Laserfiche WebLink
<br />O~rJ"/3 <br />U ~.l'1; <br /> <br />USDA ACTIVITIES AND ACCOhPLISHMENTS <br /> <br />Administration and Management <br /> <br />The initial funding appropriated by Congress for the USDA onfarm CRSC program <br />was $3.804 million in fiscal year 1987. In addition to these CRSC program <br />funds, $2.196 million from the ACP were available for use in 1987. These <br />program funds were directed into the ongoing Grand Valley and Unita Basin <br />salinity control projects. <br /> <br />Before actual onfarm contracting and implementation could proceed for the new <br />CRSC program, Federal rules and regulations for administering the program had <br />to be promulgated. An interim rule was published in the Federal Register on <br />May 5, 1987. Under this interim rule, implementation of the new USDA onfarm <br />CRSC program be&an in July 1987. Current plans call for a final rule to be <br />published in early 1988. <br /> <br />In response to comments on the interim rule concerning fish and wildlife <br />habitat effects of the CRSC program and the replacement of wildlife values, <br />SCS conducted a special biology workshop in September 1987. The purpose of <br />the workshop was to inform and train USDA field personnel on the importance of <br />fish and wildlife habitat value replacement, to explain opportunities and <br />techniques that are available in the new CRSC program, and to illustrate the <br />importance of implementing habitat value replacement as related to monitoring <br />and evaluation activities. <br /> <br />The CRSC program is operating smoothly under the current operating procedures <br />of ASCS and SCS. At this early stage in the new program, USDA agencies see no <br />major problems or obstacles to implementation. USDA has no recommendations <br />for administrative or management changes which would require legislative <br />action. <br /> <br />Technical and Financial Assistance <br /> <br />Consistent with authorities in other similar programs, the responsibilities <br />for technical assistance were delegated by the Secretary of Agriculture to SCS <br />with administrative responsibilities delegated to ASCS. <br /> <br />Although there was a substantial backlog of requests for financial and <br />technical assistance already on file under the existing ACP salinity program, <br />there were many applicants ready to participate in the new CRSC program. <br />Participants for the new CRSC program were either restricted by payment <br />limitations imposed under the ACP or were irrigation districts or canal <br />companies which were ineligible under prior existing programs. As of <br />September 30, 1987. there were 56 CRSC applications for over $4 million of <br />financial assistance in the Unita Basin and 47 CRSC applications for over <br />$1.5 million of financial assistance in the Grand Valley unit. <br /> <br />A special .. first contract signing ceremony was held in Roosevelt, Utah by the <br />State of Utah on July 2, 1987. The first nine CRSC contracts were signed at <br />toat time by the local CRSC participants, the Unita and Deuschene ASC County <br />Committees, and the Unita Soil Conservation District. Over 70 individuals, <br />representing a cross-section of local, State, and Federal interests, <br /> <br />10 <br />