This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains regulatory documents having general

applicability and legal effect, most of which

are keyed to and codified in the Code of

Federal Regulations, which is published under

50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by

the Superintendent of Documents. Prices of

new books are listed in the first FEDERAL

REGISTER issue of each week.

Rules and Regulations Federal Register

16659

Vol. 62, No. 67

Tuesday, April 8, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation

Service

7 CFR Parts 600 and 601

Organization and Functions

AGENCY: Natural Resources

Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The Natural Resources

Conservation Service revises the

information on the organization and

functions to reflect changes as a result

of the USDA reorganization.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 30, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter Zeck, 202–690–4860.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Rulemaking Analyses

EO 12291: Non-major.

Regulatory Flexibility Act: No

significant impact.

Paperwork Reduction Act: No

significant impact.

National Environmental Policy Act:

Exempt.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Parts 600 and

601

Functions and organization

(Government agencies).

For the reason stated in the preamble,

CFR Chapter 7 is amended by revising

Parts 600 and 601 to read as follows.

PART 600—ORGANIZATION

Sec.

600.1 General.

600.2 National headquarters.

600.3 Regional offices.

600.4 State offices.

600.5 Area offices.

600.6 Field offices.

600.7 Specialized field offices.

600.8 Plant materials centers.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6962.

§ 600.1 General

(a) The Natural Resources

Conservation Service (NRCS) was

authorized by the Federal Crop

Insurance Reform and Department of

Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994

(Pub. L. 103–354, 7 U.S.C. 6901 note)

and established by Secretary’s

Memorandum 1010–1 (2.b.6),

Reorganization of the Department of

Agriculture, to provide national

leadership in the conservation,

development, and productive use of the

Nation’s natural resources. Such

leadership encompasses soil, water, air,

plant, and wildlife conservation with

consideration of the many human

(economic and sociological) interactions

with these resources. NRCS is the

Federal agency that works with

landowners on private lands to help

them conserve their natural resources.

NRCS employees are highly skilled in

many scientific and technical

specialities, including soil science, soil

conservation, agronomy, biology,

agroecology, range conservation,

forestry, engineering, geology,

hydrology, wetlands science, cultural

resources, and economics. NRCS was

formerly the Soil Conservation Service

(SCS) which was established by the Soil

Conservation Act of 1935 (Pub. L. 74–

46, 49 Stat. 163 (16 U.S.C. 590 (a-f))).

NRCS has responsibility for the three

major areas covered by SCS—soil and

water conservation, natural resource

surveys (soil surveys, resources

inventory, snow surveys, and water

supply forecasting), and community

resource protection and management

(watershed projects, river basin studies

and investigations, resource

conservation and development areas,

land evaluation and site assessment,

and emergency watershed protection)—

the Wetland Reserve Program,

Environmental Quality Incentives

Program, Grazing Lands Conservation

Initiative, Farmland Protection Program,

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program,

and Forestry Incentives Program.

(b) The NRCS organization consists of

a National Headquarters located in

Washington, D.C.; six regional offices;

50 state offices and equivalent offices in

the Caribbean Area and the U.S. Trust

Territories of the Pacific Basin Area;

approximately 2,500 field offices and

300 specialized offices; 28 plant

materials centers; eight national centers;

and eight natural resources institutes.

NRCS is headed by a Chief who reports

to the USDA Under Secretary for

Natural Resources and Environment.

§ 600.2 National headquarters.

(a) Chief. The Chief, with assistance of

the Associate Chief, is responsible for

administering a coordinated national

program of natural resource

conservation; planning, directing, and

coordinating all program, technical, and

administrative activities of NRCS;

developing policies and procedures;

correlating NRCS conservation programs

with other agencies; accepting

departmental leadership for programs

for other activities assigned by the

Secretary of Agriculture; and serving as

Equal Employment Opportunity Officer

for NRCS.

(b) Deputy Chiefs. Four deputy chiefs

assist the Chief as follows:

(1) Deputy Chief for Management. The

Deputy Chief for Management is

responsible for management services,

operations management and oversight,

human resources management, civil

rights employment, financial

management, information technology,

administrative support (providing a

coordinated administrative management

program for National Headquarters

activities), special projects, and

controlled correspondence. This deputy

chief is also responsible for the

activities of three national centers:

Business management, information

technology, and employee development.

(2) Deputy Chief for Programs. The

Deputy Chief for Programs is

responsible for conservation operations,

watershed planning, wetlands

restoration, community assistance,

resource conservation and development,

USDA program outreach, civil rights

program compliance, budget

formulation and analysis, and

international conservation.

