NRCS Requests Participation in Workgroup
Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:12 pm
Good day,
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking several Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and tribal representatives to volunteer to work with us on the development of our new nationwide program alternative (a programmatic prototype agreement) for Section 106 compliance. As most already know, NRCS initiated consultation on this effort this past fall and is now beginning the process of putting pen to paper. We would like your input in these early drafting stages and your guidance and feedback on our future consultation efforts.
For those of you who would like to participate, we anticipate asking the "working group" for perhaps 4-5 days total time commitment (with no travel requested) to review and discuss the contents of draft versions of the prototype programmatic agreement (focusing on options) and strategies for sending instructions to NRCS’ State Offices regarding effective work and consultation with Indian tribes and THPOs. We need to ensure that the prototype PA as developed is delivered as a template or model to be tailored to meet the needs of the NRCS programs offered in each state (they vary somewhat) and Indian tribes and THPOs.
The NRCS plans to continue consulting with federally recognized Indian tribes on the development of the prototype PA and will offer opportunities for such consultation in the near future. The assistance of this working group is intended to supplement and help guide those efforts.
We plan to discuss with the working group such items as:
1. Brief amendment to the current nationwide PA to extend its duration for 12-18 months while we develop the draft prototype PA.
2. Defining options in the prototype PA, e.g., if you are comfortable with only 2-party agreements (THPO/tribal government & NRCS State Office) or if you could work with 3-or-more-party agreements (such as including one or more tribes).
3. What issues and concerns must be addressed in the proposed prototype PA (at the national level).
4. What issues and concerns would be more appropriately addressed at the NRCS State Office level. For instance, THPO/tribal staff roles and participation in training.
5. Should any NRCS programs or classes of actions be excluded from further Section 106 review at the national level—e.g., broad-area farm planning and program findings (such as definition of highly erodible soil; hydric soils, etc.) and statistical counts (such as snow survey).
This is the first Section 106 prototype PA that would consider and include an array of undertakings in all of NRCSs 25+ programs and initiatives (http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrc ... l/programs). We are not focusing on a particular program or class of actions for a limited set of resource types (i.e., buildings or residential buildings). Thus, we would like to focus the working group's attention on big picture items and issues. We need to develop a clear outline of what may or must be in each agreement— much of that will be our work but we are open and in need of guidance from the working group.
If you have any questions, please call me at 202 720-4912. Please let us know whether you are interested in participating in this working group. All statements of interest should be sent to me by Wednesday, March 28, 2012.
Thank you in advance for considering this request.
Sincere regards,
Sarah
Sarah T. Bridges
Federal Preservation Officer/
National Cultural Resources Specialist
Ecological Sciences Division
USDA/NRCS
PO Box 2890
Washington, DC 20013
202 720-4912 phone; 202 720-1814 fax
sarah.bridges@wdc.usda.gov
Helping People Help the Land
This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking several Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and tribal representatives to volunteer to work with us on the development of our new nationwide program alternative (a programmatic prototype agreement) for Section 106 compliance. As most already know, NRCS initiated consultation on this effort this past fall and is now beginning the process of putting pen to paper. We would like your input in these early drafting stages and your guidance and feedback on our future consultation efforts.
For those of you who would like to participate, we anticipate asking the "working group" for perhaps 4-5 days total time commitment (with no travel requested) to review and discuss the contents of draft versions of the prototype programmatic agreement (focusing on options) and strategies for sending instructions to NRCS’ State Offices regarding effective work and consultation with Indian tribes and THPOs. We need to ensure that the prototype PA as developed is delivered as a template or model to be tailored to meet the needs of the NRCS programs offered in each state (they vary somewhat) and Indian tribes and THPOs.
The NRCS plans to continue consulting with federally recognized Indian tribes on the development of the prototype PA and will offer opportunities for such consultation in the near future. The assistance of this working group is intended to supplement and help guide those efforts.
We plan to discuss with the working group such items as:
1. Brief amendment to the current nationwide PA to extend its duration for 12-18 months while we develop the draft prototype PA.
2. Defining options in the prototype PA, e.g., if you are comfortable with only 2-party agreements (THPO/tribal government & NRCS State Office) or if you could work with 3-or-more-party agreements (such as including one or more tribes).
3. What issues and concerns must be addressed in the proposed prototype PA (at the national level).
4. What issues and concerns would be more appropriately addressed at the NRCS State Office level. For instance, THPO/tribal staff roles and participation in training.
5. Should any NRCS programs or classes of actions be excluded from further Section 106 review at the national level—e.g., broad-area farm planning and program findings (such as definition of highly erodible soil; hydric soils, etc.) and statistical counts (such as snow survey).
This is the first Section 106 prototype PA that would consider and include an array of undertakings in all of NRCSs 25+ programs and initiatives (http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrc ... l/programs). We are not focusing on a particular program or class of actions for a limited set of resource types (i.e., buildings or residential buildings). Thus, we would like to focus the working group's attention on big picture items and issues. We need to develop a clear outline of what may or must be in each agreement— much of that will be our work but we are open and in need of guidance from the working group.
If you have any questions, please call me at 202 720-4912. Please let us know whether you are interested in participating in this working group. All statements of interest should be sent to me by Wednesday, March 28, 2012.
Thank you in advance for considering this request.
Sincere regards,
Sarah
Sarah T. Bridges
Federal Preservation Officer/
National Cultural Resources Specialist
Ecological Sciences Division
USDA/NRCS
PO Box 2890
Washington, DC 20013
202 720-4912 phone; 202 720-1814 fax
sarah.bridges@wdc.usda.gov
Helping People Help the Land
This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.