Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
SOIL &VWATER <br />P.O. SOX 276a7. RALEIGH. NORTH CAROLINA 2761 1 -7Ga7 i� <br />PHONE 91 9- 733 -2302 FAX 919 -715 -3539 CONSERVAIiCN <br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY /A FFIRMATIVZ ACTION EMPLOYER - 50% RECYCLE 0/10% POST- CONSUMER PAPER <br />APR 2 9 RECD <br />26 <br />NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF <br />ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES <br />DIVISION OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION <br />April 24, 1998 <br />RC-DENR <br />Dear Soil and Water Conserva *.inn District Supervisors and Staff- <br />JAMES S. HUNTJR. ;� :• <br />! <br />GOVERNOR <br />We are contacting you about an exciting new USDA program —the <br />Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). This program was <br />established by the 1996 Farm Bill to cost - effectively meet specific <br />conservation and environmental objectives of the state and the nation. A state <br />WAYNE MCDEVITr <br />can propose to enhance the familiar Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) as <br />SECRETARY <br />long as the program is consistent with the CRP regulations. A successful <br />proposal will mean open enrollment for producers and over four dollars of <br />federal funds for every state dollar spent on the project. Four states have <br />C_ DEwEYBorm . '` <br />already received approval for CREP projects and each one totaled $200 <br />DIRECTOR <br />million or more. North Carolina must move quickly to submit its proposal <br />because USDA funds are limited and enrollment authorization ends on <br />September 30, 2002. <br />The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, with <br />assistance from a working group consisting of interested agencies, including <br />r' ; <br />the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and <br />- <br />the Division of Soil and Water Conservation, has been developing a draft <br />proposal for North Carolina. We now have enough details worked out to <br />` <br />share it with you and ask for your comments and support. <br />Briefly, North Carolina is proposing a S274.5 million program to <br />enroll up to 100,000 acres of active farmland near rivers, streams, field <br />_ <br />ditches, and wetlands in 15 -year CRP contracts and permanent <br />easements. USDA requires the state to provide at least 20 percent of the total <br />project costs. USDA will pay annual rent, bonuses, and maintenance fees for <br />_ = <br />15 years and 50 percent of installation costs for eligible BiIPs. The state <br />proposes to pay for purchasing permanent easements on approximately 65,000 <br />acres after the CRP contracts expire (however, the state's payment must be <br />made when the property is enrolled), and proposes to pay up to 40 percent on <br />a <br />installation of the riparian forested buffer BMP on approximately 50,000 <br />_. <br />acres. The geographic focus covers the Chowan, Neuse, and Tar - Pamlico <br />==: <br />river basins and the Jordan Lake watershed. <br />- <br />We are enclosing for your review the pertinent portions of the <br />proposal —the executive summary, project description, and cost analysis. We <br />want to bring to your attention the recommended role for the affected Soil and <br />Water Conservation Districts (pg. 17) and the recommended 57.50 per acre <br />per year through the year 2002 for each acre enrolled by a District in <br />SOIL &VWATER <br />P.O. SOX 276a7. RALEIGH. NORTH CAROLINA 2761 1 -7Ga7 i� <br />PHONE 91 9- 733 -2302 FAX 919 -715 -3539 CONSERVAIiCN <br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY /A FFIRMATIVZ ACTION EMPLOYER - 50% RECYCLE 0/10% POST- CONSUMER PAPER <br />