(3) Deputy Chief for Soil Survey and

Resource Assessment. The Deputy Chief

for Soil Survey and Resource

Assessment is responsible for soil

survey, resource inventory, and resource

assessment and strategic planning. This

deputy chief is also responsible for the

activities of two national centers: soil

survey and cartography and geospatial.

(4) Deputy Chief for Science and

Technology. The Deputy Chief for

Science and Technology is responsible

for the ecological sciences, conservation

engineering, institutes, and resource

economics and social sciences division.
16660 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 67 / Tuesday, April 8, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

This deputy chief is also responsible for

the activities of three nation centers

(water and climate, soil mechanics, and

plant data) and eight institutes. This

deputy chief, working closely with the

deputy chiefs for Management and Soil

Survey and Resource Assessment,

provides overall direction for the

National Science and Technology

Consortium.

(c) National Science and Technology

Consortium. The consortium consists of

four divisions, three centers, eight

technical institutes, and several

cooperating scientists under the Deputy

Chief for Science and Technology; two

divisions and two centers under the

Deputy Chief for Soil Survey and

Resource Assessment; and three centers

under the Deputy Chief for

Management.

(1) Centers. The eight centers provide

specific products and services that

maintain and enhance the technical

quality of the agency. The centers are:

water and climate, soil mechanics, plant

data, soil survey, cartography and

geospatial, information technology,

business management, and employee

development.

(2) Institutes. The eight institutes are:

soil quality, natural resources inventory

and analysis, grazing lands technology,

social sciences, watershed science,

wetlands science, wildlife habitat

management, and information

technology. The institutes acquire,

develop, and transfer needed technology

in special emphasis areas so field

employees can better serve their

customers. The institutes often establish

partnerships with other Federal

agencies, universities, and public and

private organizations.

(3) Cooperating Scientists.

Cooperating scientists work in the areas

of soil erosion and sedimentation, air

quality, and agroforestry. These

scientists are located at various

universities and research centers.

(d) Legislative Affairs. The Legislative

Affairs Staff provides coordination and

assistance to the Chief on legislative

affairs issues and activities.

(e) Conservation Communication. The

Conservation Communication Staff is

responsible for communications,

volunteer programs, conservation

education, and public affairs activities.

(f) Strategic Natural Resource Issues.

The Strategic Natural Resource Issues

Staff is responsible for coordinating

priority strategic issues as determined

by the Chief.

§ 600.3 Regional offices.

Each regional office is under the

direction and supervision of a regional

conservationist. Regional offices direct,

coordinate, and integrate all phases of

NRCS programs and activities, and

address the total natural resource needs

of the region. Regional offices are

located in Beltsville, Maryland; Atlanta,

Georgia; Fort Worth, Texas; Madison,

Wisconsin; Lincoln, Nebraska; and

Sacramento, California.

§ 600.4 State offices.

Each office is under the direction and

supervision of a State conservationist.

Each State conservationist is responsible

for NRCS programs in a State. The

Pacific Basin Area Office, under the

direction and supervision of a director,

serves the U.S. Trust Territories in that

area. The Caribbean Area Office, under

the direction and supervision of a

director, serves the Commonwealth of

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Directors of the Pacific Basin and

Caribbean areas have the same

responsibility and authority as a State

conservationist. All references to State

conservationist in this chapter include

the directors of the Pacific Basin and

Caribbean areas.

§ 600.5 Area offices.

Each area office is under the direction

and supervision of an area

conservationist or assistant State

conservationist for field operations who

is responsible for NRCS activities in the

geographical area served by the area

office. Usually the geographical area

includes multiple field offices and

counties. Many area offices now consist

of teams working on a watershed or

other geopolitical basis.

§ 600.6 Field offices.

Each field office is under the direction

and supervision of a district

conservationist who is responsible for

NRCS activities in the geographical area

served by the field office. Usually the

geographical area of a field office

includes one or more conservation

districts and one or more counties. Field

offices are generally collocated with

other USDA agencies in USDA Service

Centers.

§ 600.7 Specialized field offices.

Other field offices serve specialized

activities, such as watershed protection

and flood reduction projects,

construction projects, resource

conservation and development areas,

and soil survey activities. Direction and

supervision of these offices are

designated by State conservationists.

§ 600.8 Plant materials centers.

Plant materials centers (PMC)

assemble and test plant species for

conservation uses. Usually a PMC serves

two or more States, and is under the

jurisdiction of the State conservationist

where the center is located. Each PMC

is directed and supervised by a manager

who is responsible to a State office

specialist/manager who is responsible to

a State office specialist/manager as

designated by the State conservationist.

