FACT SHEET

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

Page 1

February 2011

 Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program - New York City

Overview

USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), New York City, 

and New York State have agreed 

on a plan to implement a Conservation Reserve Enhancement 

Program (CREP) in the Catskill 

and Delaware watersheds of the 

New York City drinking water 

supply system.

These watersheds furnish most 

of the 1.34 billion gallons of water used daily by the New York 

City system, which serves 8 million city residents and another 1 

million residents of Westchester, 

Orange, and Ulster Counties. 

The Catskill/Delaware reservoir 

system has a surface area of 

about 1 million acres.

The New York City CREP hopes 

to reduce soil erosion by 36,000 

tons per year, reducing levels of 

sediment, nutrients, and pathogens. This will help New York 

City avoid construction of a 

water filtration plant costing an 

estimated $6 billion. The project 

will also provide valuable habitat 

for endangered Wildlife and native cold water fish.

Program Targets

Acreage enrollment targets are:

• Riparian buffers, 2,000 

acres; 

• Highly erodible cropland 

with an erodibility index 

greater than or equal to 8; 

3,000 acres.

Program Responsibilities

CCC and New York City each 

will pay 50 percent of the 

reimbursable costs of conservation practices, for a total of 100 

percent. New York City will also 

provide technical support to all 

applicants.

In addition to annual rental 

rates and maintenance incentive 

payments under a Conservation 

Reserve Program (CRP) contract 

at normal local CRP rates, CCC 

will make a special incentive 

payment in an amount equal to:

• 100 percent of the established county rental rate, for 

land to be established to riparian buffers, not to exceed 

$150 per acre; 

• 100 percent of the established county rental rate, for 

land qualifying on the basis 

of erodibility, not to exceed 

$100 per acre.

Eligible Practices

Eligible CRP practices for lands 

qualifying on the basis of erodibility will be:

• CP 1 (Planting of Tame 

Grasses) 

• CP 2 (Establishment of Native Grasses) 

• CP 3 (Tree Planting)

• CP 3A (Hardwood Tree 

Planting) 

• CP 4 (Wildlife Habitat)

Eligible CRP practices for lands 

qualifying as riparian buffers 

will be:

• CP 21 (Filter Strip) 

• CP 22 (Riparian Buffer) 

• CP 23 (Wetland Restoration)

Producers may also offer eligible 

acreage for general or continuous CRP signup.

CRP is a CCC program implemented through the Farm Service 

Agency.

More Information

More information on the New 

York City CREP is available at 

local FSA county offices, and on 

FSA’s Web site at www.fsa.usda.

gov. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of 

its programs and activities on the basis of 

race, color, national origin, age, disability, 

and where applicable, sex, marital status, 

familial status, parental status, religion, 

sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all 

of part of an individual’s income is derived 

from any public assistance program. (Not 

all bases apply to all programs.) Persons 

with disabilities who require alternative 

means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, 

etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). 

To file a complaint of discrimination, write 

to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil 

Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for 

Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, 

S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-

9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 

(English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or 

(866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or 

(800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider 

and employer.