Comanche 

National Grasslands Plan Revision 

website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/ 

psicc/landmanagement/planning/ 

?cid=FSEPRD1169904. 

Based on knowledge of the planning 

area, the following will likely be topics 

of interest and will be discussed in the 

assessment and subsequent plan 

development phases: areas of tribal 

importance; at-risk species and species 

of conservation concern; livestock 

grazing; oil and gas development; 

watersheds and ecological integrity; 

fragmentation; land ownership patterns; 

habitat connectivity; paleontological 

resources; fire management; and 

renewable energy. The wilderness 

evaluation and the identification of 

eligible wild and scenic rivers are also 

potential topics of interest. Separate 

evaluations of both will be released 

concurrently with the assessment and 

will be included in the plan 

development phases. 

The 1984 Pike and San Isabel 

National Forests and Comanche and 

Cimarron National Grasslands Land and 

Resource Management Plan will remain 

in effect for the Cimarron and 

Comanche National Grasslands until the 

plan revision process is complete and a 

record of decision is signed. 

Responsible Official: The responsible 

official for the revision of the land 

management plan for the Cimarron and 

Commanche National Grasslands is 

Ryan Nehl, Forest Supervisor, Pike-San 

Isabel National Forests and Cimarron 

and Comanche National Grasslands. 

Keith Lannom, 

Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest 

System. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26049 Filed 11–7–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3411–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Adoption of Categorical Exclusions 

Under Section 109 of the National 

Environmental Policy Act 

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture 

(USDA). 

ACTION: Notice of adoption of multiple 

categorical exclusions. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, is adopting 

multiple categorical exclusions (CEs) 

from the Department of the Interior, 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and 

Department of Energy (DOE) pursuant to 

section 109 of the National 

Environmental Policy Act for future 

application to Forest Service decisions 

concerning land management activities 

that are similar in nature. This notice 

describes the categories and 

consultation between the agencies. 

DATES: The CE adoptions take effect on 

November 8, 2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Andrea Pahlevanpour, Assistant 

Director, Forest Service, Ecosystem 

Management Coordination, by phone at 

771–216–0229 or via email to 

andrea.pahlevanpour@usda.gov. 

Individuals who use 

telecommunications devices for the 

hearing impaired may call 711 to reach 

the Telecommunications Relay Service, 

24 hours a day, every day of the year, 

including holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. National Environmental Policy Act 

and Categorical Exclusions 

The National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321–4347), as 

amended, requires all Federal agencies 

to consider the environmental impact of 

their proposed actions before deciding 

whether and how to proceed (42 U.S.C. 

4321, 4332). The aims of NEPA are to 

ensure that agencies consider the 

potential environmental effects of their 

proposed actions in their decisionmaking processes and inform and 

involve the public in that process (42 

U.S.C. 4332). NEPA created the Council 

on Environmental Quality, which 

promulgated NEPA implementing 

regulations, 40 CFR parts 1500 through 

1508 (Council on Environmental 

Quality regulations). 

To comply with NEPA, agencies 

determine the appropriate level of 

review for a proposed action. Where 

required, these levels of review may be 

documented in an environmental 

impact statement (EIS), an 

environmental assessment (EA), or by 

reliance on a CE (40 CFR 1501.3). If a 

proposed action is likely to have 

significant environmental effects, the 

agency will prepare an EIS and 

document its decision in a record of 

decision (40 CFR 1502, 1505.2). If the 

proposed action is not likely to have 

significant environmental effects or 

where the level of significance is 

unknown, the agency will prepare an 

EA, which involves a more concise 

analysis and process than an EIS (40 

CFR 1501.5). Following preparation of 

an EA, the agency may reach a finding 

of no significant impact if the analysis 

shows that the action will have no 

significant effects (40 CFR 1501.6). If, 

following preparation of an EA, the 

agency finds that the proposed action 

will have significant effects, it will 

prepare an EIS before issuing any 

decision to authorize the action (40 CFR 

1501.6(a)(3)). 

