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| | 2005 Environmental Quality Incentive
Program
Local Work Group Summary for Grants
Introduction:
The Grants Field Office (FO) is located in the city of Grants in Cibola
County in the Northwest quadrant of New Mexico. The field office services the
Lava Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) which includes portions of
Cibola, Catron, Sandoval, and McKinley Counties. Also, a portion of the
McKinley SWCD in McKinley County is part of the service area. Included in
Cibola County are the Cebolleta Land Grant, Cubero Land Grant, Acoma Pueblo, and
minor portions of Navajo Lands. Over 1.2 million acres of Private, State, and
Tribal Lands are serviced out of the Grants FO. Approximately 661,000 acres are
within the Lava SWCD and 559,582 are in McKinley County. Federal Lands,
including BLM and Forest Service, also make up a good portion of the lands
serviced by the Grants FO. These lands are important because many producers
utilize allotments in these land statuses. Most of the area supports
agricultural uses, with a majority of land being rangeland and used for
livestock grazing. Irrigated and dryland cropland occur in small fields in
valleys next to streams and arroyos throughout the field office service area.
While most fields are small in size, the fields are culturally and economically
significant. Pasture and Hayland acreages make up the greatest portion of the
acreage. Woodland plays a minor role in the local economy, where in the past it
was very significant.
Local Work Group:
The Local Work Group is very diverse and made up of representatives from the
Lava SWCD, NRCS, Pueblo of Acoma, Navajo Eastern Agency, US Forest Service, FSA,
County Committees, BIA, BLM, NMDA Field Representative, County Extension
Service, EID, NM State Land Office, local City and County Governments, Rio San
Jose Flood Control District, 9 Irrigation Groups, NM State Engineers Office,
USFWS, and 2 Land Grants. Areas that are represented include the Cebolleta
Land Grant, Cubero Land Grant, Pueblo of Acoma, Irrigated and Dryland Croplands,
as well as those Federal, State, and Private Grazing Lands within the Grants
Field Office Service area. One meeting was held by the Local Work Group to
review resource concerns, establish priorities, application periods and
deadlines, county component cost lists, ranking sheets, cost-share rates, fund
distribution, eligible practices, coordination across field office boundaries,
and state and national policies. Representatives from 6 of the groups and
agencies attended and provided input at the Local Work Group Meetings. The Lava
SWCD chaired the meetings. Review of the Lava SWCD’s Long Range Plan, Mission
Statement and resource concerns from past Local Work Group meetings and
stakeholders meetings took place at each meeting. Resource concerns were
reviewed and discussed, no changes were made. The number one priority is still
Rangeland – inclusive of Grazing Management with the number 2 priority being
Water Resources – inclusive of irrigated croplands, dry croplands, and pasture
and hayland, and water resources management. Other concerns discussed included
natural resources education, small operators and limited resources farmers, lack
of funding, too much regulation, erosion control and bureaucracy – working with
other agencies. As the meeting came to an end, getting conservation on the land
and simplifying paperwork were the key focus.
Priority Resource Concerns:
Consensus was reached by the Local Work Group to have Rangeland (Grazinglands)
as the number 1 priority and Water Resources the number two priority. Water
Resources will include irrigated and dryland cropland, and pasture and hayland.
The other resource concerns which were brought up and discussed, the Local Work
Group members came to a consensus that the Grazing Lands and Water Resources
would end up addressing those concerns.
Funding Considerations:
80% of the funding will be allocated to the Grazing resource concern and the
remaining 20% of the funding will be allocated to the Water resources concern
for both the Tribal and Non-Tribal funds.
Cost Docket:
Changes discussed to the docket included raising the entire docket by 10% due
to the increased cost of fuel and cost of materials. If documentation is
required for this increase, it is impossible to get for all practices. Changes
were recommended for fences and pipelines. Specifics on the practices and
changes will be submitted to the NRCS Northwest Area Conservationist, for review
and approval. Documentation to justify the additions and changes will be
summarized and provided to the Area Conservationist. Invoices and other
supporting documentation is available at the field office, for review. The
proposed changes were for Cibola and McKinley Counties and will affect the
Crownpoint, Gallup, and Grants Field Offices. These offices were allowed input
and review of data before submission to NRCS SO.
Please refer to the links for the cost docket and eligible practices to view
the final practices, cost share rates and component costs.
Eligible Practices:
Please refer to the links for the cost docket and eligible practices to view
the final practices, cost share rates and component costs.
Cost-Share Rates, Incentive Payments, and Caps:
The Local Work Group will use the cost-share rates designated in the cost
docket as recommended by the NRCS-SO. Incentive payments were not recommended
by the Local Work Group for 2005.
Please refer to the links for the cost docket and eligible practices to view
the final practices, cost share rates and component costs.
Ranking Criteria:
It was agreed by the Local Work Group that, for grazing lands applications,
an increase in the deferment period during the growing season will be the basis
to complete the ranking form. If the applicant chooses to maintain a
management system where no increase in the deferment period is realized, no
further ranking will result. The application will be placed in the lowest
priority category. This will not apply to those applicants already
implementing, and planning to maintain, an optimum management system.
Please refer to the ranking criteria links to view the final approved
criteria.
Timelines, Evaluation Periods:
All applications and supporting documentation must be submitted by January
28, 2005.
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