[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 6]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR600.2]

[Page 341-343]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
   CHAPTER VI--NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 600--ORGANIZATION--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 600.2  National headquarters.

    (a) Chief. The Chief, with assistance of the Associate Chief, is 
responsible for administering a coordinated national program of natural 
resource conservation; planning, directing, and coordinating all 
program, technical, and administrative activities of NRCS; developing 
policies and procedures; correlating NRCS conservation programs with 
other agencies; accepting departmental leadership for programs for other 
activities assigned by the Secretary of Agriculture; and serving as 
Equal Employment Opportunity Officer for NRCS.
    (b) Deputy chiefs. Five deputy chiefs assist the Chief as follows:
    (1) Deputy Chief for Management. The Deputy Chief for Management is 
responsible for policies, guidelines, and standards for management 
services,

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human resources management, financial management, information 
technology, administrative support (providing a coordinated 
administrative management program for National Headquarters activities), 
NRCS outreach, training, and correspondence management. This deputy 
chief also is responsible for the activities of three national centers: 
business management, information technology, and employee development.
    (2) Deputy Chief for Strategic Planning and Accountability. The 
Deputy Chief for Strategic Planning and Accountability is responsible 
for policies, guidelines, and standards for strategic and performance 
planning, budget planning and analysis, and operations management and 
oversight.
    (3) Deputy Chief for Programs. The Deputy Chief for Programs is 
responsible for policies, guidelines, and standards for conservation 
operations, resource conservation and community development, watersheds 
and wetlands, international programs, conservation compliance 
activities, conservation programs funded by the Commodity Credit 
Corporation, and animal husbandry and clean water programs.
    (4) Deputy Chief for Soil Survey and Resource Assessment. The Deputy 
Chief for Soil Survey and Resource Assessment is responsible for 
policies, guidelines, and standards for NRCS technical activities, and 
provides leadership for soils, resource inventory, and resource 
assessment. This deputy chief also is responsible for the activities of 
two national centers (soil survey and cartography and geospatial) and 
two national institutes (soil quality and natural resources inventory 
and analysis).
    (5) Deputy Chief for Science and Technology. The Deputy Chief for 
Science and Technology is responsible for policies, guidelines, and 
standards for the agency, and provides leadership for resource economics 
and social sciences, conservation engineering, and ecological sciences. 
This deputy chief also is responsible for the activities of four 
national centers (water and climate, water management, soil mechanics, 
and plant data) and five national institutes (grazing lands technology, 
social sciences, watershed science, wetlands science, and wildlife 
habitat management). This deputy chief, working closely with the deputy 
chiefs for Management and Soil Survey and Resource Assessment, provides 
overall direction for the National Science and Technology Consortium.
    (c) National Science and Technology Consortium. The consortium 
consists of three divisions, four centers, five technical institutes, 
and several cooperating scientists under the Deputy Chief for Science 
and Technology; two divisions, two centers, and two technical institutes 
under the Deputy Chief for Soil Survey and Resource Assessment; and one 
division and three centers under the Deputy Chief for Management.
    (1) Centers. The nine centers provide specific products and services 
that maintain and enhance the technical quality of the agency. The 
centers are: water and climate, water management, soil mechanics, plant 
data, soil survey, cartography and geospatial, information technology, 
business management, and employee development.
    (2) Institutes. The seven institutes are: soil quality, natural 
resources inventory and analysis, grazing lands technology, social 
sciences, watershed science, wetlands science, and wildlife habitat 
management. The institutes provide training; develop technical 
materials; and acquire, develop, and transfer needed technology in 
special emphasis areas so field employees can better serve their 
customers. The institutes often establish partnerships with other 
Federal agencies, universities, and public and private organizations.
    (3) Cooperating Scientists. Cooperating scientists work in the areas 
of soil erosion and sedimentation, air quality, and agroforestry. These 
scientists are located at various universities and research centers.
    (d) Civil Rights. The Civil Rights staffs provide coordination, 
assistance, and recommendations to the Chief on civil rights employment 
and program compliance issues.
    (e) Legislative Affairs. The Legislative Affairs Staff provides 
coordination and assistance to the Chief on legislative affairs issues 
and activities.
    (f) Conservation Communications. The Conservation Communications 
Staff is

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responsible for communications, volunteer programs, conservation 
education, and public affairs activities.
    (g) Strategic Natural Resource Issues. The Strategic Natural 
Resource Issues Staff is responsible for coordinating priority strategic 
issues as determined by the Chief.