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AGENCY:
Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION:
Request for information.
SUMMARY:
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) requests public input for the improvement of the Conservation Practice Standards (CPS) to maximize climate mitigation and adaptation benefits, as supported by peer-reviewed scientific literature. Conservation practices providing climate benefits are delivered through existing conservation programs popular with producers, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP); Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP); Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP); and Conservation Technical Assistance. These programs are funded through both the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Farm Bill.
DATES:
We will consider comments that we receive by December 23, 2024. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent possible.
ADDRESSES:
We invite you to submit comments in response to this notice. You may submit your comments through one of the following methods below:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRCS-2024-0015. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments; or
- Mail or Hand Delivery: Ms. Sara del Fierro, Climate Mitigation Lead, NRCS Climate Office, Office of the Chief, NRCS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, South Building, Room 4613, Washington, DC 20250. In your comment, please specify the Docket ID NRCS-2024-0015.
All comments received, including those received by mail, will be posted without change and made publicly available on http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dana Ashford-Kornburger, National Climate Coordinator, at (202) 205-9434, or by email at dana.ashford@usda.gov. Individuals who require alternative means for communication may contact the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay service (both voice and text telephone users can initiate this call from any telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Voluntary, incentive-based approaches in agriculture play an important role in the United States' effort to address climate change. NRCS conservation programs support financial and technical assistance for producers to improve soil carbon; reduce nitrogen losses; or reduce, capture, avoid, or sequester carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide emissions associated with agricultural production for several NRCS programs.
The additional funding through the IRA provides NRCS with an unprecedented opportunity to implement conservation practices that provide climate mitigation benefits and quantify greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon sequestration.
For EQIP and CSP conservation activities, IRA funding may be used for Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities and appropriate facilitating practices supporting their functions. While the IRA funding is focused on CPS that provide climate change mitigation benefits, NRCS also assists producers in addressing climate change impacts by providing climate change adaptation options and benefits.
As part of the implementation of the Climate Change Adaptation Plan, NRCS is integrating climate information into current business procedures, assessments, and opportunities including CPS. All CPS are reviewed at least once every 5 years. This request provides the public an opportunity to provide input at the beginning of the review cycle for several CPS. NRCS will consider public comments, technical literature references, and input from subject matter experts and researchers. The CPS review process facilitates inclusion of new scientific findings, updated or new technology, and implementation experience. While NRCS welcomes comments on all CPS, as a priority NRCS is requesting input on the CPS listed in the two tables below, which are at the beginning of the review process. NRCS is also specifically requesting additional data and scientific literature related to the evaluation criteria and implementation that maximizes climate-related benefits.
We published our Climate Change Adaptation Plan on our website in July 2022; it is available at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/1_FPAC_NRCS_ClimateAdaptationPlan_2022.pdf.
Table 1—CPS for Review That Are Currently Considered Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities
313| Code | Name |
|---|---|
| Waste Storage Facility. | |
| 314 | Brush Management. |
| 315 | Herbaceous Weed Treatment. |
| 336 | Soil Carbon Amendment. |
| 338 | Prescribed Burning. |
| 367 | Roofs and Covers. |
| 383 | Fuel Break. |
| 420 | Wildlife Habitat Planting. |
| 554 | Drainage Water Management. |
| 590 | Nutrient Management. |
| 592 | Feed Management. |
| 632 | Waste Separation Facility. |
| 643 | Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities. |
| 666 | Forest Stand Improvement. |
Table 2—CPS for Review That Are Not Currently Considered Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities
316| Code | Name |
|---|---|
| Animal Mortality Facility. | |
| 360 | Waste Facility Closure. |
| 605 | Denitrifying Bioreactor. |