Link: http://www.usda.gov/2005/07/0277.xml Release No. 0277.05 Terri Teuber (202) 720-4623 Raegan Weber (202) 720-2928 USDA ANNOUNCES 2005 CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM CONTRACTS WASHINGTON, July 25, 2005 - Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner today announced that USDA will offer 12,700 Conservation Security Program (CSP) contracts across the nation. These 2005 contracts being offered translate into more than a $1 billion long-term commitment to conservation over the next ten years. "CSP participants are conservation innovators. What they do today will lead to additional environmental benefits for the nation as they share their knowledge of conservation with others," said Conner at a CSP event in Carroll County, Maryland. "The program is offered nationally on working lands rewarding the nation's leading conservationists and providing incentives for them and others to do more." The CSP contracts offered cover about 9 million acres of private land in the 220 watersheds nationwide. USDA expects to fully invest the $202 million provided by Congress for this fiscal year. Environmental enhancement activities offered by applicants include improving soil quality, water quality, wildlife habitat management, nutrient and pest management, air quality management and on-farm energy management. Following the process outlined in the CSP sign-up notice published in the Federal Register on March 25, 2005, applications will be offered according to the published enrollment categories, in order, until the funding is exhausted. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will offer contracts to applications in enrollment categories A and B and subcategory C-1. The number of applications accepted by state for each tier of conservation accomplishments is as follows: State Number of Applications Approved Total Projected Contract Cost AK 2 $11,305 AL 64 $956,481 AR 589 $10,563,637 AZ 159 $2,461,851 CA 386 $6,096,373 CO 190 $2,962,871 CT 9 $23,891 DE 16 $304,113 FL 38 $521,820 GA 129 $2,823,758 HI 7 $86,918 IA 2,040 $14,280,535 ID 468 $4,143,632 IL 295 $2,551,825 IN 664 $7,378,781 KS 765 $9,177,815 KY 47 $461,841 LA 24 $191,224 MA 9 $29,936 MD 377 $4,358,739 ME 8 $39,473 MI 388 $5,569,887 MN 590 $4,227,650 MO 1,204 $13,574,659 MS 34 $526,173 MT 370 $7,188,321 NC 147 $1,558,097 ND 227 $3,574,102 NE 794 $4,746,134 NH 15 $67,618 NJ 6 $60,500 NM 75 $1,158,852 NV 45 $519,389 NY 77 $968,964 OH 370 $3,732,553 OK 136 $659,228 OR 597 $6,297,291 PA 228 $992,870 PR 29 $100,548 RI 3 $45 SC 65 $525,324 SD 124 $842,455 TN 16 $49,846 TX 84 $6,476,076 UT 91 $1,218,978 VA 166 $1,330,487 VT 9 $80,484 WA 224 $7,477,439 WI 268 $1,854,479 WV 1 $595 WY 76 $194,137 Total 12,745 $145,000,000 NRCS also extended the comment period on the interim final rule for CSP to Sept. 9, 2005. This extension will give the public additional time to comment on key issues regarding implementation of the program. The extension notice was published in the Federal Register on July 20, 2005. Comments can be made via the Federal Register at the Regulations web site farmbillrules@xxxxxxxxxxxxx CSP is a voluntary conservation program that supports ongoing stewardship of private agriculture lands by providing payments for maintaining and enhancing natural resources. NRCS financial and technical assistance promotes the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes. CSP will be available each year on a rotational basis in as many watersheds as funding allows. Additional information on CSP, including the self-assessment workbook and Federal Register notice, is at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp. # USDA News oc.news@xxxxxxxx 202 720-4623 ---------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to oc.news@xxxxxxxx and reference your email address.
