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MD.450.8.1, TCH - Review of Draft Conservation Practice Standards

Maryland Bulletin: 450-8-1
Subject: TCH - Review of Draft Conservation Practice
Date: 12/17/2007

Action Required By: January 25, 2007

Purpose. To request comments on five draft conservation practice standards.

Expiration Date. September 30, 2008.

Explanation.  We periodically review and revise our Maryland conservation practice standards to maintain consistency with updated national standards. The following two drafts are updates of previously issued Maryland standards and contain only minor revisions:

  • Structure for Water Control (Code 587)
  • Surface Drainage, Field Ditch (Code 607)

Standard 317 has been completely rewritten.

  • Composting Facility (Code 317)

The previous 317 - Composting Facility was written for all types of "on-farm" composting, manure, waste by-products, mortality, etc. The new 317 standard covers only the composting of organic waste material generated by agricultural production or processing. This is not intended to cover any type of animal mortality.

The following drafts are new standards for Maryland:

  • Irrigation Water Conveyance, High-Pressure, Underground, Plastic Pipeline (Code 430DD)
  • Amendments for Treatment of Agricultural Waste (Code 591)
  • Animal Mortality Facility (Code 316)

The new 316 standard, Animal Mortality Facility covers ONLY the biological treatment or disposal of animal carcasses. This could include incineration, burial, or composting. This was originally included in 317, Composting Facility.

An electronic copy of each standard is posted on the Internet and is available for downloading from the eFOTG through my.NRCS or http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/efotg/. Select Maryland and select a county. The draft standards are displayed in the main window under "What's Recently Changed" and "Draft eFOTG".

Contact. If you are unable to access the Internet, you may request a paper copy of the standards from Allan Stahl at 443-482-2912.

Please return your comments on the draft standards by January 25, 2008 to the following individuals:

Technical Specialist Telephone Number Conservation Practice Standards
Ken Wolfe
Civil Engineer
Frederick Field Office		 240-405-5671 316, 317
Carol Grimaldi
Civil Engineer
Wicomico Field Office		 443-235-7428 387,607
Ann Baldwin
Agricultural Engineer
Kent Field Office		 443-235-7447 591
Allan Stahl
State Conservation Engineer
Maryland State Office		 443-482-2912 430DD

You may respond by email or by regular mail. To the extent possible, we ask that you consolidate all comments from your office. If you have any questions, please contact the appropriate technical specialist, as noted above.

/s/ Allan H. Stahl for

JON F. HALL
State Conservationist

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