Under NEPA and the Council on 

Environmental Quality’s implementing 


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88718 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 217 / Friday, November 8, 2024 / Notices 

regulations, a Federal agency can 

establish CEs—categories of actions that 

the agency has determined normally do 

not significantly affect the quality of the 

human environment—in its agency 

NEPA procedures 42 U.S.C. 4336(e)(1); 

40 CFR 1501.4, 1507.3(e)(2)(ii), 

1508.1(d). If an agency determines that 

a CE covers a proposed action, the 

agency then evaluates the proposed 

action for any extraordinary 

circumstances in which a normally 

excluded action may have a significant 

effect (40 CFR 1501.4(b)). Responsible 

Officials in the Forest Service evaluate 

proposed actions for extraordinary 

circumstances in accordance with the 

Forest Service’s NEPA implementing 

regulations at 36 CFR 220.6. If no 

extraordinary circumstances are found 

or if further analysis determines that the 

extraordinary circumstances do not 

involve the potential for significant 

environmental impacts, the agency may 

rely on the CE to approve the proposed 

action without preparing an EA or an 

EIS, 42 U.S.C. 4336(a)(2), 40 CFR 

1501.4. If extraordinary circumstances 

exist, the agency may nonetheless 

categorically exclude the proposed 

action if it determines that there are 

means to avoid the impacts or otherwise 

modify the action sufficient to avoid 

significant effects, 40 CFR 1501.4(b)(1). 

Section 109 of NEPA, enacted as part 

of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, 

allows a Federal agency to ‘‘adopt a 

categorical exclusion listed in another 

agency’s NEPA procedures for a 

category of proposed agency actions for 

which the categorical exclusion was 

established.’’ 42 U.S.C. 4336c. To adopt 

another agency’s categorical exclusion 

under section 109, the adopting agency: 

(1) identifies the relevant categorical 

exclusion listed in another agency’s 

(‘‘establishing agency’’) NEPA 

procedures ‘‘that covers a category of 

proposed actions or related actions’’; (2) 

consults with the establishing agency 

‘‘to ensure that the proposed adoption of 

the categorical exclusion for a category 

of actions is appropriate’’; (3) ‘‘identifies 

to the public the categorical exclusion 

that the [adopting] agency plans to use 

for its proposed actions’’; and (4) 

‘‘documents adoption of the categorical 

exclusion’’. See 42 U.S.C. 4336c. 

The Forest Service’s NEPA 

procedures are found at 36 CFR part 

220. These procedures address 

compliance with NEPA. The Forest 

Service maintains a list of categorical 

exclusions available at 36 CFR 220.6. 

Additional NEPA policy is found in the 

Forest Service handbook at FSH 

1909.15, chapter 10. 

This notice documents the Forest 

Service’s adoption of the BLMs CEs 

listed at 516 Departmental Manual (DM) 

11.9E(12), (13), (17) and 11.9F (10) and 

DOEs CEs listed at appendix B of 10 

CFR part 1021, subpart D, B4. (6), (11), 

(12), (13), and (16). 

II. Additional Considerations Related to 

the Forest Service CEs 

1. Decision Memo 

The Forest Service requires at 36 CFR 

220.6(e) that, ‘‘A supporting record is 

required and the decision to proceed 

must be documented in a decision 

memo for the categories of action in 

paragraphs (e)(1) through (25) of this 

section.’’ For all the CEs adopted in this 

notice, the Forest Service will require a 

decision memo even if the originating 

agency’s NEPA Procedures do not 

require it. 

2. Extraordinary Circumstances 

Forest Service NEPA regulations state 

that a CE may only be applied ‘‘if there 

are no extraordinary circumstances 

related to the proposed action’’ and if 

the proposed action is within a CE listed 

within a category as specified in 

regulations. 36 CFR 220.6(a). Forest 

Service NEPA regulations list seven 

resource conditions that ‘‘should be 

considered in determining whether 

extraordinary circumstances related to a 

proposed action warrant further analysis 

and documentation in an EA or an EIS’’, 

36 CFR 220.6(b). 

For the CEs adopted from BLM 

described in this notice, the Forest 

Service will also apply the Department 

of the Interior’s extraordinary 

circumstances criteria set forth in 43 

CFR 46.215(a) through (l). For the CEs 

adopted from DOE the Forest Service 

will also apply DOEs extraordinary 

circumstances set forth in 10 CFR 

1021.410(b)(2). 

