[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: 7CFR610.4]

[Page 349-350]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
   CHAPTER VI--NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 610--TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE--Table of Contents
 
                   Subpart A--Conservation Operations
 
Sec. 610.4  Technical assistance furnished.

    The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides technical 
assistance to land users and others who are responsible for making 
decisions and setting policies that influence land use, conservation 
treatment, and resource management. Technical assistance furnished by 
NRCS consists of program assistance, planning assistance, application of 
conservation practices, and assistance in the technical phases of USDA 
cost-share programs.
    (a) Program assistance is provided to conservation districts and 
other organizations concerned with the conservation of soil, water, 
plant, and wildlife resources. This assistance includes providing 
resource inventory data and identifying conservation problems and needs 
in order for districts to develop long-range soil and water conservation 
programs. Individuals, groups, and organizations requesting NRCS 
assistance through conservation districts include:
    (1) Farmers, ranchers, and other land users concerned with the 
conservation of land and water resources.
    (2) County and other local government units such as park 
authorities, departments of public works, planning, zoning (rural, 
urban, and flood plain), school, and institution boards, highway 
departments, and tax assessors.
    (3) Citizen groups, youth groups, recreation groups, and garden 
clubs.
    (4) State and local units of government (highway, health, 
recreation, water resources, and regional planning) involved in 
establishing public policy regarding the use of resources.
    (5) Federal departments and agencies such as Defense, Housing and 
Urban Development, Public Roads, Health and Human Services; and 
Interior.
    (6) Professional consultants who provide services such as 
engineering, planning, environmental assessment, tax assessment, and 
forest management.
    (b) Planning assistance includes evaluation of soil, water, 
vegetation, and other resource data needed for making land use, 
environmental and conservation treatment decisions. NRCS helps land 
users make conservation plans for farms, ranches, and other land units. 
This help includes onsite planning assistance in making conservation 
plans. The plans are based on a soil survey and interpretations for the 
intended land uses and conservation treatment. Plans may also include 
other inventories of soil, water, plant, and related resources needed in 
the planning process. Information about the responses of each kind of 
soil and the conservation practices and resource management needed for 
different land uses is provided. The land user's decisions recorded in 
the plan are based on his conservation objectives. Conservation plans 
provide for the orderly installation of conservation practices. 
Conservation plans reflect changing conditions.
    (c) Application assistance is provided to help land users apply and 
maintain planned conservation work. NRCS assistance for applying the 
conservation practices in the plan may include:
    (1) Designing, constructing, and maintaining conservation practices;
    (2) Selecting management alternatives and cultural practices needed 
to establish and maintain vegetation; and
    (3) Other conservation practices needed to protect land and water 
resources.
    (d) The Natural Resources Conservation Service assists in carrying 
out certain phases of USDA soil and water conservation cost-share 
programs. NRCS assists individual program participants with conservation 
plans needed for long-term cost-share agreements. NRCS is assigned 
responsibility by the Secretary of Agriculture for technical phases of 
applying conservation practices on the land. This assignment includes:
    (1) Determining what practices are needed and feasible to install, 
(2) selecting sites and planning and designing practices, (3) providing 
assistance

[[Page 350]]

for installing practices, and (4) certifying that the work done is in 
accordance with NRCS standards and specifications.

[42 FR 38169, July 27, 1977, as amended at 47 FR 56473, Dec. 17, 1982]