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Notices Federal Register

73 

Vol. 77, No. 1 

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Natural Resources Conservation 

Service 

Commodity Credit Corporation 

[Docket No. NRCS–2011–0025] 

Cooperative Conservation Partnership 

Initiative and Wetlands Reserve 

Enhancement Program 

AGENCY: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service and Commodity 

Credit Corporation, United States 

Department of Agriculture. 

ACTION: Notice of request for proposals 

through the Mississippi River Basin 

Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI). 

SUMMARY: The Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS) announces 

the availability of financial assistance 

funds in fiscal year (FY) 2012 for up to 

$11.74 million in the Cooperative 

Conservation Partnership Initiative 

(CCPI) and up to $25 million in the 

Wetlands Reserve Enhancement 

Program (WREP) through MRBI. These 

funding levels are available for new 

MRBI proposals only. However, CCPI 

and WREP will not be the only funding 

mechanisms for MRBI in FY 2012. The 

Chief of NRCS reserves discretion in 

utilizing other NRCS conservation 

program funds and mechanisms in 

support of the objectives of MRBI. 

Through agreements, partners and 

NRCS will provide assistance to eligible 

participants in the 54 designated focus 

areas (8-digit hydrologic unit codes 

(HUCs)) in the following 13 States: 

Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, 

Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, 

Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, 

South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The 

purpose of this notice is to solicit 

proposals from potential partners to 

enter into agreements with NRCS and to 

inform agricultural producers and 

landowners of the future availability of 

program funds through approved 

partnership projects. Proposals must be 

based on one or more 12-digit HUCs 

within the 54 designated focus areas. 

Partners who are currently involved in 

approved MRBI agreements through 

CCPI or WREP and want to work in 

other 12-digit watersheds must submit 

new proposals for a new project. 

DATES: Eligible partners may submit 

proposals for MRBI–CCPI and MRBI– 

WREP via email or U.S. Postal Service; 

however, all proposals must be received 

on or before March 19, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: Applicants are encouraged 

to submit proposals electronically to 

MRBI–CCPI@wdc.usda.gov for CCPI and 

MRBI–WREP@wdc.usda.gov for WREP. 

If submitting a paper proposal, the 

proposal may be mailed to: Martin 

Lowenfish, Acting Team Leader, 

Conservation Initiatives Team, Natural 

Resources Conservation Service, P.O. 

Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013. 

Do not send submissions via 

registered or certified mail. Do not send 

the same proposal both electronically 

and to the Post Office Box address; use 

only one method to submit a proposal. 

If submitting more than one project 

proposal, please submit each separately. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Deena Wheby, MRBI Coordinator, 

Conservation Initiatives Team, Natural 

Resources Conservation Service; 

Telephone: (859) 224–7403 or email: 

deena.wheby@ky.usda.gov. 

Persons with disabilities who require 

alternative means for communication 

(Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.) 

should contact the USDA TARGET 

Center at: (202) 720–2600 (voice and 

TDD). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Part A—General WREP and CCPI 

Proposal Information 

Focus Area Watersheds 

Fifty-four focus area (8-digit HUC) 

watersheds have been selected by NRCS 

State Conservationists, with input from 

the State Technical Committees and 

State water quality agencies, to help 

improve water quality by reducing 

nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment 

levels in the watersheds of the 

Mississippi River Basin, as well as 

improve wildlife habitat and restore 

wetlands. The designated 8-digit HUC 

focus areas are listed below. A complete 

list of the smaller-scale, 12-digit HUC 

sub-watersheds within the designated 8- 

digit HUC focus areas can be found on 

the MRBI home page. The MRBI home 

page can be found by searching for 

MRBI at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov. 

DESIGNATED FOCUS AREAS FOR THE MRBI FY 2012 (8-DIGIT HUCS) 

State(s) Watershed Hydrologic 

Unit Code 

Proposals accepted 

for: 

Arkansas/Missouri ................................................. Cache ................................................................... 08020302 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Arkansas ............................................................... Lake Conway-Point Remove ................................ 11110203 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Arkansas ............................................................... L’Anguille .............................................................. 08020205 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Arkansas/Missouri ................................................. Lower St. Francis ................................................. 08020203 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Arkansas ............................................................... Bayou Meto .......................................................... 08020402 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Arkansas ............................................................... Lower White ......................................................... 08020303 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Arkansas ............................................................... Lower White-Bayou Des Arc ................................ 08020301 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Arkansas ............................................................... Lower Arkansas .................................................... 08020401 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Arkansas ............................................................... Big ........................................................................ 08020304 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Arkansas/Kentucky/Missouri/Tennessee .............. Lower Mississippi—Memphis ............................... 08010100 WREP only. 

