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contains documents other than rules or

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Notices Federal Register

100463 

Vol. 89, No. 239 

Thursday, December 12, 2024 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Natural Resources Conservation 

Service 

[Docket No. NRCS–24–0017] 

Notice of Request for an Extension of 

Existing Information Collection 

Package 

AGENCY: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS), 

Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces that NRCS will 

request an extension for a currently 

approved information collection for 

Long-Term Contracting forms. 

DATES: Written comments on this notice 

will be accepted until close of business 

February 10, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: NRCS prefers comments be 

submitted electronically through the 

Federal eRulemaking Portal. You may 

submit comments, identified by Docket 

ID No. NRCS–24–0017, by any of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Mail to: Carrie Lindig, Easement 

Programs Division, Room 4526–S, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, 1400 

Independence Ave. SW, Washington, 

DC 20250. Include docket number 

NRCS–24–0017 in your comment. 

All comments received, including 

those received by mail, will be posted 

without change to http://

www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Carrie Lindig; telephone, (202) 720– 

1882; email, carrie.lindig@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Long-Term Contracting. 

OMB Number: 0578–0013. 

Expiration Date of Approval: February 

28, 2025. 

Type of Request: Extension of a 

currently approved information 

collection. 

Abstract: The primary objective of 

NRCS is to work in partnership with the 

American people and the farming and 

ranching community to protect, 

conserve and sustain our nation’s 

natural resources on privately owned 

land. The purpose of the Long-Term 

Contracting information collection is to 

allow for programs to provide Federal 

technical and financial cost-sharing 

assistance through long term contracts 

to eligible producers, landowners, and 

entities. These long-term contracts 

provide for making land use changes 

and installing conservation measures 

and practices to protect, conserve, 

develop, and use the soil, water, and 

related natural resources on private 

lands. Under the terms of the agreement, 

the participant agrees to apply, or 

arrange to apply, the conservation 

treatment specified in the conservation 

plan. In return for this agreement, 

Federal financial assistance payments 

are made to the land user, or third party, 

upon successful application of the 

conservation treatment. Additionally, 

NRCS purchases easements for the longterm protection of the property and 

provides for the protection and 

management of the property for the life 

of the easement. 

The information collected through 

this package is used by NRCS to ensure 

the proper use of program funds. The 

conservation programs in this 

information collection that are subject to 

the requirements of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act are listed in Table A. No 

changes or adjustments are proposed at 

this time, this notice is limited to the 

request for an extension of the currently 

approved information collection 

package used by NRCS for Long-Term 

Contracting for the programs listed in 

Table A. Table B shows the burden for 

those programs subject to the 

requirements of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act. 

TABLE A—CONSERVATION PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

Description 

Emergency Conservation Program 

(ECP) (7 CFR part 701).

USDA Farm Service Agency’s ECP provides emergency funding and technical assistance for farmers 

and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters and for carrying out emergency 

water conservation measures in periods of severe drought. Funding for ECP is appropriated by 

Congress. 

Emergency Watershed Program (EWP) 

(7 CFR part 624).

The EWP was initiated in 1950 and is administered by NRCS. It provides technical and financial assistance to local institutions for the removal of storm and flood debris from stream channels and for 

the restoration of stream channels and levees to reduce the threat to life and property. The program also provides for establishing permanent easements in floodplains with private landowners. 

Healthy Forests Reserve Program 

(HFRP) (7 CFR part 625).

HFRP is a voluntary program established for the purpose of restoring and enhancing forest ecosystems to: (1) Promote the recovery of threatened and endangered species; (2) improve biodiversity; and (3) enhance carbon sequestration. The HFRP was signed into law as part of the Healthy 

Forests Restoration Act of 2003 and amended in 2008. The Agricultural Act of 2014 made minor 

changes to HFRP land eligibility and funding. 

Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC&D).The RC&D was initiated in 1962 and was administered by NRCS. Through this program, NRCS assisted multi-county areas in enhancing conservation, water quality, wildlife habitat, recreation, and 

rural development. The R&D Program provided technical and limited financial assistance for the 

planning and installation of approved projects. 


