EQIP Funds Available for Fire Damaged Grazing Lands

Federal dollars to help private landowners affected by Oregon wildfires

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact information:
Jill Rees, USDA NRCS Public Affairs Specialist: (503) 414-3273, Jill.Rees@or.usda.gov
 

PORTLAND, OR, August 3, 2007—In response to this summer’s wildfires that have burned more than 350,000 acres in Oregon, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Bob Graham has announced a special grazing lands wildfire initiative to assist private landowners impacted by the blazes. The initiative allows affected landowners to sign up for financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Wildfire Special Initiative between August 7 and August 17, 2007.

“NRCS is taking immediate action to assist ranchers whose grazing lands were damaged by wildfires,” said Graham. “The EQIP Wildfire Special Initiative will help them maintain their operations while they take steps to speed range recovery, reduce erosion, and protect the health of the overall watershed.”

The program provides a one-time $16 per-acre incentive payment for landowners who agree to reseed the site and defer grazing activities until the spring of 2010. Deferred grazing will minimize erosion and accelerate establishment of healthy and resilient plant communities. The payments are intended to offset costs associated with range reseeding and deferred grazing.

Privately owned and tribal grazing lands that have grasses and shrubs as the dominant vegetation and that were damaged by wildfires in 2007 may be eligible. Individuals may enroll up to 2,500 acres of grazing land under this special initiative.

NRCS has directed $150,000 for Oregon’s EQIP Wildfire Special Initiative for the remainder of the 2007 fiscal year. Applications will be selected based on the following considerations until all fiscal year 2007 funds have been exhausted:

• percentage of grazing land damaged by fire,
• vulnerability to soil erosion,
• presence of critical habitat for threatened and endangered or aquatic species, and
• percentage of damaged acres that the landowner agrees to defer from grazing.
   

Those who do not meet the August 17 deadline or who are affected by additional wildfires later in the season may have the opportunity to apply for assistance under the 2008 fiscal year funding cycle that begins on October 1.

Applications materials for the EQIP Wildfire Special Initiative and other NRCS conservation programs can be found online at www.or.nrcs.usda.gov or at the local USDA Service Center.

NRCS provides voluntary technical and financial assistance to people interested in protecting and enhancing soil, water, and related natural resources on non-federal lands. NRCS staffs work in every county in the state and directly assist farmers, ranchers, and others. NRCS is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Local contact information is located in the telephone book under the federal government listing or can be found online at: www.or.nrcs.usda.gov

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