Arkansas/Mississippi ............................................. Lower Mississippi—Helena .................................. 08020100 WREP only. 

Arkansas/Louisiana/Mississippi ............................ Lower Mississippi—Greenville ............................. 08030100 WREP only. 

Illinois .................................................................... Lower Illinois-Senachwine Lake ........................... 07130001 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Illinois .................................................................... Vermillion (Upper Mississippi River sub-basin) .... 07130002 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Illinois/Indiana ....................................................... Vermillion (Upper Ohio River sub-basin) ............. 05120109 CCPI and/or WREP. 


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DESIGNATED FOCUS AREAS FOR THE MRBI FY 2012 (8-DIGIT HUCS)—Continued 

State(s) Watershed Hydrologic 

Unit Code 

Proposals accepted 

for: 

Indiana .................................................................. Eel ........................................................................ 05120104 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Indiana .................................................................. Upper East Fork White ......................................... 05120206 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Indiana .................................................................. Wildcat .................................................................. 05120107 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Indiana/Ohio ......................................................... Upper Wabash ..................................................... 05120101 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Iowa ...................................................................... Boone ................................................................... 07100005 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Iowa ...................................................................... Maquoketa ............................................................ 07060006 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Iowa ...................................................................... North Raccoon ..................................................... 07100006 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Iowa/Minnesota ..................................................... Upper Cedar ......................................................... 07080201 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Kentucky/Tennessee ............................................ Bayou De Chien-Mayfield .................................... 08010201 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Kentucky ............................................................... Licking .................................................................. 05100101 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Kentucky ............................................................... Lower Green ......................................................... 05110005 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Louisiana .............................................................. Mermentau ........................................................... 08080202 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Louisiana .............................................................. Lower Mississippi—Baton Rouge ........................ 08070100 WREP only. 

Louisiana/Arkansas ............................................... Bayou Macon ....................................................... 08050002 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Louisiana/Arkansas ............................................... Boeuf River ........................................................... 08050001 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Louisiana/Mississippi ............................................ Lower Mississippi—Natchez ................................ 08060100 WREP only. 

Minnesota ............................................................. Middle Minnesota ................................................. 07020007 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Minnesota ............................................................. Root ...................................................................... 07040008 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Minnesota ............................................................. Sauk ..................................................................... 07010202 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Mississippi ............................................................. Big Sunflower ....................................................... 08030207 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Mississippi/Louisiana/Arkansas ............................ Deer-Steele .......................................................... 08030209 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Mississippi ............................................................. Upper Yazoo ........................................................ 08030206 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Missouri/Iowa ........................................................ Lower Grand ......................................................... 10280103 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Mississippi ............................................................. Coldwater Creek ................................................... 08030204 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Missouri ................................................................. North Fork Salt ..................................................... 07110005 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Missouri ................................................................. South Fork Salt .................................................... 07110006 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Missouri/Arkansas ................................................. Little River Ditches ............................................... 08020204 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Ohio/Indiana ......................................................... Upper Great Miami ............................................... 05080001 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Ohio ...................................................................... Upper Scioto ......................................................... 05060001 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Tennessee ............................................................ Forked Deer ......................................................... 08010206 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Tennessee/Kentucky ............................................ Obion .................................................................... 08010202 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Tennessee ............................................................ South Fork Obion ................................................. 08010203 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Tennessee/Kentucky ............................................ Red River ............................................................. 05130206 CCPI and/or WREP. 

South Dakota/Minnesota ...................................... Upper Minnesota .................................................. 07020001 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Wisconsin/Illinois ................................................... Upper Rock .......................................................... 07090001 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Wisconsin .............................................................. Kickapoo ............................................................... 07070006 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Wisconsin .............................................................. Middle Rock .......................................................... 07090002 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Wisconsin/Iowa ..................................................... Grant-Little Maquoketa ......................................... 07060003 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Wisconsin/Minnesota ............................................ Rush-Vermillion .................................................... 07040001 CCPI and/or WREP. 