PART 601—FUNCTIONS

Sec.

601.1 Functions assigned.

601.2 Functions reserved to the Secretary of

Agriculture.

601.3 Natural disaster assistance.

601.4 Defense responsibilities.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1010–1011; 16 U.S.C.

590a–590f, 1001–1008, 2001–2009, 2203–

2205, 3801 et seq.; 33 U.S.C. 701b–1.

§ 601.1 Functions assigned.

The Natural Resources conservation

Service (NRCS) is the Federal agency

that works with private landowners to

conserve their natural resources. NRCS

employees help land users and

communities approach conservation

planning and implementation with an

understanding of how natural resources

relate to each other and to people—and

how human activities affect those

resources. The agency emphasizes

voluntary, science-based assistance,

partnerships, and cooperative problem

solving at the community level. The

mission of NRCS is to work on the

Nation’s non-Federal lands to conserve,

improve, and sustain natural resources.

The following functions support the

mission.

(a) NRCS facilitates and provides

conservation technical assistance at the

local level that helps people assess their

natural resource conditions and needs,

set goals, identify programs and other

resources to address those needs,

develop proposals and

recommendations, implement solutions,

and measure their success. The agency’s

role is to assist with:

(1) Resource inventories,

(2) Resource assessments,

(3) Planning assistance, and/or

(4) Technical assistance.

(b) NRCS provides technical

assistance through local conservation

districts to land users, communities,

watershed groups, Federal and State

agencies, other partners, and customers.

(c) NRCS provides assistance on a

voluntary basis.

(d) The agency’s work focuses on soil,

water, air, plant, and animal

conservation including erosion

reduction, water quality improvement,

wetland restoration and protection, fish

and wildlife habitat improvement, range

management, stream restoration, water

management, and other natural resource

issues.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 67 / Tuesday, April 8, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 16661

(e) NRCS has general responsibility

for administration of the following

programs:

(1) Conservation operations,

authorized by the Soil Conservation Act

of 1935 and the Soil and Water

Resources Conservation Act of 1977.

Activities include:

(i) Conservation technical assistance

to land users, communities, units of

State and local government, and other

Federal agencies in planning and

implementing natural resource solutions

to reduce erosion, improve soil and

water quantity and quality, improve and

conserve wetlands, enhance fish and

wildlife habitat, improve air quality,

improve pasture and range conditions,

reduce upstream flooding, and improve

woodlands. Assistance is also provided

to implement the highly erodible land

(HEL) and wetland conservation

(Swampbuster) provisions, Wetlands

Reserve Program (WRP), and

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in

the 1985 Food Security Act, as amended

by the Food, Agriculture, Conservation

and Trade Act of 1990 and Federal

Agriculture Improvement and Reform

Act of 1996. NRCS technical field staff

make HEL and wetland determinations

and assist land users to develop and

implement conservation plans needed

to ensure compliance with the law.

NRCS is also the lead Federal agency for

delineating wetlands on agricultural

lands for purposes of implementing

both the provisions of the Food Security

Act and Section 404 of the Clean Water

Act.

(ii) Soil surveys which provide the

public with local information on the

uses and capabilities of their soil

resource. Soil surveys are based on

scientific analysis and classification of

the soils and are used to determine land

capabilities and conservation treatment

needs. Surveys are conducted

cooperatively with other Federal

agencies, land grant universities, State

agencies, and local units of government.

NRCS is the world leader in soil

classification and soil mapping, and is

expanding into soil quality.

(iii) Snow survey and water supply

forecasts that provide western States

and Alaska with vital information and

forecasts of seasonable variable water

supplies. NRCS field staff in

cooperation with partnering

organizations manually collect data

from 850 remote high mountain sites.

Data is electronically collected from an

additional 600 SNOTEL (automated

snowpack telemetry network) sites. In

cooperation with the National Weather

Service, the data is assembled and

analyzed. Then, NRCS staff develop

seasonal water supply forecasts.

(iv) Plant Material Centers assemble,

test, and encourage increased plant

propagation and usefulness of plant

species for biomass production, carbon

sequestration, erosion reduction,

wetland restoration, water quality

improvement, streambank and riparian

area protection, coastal dune

stabilization, and to meet other special

conservation treatment needs. The work

is carried out cooperatively with State

and Federal agencies, private

organizations, commercial businesses,

and seed and nursery associations. After

species are proven, they are released to

the private sector for commercial

production.

