Notice2021-20474
Proposed Revisions to Section 1 of the Field Office Technical Guides for Several States
Primary source
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Published
September 22, 2021
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentNatural Resources Conservation Service
Abstract
NRCS is giving notice that it is proposing to revise Section 1 of the Field Office Technical Guides in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Caribbean Area, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii and Pacific Islands Area, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The proposed changes include hydrology indicators for the identification in each of these States of farmed wetlands (FW) that are not playas, pocosins, or potholes. These indicators will be used by NRCS to identify FWs while completing wetland determinations for USDA program eligibility purposes.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 181 (Wednesday, September 22, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52632-52634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20474]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket No. NRCS-2021-0003]
Proposed Revisions to Section 1 of the Field Office Technical
Guides for Several States
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: NRCS is giving notice that it is proposing to revise Section 1
of the Field Office Technical Guides in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Caribbean Area, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware,
Florida, Georgia, Hawaii and Pacific Islands Area, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,
Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West
Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The proposed changes include
hydrology indicators for the identification in each of these States of
farmed wetlands (FW) that are not playas, pocosins, or potholes. These
indicators will be used by NRCS to identify FWs while completing
wetland determinations for USDA program eligibility purposes.
DATES: Comment Date: We will consider comments that we receive by
October 22, 2021.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. You may
submit comments through the:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> and search for docket ID NRCS-2021-0003. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
[[Page 52633]]
<bullet> Mail, or Hand Delivery: Mr. Jason Outlaw, National Leader
for Wetland and Highly Erodible Land Conservation, Ecological Sciences
Division, NRCS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., South Building, Room
4634, Washington, DC 20250. In your comment, specify the docket ID
NRCS-2021-0003 and the name of the specific State for which you are
submitting comments.
All comments will be available on <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Each State's proposed hydrology indicators for the identification
of FWs that are not playas, pocosins, or potholes are available through
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> by accessing Docket No. NRCS-2021-0003.
Alternatively, the proposed indicators can be downloaded or printed
from <a href="https://www.nrcs">https://www.nrcs</a>.[supreg]<a href="http://usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/farmbill/?cid=NRCSEPRD1792621">usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/farmbill/?cid=NRCSEPRD1792621</a>. Requests for paper
versions or inquiries may be directed to the specific State
Conservationist at the contact points listed below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The appropriate NRCS State
Conservationist as listed below:
<bullet> Alabama: Ben Malone; (334) 887-4500; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7b191e1555161a1714151e3b0e081f1a551c140d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7517101b5b1814191a1b1035000611145b121a03">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Alaska: Alan McBee; (907) 761-7780; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#442528252a6a292726212104313720256a232b32"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e7868b8689c98a84858282a792948386c9808891">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Arizona: Keisha Tatem; (602) 280-8808;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bcd7d9d5cfd4dd92c8ddc8d9d1fcc9cfd8dd92dbd3ca"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1279777b617a733c667366777f52676176733c757d64">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Arkansas: Michael E. Sullivan; (501) 301-3100;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6a070309020b0f0644191f0606031c0b042a1f190e0b440d051c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="600d09030801050c4e13150c0c0916010e20151304014e070f16">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> California: Carlos Suarez; (530) 792-5600;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#89eae8fbe5e6faa7fafce8fbecf3c9fcfaede8a7eee6ff"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d5b6b4a7b9baa6fba6a0b4a7b0af95a0a6b1b4fbb2baa3">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Caribbean Area: Luis Cruz-Arroyo; 787-281-4836; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#325e475b411c514047481f5340405d4b5d72474156531c555d44"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="68041d011b460b1a1d1245091a1a071107281d1b0c09460f071e">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Colorado: Clint Evans; (720) 544-2802;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#26454a4f4852084350474855665355424708414950"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="096a6560677d276c7f68677a497c7a6d68276e667f">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Connecticut: Thomas Morgart; (860) 871-4014;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#07736f686a6674296a687560667573477274636629606871"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="45312d2a2824366b282a372224373105303621246b222a33">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Delaware: Kasey L. Taylor; (302) 678-4160;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="553e3426302c7b21342c393a27157b202631347b323a23">[email protected]</a>;
