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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 239 (Thursday, December 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 100463-100464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29224]

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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

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

[[Page 100463]]

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, [email protected].

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 long-term 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)   USDA Farm Service Agency's ECP
 (7 CFR part 701).                      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   The EWP was initiated in 1950 and
 CFR part 624).                         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 is a voluntary program
 (HFRP) (7 CFR part 625).               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  The RC&D was initiated in 1962
 Program (RC&D).                        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.

[[Page 100464]]

 
Watershed Protection and Flood         WPFPP was initiated in 1954 and
 Prevention Program (WRFPP) (7 CFR      is administered by NRCS. It
 part 622).                             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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                             Number submitted
                 Form                          Purpose                 Program(s)                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/   EWP, WPFPP, HFRP.......  300; Estimated time per
                                        Costs and signature                               participant is 0.373
                                        sheet.                                            per response.
AD-1156..............................  Schedule Modification..  EWP, WPFPP, HFRP.......  25; Estimated time per
                                                                                          participant is 0.375
                                                                                          per response.
AD-1157..............................  Option Agreement to      EWP, HFRP..............  170; Estimated time per
                                        Purchase.                                         participant is 0.40
                                                                                          per response.
AD-1157A.............................  Option Agreement to      EWP, HFRP..............  170; Estimated time per
                                        Purchase Amendment.                               participant is 0.40
                                                                                          per response.
AD-1158..............................  Subordination Agreement  EWP, HFRP..............  100; Estimated time per
                                        and Limited Lien                                  participant is 0.495
                                        Waiver.                                           per response.
AD-1159..............................  Notice of Intent to      Not used by any non-     .......................
                                        Continue.                exempt pro-grams.
AD-1160..............................  Compatible Use           EWP, HFRP..............  200; Estimated time per
                                        Authorization.                                    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,  EWP, HFRP..............  170; Estimated time per
                                        Conservation Easement                             participant is 0.40
                                        Deed.                                             per response.
NRCS-LTP-70..........................  Agreement for the        HFRP...................  50; Estimated time per
                                        Purchase of                                       participant is 0.69
                                        Conservation Easement.                            per response.
NRCS-LTP-80..........................  Agreement for the        EWP....................  120; Estimated time per
                                        Purchase of                                       participant is 0.69
                                        Conservation Easement.                            per response.
NRCS-LTP-151.........................  Contract Violation       EWP, HFRP..............  20; Estimated time per
                                        Notification.                                     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-  EWP, HFRP..............  10; Estimated time per
                                        Compliance With                                   participant is 1.5 per
                                        Provisions of the                                 response.
                                        Contract.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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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