Notice of Proposed Changes in the NRCS National Handbook of Conservation Practices for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Notice of Proposed Changes in the NRCS National Handbook of

Conservation Practices for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Department

of Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice of proposed changes in the NRCS National Handbook of

Conservation Practices for review and comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intention of NRCS to issue a

series of new or revised conservation practice standards in its

National Handbook of Conservation Practices. These standards include

``Early Successional Habitat Development/Management,'' ``Restoration

and Management of Declining Habitats,'' ``Riparian Herbaceous Cover,''

``Shallow Water Management for Wildlife,'' ``Wildlife Upland Habitat

Management,'' ``Wildlife Watering Facility'', ``Wetland Restoration,''

``Wetland Enhancement,'' ``Wetland Creation,'' ``Constructed Wetland,''

``Wildlife Wetland Habitat Management,'' and ``Alley Cropping.'' NRCS

State Conservationists who choose to adopt these practices for use

within their State will incorporate them into Section IV of their Field

Office Technical Guide (FOTG). These practices may be used in

conservation systems that treat highly erodible land or on land

determined to be wetland.

EFFECTIVE DATES: Comments must be received by May 18, 1998. This series

of new or revised conservation practice standards will be adopted after

the close of the 60-day comment period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Single copies of these standards are

available from Ecological Sciences Division, NRCS, Washington, D.C.

Submit individual inquiries in writing to Mike W. Anderson, National

Wildlife Ecologist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, P.O. Box

2890, Room 6154-S, Washington, D.C. 20013-2890.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture

Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 requires the NRCS to make available

for public review and comment proposed revisions to conservation

practice standards used to carry out the highly erodible land and

wetland provisions of the law. For the next 60 days the NRCS will

receive comments relative to the proposed changes. Following that

period a determination will be made by the NRCS regarding disposition

of those comments and a final determination of change will be made.

Signed in Washington, D.C., on March 12, 1998.

Pearlie S. Reed,

Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington, D.C.

[FR Doc. 98-6926 Filed 3-17-98; 8:45 am]

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