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7 <br />SECTION 4. TECHNICAL STANDARDS AND JOB APPROVAL AUTHORITY <br />A. FOR DISTRICT ACTIVITIES <br />As relates to District programs and activities outside of the County Partnership Initiative, the <br />parties agree to utilize the USDA NRCS Field Office Technical Guide or Soil and Water <br />Conservation Commission adopted standards as the minimum technical standards for <br />conservation program implementation in areas of mutual concern. The parties may utilize more <br />stringent standards when necessary to comply with locally enacted laws or ordinances. The <br />NRCS will be the lead agency in the development, maintenance, and interpretation of the Field <br />Office Technical Guide. When program contracts are developed, the District and NRCS <br />employees in the office will provide conservation planning assistance that meets NRCS planning <br />policy. At a minimum, the conservation planning will encompass the field or fields impacted by <br />the cost-shared conservation practices. <br />The parties agree that their respective employees will provide technical assistance based on <br />assigned conservation practice (job approval) authority which is based on acquired knowledge, <br />skills, and demonstrated ability and within applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines. <br />Conservation practice (job approval) authority will be determined and documented according to <br />NRCS National Engineering Manual, Part 501, by the certification system authorized by the NC <br />Soil and Water Commission and in accordance with the NC NRCS policy and procedures <br />regarding job approval authority. Each technical employee in the office will acquire the <br />necessary skills to qualify for job approval authority for the routinely used engineering and non- <br />engineering conservation practices prevalent in the county. Both District and NRCS employees <br />will attend available training sessions to maintain their knowledge, skills, and abilities related to <br />conservation planning and practice design, layout, checkout, and certification. <br />B. FOR COUNTY ACTIVITIES AS PART OF THE DISTRICT/COUNTY <br />PARTNERSHIP <br />For project activities undertaken for or on behalf of Orange County as part of the Partnership <br />Initiative, NRCS and District employees will also adhere to adopted NRCS technical guides <br />and planning policy, where relevant, and to relevant County programs, ordinances and <br />policies as may be in place (not inconsistent with the standards and policy for NRCS and the <br />Division herein). <br />SECTION 5. PERSONNEL AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT <br />Orange County will, by and through its Human Resources Department, provide assistance to the <br />Orange Soil and Water Conservation District in administering a uniform system of leave, <br />compensation and benefits under the procedures which apply to Orange County employees. This <br />assistance and system will be administered through the Partnership Initiative (Attachment B), <br />and the District will be administered as an "office" within County government as part of the <br />Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation Department. It is understood <br />5 <br />