(2) Conservation programs in the

Federal Agriculture Improvement and

Reform Act of 1996, most of which are

funded by the Commodity Credit

Corporation (CCC). NRCS provides

leadership and technical assistance for

the following programs:

(i) Environmental Quality Incentives

Program (EQIP). EQIP provides a single,

voluntary conservation program for

farmers and ranchers who face serious

threats to soil, water, and related natural

resources. Nationally, it provides

technical, financial, and educational

assistance, half of it targeted to

livestock-related natural resource

problems and half to more general

conservation priorities.

(ii) Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP).

WRP is a voluntary program to restore

and protect wetlands on private

property. It provides an opportunity for

landowners to receive financial

incentives to enhance wetlands in

exchange for retiring marginal

agricultural land.

(iii) Wildlife Habitat Incentives

Program (WHIP). WHIP is a voluntary

program for people who want to

develop and improve wildlife habitat on

private lands. It provides both technical

assistance and cost sharing to help

establish and improve fish and wildlife

habitat.

(iv) Farmland Protection Program

(FFP). This program provides funds to

help purchase development rights to

keep productive farmland in

agricultural use. Working through

existing programs, USDA joins with

State, tribal, or local governments to

acquire voluntary conservation

easements or other interests from

landowners.

(v) Forestry Incentives Programs (FIP).

FIP supports good forest management

practices on privately owned, nonindustrial forest lands nationwide. FIP

is designed to benefit the environment

while meeting future demands for wood

products. Although not funded by CCC,

Section 373 of the Federal Agriculture

Improvement and Reform Act of 1996

extended the program under

discretionary appropriations.

(3) Resource Conservation and

Development (RC&D) Program,

authorized by Section 102 of the Flood

and Agriculture Act of 1962 (Pub. L. 87–

702) and Sections 1528–1538 of the

Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (Pub.

L. 97–98). This program is initiated and

directed at the local level by volunteers

who involve multiple communities,

various units of government,

municipalities, and grassroots

organizations. RC&D is a catalyst for

civic-oriented groups to share

knowledge and resources in a collective

attempt to solve common problems. The

program offers aid in balancing the

environmental, economic, and social

needs of an area.

(4) Rural Abandoned Mine Program

(RAMP) and other responsibilities

assigned under the Surface Mining

Control and Reclamation Act of 1977

(Pub. L. 95–87). Under RAMP, NRCS

provides technical and financial

assistance to landowners to reclaim

certain abandoned coal-mined lands.

This assistance can be used to reclaim

these lands for approved uses, which

include pasture, range, woodland,

cropland, noncommercial recreation,

and wildlife habitat. The program’s first

priority is to protect public health,

welfare, safety, and property from

hazards caused by past surface coal

mining or by surface effects of deep

mining.

(5) Watershed surveys and planning,

authorized by the Watershed Protection

and Flood Prevention Act (Pub. L. 83–

566, Section 6 (16 U.S.C. 1001–1008)).

This 1996 appropriations act combined

the Small Watershed Planning and the

River Basin Surveys and Investigations

programs into a new program called the

Watershed Surveys and Planning

Program. The program involves

cooperation with other Federal, State,

and local agencies to conduct watershed

planning, river basin surveys and

investigations, flood hazard analysis,

and flood plain management assistance,

which aid in the development of

coordinated water resource programs,

including the development of guiding

principles and procedures.

(6) Watershed and flood prevention

operations include the following

activities:

(i) Watershed operations authorized

by the Flood Control Act of 1944. Flood

prevention operations include: Planning

and installing works of improvement

and land treatment measures;

conservation, development, utilization,

and disposal of water; and reduction of

sedimentation and erosion damages.
16662 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 67 / Tuesday, April 8, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

This may also include the development

of recreational facilities and the

improvement of fish and wildlife

habitat.

(ii) The Emergency Watershed

Protection (EWP) Program, authorized

by Section 216 of the Flood Control Act

of 1950 (Pub. L. 81–516) and Section

403 of Title IV of the Agricultural Credit

Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95–334). EWP

provides assistance to reduce hazards to

life and property in watersheds

damaged by severe natural events.

Emergency work includes establishing

quick vegetative cover on denuded land,

sloping steep land, and eroding banks;

opening dangerously restricted

channels; repairing diversions and

levees; and other emergency work.

NRCS provides technical and financial

assistance for disaster cleanup; stream

corridor, wetland, and riparian area

restoration; and urban planning and site

location assistance to the Federal

Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA) when relocating communities

out of flood plains.

(iii) The Watershed Protection and

Flood Prevention Act (Pub. L. 83–566),

also known as the Small Watersheds

Program. This program provides for

cooperation with local sponsors, State,

and other public agencies in the

installation of planned works of

improvement and land treatment

measures in approved watershed

projects. Eligible measures include flood

prevention, water conservation,

recreation, agricultural water

management, flood plain easements,

municipal and industrial water, and

rural water supply.

