[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: 7CFR650.24]

[Page 450-451]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
   CHAPTER VI--NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 650--COMPLIANCE WITH NEPA--Table of Contents
 
                Subpart B--Related Environmental Concerns
 
Sec. 650.24  Scenic beauty (visual resource).

    (a) Background. Contributions to scenic beauty are a normal product 
of NRCS work. Strip-cropping, field borders, field windbreaks, and ponds 
are examples. Emphasis is given to those soil and water conservation 
measures

[[Page 451]]

that contribute to a productive and efficient agriculture and increase 
the attractiveness of rural America and are in line with goals and 
objectives of conservation districts. This is best accomplished by 
considering the landscape visual resource when providing planning 
assistance to individual landowners, groups, units of government, and 
watershed and resource conservation development project sponsors. NRCS 
responsibilities in recreation also offer opportunities to develop the 
scenic beauty of the rural landscape. Department of Agriculture 
Secretary's Memorandum 1695, May 28, 1970, ``Protecting and Improving 
The Quality of the Environment,'' includes scenic beauty as an objective 
of the Department's programs.
    (b) Policy. NRCS will: (1) Provide technical assistance with full 
consideration of alternative management and development systems that 
preserve scenic beauty or improve the visual resource; (2) emphasize the 
application of conservation practices having scenic beauty or visual 
resource values particularly in waste management systems; field borders, 
field windbreaks, wetland management, access roads, critical area 
treatment; design and management of ponds, stream margins, odd areas, 
and farmsteads; siting or positioning of structures and buildings to be 
in harmony with the landscape while reducing the potential for erosion; 
using native and other adaptable plants for conservation which enhance 
scenic beauty and create variety while linking beauty with utility; (3) 
promote personal pride in landowners in the installation, maintenance, 
and appearance of conservation practices and their properties; (4) 
select suitable areas for waste products and use of screens to hide 
``eyesore'' areas, and (5) encourage conservation districts to include 
practices which promote scenic beauty in their annual and long-range 
programs.
    (c) Responsibility. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will 
provide technical assistance through conservation districts to 
landowners, operators, communities, and state and local governments in 
developing programs relating to scenic beauty.
    (1) NRCS national office. The Administrator will:
    (i) Assign appropriate NRCS national office leadership to insure 
that enhancement of scenic beauty is included in national information, 
policy, guidelines, standards, guides to specifications for conservation 
practices without impairing basic soil and water conservation functions.
    (ii) Emphasize in plant material center management and in plant 
materials functions that locating and evaluating plants for forage, 
erosion control, and recreation or wildlife uses be carried out with 
full attention to visual resource value.
    (2) NRCS state office. The state conservationist will:
    (i) Assign appropriate staff member(s) to provide leadership in 
carrying out scenic beauty policy and procedure within the state.
    (ii) Develop and keep current a landscape management plan to improve 
and maintain the appearance of all real properties under NRCS control, 
and provide appropriate assistance to owners and managers of properties 
leased or rented by NRCS.
    (iii) Give emphasis to preserving scenic beauty and contributing to 
the visual resource in the NRCS information program whenever 
opportunities exist.
    (d) Coordination and implementation. (1) The governing body of each 
conservation district will be encouraged to revise or update its 
district program to appropriately provide for beautification of the 
countryside through applicable land use changes and effective soil and 
water conservation treatment.
    (2) In providing assistance to watershed and resource conservation 
and development project sponsors and other resource planning groups for 
soil, water, and related resources, emphasis will be given to measures 
that preserve natural beauty or contribute to the quality of the visual 
resource.
    (3) Local organizations and groups interested in scenic beauty will 
be contacted and consulted for cooperation in and coordination with NRCS 
and conservation district efforts.