[Federal Register: September 3, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 171)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 51351-51352]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03se08-1]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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[[Page 51351]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
7 CFR Part 613
Plant Materials Centers (PMC)
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: Minor editorial changes are being made to clarify and update
the existing regulation. These changes do not significantly affect part
613, however we present the entire part, as amended, for the
convenience of the reader.
DATES: Effective Date: September 3, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Hubbs, Director, Ecological
Sciences Division, NRCS, USDA, Post Office Box 2890, Washington, DC
20013; telephone: (202) 720-2587.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since part 613 became effective (72 FR 68743
December 6, 2007), several changes have occurred requiring the need to
update it. These changes include renaming the National PMC in
Beltsville, Maryland, to the Norman A. Berg National PMC and a
correction in the location of the Louisiana PMC from Golden Meadows to
Galliano. These changes are minor and do not significantly affect part
613. This rule sets forth general statements of Agency policy and
internal Agency organization and management.
Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, it is found that notice and
public comment is not required. Further, in light of the minor changes,
good cause is found for making this rule effective on publication in
the Federal Register. Since this rule relates to internal Agency
management, it is exempt from E.O. 12291. Finally, this action is not a
rule as defined by Public Law 96-354, the Regulatory Flexibility Act,
and thus is exempt from the provisions of that Act.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 613
Plants (agriculture), Soil conservation.
0
Accordingly, 7 CFR part 613 is revised to read as follows:
PART 613--PLANT MATERIALS CENTERS
Sec.
613.1 Purpose.
613.2 Policy and objectives.
613.3 NRCS responsibilities in plant materials.
613.4 Special production of plant materials.
613.5 PMCs.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 590a-590f, 5908; 7 U.S.C. 1010-1011.
Sec. 613.1 Purpose.
This part provides NRCS policy on the operation of PMCs. The
Centers have responsibilities for assembling, testing, releasing, and
providing for the commercial production and use of plant materials and
plant materials technology for programs of soil, water, and related
resource conservation and development.
Sec. 613.2 Policy and objectives.
(a) It is NRCS policy to assemble, comparatively evaluate, release,
and distribute for commercial increase new or improved plant materials
and plant materials technology needed for broad programs of resource
conservation and development for agriculture, wildlife, urban,
recreation, and other land uses and environmental needs. It is the
policy of NRCS to conduct plant materials work in cooperation with
other agencies of the Department of Agriculture, such as the
Agricultural Research Service, and with other Federal and State
research agencies, including State agricultural experiment stations.
The emphasis of the NRCS plant materials work is to find suitable
plants to address conservation needs. In contrast, the emphasis of
research agencies and organizations in plant development is to improve
economically important crops. The NRCS program of testing and releasing
new seed-propagated plant materials follows the guidelines in
``Statement of Responsibilities and Policies Relating to the
Development, Release, and Multiplication of Publicly Developed
Varieties of Seed-Propagated Crops,'' which was adopted in June 1972,
by Land Grant Colleges and interested Federal agencies. NRCS releases
improved conservation plant materials requiring vegetative
multiplication in ways appropriate for particular States and particular
species by working with experiment stations, crop improvement
associations, and other State and Federal agencies.
(b) The objective of the plant materials activity is to select or
develop special and improved plants and techniques for their successful
establishment and maintenance to solve conservation problems and needs
related to:
(1) Controlling soil erosion on all lands;
(2) Conserving water;
(3) Protecting upstream watersheds;
(4) Reducing sediment movement into waterways and reservoirs
through the stabilization of critical sediment sources, such as surface
mined lands, highway slopes, recreation sites, and urban and industrial
development areas;
(5) Stabilizing disposal areas for liquid and solid wastes;
(6) Improving plant diversity and lengthening the grazing season on
dryland pastures and rangelands;
(7) Managing brush on mountain slopes with fire-retarding plant
cover to reduce the possibility of fires that threaten life and
property, or result in serious sediment sources;
(8) Improving the effectiveness of windbreaks and shelterbelts for
reducing airborne sediment, controlling snow drifting, and preventing
crop damage from wind erosion;
(9) Protecting streambank, pond, and lake waterlines from erosion
by scouring and wave action;
(10) Improving wildlife food and cover, including threatened and
endangered and pollinator species;
(11) Selecting special purpose plants to meet specific needs for
environment protection and enhancement;
(12) Selecting plants that tolerate air pollution agents and toxic
soil chemicals;
(13) Selecting plants that mitigate odor, Particulate Matter (PM)-
10, and PM-2.5;
(14) Testing plants for biofuels and other energy-related
activities; and
(15) Evaluating plants and techniques to combat invasive plant
species and for reestablishment of desirable species after eradication.