<bullet> Florida: Juan Hernandez; (352) 338-9500;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#59332c383777313c2b3738373d3c23192c2a3d38773e362f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cda7b8aca3e3a5a8bfa3aca3a9a8b78db8bea9ace3aaa2bb">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Georgia: Terrance O. Rudolph; (706) 546-2272;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#087c6d7a7a69666b6d267a7d6c67647860487d7b6c69266f677e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c2b6a7b0b0a3aca1a7ecb0b7a6adaeb2aa82b7b1a6a3eca5adb4">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Hawaii/Pacific Islands Area: Travis L. Thomason; (808)
600-2969; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f0848291869983de84989f9d91839f9eb085839491de979f86"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="afdbddced9c6dc81dbc7c0c2cedcc0c1efdadccbce81c8c0d9">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Idaho: Curtis Elke; (208) 378-5701; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#701305020419035e151c1b1530050314115e171f06"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e2819790968b91cc878e8987a297918683cc858d94">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Illinois: Ivan N. Dozier; (217) 353-6600;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#452c33242b6b212a3f2c203705303621246b222a33"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2e47584f40004a4154474b5c6e5b5d4a4f00494158">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Indiana: Jerry Raynor; (317) 295-5801;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6b010e19191245190a120504192b1e180f0a450c041d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="147e7166666d3a66756d7a7b6654616770753a737b62">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Iowa: Jon Hubbert; (515) 284-6655; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ea808584c4829f88888f989eaa9f998e8bc48d859c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e68c8988c88e938484839492a693958287c8818990">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Kansas: Karen Woodrich; (785) 823-4565;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#244f4556414a0a534b4b40564d474c64515740450a434b52"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b5ded4c7d0db9bc2dadad1c7dcd6ddf5c0c6d1d49bd2dac3">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Kentucky: C. Gregory Stone; (859) 224-7350;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cdaabfa8aae3beb9a2a3a88db8bea9ace3aaa2bb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="65021700024b16110a0b0025101601044b020a13">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Louisiana: Richard ``Chad'' Kacir; (318) 473-7751;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4b392228232a392f65202a2822390b3e382f2a652c243d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="93e1faf0fbf2e1f7bdf8f2f0fae1d3e6e0f7f2bdf4fce5">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Maine: Matt Walker; (207) 990-9585; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9df0fce9e9b3eafcf1f6f8efdde8eef9fcb3faf2eb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6904081d1d471e0805020c1b291c1a0d08470e061f">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Maryland: Terron Hillsman, Ph.D.; (443) 757-0861;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#85f1e0f7f7eaebabedece9e9f6e8e4ebc5f0f6e1e4abe2eaf3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="25514057574a4b0b4d4c49495648444b65505641440b424a53">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Massachusetts: Daniel Wright; (413) 253-4350;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c4a0a5aaada1a8eab3b6ada3acb084b1b7a0a5eaa3abb2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9df9fcf3f4f8f1b3eaeff4faf5e9dde8eef9fcb3faf2eb">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Minnesota: Troy Daniell; (651) 602-7900;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7d090f120453191c13141811113d080e191c531a120b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dbafa9b4a2f5bfbab5b2beb7b79baea8bfbaf5bcb4ad">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Mississippi: Kurt Readus; (601) 965-5205 x140;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a9c2dcdbdd87dbccc8cddcdae9dcdacdc887cec6df"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="264d53545208544347425355665355424708414950">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Missouri: Scott Edwards; (573) 876-0901;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4330202c37376d2627342231273003363027226d242c35"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8efdede1fafaa0ebeaf9effceafdcefbfdeaefa0e9e1f8">[email protected]</span></a>
<bullet> Montana: Tom Watson; (406) 587-6811; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6713080a49100613140809271214030649000811"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c5b1aaa8ebb2a4b1b6aaab85b0b6a1a4eba2aab3">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Nebraska: Jeff Vander Wilt (acting); (402) 437-4103;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#335956555541564a1d45525d575641445a5f4773464057521d545c45"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f59f90939387908cdb83949b919087829c9981b580869194db929a83">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Nevada: Ray Dotson; (775) 857-8500 x102;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d1a3b0a8ffb5bea5a2bebf91a4a2b5b0ffb6bea7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9be9fae2b5fff4efe8f4f5dbeee8fffab5fcf4ed">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> New Hampshire: Becky Ross; (603) 868-7581;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#72101711190b5c001d010132070116135c151d04"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d6b4b3b5bdaff8a4b9a5a596a3a5b2b7f8b1b9a0">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> New Jersey: Julie Hawkins; (732) 537-6041;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cfa5baa3a6aae1a7aeb8a4a6a1bc8fbabcabaee1a8a0b9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="80eaf5ece9e5aee8e1f7ebe9eef3c0f5f3e4e1aee7eff6">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> New Mexico: J. Xavier Montoya; (505) 761-4402;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#235b42554a46510d4e4c4d574c5a4263565047420d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="255d44534c40570b484a4b514a5c4465505641440b424a53">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> New York: Blake Glover; (315) 