State Technical Committee Meeting Minutes

**August 9, 2000**

Rosendo Trevino opened the meeting, those present were:

  ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------
  Rosendo Trevino   Tod Stevenson     Michael Massey    Richard Bonine

  John Allen        Terrell Baker     Chic Spann        Scotty Abbott

  James Bostwick    Sharon Kartchner  Richard Becker    Carla Alford

  Mehrdad Khatibi   Ken Schein        Jim Bailey        Steven Albert

  Steve Silcox      Ken Leiting       Callie Gnatkowski Michael Coleman

  Cindy Nycz        Ed Singleton      Steve Fisher      Linda Scheffe

  Mike Sporcic      Mike Neubeiser                      
  ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------

Ken Leiting handed out information on fires in New Mexico. NRCS is
involved in re-habilitation efforts though the Emergency Watershed
Program (EWP). The prescribed burn issue has more support now that
people understand the danger of fuel build-up. FSA and NRCS are also
providing landowner assistance through the Emergency Conservation
Program (ECP). New Mexico Game and Fish will be doing long-term
monitoring on how the fires effect other aspects of the environmental.
Rosendo explained how fires could create hydrophobic soils. (attached
fact sheet)

Mike Neubeiser, at the request of Nina Wells (NMED), informed the
committee that Section 319 grant proposals are now being accepted. The
deadline is September 15^th^. Mike brought several copies of the Request
for Proposals.

Mike N. handed out some information on the current status of
applications and funding for FY 2000 EQIP Statewide Resource Concerns.
This is the time of year when NRCS and FSA are working closely with the
field to make sure funds allocated to New Mexico are obligated by the
end of the fiscal year.

Dr. Terrell Baker gave a report from the Geographic Priority Area
subcommittee. (This committee is made up of 15 members of the State
Technical Committee). There were nine new proposals submitted for
funding consideration in FY 2001. After Dr. Bakers\' report there was a
discussion of funding the GPAs. Several members of the state technical
committee felt it was important to fund existing GPAs at 100% for at
least five years. After five years may need to review and re-compete for
funds. In FY 2001 there will be four GPAs that will have received
funding for five years. Ken Leiting stated the November meeting would be
devoted to more in-depth discussion of the future of EQIP in NM. He
asked the committee members to begin giving some thought to what
direction EQIP should take over the next five years.

Mike N. handed out a spreadsheet which presented several potential
scenarios for funding GPAs in FY 2001. This is a \'best guess\'
situation because it will be several months before anyone knows what the
actual budget will be. In order to fund all of the currently approved
GPAs and pick-up the top four ranked GPAs for FY 2001, an
across-the-board reduction of approximately 23% would be necessary.

There was a concern expressed that there was not enough participation in
the southwest area of the state and that some of the proposals needed
work to help increases their competitiveness.

Rosendo charged the new NRCS team leader for that area, John Allen, to
work with the local work groups in writing better proposals.

The Statewide Resource Concerns for FY 2001 will be the same, i.e.
grazing lands and water resources on tribal and non-tribal lands. There
are more applications than funds. The committee reviewed the
rating/ranking criteria for the Statewide Concerns. It was decided to
add criteria for wildlife habitat management for each of the statewide
concerns, with a value of five points. Rosendo expressed a concern about
making the criteria too restrictive. The criteria will not focus
entirely on Threatened and Endangered (T & E) species, but on habitat
management in general.

Mike Neubeiser distributed two handouts:

-   List of approved practices for EQIP

-   Schedules for Statewide Resource Concerns

-   Application deadline for Water Resources is Nov. 11, 2000.

-   Application deadline for Grazing Lands is Jan. 5, 2001.

Richard Bonine raised a concern about the time of year in which range
inventories need to be done and the sign-up period for grazing lands
applications. It was explained that applications can be submitted
anytime, but because of the fund transfer process from Washington, D.C.
to the states, and the application process, the currently established
deadlines were formulated last year to maximize the opportunity for
implementation of conservation practices in the spring. SWCDs and the
local NRCS and FSA offices can alleviate some of the last minute rush by
using a strong I & E effort throughout the year to encourage producers
to apply well ahead of the deadlines. This would give field staff the
opportunity to work with producers during the growing season, which
would be especially beneficial in working with ranchers to conduct range
inventories.

Scotty Abbott (FSA) spoke on the Continuous CRP Signup. (attached
handouts)

-   Fact Sheet on Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

-   Map and table on CRP State CREP Information

-   Fact Sheet on Conservation Reserve Program

-   Michigan Enhancement Program

-   Ohio Enhancement Program

-   Pennsylvania Enhancement Program

-   Virginia Enhancement Program

-   Washington State Enhancement Program

-   Oregon State Enhancement Program

-   Maryland State Enhancement Program

-   Establish CRP Cost-Share Rates and Components

Linda Scheffe (NRCS Water Quality Specialist) and Mike Sporcic (NRCS
State Agronomist) NRCS presented practice standards for the committee's
review. The practice standards submitted were:

  --------------------------------- ----------------- -------------------
   Windbreak/Shelterbelt            Nutrient         Waste Storage
  Renovation                        Management        Facility

   Tree and Shrub Establishment     Riparian Forest  Tree and Shrub
                                    Buffer            Pruning

   Windbreak/Shelterbelt            Use Exclusion    Waste Treatment
  Establishment                                       Lagoon

   Site Preparation for Woody       Waste            Forest Stand
  Plant Establishment               Utilization       Improvement

   Recreation Area Improvement      Firebreak        Forest Trails and
                                                      Landings
  --------------------------------- ----------------- -------------------

Standards can also be viewed on website:
<http://www.nm.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/fotg/section-4/std-specs.html>

If any members of the state committee have questions or comments on the
practice standards they are encouraged to contact Linda (505-761-4448)
or Mike (505-761-4424).

Ed Singleton and Steve Fisher from BLM gave a presentation on the Rio
Puerco Watershed Project. Bureau of Land Management controls 15% of the
basin. The rest is controlled by the State of New Mexico, Tribes,
private landowners, and other agencies. The biggest problem in the basin
is along State Highway 44. There has been no maintenance on structures
and erosion due to river flow. While Congress has authorized an
implementation project, funds have not been appropriated for the past
few years.

The next meeting of the State Technical Committee will be November 8,
2000, in Albuquerque.

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  Submitted                                     Approved            

  Cindy Nycz                                    Ken Leiting         

  Recorder                                      ASTC/TS             
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