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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Notice of Proposed Changes in NCRS National Handbook of

Conservation Practices for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), DOA.

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

Closure of Waste Impoundments, Conservation Cover, Contour Farming,

Cover Crop, Contour Stripcropping, Grassed Waterway, and Irrigation

System--Microirrigation. NRCS State Conservationists who choose to

adopt these practices for use within their States will incorporate them

into Section IV of their Field Office Technical Guide. These practices

may be used in conservation systems that treat highly erodible land or

on land determined to be wetland.

EFFECTIVE DATES: Comments will be received on or before November 12,

1999. This series of new or revised conservation practice standards

will be adopted after the close of the 60-day period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Single copies of these standards are

available from NRCS-CED in Washington, DC. Submit individual inquiries

and return any comments in writing to William Hughey, National

Agricultural Engineer, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Post

Office Box 2890, Room 6139-S, Washington, DC 20013-2890. Telephone

Number 202-720-5023. The standards are also available and can be

downloaded from the Internet at: http://www.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/

practice__stds.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture

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

public review and comment proposed

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revisions to conservation practice standards used to carry out the

highly erodible land and wetland provisions of the law. For the next 60

days, NRCS will receive comments relative to the proposed changes.

Following that period, a determination will be made by NRCS regarding

disposition of those comments, and a final determination of change will

be made.

Pearlie S. Reed,

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

[FR Doc. 99-23673 Filed 9-10-99; 8:45 am]

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