State Technical Committee Meeting Minutes

**February 7, 2001**

Ken Leiting opened the meeting, those present were:

  ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------
  Ken Leiting       Ken Schein        Billy Webb        Alton Henderson

  George Douds      Steve Loring      Dennis Garcia     Wayne Lindsey

  Kiko Funmaker     Wayne Yazza       Dale Jones        Al Pasteris

  Denise Smith      Bill Hays         Mike Gustin       Richard Becker

  Michael Massey    Joe Muniz         Jim Bailey        James Bostwick

  Sharon Kartchner  Bob Alexander     Callie Gnatkowski Aurelia Harris

  Christopher       Cliff Sanchez     Ken Walker        Betty Joubert
  Rustay                                                

  Cindy Nycz        Doug Treadway     Norm Vigil        Linda Scheffe

  Mike Sporcic      Mike Neubeiser    Richard Spencer   
  ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------

Ken Leiting provided an overview of why the State Technical Committee
was established.

Mike Neubeiser gave an update of EQIP 2001 (attached).

-   The Total Budget for FY2001 - \$5,782,000

-   Geographic Priority Areas (GPA) - \$3,008,070

-   Statewide Concerns - \$1,619,730

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-   Grazing Lands - \$971,838 (Ranking reports due 3-14)

-   Water Resources - \$485,919 (Ranking reports due 1-24)

-   Tribal Lands - \$161,973

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-   Whip funding for FY2001 \$150,000 (\$20,000 carryover from FY00)

There was discussion on maybe adding another statewide concern. Need to
keep in mind that concerns need to come from the ground up. The local
work groups need to decide the need.

-   Watershed Health GPA

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-   Due to fire situation in state

-   High tree density reduce water may be cause for fires

-   Sediment of water

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-   Potential Threatened and Endangered Species

-   Riparian Areas

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-   Address TMDLs, 303d, etc.

Presentations were given on four GPAs.

-   Dry Cropland for Roosevelt and Curry counties -- Ken Walker

-   Irrigated Cropland for Roosevelt and Curry counties -- Ken Walker

-   Jicarilla Apache Reservation -- Doug Treadway

-   Abo Arroyo Watershed -- Richard Spencer

Mike Sporcic and Linda Scheffe handed out Conservation Practice
Standards for Fence, Contour Buffer Strips, and Pest Management for
review by the committee. Comments due March 7, 2001.

Richard Armijo gave an update on Streamflow Forecasts for the state. New
Mexico has an average amount of perception and snow pack is average.
This is an improvement from last year.

Request to move the border to include all of Curry County for the Lesser
Prairie Chicken. The local working group (LWG) prepares the proposal and
determines the borders of their GPAs. In order to change the areas in a
GPA it will need to come from the LWG. Eastern New Mexico Conservation
Buffer is a new GPA for 2001.

Need to decide how to handle GPAs that are in their 4^th^ and 5^th^ year
and if other GPAs need annual progress reports.

-   Proposals need to re-submit proposal on 6^th^ year.

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-   Submit progress after 4^th^ year

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-   Low number of applications

-   May need to revise proposal with justification to continue

-   Maybe cut back allocation to 150% of typical used in past

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-   Need to consider other parts of the state

-   Evaluate all proposals in 5^th^ year

-   Annual progress report

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-   Number of contracts

-   Acres improved

-   Types of conservation practices

-   Summary participate dollars etc

-   Photo documentation

-   Resource needs, past successes, future needs etc.

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-   Evaluate participation in different parts of the state

-   Reasons for low participation (education, weather, economics, etc.)

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-   Obtain information on success stories

-   Sub committee meet and evaluate case-by-case

-   Set up listen sessions

NM State Technical Sub-Committee

  -------------- -------------- ------------- ------------ ----------------
  Scotty Abbott  Dr. Terrell    Richard       George Douds Callie
                 Baker          Becker                     Gnatkowski

  Alton          Debbie Hughes  Dale Jones    Bill Hays    Jim Bailey
  Henderson                                                

  Bill Webb      Wayne Leslie   Bob Alexander Denis Smith  Al Pasteris

  Aurelia Harris NRCS Rep.      NRCS Rep.     SWCD         FSA Rep
  -------------- -------------- ------------- ------------ ----------------

+--------------------+------------------+------------------------------+
| Cindy Nycz         |                  | Ken Leiting                  |
|                    |                  |                              |
| Reporter           |                  | State Resource               |
|                    |                  | Conservationist              |
+--------------------+------------------+------------------------------+