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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

NOTICE: NOTICES

ACTION: Reports and guidance documents; availability, etc.:

DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

SUBJECT CATEGORY: Notice of Proposed Changes in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices

DOCUMENT SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intention of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to issue a series of new or revised conservation practice standards in its National Handbook of Conservation Practices. These standards include: Irrigation Water Management, Salinity and Sodic Soil Management, Silvopasture Establishment, Vertical Drain, and Well Water Testing. These standards are used to convey national guidance in developing Field Office Technical Guide Standards used in the States and the Pacific Basin and Caribbean Areas. NRCS State Conservationists and Directors for the Pacific Basin and Caribbean Areas who choose to adopt these practices for use within their States/Areas will incorporate them into Section IV of their Field Office Technical Guides. These practices may be used in resource management systems that treat highly erodible land, or on land determined to be wetland.

SUMMARY: National Handbook of Conservation Practices; conservation practice standards, new or revised,

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 requires 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
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the law. For the next 30 days, NRCS will receive comments on 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.

Signed in Washington, DC, on November 19, 2003.
Thomas A. Weber,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 0329764 Filed 112803; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 341016P

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Single copies of these standards are available from NRCSCED 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 6139S, Washington, DC 200132890. The telephone number is (202) 7205023. The standards are also available, and can be downloaded from the Internet, at: http://www.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/practice_stds.html .