[[Page 51352]]
Sec. 613.3 NRCS responsibilities in plant materials.
NRCS operates or enters into agreements with State universities or
other State organizations to operate PMCs. NRCS also cooperates, both
formally and informally, with other Federal, State, county, and
nonprofit agencies or organizations on the selection of plants and
evaluation of plant technology to increase the capabilities of PMCs.
NRCS employs specialists for testing and selecting plant materials for
conservation uses and the development of plant materials technology.
NRCS' responsibilities are to: (a) Identify the resource conservation
needs and cultural management methods for environmental protection and
enhancement.
(b) Assemble and comparatively evaluate plant materials at PMCs and
on sites where soil, climate, or other conditions differ significantly
from those at the Centers.
(c) Make comparative field plantings for final testing of promising
plants and techniques in cooperation with conservation districts and
other interested cooperators.
(d) Release cooperatively improved conservation plants and maintain
the breeder or foundation stocks in ways appropriate for particular
State and plant species by working with experiment stations, crop
improvement associations, and other State and Federal agencies.
(e) Produce limited amounts of foundation or foundation-quality
seed and plants available for allocation to conservation districts,
experiment stations, other Federal and State research agencies, State
seed certifying organizations and directly to commercial growers (if
other options do not exist) that will use the material to establish
seed fields, seed orchards, or vegetative plantings for large-scale
increase.
(f) Encourage and assist conservation districts, commercial seed
producers, and commercial and State nurseries to produce needed plant
materials for conservation uses.
(g) Encourage the use of improved plant materials and plant
materials technology in resource conservation and environmental
improvement programs.
Sec. 613.4 Special production of plant materials.
NRCS can produce plant materials in the quantity required to do a
specific conservation job if this production will serve the public
welfare and only if the plant materials are not available commercially.
This function will be performed only until the plant materials are
available commercially. Specific production of plant materials by NRCS
requires the approval of the Chief.
Sec. 613.5 PMCs.
(a) The Norman A. Berg National PMC. The Norman A. Berg National
PMC at Beltsville, Maryland, focuses on national initiatives and
provides coordination for plant materials work across all 50 States. In
addition, the center provides plants and plant technology to address
resource concerns in the mid-Atlantic region.
(b) Other PMCs. There are 26 other PMCs. Each serves several major
land resource areas. NRCS operates 24 of these Centers, and 2 by
cooperating agencies, as follows:
(1) Operated by NRCS: Tucson, AZ, Booneville, AR, Lockeford, CA,
Brooksville, FL, Americus, GA, Molokai, HI, Aberdeen, ID, Manhattan,
KS, Galliano, LA, East Lansing, MI, Coffeeville, MS, Elsberry, MO,
Bridger, MT, Fallon, NV, Cape May Courthouse, NJ, Los Lunas, NM, Big
Flats, NY, Bismarck, ND, Corvallis, OR, Kingsville, TX, Knox City, TX,
Nacogdoches, TX, Pullman, WA, and Alderson, WV.
(2) Operated by cooperating agencies with financial and technical
assistance from NRCS: Meeker, CO--White River and Douglas Creek Soil
Conservation Districts with partial funding from NRCS.
(3) Operated by cooperating agencies with technical assistance from
NRCS: Palmer, AK--State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources.
Signed in Washington, DC, on August 20, 2008.
Arlen L. Lancaster,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. E8-20401 Filed 9-2-08; 8:45 am]
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