Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 95 / Tuesday, May 17, 2022 / Notices 29849 

or Angela Ubrey (Workforce Relations, 

202–772–4836). 

Robert Ibarra, 

Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit 

Corporation. 

Clay Hamilton, 

Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–10573 Filed 5–16–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–10–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Natural Resources Conservation 

Service 

[Docket No. NRCS–2021–0005] 

Proposed Revisions to the National 

Handbook of Conservation Practices 

for the Natural Resources 

Conservation Service 

AGENCY: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of availability; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: The Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS) is giving 

notice that it intends to issue a series of 

revised conservation practice standards 

in the National Handbook of 

Conservation Practices (NHCP). NRCS is 

also giving the public an opportunity to 

provide comments on specified 

conservation practice standards in 

NHCP. 

DATES: We will consider comments that 

we receive by June 16, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit 

comments in response to this notice. 

You may submit your comments 

through one of the methods below: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to

http://www.regulations.gov and search 

for docket ID NRCS–2021–0005. Follow 

the online instructions for submitting 

comments; or 

• Mail or Hand Delivery: Mr. Clarence

Prestwich, National Agricultural 

Engineer, Conservation Engineering 

Division, NRCS, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue, South Building, 

Room 4636, Washington, DC 20250. In 

your comment, please specify the 

docket ID NRCS–2021–0005. 

All comments received will be made 

publicly available on http://

www.regulations.gov. 

The copies of the proposed revised 

standards are available through http://

www.regulations.gov by accessing 

Docket No. NRCS–2021–0005. 

Alternatively, the proposed revised 

standards can be downloaded or printed 

from http://go.usa.gov/TXye. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Clarence Prestwich; telephone: (202) 

720–2972; email: clarence.prestwich@

usda.gov. Persons with disabilities who 

require alternative means for 

communication should contact the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

Target Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

NRCS plans to revise the conservation 

practice standards in the NHCP. This 

notice provides an overview of the 

planned changes and gives the public an 

opportunity to offer comments on the 

specific conservation practice standards 

and NRCS’s proposed changes. 

NRCS State Conservationists who 

choose to adopt these practices in their 

States will incorporate these practices 

into the 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 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. 

Revisions to the National Handbook of 

Conservation Practices 

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. 

NRCS is requesting comments on the 

following conservation practice 

standards: 

• Aquatic Organism Passage (Code

396); 

• Clearing and Snagging (Code 326);

• Constructed Wetland (Code 656);

• Dike and Levee (Code 356);

• Diversion (Code 362);

• Feed Management (Code 592);

• Firebreak (Code 394);

• Forest Stand Improvement (Code

666); 

• Fuel Break (Code 383);

• Hillside Ditch (Code 423);

• Range Planting (Code 550); and

• Soil Carbon Amendment (Code

336). 

The following are highlights of some 

of the proposed changes to each 

standard: 

Aquatic Organism Passage (Code 

396): Revisions have been made to 

clarify the diÄerences between the 

biological and ecological requirements 

versus the engineering structural design 

elements. The Criteria section has been 

reorganized into subsections that list 

application criteria for speciÉc barrier 

situations. References have been 

updated and minor revisions were made 

for clarity and readability. 

Clearing and Snagging (Code 326): 

The definition has been changed to 

clarify that the term stream includes 

channels. The purposes have been 

reworded to better clarify the resource 

concerns being addressed by the 

standard. Changes have been made in 

the Criteria section to the capacity 

analysis to add flexibility for emergency 

work and to clarify hazardous materials 

such as propane tanks and car bodies for 

debris disposal. 

Costructed Wetland (Code 656): 

Changes were made to the Purposes and 

Conditions Where Practice Applies 

section of the standard to clarify that the 

practice can be used to treat tile 

drainage outflow. References were 

added and the formatting and writing 

style were updated to meet current 

agency requirements. Minor revisions 

were made for clarity and readability. 

Dike and Levee (Code 356): This 

revision retitles CPS 356 from Dike to 

Dike and Levee to allow distinction 

between dikes and levees. A clear 

distinction is drawn between what is a 

dike and what is a levee based on 

purpose and levee hazard potential. 

This distinction is necessary to align 

with the definition of a levee used by 

other Federal agencies. Potential future 

revisions include splitting this standard 

into two separate standards after 

National Levee Safety Guidelines are 

developed, but the timeframe for that is 

currently unknown. 

Diversion (Code 362): Formatting and 

writing style were updated to meet 

current agency requirements. The 

purposes were consolidated from nine 

statements to three statements. In the 

Criteria section, the subsection for cross 

section would provide additional 

protection for sensitive sites and 

vegetative establishment subsection 

changes would clarify non-vegetated 

diversions are allowable. The 

Considerations section addressing 

potential wetland impacts was 

expanded to include subsurface seepage 

and to address the potential water 

quality impacts of concentrating flows. 

Feed Management (Code 592): 

Multiple changes and additions would 

be made throughout the standard to 

meet current agency requirements and 

language updated to improve clarity. 