Under MRBI, NRCS works with 

partners through CCPI and WREP to 

help address conservation concerns and 

opportunities within the watershed of 

the Mississippi River Basin. In approved 

MRBI–CCPI project areas, NRCS will 

make Environmental Quality Incentives 

Program (EQIP), Conservation 

Stewardship Program (CSP), and 

Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program 

(WHIP) funds available to eligible 

producers consistent with the proposal 

design as much as possible. In approved 

MRBI–WREP project areas, funds are 

available through the Wetlands Reserve 

Program (WRP). 

Proposal Submission, Review, and 

Notification 

Potential partners are highly 

encouraged to submit proposals to the 

email address provided in the 

‘‘Addresses’’ section of this notice. If the 

proposal is submitted in hard copy, the 

potential partner must submit two 

copies of the proposal, typewritten or 

printed on 8-1/2′′ x 11′′ white paper. The 

entire project proposal, not including 

letters of support, cannot exceed 12 

pages in length including a summary, 

responses to the information requested 

in this Federal Register, maps, and 

other supporting documents. The 

proposal must address, in sufficient 

detail, all the criteria outlined in the 

‘‘Proposal Requirements’’ section of this 

notice in order to be considered. 

MRBI–CCPI and MRBI–WREP 

proposals submitted to NRCS become 

the property of the agency for use in the 

administration of the program, may be 

filed or disposed of by the agency, and 

will not be returned to the potential 

partner. Once proposals have been 

submitted for review and ranking, there 

will be no further opportunity for the 

potential partner to change or re-submit 

the proposal; however, NRCS may 

request certain changes before finalizing 

the selection and approval of a project. 

Incomplete proposals or those that do 

not meet the requirements set forth in 

this notice will not be considered, and 

notification of elimination will be 

mailed to the applicant. Partner 

proposals may be withdrawn by written 

notice to Deena Wheby, MRBI 

Coordinator, Conservation Initiatives 

Team, at any time prior to selection (see 

ADDRESSES section in this notice). 

NRCS will review, evaluate, and rank 

proposals based on the criteria set forth 

in the respective ‘‘Proposal 

Requirements’’ sections of this notice 

for both MRBI–CCPI and MRBI–WREP. 

Potential partners should recognize that 

the proposal is the only document 

NRCS will use in the evaluation 

process. The proposal must request 

NRCS program funds for obligation 

beginning in FY 2012 (October 1, 2011– 

September 30, 2012). Proposals which 

request funding with obligation starting 

after FY 2012 will not be evaluated or 

considered under this request for 

proposals. 

Partners whose proposals have been 

selected will receive an official letter of 


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notification. Upon notification of 

selection, the partner should contact the 

appropriate State Conservationist(s) to 

develop the required partnership 

agreement and other project 

implementation requirements. Potential 

partners should note that, depending 

upon available funding and agency 

priorities, NRCS may offer a reduced 

amount of program financial assistance 

from what was requested in the 

proposal and may require adjustments 

to the proposal as a condition of 

approval to meet program or other 

requirements. Partner submissions of 

proposals that are not selected will also 

be notified by mail. 

State Conservationist(s) Proposal 

Review 

Once a project proposal is received, 

the agency will provide a copy of it to 

the appropriate State Conservationist(s). 

State Conservationist(s) will review the 

proposals to: 

(a) Document potential duplication 

with other projects or existing programs; 

(b) Confirm adherence to and 

consistency with program regulations, 

including requirements related to land 

and landowner eligibility and other 

program requirements; 

(c) Address expected benefits for 

project implementation in their State(s); 

(d) For multi-State proposals, 

coordinate with all State 

Conservationists involved in the 

proposal to verify concurrence and 

support for the project; 

(e) Identify other issues or concerns 

that should be considered; and 

(f) Provide a recommendation, along 

with justification, to the NRCS Chief for 

approval or disapproval of the project. 

