Laserfiche WebLink
<br />-- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />May 11-12, 1998 <br />Agenda Item 26h <br />Page 3 of 3 <br /> <br />Forum and others have led to an understanding that the NRCS may be ready to begin designating <br />National Priority Areas if Congress indicates its willingness to allow EQIP borrowing from the CCC <br />to increase to $300 million per year. <br /> <br />Staff believes the Board should support designation of salinity control in the Colorado River Basin <br />as an EQIP National Priority by the Chief of the NRCS. Designation will allow on-farm salinity <br />control to proceed using the Basinwide approach first adopted in 1972, and with a more secure and <br />constant funding stream. In addition, shifting funding decisions to a national level would avoid the <br />current competition between would be salinity control participants and agricultural producers from <br />other areas of Colorado for limited EQIP dollars. <br /> <br />The Board should also be aware of another EQIP related issue the staff is working on. As EQIP <br />developed it became apparent that there was no good mechanism for moving Basin Fund cost-share <br />dollars administered by USBR, but controlled by the states, into the EQIP program due to the <br />involvement of the CCC, eventhough the 1996 Farm Bill specifically contemplated and required <br />cost-sharing. The Forum has successfully solved this dilemma by approving contracts between <br />USBR and state agencies with the capacity to expend funds with individual agricultural producers. <br />We are fortunate that theColorado Soil Conservation Board was willing and able to contract with <br />USBR to move the available cost-share funds provided from the Basin Funds out into the field to <br />provide implementation of additional salinity control. Some bugs still remain to be worked out so <br />that this program can reach its full potential, but staff wishes to acknowledge the diligent efforts of <br />Bob Zebroski at the Colorado Soil Conservation Board and his staff, as well as the local Soil <br />Conservation Districts on the West Slope that have taken on the additional work and responsibilty <br />that made approximately an additional $500,000 available to Colorado producers this year. <br /> <br />Recommendation <br /> <br />Staff recommends that the Board support designation of the Colorado River Basin as a National <br />Priority Area for salinity control under the USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program and <br />direct the Director to notify the CRBSCP, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Colorado <br />Congressional Delegation of such support. <br /> <br />C:\SRMILLER\BQARDMEM\98MAY26H.MEM <br />May 8.1998 <br />