[APWG] Cooperative Conservation and 2006 NRCS Conservation Programs
Olivia Kwong
plant at plantconservation.org
Fri Mar 3 10:08:50 CST 2006
From: Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
This e-mail contains information on:
Cooperative Conservation
***The Legal Framework for Cooperative Conservation***
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 2006 Conservation Programs
***Conservation Security Program (CSP)***
***Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)***
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Cooperative Conservation
***The Legal Framework for Cooperative Conservation***
The attached document, published by the Public Policy Research Institue
9University of Montana, 2006) provides an interesting analysis of the
legal constraints and opportunities for Cooperative Conservation.
Note: The 2MB PDF file is no longer attached, but can be downloaded on the
web at
http://www.montanabar.org/groups/naturalresourcesection/legalframework.pdf
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Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 2006 Conservation Programs
***Conservation Security Program (CSP)***
-----> DURATION Feb. 13-Mar. 31, 2006! <-----
About CSP: CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and
technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil,
water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes
on Tribal and private working lands. Working lands include cropland,
grassland, prairie land, improved pasture, and range land, as well as
forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. The
program is available in all 50 States, the Caribbean Area and the Pacific
Basin area. The program provides equitable access to benefits to all
producers, regardless of size of operation, crops produced, or geographic
location. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm
Bill) (Pub. L. 107-171) amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize
the program. CSP is administered by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS).
2006 Sign-Up:
On Jan. 31, Ag Secretary Johanns announced that the 2006 Conservation
Security Program (CSP) sign-up will be held Feb. 13, 2006 to March 31,
2006 in 60 watersheds nationwide.
USDA announced preliminary selection of 110 watersheds for fiscal year
2006 based on the President's budget request. Based on available funding,
CSP will be offered in 60 watersheds across all 50 states, the Caribbean
and Guam. The sign-up will only include those producers who do not have an
existing CSP contract.
To be eligible for CSP, most of a producer's agricultural operation must
fall within the boundaries of a selected watershed. Applications which
meet CSP's minimum requirements as set forth in the amendment to the
Interim Final Rule published in the Federal Register March 25, 2005, will
be placed in enrollment categories. The CSP amendment to the Interim Final
Rule is available for viewing at:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/.
This is the 3rd CSP sign-up. During the 2004 and 2005 sign ups, farmers
enrolled nearly 11 million acres in the 220 eligible watersheds.
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***Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)***
-----> DEADLINE March 20, 2006! <-----
About CIG: Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) is a voluntary program
intended to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative
conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging Federal
investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction
with agricultural production. Under CIG, Environmental Quality Incentives
Program funds are used to award competitive grants to non-Federal
governmental or non-governmental organizations, Tribes, or individuals.
CIG enables NRCS to work with other public and private entities to
accelerate technology transfer and adoption of promising technologies and
approaches to address some of the Nation's most pressing natural resource
concerns.
2006 CIG Program:
CIG has two competitions available in fiscal year 2006--National and
State. The announcement for program funding for the National competition
is below. Each State administering a CIG competition will announce funding
availability through separate requests for proposals.
National Component:
The deadline for proposals for the national competition is March 20, 2006.
>>> Natural Resource Concerns component--Up to $10 million available for
proposals addressing one or more of the CIG natural resource concerns.
This component was also offered in 2004 and 2005.
>>> Chesapeake Bay Watershed component--Up to $5 million available for
proposals addressing one or more of the CIG natural resource concerns in
the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This component was also offered in 2005.
>>> Technology component--Up to $5 million available for proposals
addressing one or more of the CIG technology or approach categories. This
component is new in 2006.
State Component:
Each State that is administering a CIG competition will announce funding
availability through separate requests for proposals.
For more information, visit
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig/index.html
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