Waiver Authority 

To assist in the implementation of 

approved WREP and CCPI projects, the 

Chief may waive the applicability of the 

Adjusted Gross Income Limitation, on a 

case-by-case basis, in accordance with 7 

CFR part 1400. Such waiver requests 

must be submitted in writing from the 

program applicant, not the sponsoring 

partner, addressed to the Chief, through 

the local NRCS designated 

conservationist. 

Part B—The Cooperative Conservation 

Partnership Initiative Component of 

MRBI 

To improve the health of the 

watersheds within the Mississippi River 

Basin, NRCS and its partners will help 

producers to voluntarily implement 

conservation practices that avoid, 

control, and trap nutrient runoff; 

improve wildlife habitat; restore 

wetlands; and maintain agricultural 

productivity. These improvements will 

be accomplished through a conservation 

systems approach to address water 

quality, wetland, and wildlife related 

resource concerns. NRCS will provide 

producers assistance in implementing a 

suite of practices that will reduce the 

impacts of nutrients and sediment 

leaving agricultural fields. In the Lower 

Mississippi River Basin States, practices 

may also address water quantity as a 

compatible resource concern with water 

quality as the primary resource concern. 

Overview of the CCPI 

The CCPI is a voluntary conservation 

initiative that enables the use of certain 

conservation programs, combined with 

resources from eligible partners, to 

provide financial and technical 

assistance to owners and operators of 

agricultural and nonindustrial private 

forest lands in order to enhance 

conservation outcomes and achieve 

resource conservation objectives. The 

functions of CCPI can best be described 

in two parts: CCPI partnerships and 

CCPI program participation. 

CCPI Partnerships 

Under CCPI, eligible potential 

partners may submit proposals 

addressing the criteria that are outlined 

in this request for proposals. Partners 

who may enter into partnership 

agreements with NRCS include federally 

recognized Indian Tribes, State and 

local units of government, producer 

associations, farmer cooperatives, 

institutions of higher education, and 

nongovernmental organizations which 

have a history of working cooperatively 

with producers to effectively address 

conservation priorities related to 

agricultural production and 

nonindustrial private forest land. 

Individual agricultural producers are 

not eligible partner entities and may not 

submit CCPI proposals. However, 

individual agricultural producers can 

participate by applying for program 

assistance in the approved proposal 

areas through their local NRCS office. 

Proposals will be evaluated through a 

competitive review process. After 

selection, the partners will enter into a 

partnership agreement with NRCS. The 

partnership agreement will not obligate 

funds, but as applicable, will address 

the following: 

(a) Role of the partner; 

(b) Role of NRCS; 

(c) Responsibilities of the partner as it 

relates to the monitoring and evaluation; 

(d) Frequency and duration of 

monitoring and evaluation to be 

completed by the partner; 

(e) Format and frequency of reports 

that are required as a condition of the 

partnership agreement; 

(f) Budget which includes other 

funding sources (if applicable) for 

financial and technical assistance; 

(g) Specified project schedule and 

timeframe; and 

(h) Other requirements deemed 

necessary by NRCS to further the 

purposes of MRBI. 

Where flexibility is needed to meet 

project objectives, the partner may 

request that program adjustments be 

allowed, provided such adjustments are 

within the scope of the applicable 

programs’ statutory and regulatory 

program authorities. An example of an 

adjustment may be to expedite the 

applicable program ranking process in a 

situation where a partner has identified 

the producers approved to participate in 

the project. Other examples of 

flexibilities are payment percentage 

rates, or use of a single area-wide 

conservation plan of operations rather 

than individual conservation plans of 

operation. An example of an ineligible 

flexibility would be to request funds for 

activities that do not meet NRCS 

conservation practice standards. 

CCPI is not a grant program, and all 

Federal funds made available through 

this request for proposals will be paid 

directly to producers through program 

contract agreements. If desired, 

producers may elect to have their 

payments assigned to another party. No 

technical assistance funding may be 

provided to a partner through the CCPI 

partner agreement. However, if 

requested by a partner, the State 

Conservationist may consider 

development of a separate contribution 

agreement with a qualified partner to 

provide funding for delivery of 

technical services to producers 

participating in an approved CCPI 

project. 

