[MPWG] Cooperative Conservation and 2006 NRCS Conservation Programs - FUNDING!

[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.



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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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