NRCS ANNOUNCES GRANT PROPOSAL DEADLINE AND COMMENT PERIOD FOR COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact information:
Meta Loftsgaarden, USDA NRCS Program Manager: (503) 414-3236, Meta.Loftsgaarden@or.usda.gov
 

PORTLAND, OR, March 16, 2009 – The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting grant proposals through the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) program through April 23, 2009.

The CCPI program announcement was published in the Federal Register on March 10. The notice solicits project proposals from potential partners.

With CCPI, partner entities request dedicated NRCS conservation program assistance for a specific project area or resource concern on agricultural and nonindustrial private forest land. Once a proposal is approved, eligible farmers, ranchers, and private nonindustrial forest landowners within the scope of the project area may apply to NRCS for technical and financial assistance to plan and install conservation measures. All funding for CCPI projects goes directly to eligible producers in the selected project area.

Areas of CCPI assistance are selected competitively through applications of eligible partners, which include state, local, and tribal governments, producer associations and cooperatives, institutions of higher education, and nongovernmental organizations.

NRCS will place a priority on partner proposals that:

1. Address conservation priorities involving agriculture and nonindustrial private forest land on a local, state, multi-state, or regional level;
2. Encourage producers to cooperate in meeting applicable federal, state, and local regulatory requirements related to production;
3. Encourage producers to cooperate in the installation and maintenance of conservation practices that affect multiple agricultural or nonindustrial private forest land; and
4. Promote the development and demonstration of innovative conservation practices and delivery methods, including those for specialty crop and organic production and precision agriculture producers.

Additionally, NRCS requests public comment on how CCPI can contribute to the Nation’s efforts on energy, climate change, and carbon sequestration within the framework of the Initiative. The comment deadline is April 8, 2009.

Instructions for submitting project proposals and comments are outlined within the text of the CCPI Federal Register announcement, which can be found on the Federal Register Web site at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ccpi/FedRegis_CCPI_3-10-09.pdf.

Additional information can also be found on the NRCS Web site at: http://www.or.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ccpi/index.html

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