III. Consultation With BLM and DOE on 

CE Adoption 

In July and August of 2024, the BLM 

and Forest Service had several meetings 

to discuss the adoption of 

aforementioned categorical exclusions. 

The Forest Service’ intended uses of 

E12, E13, E17 and F10 are consistent 

with the way the BLM has been relying 

on these CEs. The Forest Service 

explained that the agency intends to 

rely on the CEs in the following manner: 

examples of how E12 would be used 

include, but are not limited to, 

supporting the installation of 

broadband, roads, pipelines, 

powerlines, irrigation water 

transportation, and approving Special 

Use Permits (SUP) for areas within 

existing SUP locations. Examples of 

how Forest Service intends to use E13 

include, but are not limited to, road 

expansions and upgrades, powerline 

upgrades and additions, and broadband 

upgrades. CE E17 would be used to 

support installation of short SUPs like 

broadband, power lines, telephone 

lines, and roads related to utilities, and 

terminal access roads to residences, 

water wells, and outbuildings. CE F10 

would be used consistent with the scope 

of the CE to support removal of mineral 

materials within the existing limits 

described in the CE text. Therefore, the 

Forest Service has determined that its 

proposed use of BLMs CEs as described 

in this notice is appropriate. 

In July and August of 2024, the Forest 

Service and DOE consulted on the uses 

for CEs at appendix B of 10 CFR part 

1021, subpart D, B4. (6), (11), (12), (13), 

and (16) and concluded that Forest 

Service intended uses are consistent 

with the intended uses of these 

categories. 

IV. Identification of BLM and DOE CEs 

BLM 

516 DM 11.9E(12) 

Grants of right-of-way wholly within 

the boundaries of other compatibly 

developed rights-of-way. 

516 DM 11.9E(13) 

Amendments to existing rights-ofway, such as the upgrading of existing 

facilities, which entail no additional 

disturbances outside the right-of-way 

boundary. 

516 DM 11.9E(17) 

Grant of a short rights-of-way for 

utility service or terminal access roads 

to an individual residence, outbuilding, 

or water well. 

516 DM 11.9F(10) 

Disposal of mineral materials, such as 

sand, stone, gravel, pumice, pumicite, 

cinders, and clay, in amounts not 

exceeding 50,000 cubic yards or 

disturbing more than 5 acres, except in 

riparian areas. 

DOE 

B4.6 

Additions and Modifications to 

Transmission Facilities—Additions or 

modifications to electric power 

transmission facilities within a 

previously disturbed or developed 

facility area. Covered activities include, 

but are not limited to, switchyard rock 

grounding upgrades, secondary 

containment projects, paving projects, 

seismic upgrading, tower modifications, 

load shaping projects (such as reducing 

energy use during periods of peak 

demand), changing insulators, and 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 217 / Friday, November 8, 2024 / Notices 88719 

1We published our Climate Change Adaptation 

Plan on our website in July 2022; it is available at 

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022- 

09/1_FPAC_NRCS_ClimateAdaptationPlan_

2022.pdf. 

replacement of poles, circuit breakers, 

conductors, transformers, and 

crossarms. 

B4.11 

Electric power substations and 

interconnection facilities—Construction 

or modification of electric power 

substations or interconnection facilities 

(including, but not limited to, switching 

stations and support facilities). 

B4.12 

Construction of powerlines— 

Construction of electric powerlines 

approximately 10 miles in length or 

less, or approximately 20 miles in 

length or less within previously 

disturbed or developed powerline or 

pipeline rights-of-way. 