CCPI Program Participation 

Once the agency approves and 

announces the selected partner projects, 

eligible agricultural producers located 

within the approved project areas may 

apply directly to NRCS for funding 

through one or more of the following 

programs: EQIP, CSP, or WHIP. CCPI 

uses the funds, policies, and processes 

of these programs to deliver assistance 

to eligible producers to implement 

approved core and supporting 

conservation practices, enhancements, 

and activities under MRBI. Producers 

interested in applying must meet the 

eligibility requirements of the program 

for which they are applying. Individual 

applications from eligible producers 

will be evaluated and ranked to ensure 


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that producer applications selected for 

funding are most likely to achieve 

project objectives. Once applications are 

selected, the producers may enter into 

one or more contracts or cost-share 

agreements with NRCS within one or 

more of the programs offered under 

CCPI. During FY 2012, an objective of 

MRBI–CCPI is to deliver EQIP, CSP, and 

WHIP assistance to producers to achieve 

MRBI priority conservation objectives in 

geographic areas defined by the partner. 

Depending upon the program available 

in the project area, the assistance 

provided enables eligible producers to 

implement conservation practices and 

enhancements, including the 

development and adoption of 

innovative conservation practices and 

management approaches. 

Availability of Funding 

Effective on the publication date of 

this notice, the Commodity Credit 

Corporation announces the availability 

of up to $9 million in EQIP and 

$500,000 in WHIP financial assistance 

and 140,000 acres in CSP for MRBI– 

CCPI during FY 2012. 

Proposal Requirements 

The proposal must include the 

following. Please provide the 

information in the order as listed below: 

(1) Proposal Cover and Summary: 

(a) Project Title; 

(b) Project director/manager name, 

telephone number, mailing address, and 

email address; 

(c) Name and contact information for 

lead partner entity submitting proposal 

and other collaborating partners; and 

(d) Short summary of project 

including: 

i. Project start and end dates (not to 

exceed a period of 4 years); 

ii. Designated 12-digit HUC, or 

contiguous multiple 12-digit HUCs subwatersheds where the project is located, 

including the State(s) and county(s); 

iii. General project objectives and 

resource concerns to be addressed as 

they relate to MRBI priorities and 

objectives; 

iv. Total amount of CCPI financial 

assistance being requested by program; 

v. Whether any of the proposed 12- 

digit project HUCs have previously been 

approved for a MRBI CCPI project; and 

vi. Whether the MRBI–CCPI proposal 

will be used in conjunction with a 

MRBI–WREP, MRBI–CIG, or other 

Federal programs to meet MRBI 

objectives. Include the name of the 

program and the associated Federal 

agency. (Note: Federal funds cannot be 

used as a match to the funds provided 

by NRCS.) 

(2) Project Natural Resource 

Objectives and Concerns: 

(a) Identify and provide detail about 

the project objectives. Objectives should 

be specific, measureable, achievable, 

and results-oriented. 

(b) Identify and provide detail about 

the natural resource concern(s) to be 

addressed in this project. Include in this 

description how the proposal objectives 

will address the priority MRBI resource 

concerns of water quality, wetland 

restoration, and improved wildlife 

habitat. Water quantity may be 

addressed as a complementary resource 

concern in the Lower Mississippi River 

Basin States. Potential partners will 

work with the State Conservationist(s) 

to ensure the priority resource concerns 

are addressed by utilizing approved 

conservation practices, enhancements 

and activities, and conservation 

program requirements. A list of NRCS 

approved natural resource concerns for 

MRBI may be found on the MRBI Web 

site which can be found by searching for 

MRBI at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov. 

(3) Detailed Project Description: 

(a) A detailed description of the 

geographic area covered by the 

proposal, including: 

i. Types of land uses to be treated; and 

ii. The location and size of the 

proposed project area, and what 12-digit 

HUC sub-watershed(s) the project will 

be within. 

(b) A detailed map showing the 

project area. Include on the map: 

i. Outlined areas that need 

conservation treatments; 

ii. Location where conservation 

treatments are needed; and 

iii. Priority order for the different 

areas to be treated. 

(c) A description of the project 

timeline. Include: 

i. Duration of the project, not to 

exceed 4 consecutive years in length 

beginning in FY 2012; 

ii. Project implementation schedule 

that details when different objectives 

and conservation practices and 

enhancements will be completed; 

iii. When partner and Federal 

resources will be used within the 

timeframe of the project. Include the 

total amount of financial assistance 

funds requested for each fiscal year of 

the project to be made available for 

producer contracts and cost-share 

agreements (for multi-State projects, 

provide the funds or acres by State as 

appropriate); and 

iv. When the final project report will 

be submitted. 