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100464 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 239 / Thursday, December 12, 2024 / Notices 

TABLE A—CONSERVATION PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT— 

Continued 

Description 

Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program (WRFPP) (7 CFR part 

622).

WPFPP was initiated in 1954 and is administered by NRCS. It assists State and local units of government in flood prevention, watershed protection, and water management. Part of this effort involves the establishment of conservation practices on private lands to reduce erosion, sedimentation, and runoff. 

TABLE B—BURDEN FOR REQUIRED PROGRAMS UNDER THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

Form Purpose Program(s) Number submitted annually 

AD–1153 .............................. Application ............................................... EWP, WPFPP, HFRP ....... 750; Estimated time per participant is 

0.30 per response. 

AD–1154 .............................. Contract or Agreement ............................ EWP, HFRP ...................... 150; Estimated time per participant is 

0.37 per response. 

AD–1155, AD–1155A .......... Schedule of Practices/Costs and signature sheet.EWP, WPFPP, HFRP ....... 300; Estimated time per participant is 

0.373 per response. 

AD–1156 .............................. Schedule Modification ............................. EWP, WPFPP, HFRP ....... 25; Estimated time per participant is 

0.375 per response. 

AD–1157 .............................. Option Agreement to Purchase ............... EWP, HFRP ...................... 170; Estimated time per participant is 

0.40 per response. 

AD–1157A ........................... Option Agreement to Purchase Amendment.EWP, HFRP ...................... 170; Estimated time per participant is 

0.40 per response. 

AD–1158 .............................. Subordination Agreement and Limited 

Lien Waiver.

EWP, HFRP ...................... 100; Estimated time per participant is 

0.495 per response. 

AD–1159 .............................. Notice of Intent to Continue .................... Not used by any non-exempt pro-grams.

AD–1160 .............................. Compatible Use Authorization ................. EWP, HFRP ...................... 200; Estimated time per participant is 

0.40 per response. 

AD–1161 .............................. Application for Payment .......................... CTA, EWP, HFRP ............. 200; Estimated time per participant is 

0.30 per response. 

NRCS–CPA–68 ................... Conservation Plan ................................... EWP, WPFPP, HFRP ....... 2,700; Estimated time per participant is 

0.75 per response. 

NRCS–LTP–13 .................... Status/Contract Review ........................... EWP, HFRP ...................... 250; Estimated time per participant is 

0.375 per response. 

NRCS–LTP–20, NRCS– 

CPA–260.

Warranty Easement Deed, Conservation 

Easement Deed.

EWP, HFRP ...................... 170; Estimated time per participant is 

0.40 per response. 

NRCS–LTP–70 .................... Agreement for the Purchase of Conservation Easement.HFRP ................................. 50; Estimated time per participant is 

0.69 per response. 

NRCS–LTP–80 .................... Agreement for the Purchase of Conservation Easement.EWP .................................. 120; Estimated time per participant is 

0.69 per response. 

NRCS–LTP–151 .................. Contract Violation Notification ................. EWP, HFRP ...................... 20; Estimated time per participant is 

0.495 per response. 

NRCS–LTP–152 .................. Transfer Agreement ................................ EWP, HFRP ...................... 5; Estimated time per participant is 0.495 

per response. 

NRCS–LTP–153 .................. Agreement Covering Non-Compliance 

With Provisions of the Contract.

EWP, HFRP ...................... 10; Estimated time per participant is 1.5 

per response. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 0.30 to 1.5 hours 

per response. 

Type of Respondents: Program 

participants. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

5,390. 

Estimated Number of Responses: 

5,390. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 3,058 hours. 

Comments are invited on: 

(1) 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; 

(2) 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; 

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, 

utility, and clarity of the information to 

be collected; and 

(4) Ways to minimize the burden of 

the collection of information on those 

who are to respond, including the use 

of appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology. 

Comments may be sent to Carrie 

Lindig, Natural Resources Conservation 

Service, Easement Programs Division, 

1400 Independence Ave. SW, Room 

4526–S, Washington, DC 20250. All 

comments received will be available for 

public inspection during regular 

business hours at the same address. 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for OMB approval. All comments will 

become a matter of public record. 

Louis Aspey, 

Associate Chief, Natural Resources 

Conservation Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–29224 Filed 12–11–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P 


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