2005 Environmental Quality Incentive Program

Local Work Group Summary for Raton

Introduction:

The Raton Field office includes all of Colfax County in Northeastern New Mexico.  It borders Colorado on the north, Union County on the east, Harding and Mora Counties on the south, and Taos County on the west.  It consists of 2,414, 080 acres.

The Field Office ranges from the crest of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the west with the highest point being Mt. Baldy, 12,441 feet, to the high plains portion of the county at 5,800 feet.  The south portion of the county is generally undulating plains while the northwest portion is composed of mountains, high mountain valleys and mesas.

Rangeland occupies 73% of the Field Office and is devoted mainly to beef cattle production.  Approximately 2% is irrigated cropland.  All the irrigation is from surface water.  Less than 1% is dry cropland, mostly in CRP.  Approximately 25% is privately owned commercial timber.

Local Work Group: 

The local work group includes the NM State Land Office, Maxwell Wildlife Refuge manger, Springer Ditch Co., NM Department of Game & Fish, the FSA CED, NM Department of Agriculture, Colfax SWCD, FSA Co. Comm., Vermejo Conservancy District, Antelope Valley Irrigation District, the NM State Engineer Water Master, Colfax County Manager, NM Environment Department, US Forest Service Questa District Ranger, Colfax County Extension Service,  NM State Forestry District Forester  and the NRCS District Conservationist.  All the membership representatives represent Colfax County.  The local work group meeting was held  November 9, 2004.

Priority Resource Concerns: 

The local work group has agreed to address the following resource concerns in the FY 2005 EQIP program:  (a) Grazing Management, (b) Woodland Thinning, and (c) Water Conservation. 

Funding Considerations: 

The initial percent of allocation for the different land uses in Raton Field Office will be:  Rangeland – 50%, Irrigated land – 40%, Woodland – 10%.

Cost Docket:

Changes proposed for the cost docket are: add pumping plant (for livestock wells and irrigation wells, but only to assist with the conversion of a surface to a sprinkler irrigation system).  Gated irrigation pipe, circular sprinkler, side roll sprinkler, will be kept in the cost docket to improve irrigation systems in the county.   Incentive payments for Pest Management (595) will be added to the cost docket at a flat rate for the control of perennial introduced noxious weeds. Incentive payments will be limited to two years and only include the following NM Class A weeds:  Leafy Spurge; Spotted, Diffuse, and Russian Knapweed; Hoary Cress; and Canadian Thistle.   Some of the average costs in the cost docket have been adjusted for today’s prices.

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

Cost Share Rates, Incentive Payments, and Caps:

Recommended eligible practice list with cost share rates and incentive payments are attached.  Recommended cost share rate is 75% for practices for forest stand improvement and brush management. Irrigation practices are at the 65% level to promote increased irrigation efficiency. This cost share rate is needed to get the priority resource management systems applied.

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

Ranking Criteria:

Ranking criteria worksheets for grazing lands, irrigated land, and woodland are attached.  These will be used to rank applications to promote agricultural production and environmental quality.  In the event of a tie in environmental points, the most points earned in section I of the ranking worksheet will be assigned higher priority.

Please refer to the ranking criteria links to view the final approved criteria.

Timelines, Evaluation Periods:

All applications and any supporting documentation must be submitted by January 28, 2005.  If an additional batching period is needed, it will be announced to the public.  Applications may be submitted yearlong. 

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