(d) A description of the plan for 

evaluating and reporting on progress 

made toward achieving the objectives of 

the agreement. 

(e) Identify potential criteria to be 

used by NRCS to prioritize and rank 

agricultural producers’ applications for 

EQIP, CSP, and WHIP in the project 

area. Potential partners should 

collaborate with NRCS to develop 

meaningful criteria that NRCS can use 

to evaluate and rank producer program 

applications. This will ensure that 

producer applications which will best 

accomplish MRBI objectives will be 

selected. 

(f) An estimate of the percentage of 

producers, including nonindustrial 

private forest landowners, in the project 

area that may participate in the project 

along with an estimate of the total 

number of producers located in the 

project area. Provide details about 

additional information such as how the 

partner will encourage producer 

participation; does the project include 

any Tribal producers, beginning farmers 

or ranchers, socially disadvantaged 

farmers or ranchers, or limited resource 

farmers or ranchers; and are there 

groups of producers who may submit 

joint applications to address resource 

issues of common interest and need. 

(g) A listing and description of the 

approved MRBI–CCPI core conservation 

practices, conservation activity plans, 

enhancements, and partner activities to 

be implemented during the project 

timeframe and the general sequence of 

implementation of the project. 

Information about approved MRBI–CCPI 

EQIP, WHIP, and CSP practices, 

enhancements, and activities can be 

accessed at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov. 

Only the conservation practices listed, 

which are available in the applicable 

State’s Field Office Technical Guide, are 

eligible for use in MRBI. For each 

conservation practice, estimate the 

amount of practice extent (feet, acres, 

number, etc.) the partner expects 

producers to implement and the amount 

of financial assistance requested to 

support implementation of each practice 

through producer contracts. 

(h) Also address technical assistance 

efforts that will be made by the partner. 

Describe any activities that are 

innovative and include outcome-based 

performance measures, such as water 

quality monitoring, to be implemented 

by the partner. 

(i) Indicate whether the project will 

address specific regulatory compliance 

and any other outcomes the partner 

expects to complete during the project 

period. 

(j) A detailed description of any 

requested adjustments, by program, 

with an explanation of why the 

adjustment is needed in order to achieve 

the objectives of the project. Requested 

adjustments or flexibilities must comply 

with statutory and regulatory 

requirements. 


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(k) A science-based description of 

how the proposal’s objectives also may 

provide additional benefits by 

addressing energy conservation or 

mitigating the effects of climate change, 

if applicable. 

(l) If applicable, a detailed description 

of a plan to conduct water quality 

monitoring and evaluation and the 

reporting of progress made toward 

achieving MRBI objectives and desired 

outcomes. NRCS is especially interested 

in proposals that adopt a three-tiered 

monitoring and evaluation approach 

designed to assess environmental 

outcomes at the edge-of-field, in-stream, 

and at the 12-digit HUC level; however, 

only those partners with the capacity to 

implement monitoring and evaluation at 

these three tiers, or a partnership with 

an entity that has agreed to perform this 

task, should include this in the project 

proposal. Capacity includes the ability, 

expertise, available staff, and any 

needed financial assistance beyond 

CCPI funding to conduct monitoring 

and evaluation including identification 

of monitoring locations, collection and 

analysis of samples, reporting of results, 

etc.. If an entity other than the applicant 

entity will be responsible for monitoring 

and evaluation, a letter of commitment 

is to be included with the project 

proposal submission. Higher priority 

will be given to projects that adopt this 

three-tiered approach where the partner 

provides resources or technical services 

to carry it out. Higher priority will also 

be given to projects that utilize 

environmental indicators to assess water 

quality and evaluate effects of 

conservation systems and activities 

implemented through the project at the 

edge-of-field level in conjunction with 

in-stream and 12-digit HUC monitoring. 

Information concerning water quality 

monitoring and evaluation can be found 

at on the MRBI home page. The MRBI 

home page can be found by searching 

for MRBI at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov. 

