2007 Environmental Quality Incentive Program

Local Work Group Summary for Gallup

Introduction:

The Gallup Field Office is located in McKinley County on Interstate 40 approximately 20 miles east of the Arizona state line.  McKinley County encompasses 3,490,500 acres or 5,454 square miles. The McKinley Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) covers approximately 1,692,479 acres of private and tribal land or 2,644 square miles. The remainder of the county is made up of federal land and Navajo Reservation land which is not in the McKinley SWCD. The largest land use in McKinley SWCD is rangeland which accounts for 1,660,846 acres.

Local Work Group:

The McKinley SWCD convened one local work group (LWG) meeting. The meeting was held on Monday, July 31, 2006.  There was representation from NRCS, FSA, McKinley County Extension and the McKinley SWCD. A much wider representation was invited.

Priority Resource Concerns:

The priority resource concerns were addressed and were  ranked as agreed to by the LWG as follows: 1.) Watershed Health/Riparian Areas, 2. Noxious Weeds, 3.) Water Management and Development, 4.) Range Condition, and 5.) Forest and Wildlife Habitat Management. A discussion ensued on each resource concern and how it should be addressed and how it related to the Farm Bill and specifically to 2007 EQIP.  The LWG believed all these concerns are directly related to watershed health.

Funding Considerations:

It is the will of the McKinley County LWG that 45 percent of the fund allocation be applied to rangeland issues 50 percent of the fund allocation be applied to irrigation issues, and 5% of the fund allocation be applied to forest issues.

Cost Docket:

The LWG suggested that the 2007 EQIP Cost Docket for McKinley County remain the same as the 2006 EQIP Cost Docket with no suggestions for changes except as made by the NRCS New Mexico State Office. 

Please refer to the links for the cost docket and eligible practices to view the final approved practices, cost share rates and component costs.

Eligible Practices:

The Gallup Field Office is not recommending any changes in eligible practices. .

Please refer to the links for the cost docket and eligible practices to view the final approved practices, cost share rates and component costs.

Cost Share Rates, Incentive Payments and Caps:

We will agree with the cost share rates designated on the state cost docket with no suggested changes except the changes which were approved for the McKinley Cost Docket for 2006. We request these changes be carried forward to the 2007 cost docket. The LWG also requests that in 2007 that no cost share or incentive payments are made for Prescribed Grazing.  The LWG further recommends a $50,000 per practice financial assistance cap.

Please refer to the links for the cost docket and eligible practices to view the final approved practices, cost share rates and component costs.

Ranking Criteria:

The new national ranking tool will be utilized to evaluate applications.

Please refer to the links for the ranking criteria.

Timelines, Evaluation Periods:

All applications, and supporting documentation, must be received in the Field Office no later than November 3, 2006.

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