477-6504;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#53313f3238367d343f3c25362113262037327d343c25"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0e6c626f656b20696261786b7c4e7b7d6a6f20696178">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> North Carolina: Timothy A. Beard; (919) 873-2101;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#087c6165266a6d697a6c487d7b6c69266f677e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c6b2afabe8a4a3a7b4a286b3b5a2a7e8a1a9b0">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Ohio: John Wilson (acting); (614) 255-2475;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#52383d3a3c7c253b3e213d3c12272136337c353d24"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="53393c3b3d7d243a3f203c3d13262037327d343c25">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Oklahoma: Gary O'Neill; (405) 742-1204;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#127573606b3c7d7c777b7e7e52676176733c757d64"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d7b0b6a5aef9b8b9b2bebbbb97a2a4b3b6f9b0b8a1">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Oregon: Ron Alvarado; (503) 414-3200;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#394b56571758554f584b585d56794c4a5d58175e564f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e7958889c9868b918695868388a792948386c9808891">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Pennsylvania: Denise Coleman; (717) 237-2100;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#462223282f35236825292a232b2728063335222768212930"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c1a5a4afa8b2a4efa2aeada4aca0af81b4b2a5a0efa6aeb7">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Rhode Island: R. Phou Vongkhamdy; (401) 822-8815;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5c2c333334722a33323b37343d3138251c292f383d723b332a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f1819e9e99df879e9f969a99909c9588b184829590df969e87">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> South Carolina: Ann English; (803) 253-3935;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#21404f4f0f444f464d48524961545245400f464e57"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="43222d2d6d262d242f2a302b03363027226d242c35">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Tennessee: Sheldon Hightower; (615) 277-2531;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#75061d1019111a1b5b1d1c121d011a02100735000611145b121a03"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4d3e2528212922236325242a2539223a283f0d383e292c632a223b">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Texas: Kristy Oates; (254) 742-9800;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d5bea7bca6a1acfbbab4a1b0a695a0a6b1b4fbb2baa3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0368716a70777a2d6c6277667043767067622d646c75">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Utah: Emily Fife; (801) 524-4551; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b2d7dfdbdecb9cd4dbd4d7f2c7c1d6d39cd5ddc4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1f7a72767366317976797a5f6a6c7b7e31787069">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Vermont: Vicky Drew; (802) 951-6796; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#92e4fbf1f9ebbcf6e0f7e5d2e7e1f6f3bcf5fde4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7a0c13191103541e081f0d3a0f091e1b541d150c">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Virginia: Edwin Martinez; (804) 287-1691;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4f2a2b38262161222e3d3b26212a350f3a3c2b2e61282039"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6e0b0a19070040030f1c1a07000b142e1b1d0a0f40090118">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Washington: Roylene Comes at Night; (509) 323-2900;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#683a0711040d060d460b07050d1b45091c4506010f001c281d1b0c09460f071e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b1e3dec8ddd4dfd49fd2dedcd4c29cd0c59cdfd8d6d9c5f1c4c2d5d09fd6dec7">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> West Virginia: Jon Bourdon; (304) 284-7540;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#701a1f1e5e121f0502141f1e30050314115e171f06"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b0dadfde9ed2dfc5c2d4dfdef0c5c3d4d19ed7dfc6">[email protected]</span></a>;
<bullet> Wisconsin: Angela L. Biggs; (608) 662-4422 x241;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#06676861636a6728646f616175467375626728616970"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="60010e07050c014e020907071320151304014e070f16">[email protected]</span></a>; and
<bullet> Wyoming: Astrid Martinez; (307) 233-6750;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#caabb9beb8a3aee4a7abb8bea3a4afb08abfb9aeabe4ada5bc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9afbe9eee8f3feb4f7fbe8eef3f4ffe0daefe9fefbb4fdf5ec">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
To participate in most USDA programs, agricultural producers agree
to comply with the wetland conservation provisions. This means
producers will not farm converted wetlands or convert wetlands to
enable agricultural production. One of NRCS' roles is to make wetland
determinations that locate and certify the existence of wetlands
subject to the Food Security Act of 1985 on producers' land.
This notice announces that NRCS plans to revise Section 1 of the
Field Office Technical Guide for the following States: Alabama, Alaska,
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Caribbean Area, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii/Pacific Islands Area, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,
Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West
Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Section 1 of each State's Field
Office Technical Guide may be used by NRCS to identify FWs while
completing wetland determinations for USDA program eligibility purposes
in that particular State. Specifically, the proposed changes will
include hydrology indicators to identify FWs that are not playas,
pocosins, or potholes.
Each State's proposed hydrology indicators for the identification
of FWs that are not playas, pocosins, or potholes are available through
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> by accessing Docket No. NRCS-2021-0003.
