USDA Seeks Public Comments and Project Proposals for Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative

Comments due April 8, Proposals due April 23, 2009

MORGANTOWN, WV, March 30, 2009 —Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that up to $52.4 million in financial assistance is available for competitive grants to protect the nation's natural resources through the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI). The USDA has allocated $5.8 million in financial assistance for multi-state and national projects that offer innovative approaches to working with socially disadvantaged, beginning or limited resource farmers and help further enhance conservation outcomes on agricultural lands and private nonindustrial forest lands.

"President Obama is particularly interested in using partnerships to pursue innovative ways to increase our nation's renewable energy production and reduce the effects of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions," Vilsack said. "This program offers many opportunities to help landowners and operators seek new ways to remain profitable, such as participating in markets that reward them for sequestering carbon and limiting greenhouse gas emissions."

Proposals for West Virginia projects must be submitted to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist, Kevin Wickey, at the following address by April 23, 2009:

West Virginia State Office
75 High Street, Room 301
Morgantown, WV 26505

Multi-state and national projects must be submitted to the Chief, USDA-NRCS National Office in Washington, D.C. by the same date.

In addition, USDA is seeking comment on how CCPI can contribute toward new methods of renewable energy production and conservation, reduce the effects of climate change, and reduce net carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. Comments must be submitted by April 8, 2009.

Administered by NRCS, CCPI (a voluntary initiative), allows landowners and operators of agricultural and non-industrial private forest lands to use selected conservation programs and resources from eligible partners to put conservation on the land. Under this program, NRCS enters into multi-year agreements with eligible partners that want to enhance conservation on agricultural and non-industrial private forest lands. Partners include state and local units of government, producer associations, farmer cooperatives, colleges and universities and non-governmental organizations with a history of working closely with producers. A producer's land must be located within an approved CCPI project area to be considered for financial assistance through CCPI. In fiscal year 2009, producers can apply for financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program. Individual producers cannot submit a partner proposal.

Additional details about the CCPI Request for Proposals and public comment period can be viewed at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/. (From the Federal Register's main page, enter Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative in the Quick Search Box and submit). The information also can be obtained at the NRCS Web site at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2008/index.html and at the U.S. government regulation Web site http://www.regulations.gov/search/index.jsp. For additional information about CCPI, go to http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ccpi/ .

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