The purpose for Air Quality was 

expanded to include ammonia, volatile 


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29850 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 95 / Tuesday, May 17, 2022 / Notices 

organic compounds, greenhouse gases, 

and dust to be consistent with the Air 

Quality policy. 

Firebreak (Code 394): Firebreak 

definition would be changed to 

distinguish this practice from Fuel 

Break (383). Language would be 

updated throughout the document to 

improve clarity. Considerations section 

was reorganized to put similar 

considerations together. References 

were updated by adding relevant 

publications. 

Forest Stand Improvement (Code 

666): The Definition, Purpose, Criteria, 

Considerations, and Operation and 

Maintenance sections were refined to 

add clarity. The purposes were revised 

to align with resource concerns. Criteria 

and Considerations sections were 

reorganized and revised to match the 

updated purposes and link to 

enhancements. New considerations for 

the use of biomass for bioenergy, 

renewable energy production, or biochar 

were added. The References section was 

updated with relevant publications. 

Fuel Break (Code 383): Language was 

added to better distinguish Fuel Break 

(383) from Firebreak (394). Purpose,

Criteria, and Considerations sections

were further refined. The sections on

Plans and Specifications and Operation

and Maintenance were revised to

improve clarity. The References section

was updated with relevant publications.

Hillside Ditch (Code 423): The 

formatting and writing style were 

updated to meet current agency 

requirements and minor revisions were 

made for clarity and readability. The 

Capacity subsection of Criteria was 

revised to remove specific limitations 

for stable channel grade and expanded 

to be the Channel Stability and Capacity 

subsection. The required capacity was 

reduced from conveying runoff from a 

10 year-24 hour storm to a 5 year-24 

hour storm. 

Range Planting (Code 550): The 

Definition and Conditions Where 

Practice Applies sections were edited 

for clarity. In the Criteria section, the 

general criteria applicable to all 

purposes was edited for completeness 

and a multi-year seeding strategy was 

added to Considerations. References 

were updated to include a Conservation 

Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) study 

and the PLANTS database. 

Soil Carbon Amendment (Code 336): 

Supports the application of biochar, 

compost, and other state-approved 

carbon amendments (for example, 

harvested aquatic plant biomass, 

bagasse, distillation residue) to increase 

soil carbon sequestration and improve 

soil health on all land uses. The 

evaluation and monitoring of soil 

properties, amendment characterization, 

and short and long-term conservation 

objectives form the basis for the soil 

carbon amendment practice plan. 

USDA Non-Discrimination Policy 

In accordance with Federal civil 

rights law and USDA civil rights 

regulations and policies, USDA, its 

Agencies, offices, and employees, and 

institutions participating in or 

administering USDA programs are 

prohibited from discriminating based on 

race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 

gender identity (including gender 

expression), sexual orientation, 

disability, age, marital status, family or 

parental status, income derived from a 

public assistance program, political 

beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior 

civil rights activity, in any program or 

activity conducted or funded by USDA 

(not all bases apply to all programs). 

Remedies and complaint filing 

deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Persons with disabilities who require 

alternative means of communication for 

program information (for example, 

braille, large print, audiotape, American 

Sign Language, etc.) should contact the 

responsible Agency or USDA TARGET 

Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and 

TTY) or (844) 433–2774 (toll-free 

nationwide). Additionally, program 

information may be made available in 

languages other than English. 

To file a program discrimination 

complaint, complete the USDA Program 

Discrimination Complaint Form, AD– 

3027, found online at https://

www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-aprogram-discrimination-complaint and 

at any USDA office or write a letter 

addressed to USDA and provide in the 

letter all the information requested in 

the form. To request a copy of the 

complaint form, call (866) 632–9992. 

Submit your completed form or letter to 

USDA by mail to: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250–9410 or email: OAC@

usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer, and lender. 

Louis Aspey, 

Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–10537 Filed 5–16–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Business-Cooperative Service 

[Docket No. RBS–22–BUSINESS–0011] 

Notice of Request for Extension of a 

Currently Approved Information 

Collection 

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice; comment requested. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the intention of the 

above-named agency to request Office of 

Management and Budget’s (OMB) 

approval for an extension of a currently 

approved information collection in 

support of the Rural BusinessCooperative Service’s Business and 

Industry guarantee loan program. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by July 18, 2022. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Susan Woolard, Management Analyst, 

Rural Development Innovation Center— 

Regulations Management Division, 

USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, 

South Building, Washington, DC 20250– 

1522. Telephone: (202) 720–9631. Email 

susan.woolard@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office 

of Management and Budget’s (OMB) 

regulation (5 CFR part 1320) 

implementing provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 

L. 104–13) requires that interested

members of the public and affected

agencies have an opportunity to

comment on information collection and

recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR

1320.8(d)). This notice identifies an

existing information collection that the

Agency is submitting to OMB for

extension.

Comments 

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 

this 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 

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 

respond, including through the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical or other technological 

collection techniques, or other forms of 

information technology. 


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