§ 601.2 Functions reserved to the

Secretary of Agriculture.

(a) Designation of new Resource

Conservation and Development (RC&D)

areas. Once designated, these areas may

receive RC&D Program assistance from

NRCS.

(b) Administration of the Soil and

Water Resources Conservation Act of

1977 (Pub. L. 95–192) to conduct an

appraisal and develop a national

conservation program every five years.

§ 601.3 Natural disaster assistance.

(a) To assist in emergencies caused by

natural disasters, NRCS may:

(1) Provide technical and financial

assistance under authority of Section

216 of the Flood Control Act of 1950

(Pub. L. 81–516, Stat. 184, 33 U.S.C.

701b) and Section 403 of Title IV of the

Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (Pub. L.

95–334).

(2) Provide technical assistance for

rehabilitation of land and conservation

systems for which other U.S.

Department of Agriculture agencies

provide cost sharing.

(3) Provide technical assistance on

rehabilitation of rural lands damaged by

natural disaster.

(4) Provide assistance in evaluating

the severity of the disaster, assessing

problems created, and determining the

amount and kind of emergency work

needed for restoration.

(5) Provide available information,

maps, and reports on projects described

in Parts 621, 622, 623, and 640 of

Section 216 of the Flood Control Act of

1950.

(6) Provide assistance in locating

heavy earthmoving equipment.

(7) Make light trucks and other types

of NRCS transportation equipment

available for emergency use.

(8) Provide technical assistance in

locating alternate routes when existing

roads and highways cannot be used.

(b) In a disaster, it is the responsibility

of the state conservationist to determine

the extent of NRCS assistance. In

presidentially-declared disasters, NRCS

coordinates emergency assistance with

the Federal Emergency Management

Agency (FEMA).

§ 601.4 Defense responsibilities.

In the event of nuclear attack, NRCS

is responsible for providing:

(a) Technical guidance, based upon

results of radiological monitoring and

the extent of radiological contamination

to farmers, ranchers, and others relating

to:

(1) The selection and use of land for

agricultural production.

(2) The harvesting of crops.

(3) The use of crops stored on the

farm.

(4) The use, conservation, disposal,

and control of water to insure adequate

usable water for agricultural purposes

and to prevent floods.

(5) The safety of livestock.

(b) Basic soil information, land use

guides, and onsite technical assistance

in selecting land for production and in

applying practices to increase

production of food and fiber with

maximum efficiency.

David C. White,

Director, Conservation Communications Staff,

Natural Resources Conservation Service.

[FR Doc. 97–8943 Filed 4–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–16–M

FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE

CORPORATION

12 CFR Part 303

RIN 3064–AC03

Applications, Requests, Submittals,

Delegations of Authority, and Notices

Required to be Filed by Statute or

Regulation

AGENCY: Federal Deposit Insurance

Corporation.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The Federal Deposit

Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is

amending the definition of ‘‘appropriate

FDIC regional office’’ and other related

terms contained in its applications

regulation to change the way the FDIC

designates the appropriate regional

office for purposes of filing applications,

requests, submittals, and notices. The

amendment relates to a realignment of

the FDIC’s regional office operations. As

a result, the FDIC Division of

Supervision (DOS) and the Division of

Compliance and Consumer Affairs

(DCA) will supervise groups of related

insured institutions from one FDIC

regional office. The designated regional

office for a group of institutions will,

except in rare circumstances, be the one

in which the group’s major policy and

decision makers are located. This

location will coincide with the

headquarters location of holding

companies or lead institutions in most

instances. Realigning operations in this

manner will streamline supervision

processes and simplify communication

channels.

All supervisory matters processed in

regional offices, including applications

and administrative actions, that involve

insured institutions within a group of

related institutions will be processed in

the designated FDIC regional office.

Applications will be submitted directly

to the FDIC regional office assigned

supervisory responsibility for the group.

The regulation makes no change in the

location of the appropriate region for

institutions that are not part of a group

or when a group of related institutions

are located within one region.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule is effective

April 8, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christopher J. Spoth, Examination

Specialist, Division of Supervision (202)

898–6611; David K. Mangian, Regional

Director, Division of Compliance and

Consumer Affairs (312) 382–7550; Ken

A. Quincy, Section Chief, Division of

Compliance and Consumer Affairs (202)

942–3083; or Susan van den Toorn,

Counsel, Legal Division (202) 898–8707.