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ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVE PROGRAMUpdated 10/30/07 ARIZONA - FY 2008Arizona State NRCS supports the locally led conservation effort in the delivery of conservation programs. The USDA local work group serves as the starting point for the development and coordination of USDA programs to provide an integrated approach for addressing local natural resource concerns. Local work groups assess natural resource conditions in the local area and identify priority resource concerns to be treated, and recommend practices, payment rates, cost-share levels and funding needs. The group assists in multi-county coordination when resource concerns will be addressed across county boundaries. Local work group information is solicited by Arizona State NRCS each year. The State Conservationist convenes the State Technical Committee to review recommendations on ranking criteria, eligible practices and funding. The State Conservationist must grant final approval of local ranking criteria, eligible practices, cost share levels and payment rates. ARIZONA STATE PRIORITY RESOURCE CONCERNSIn the fall of 2002, each Arizona conservation district was asked to convene a local work group meeting to reassess the priority natural resource concerns for their area. Based on resource assessments from local work groups, the following six state resource concerns have been identified as priorities for 2008. Water Quantity as it relates to groundwater and surface water conservation is a major resource concern. This concern addresses inefficient and/or untimely utilization of existing water supplies. Groundwater supplies have diminished due to past groundwater pumping. Active Management Areas (AMA) have been established by the State of Arizona to increase the emphasis on conserving groundwater. The northern one-half of the state depends extensively on surface water from live streams where water flows fluctuate on a seasonal basis. There is a need to improve on-farm irrigation efficiencies and develop livestock water distribution systems. EQIP funds will be used to install higher efficiency irrigation systems and implement irrigation water management to balance water needs with the available water supply. Surface water supplies can also be improved by increasing plant cover and improving water infiltration to reduce excessive runoff and flooding. EQIP funds will be used to implement prescribed grazing and other conservation practices on rangeland. Surface and Ground Water Quality concerns primarily relate to suspended sediment in surface runoff and reducing the potential for pesticides and nutrients to enter into surface and groundwater supplies. EQIP funds will be used to improve irrigation water management on cropland and to improve prescribed grazing systems to increase ground cover and reduce soil erosion on rangeland. Soil Quality is a resource concern that relates to soil erosion and soil tilth. Irrigation induced erosion on cropland and water erosion on rangeland are identified problems. Impaired soil tilth is a common concern on cropland due to past cropping systems and inadequate residue management. Unsuitable soil tilth on rangeland is a concern due to past management of livestock and accelerated soil erosion in some areas. EQIP will be used to implement improved cropping and residue management systems on cropland. Soil erosion will be reduced and soil tilth improved on rangeland through the implementation of prescribed grazing and other range conservation practices. Grazing Lands Health is related to the kinds, amounts and distribution of plants and also the general health and vigor of the plant community. In areas of this concern, plants do not provide the quantity and quality of forage, cover or habitat in the amounts or timeliness of need. Additionally, plants do not manufacture sufficient plant food to continue the growth cycle or to reproduce. Similarity indexes on rangeland are generally less than 50% as described for the ecological site where this concern exists. Through the implementation of conservation practices, undesirable plant species and competition for moisture and nutrients will be reduced resulting in and improved condition of the over all plant community. Air Quality is an identified concern particularly in areas identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as non-attainment areas for particulate matter that is 10 micrometers or less in diameter. Agricultural activities were identified as a source that contributes to producing particulate matter of this size. The Federal Clean Air Act requires that emissions from all significant sources in areas not meeting the national ambient air quality standards be controlled through effective programs. The Governor of Arizona created the Agricultural Best Practices Committee, which developed an agricultural PM10 general permit that would address the need for controls on agricultural operations. The committee identified best management practices that focus on feasible, effective and common sense practices that minimize negative impacts on local agriculture. Many of the practices identified are already cost shared under EQIP and will continue to be implemented under the program. At-risk Species as it relates to wildlife is a resource concern that is caused by imbalances in food, cover, and water. This concern includes threatened and endangered species. EQIP funds will be used to install wildlife watering facilities, plant trees and shrubs for improved cover, and provide food for local wildlife species. Consideration will be given to at-risk wildlife species during the planning and implementation of conservation practices. Plans developed solely for the benefit of wildlife should be evaluated under the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). EQIP ALLOCATION AREASEQIP allocation areas were developed in Arizona using the Arizona Association of Conservation District (AACD) zones and the USDA Service Center locations as a base. AACD zone boundaries were established based on the similarity of resources and land uses in each zone. USDA Service Center Office areas of responsibility are very similar to the AACD zones except for two instances. These two areas were identified as separate allocation areas based on differences in workload, resource considerations and localized USDA Service Center areas of responsibility. Each allocation area has identified priority resource concerns for assessing applications in their area. Each allocation area contains several conservation districts. Each conservation district convened local work group meetings and gathered information on resource concerns, ranking criteria and cost sharing needs. Members of the individual conservation districts then meet as an “Allocation Area local work group” to develop priority resource concerns, ranking criteria and cost sharing needs for the allocation area. Allocation will be made each year based on a state formula, which includes the previous funding demand and performance, priority resource concerns, eligible agricultural land area and other related factors. The local work group will determine the percent of allocation among the local resource concerns or land uses to meet priorities prior to initiating a signup. Arizona State NRCS will establish a cut off date each year by which funds must be obligated. If local funds are not obligated by this date, funds will be reallocated to other counties. Ranking CriteriaA ranking criteria template for priority concerns has been developed at the local level with eligible practices identified. The allocation areas may address national, state, tribal and local resource concerns, develop local criteria points, identify ineligible practices, and lower cost share levels or lower payment rates. Guidelines for Ranking ApplicantsWhat can be cost shared, and when is environmental benefit points awarded? When both of the following apply: 1. A resource concern exists that meets NRCS quality criteria.
2. One or more new conservation practices must be applied to address the resource problem to achieve quality criteria as identified in the Field Office Technical Guide. All new conservation practices that are required to achieve quality criteria for the resource concern must be included in the contract, and must be cost shared.
EligibilityAny producer engaged in livestock or crop production on eligible land may apply for EQIP. Eligible land includes cropland; rangeland; pastureland; private non-industrial forestland; and other farm or ranch lands as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. EQIP Application Eligibility and Processing ChecklistThe following items must be received by NRCS in order for the application to be processed in these ranking periods. Not all items will apply in all cases. The following documents require Adobe Acrobat as indicated.
Your local work group developed local information, ranking criteria, local ranking sheets, and local payment schedules. Application signup is an ongoing process and can be completed online at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/EQIP or at your local USDA Service Center. For more information, please contact NRCS at your local USDA Service Center. < Back to Arizona 2007 EQIP Sign-Up and Application Information |
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