Notice2024-09761
Proposed Revisions to Section 1 of the Field Office Technical Guides for Louisiana and Wisconsin
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 6, 2024
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentNatural Resources Conservation Service
Abstract
NRCS is giving notice that it is proposing revisions to Section 1--General Resource References of the Field Office Technical Guides in Louisiana and Wisconsin to include revised State Offsite Methods for Food Security Act Wetland Identification (SOSM). The proposed changes will replace the existing SOSMs in Louisianna and Wisconsin, which have been in use since June 2015 and October 2016. The revisions are needed to clarify procedures and improve consistency in application. SOSM are used in completing wetland determinations for USDA program eligibility purposes.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 88 (Monday, May 6, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 88 (Monday, May 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37167-37168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09761]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket No. NRCS-2024-0004]
Proposed Revisions to Section 1 of the Field Office Technical
Guides for Louisiana and Wisconsin
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of availability, request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NRCS is giving notice that it is proposing revisions to
Section 1--General Resource References of the Field Office Technical
Guides in Louisiana and Wisconsin to include revised State Offsite
Methods for Food Security Act Wetland Identification (SOSM). The
proposed changes will replace the existing SOSMs in Louisianna and
Wisconsin, which have been in use since June 2015 and October 2016. The
revisions are needed to clarify procedures and improve consistency in
application. SOSM are used in completing wetland determinations for
USDA program eligibility purposes.
DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by June 5, 2024.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments in response to this notice.
You may submit your comments through:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> and search for Docket ID NRCS-2024-0004. Follow the
online instructions for submitting comments;
All comments received will be made publicly available on <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Louisiana: Kris Davis; telephone:
(318) 473-7680; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#49223b203a672d283f203a093c3a2d28672e263f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cfa4bda6bce1abaeb9a6bc8fbabcabaee1a8a0b9">[email protected]</span></a> and for Wisconsin: Josh
Odekirk; telephone: (608) 662-4422; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d6bcb9a5bef8b9b2b3bdbfa4bd96a3a5b2b7f8b1b9a0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="80eaeff3e8aeefe4e5ebe9f2ebc0f5f3e4e1aee7eff6">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Guidance contained in each state's SOSM will
be part of the technical documents and procedures that NRCS uses to
determine if wetlands are present on agricultural land as required by
16 U.S.C. 3822. NRCS is required by 16 U.S.C. 3862 to make available
for public review and comment all proposed revisions to standards and
procedures used to carry out highly erodible land and wetland
provisions of the law.
There are separate SOSM documents for each state. To fully
understand the proposed revisions, commenters are encouraged to compare
the revised SOSMs with each state's current version, as shown in
Section 1 of the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide at <a href="https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/#/">https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/#/</a>. The electronic copies of each state's SOSM
are available through <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> by accessing Docket ID
NRCS-20240004. Requests for paper versions or inquiries may be directed
to the specific State Conservationist as identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section above.
In general, both new documents have similar language and technical
methodologies with some variations based on natural resource
information available and state-specific considerations.
All comments will be considered. If no comments are received,
guidance contained in each state's SOSM will be considered final at the
end of the comment period for this notice.
USDA Non-Discrimination Policy
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of
Agriculture (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.
Individuals 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
the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone
(TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunicaions Relay Service (both voice and
text telephone users can initiate this call from any phone).
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 <a href="https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint">https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint</a> 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: (1) mail to: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3)
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eea1afadae9b9d8a8fc0898198c0bbbdaaaf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c689878586b3b5a2a7e8a1a9b0e893958287">[email protected]</span></a> is an
[[Page 37168]]
equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Terry Cosby,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-09761 Filed 5-3-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P
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