B4.13 

Upgrading and Rebuilding Existing 

Powerlines—Upgrading or rebuilding 

existing electric powerlines, which may 

involve relocations of small segments of 

the powerlines within an existing 

powerline right-of-way or within 

otherwise previously disturbed or 

developed lands (as discussed at 10 CFR 

1021.410(g)(1)). Upgrading or rebuilding 

existing electric powerlines also may 

involve widening an existing powerline 

right-of-way to meet current electrical 

standards if the widening remains 

within previously disturbed or 

developed lands and only extends into 

a small area beyond such lands as 

needed to comply with applicable 

electrical standards. Covered actions 

would be in accordance with applicable 

requirements, including the integral 

elements listed at the start of appendix 

B of this part; and would incorporate 

appropriate design and construction 

standards, control technologies, and 

best management practices. This 

categorical exclusion does not apply to 

underwater powerlines. As used in this 

categorical exclusion, ‘‘small’’ has the 

meaning discussed at 10 CFR 

1021.410(g)(2). 

B5.16 

Solar Photovoltaic Systems—(a) The 

installation, modification, operation, or 

decommissioning of commercially 

available solar photovoltaic systems: (1) 

Located on a building or other structure 

(such as rooftop, parking lot or facility, 

or mounted to signage, lighting, gates, or 

fences); or (2) Located within a 

previously disturbed or developed area. 

(b) Covered actions would be in 

accordance with applicable 

requirements (such as land use and 

zoning requirements) in the proposed 

project area and the integral elements 

listed at the start of appendix B of this 

part and would be consistent with 

applicable plans for the management of 

wildlife and habitat, including plans to 

maintain habitat connectivity, and 

incorporate appropriate control 

technologies and best management 

practices. 

Dated: November 5, 2024. 

Jacqueline Emanuel, 

Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest 

System. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26036 Filed 11–7–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3411–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Natural Resources Conservation 

Service 

[Docket ID NRCS–2024–0015] 

Request for Public Input About 

Implementation of the Conservation 

Practices To Support Climate Change 

Mitigation and Adaptation 

AGENCY: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Request for information. 

SUMMARY: The Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS) requests 

public input for the improvement of the 

Conservation Practice Standards (CPS) 

to maximize climate mitigation and 

adaptation benefits, as supported by 

peer-reviewed scientific literature. 

Conservation practices providing 

climate benefits are delivered through 

existing conservation programs popular 

with producers, including the 

Environmental Quality Incentives 

Program (EQIP); Conservation 

Stewardship Program (CSP); 

Agricultural Conservation Easement 

Program (ACEP); Regional Conservation 

Partnership Program (RCPP); and 

Conservation Technical Assistance. 

These programs are funded through 

both the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) 

and the Farm Bill. 

DATES: We will consider comments that 

we receive by December 23, 2024. 

Comments received after that date will 

be considered to the extent possible. 

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 

http://www.regulations.gov and search 

for Docket ID NRCS–2024–0015. Follow 

the online instructions for submitting 

comments; or 

• Mail or Hand Delivery: Ms. Sara del 

Fierro, Climate Mitigation Lead, NRCS 

Climate Office, Office of the Chief, 

NRCS, USDA, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, South Building, Room 4613, 

Washington, DC 20250. In your 

comment, please specify the Docket ID 

NRCS–2024–0015. 

All comments received, including 

those received by mail, will be posted 

without change and made publicly 

available on http://www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Dana Ashford-Kornburger, National 

Climate Coordinator, at (202) 205–9434, 

or by email at dana.ashford@usda.gov. 

Individuals who require alternative 

means for communication may contact 

the 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). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Voluntary, incentive-based 

approaches in agriculture play an 

important role in the United States’ 

effort to address climate change. NRCS 

conservation programs support financial 

and technical assistance for producers 

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 additional funding through the 

IRA provides NRCS with an 

unprecedented opportunity to 

implement conservation practices that 

provide climate mitigation benefits and 

quantify greenhouse gas emission 

reductions and carbon sequestration. 

For EQIP and CSP conservation 

activities, IRA funding may be used for 

Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry 

Mitigation Activities and appropriate 

facilitating practices supporting their 

functions. While the IRA funding is 

focused on CPS that provide climate 

change mitigation benefits, NRCS also 

assists producers in addressing climate 

change impacts by providing climate 

change adaptation options and benefits. 

As part of the implementation of the 

Climate Change Adaptation Plan,1

NRCS is integrating climate information 

into current business procedures, 

assessments, and opportunities 

including CPS. All CPS are reviewed at 

least once every 5 years. This request 

provides the public an opportunity to 

provide input at the beginning of the 


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