Alternatively, the proposed indicators can be downloaded or printed
from <a href="https://www.nrcs">https://www.nrcs</a>.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/
programs/farmbill/?cid=NRCSEPRD1792621. Requests for paper versions or
inquiries may be directed to the specific State Conservationist at the
contact points listed below.
Proposed Changes to the Field Office Technical Guide
NRCS plans to revise Section 1 of the Field Office Technical Guides
for the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California,
Caribbean Area, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia,
Hawaii/Pacific Islands Area, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, Montana,
[[Page 52634]]
Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York,
North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington,
West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming to include hydrology indicators
for the identification of FWs that are not playas, pocosins, or
potholes. These indicators will be used by NRCS to identify FWs as part
of the technical documents and procedures to conduct wetland
determinations on agricultural land for USDA program eligibility
purposes as required by law as specified in 16 U.S.C. 3822.
The controlling regulations for the wetland conservation (WC)
provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, are provided
in 7 CFR part 12, ``Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation.''
The regulations' broad definition of ``wetland determination'' describe
an FW (in part) using two criteria. First, an FW is a wetland that
prior to December 23, 1985, was manipulated and used to produce an
agricultural commodity at least once before December 23, 1985. Second,
FWs are described as wetlands that on December 23, 1985, did not
support woody vegetation, and met the following hydrologic criteria: If
not a playa, pocosin, or pothole, experienced inundation for 15
consecutive days or more during the growing season or 10 percent of the
growing season, whichever is less, in most years (50-percent chance or
more).
To decide effectively whether an area supports the required
inundation for a FW that is not identified as a playa, pocosin, or
pothole, the regulations then provide three options:
1. Observation of wetland hydrology indicators as identified in the
local NRCS Field Office Technical Guide;
2. Procedures identified in State Off-Site Methods for wetland
identification set forth in the local NRCS Field Office Technical
Guide; or
3. The use of analytic techniques, such as the use of drainage
equations or the evaluation of monitoring data.
The proposed FW hydrology indicators provide those NRCS will use
under option one.
On August 28, 2020, USDA published a final rule in the Federal
Register (85 FR 53137-53152) for the highly erodible land and wetland
conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended.
The rule changed how NRCS identifies hydrology criteria for FWs that
are not playas, pocosins, or potholes, consistent with the discussion
above. Prior to that final rule, the regulations specified that NRCS
would identify FWs by using hydrology indicators showing evidence of
recent inundation as contained in the applicable regional supplement to
the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual.
The preamble to the August 28, 2020, final rule provided that until
such time as the updates to the NRCS Field Office Technical Guides have
been published and public notice provided, NRCS will continue to use
Group B (Evidence of Recent Inundation) hydrology indicators from the
regional supplements to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation
Manual, as specified in the interim rule, published December 7, 2018,
in the Federal Register (83 FR 63046-63052), to identify FWs that are
not playas, pocosins, or potholes. Those Group B wetland hydrology
indicators currently used by NRCS can be found in the regional
supplements to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual at
<a href="https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Regulatory-Program-and-Permits/reg_supp/">https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Regulatory-Program-and-Permits/reg_supp/</a>. The Corps of Engineers hydrology indicators will no
longer be used by NRCS for the identification of FWs that are not
playas, pocosins, or potholes once the State-specific NRCS indicators
are considered final and published in Section 1 of each State's Field
Office Technical Guide.
Notification and Public Comment
Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act
of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 3862 note) specifies that USDA must allow public
notice and comment for revisions to NRCS State technical guides which
are used to carry out the Food Security Act of 1985 highly erodible
land and wetland conservation provisions (16 U.S.C. 3801-3824).
NRCS will consider all comments that are received during the 30-day
comment period. The final version of the Field Office Technical Guide
for the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California,
Caribbean Area, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia,
Hawaii/Pacific Islands Area, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming as
revised to include hydrology indicators for the identification of FWs
that are not playas, pocosins, or potholes will be adopted after the
close of the 30-day period and after consideration of all comments.
Responses to comments will be posted at <a href="https://www.nrcs">https://www.nrcs</a>.usda.gov/wps/
portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/farmbill/?cid=nrcseprd1542016
once each State's final version is adopted.
Astor Boozer, Regional Conservationist, West Region, Natural
Resources Conservation Service.
Terrell Erickson, Regional Conservationist, Northeast Region,
Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Noller Herbert, Acting Regional Conservationist, Central Region,
Natural Resources Conservation Service.
James Tillman,
Regional Conservationist, Southeast Region, Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-20474 Filed 9-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 22, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.