(4) Partner Description: 

(a) A description of the partner(s) 

history of working with agricultural 

producers to address conservation 

priorities; 

(b) A description of how the partner(s) 

will collaborate to achieve the objectives 

of the agreement including: 

i. The roles, responsibilities, and 

capabilities of the partner(s); and 

ii. The financial or technical 

commitments of each of the partner(s) 

and how they will be leveraged by the 

Federal contribution through EQIP, 

WHIP, CSP, or a combination of the 

three. Include specifically what 

commitments will be used toward water 

quality monitoring needs. If partners 

who do not submit the proposal intend 

to commit resources, a letter or other 

documentation from these partners 

confirming a commitment of specified 

resources is required. 

(c) A description of the resources 

(financial and technical assistance) 

requested from each of the applicable 

NRCS programs (EQIP, WHIP, and CSP) 

and the non-Federal resources provided 

by the partner that will be leveraged by 

the Federal contribution. Partners need 

to clearly state, by project objective, 

how they intend to leverage Federal 

funds along with partner resources. The 

funding and time contribution by 

agricultural producers to implement 

agreed-to conservation practices and 

enhancements in program contracts will 

not be considered any part of a match 

from the potential partner for purposes 

of CCPI. 

(d) A description of how the partner 

will facilitate the submission of 

landowner applications; 

(e) A description of how the partner 

will provide for outreach to beginning 

farmers or ranchers, limited resource 

farmers or ranchers, socially 

disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, and 

Indian Tribes. 

National Ranking Considerations 

The agency will evaluate proposals 

using a national competitive process. A 

higher priority may be given to 

proposals that: 

(a) Have a high percentage of 

producers actively farming or managing 

working agricultural or nonindustrial 

private forest lands included in the 

proposed project area; 

(b) Significantly leverage non-Federal 

financial and technical resources and 

coordinate with other local, State, or 

Federal efforts. This includes resources 

committed to provide for water quality 

monitoring and evaluation of 

conservation practices; 

(c) Integrate both WREP and CCPI 

within a project area; 

(d) Deliver high percentages of 

applied conservation practices to 

address water quality, wildlife habitat, 

and wetland restoration; 

(e) Provide innovation in approved 

conservation practices, conservation 

methods, and delivery, including 

outcome-based performance measures 

and methods such as adaptive 

management strategies; 

(f) Complete the application of the 

conservation practices and activities on 

all of the covered program contracts or 

cost-share agreements in 4 years or less; 

(g) Assist the participants in meeting 

local, State, and Federal regulatory 

requirements; 

(h) Provide for environmental 

monitoring and evaluation of 

conservation practices, enhancements, 

and activities, which includes the 

ability, expertise, available staff, and 

any needed financial assistance beyond 

CCPI funding to conduct monitoring 

and evaluation including identification 

of monitoring locations, collection and 

analysis of samples, reporting of results, 

etc.; 

(i) Provide for outreach to, and 

participation of, beginning farmers or 

ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers 

or ranchers, limited resource farmers or 

ranchers, and Indian Tribes within the 

proposed project area; 

(j) Have a high potential to achieve 

MRBI water quality objectives of 

nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment 

reductions leaving the field; and 

(k) Identify other factors and criteria 

which best achieve the purposes of 

MRBI–CCPI. 

Part C—The Wetlands Reserve 

Enhancement Program Component of 

MRBI 

Availability of Funding 

Effective upon publication of this 

notice, NRCS on behalf of the CCC, 

announces that within the designated 

focus areas in the Mississippi River 

Basin Watersheds, up to $25 million in 

financial assistance funds are available 

in FY 2012 for WREP to eligible 

participants through approved 

partnership projects within the 54 

designated 8-digit HUC focus area 

watersheds in the following states: 

Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, 

Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, 

Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, 

South Dakota, and Wisconsin. 

Under WREP, NRCS enters into multiyear agreements with eligible State and 

local governments, nongovernmental 

organizations, and Indian Tribes to 

target and leverage resources to carry 

out high priority wetland protection, 

restoration, and enhancement activities; 

and improve water quality and wildlife 

habitat. Eligible partners should submit 

complete proposals to the addresses 

listed in this notice addressing the 

MRBI conservation objectives to be 

achieved in one or more 12-digit HUC 

watersheds within the 54 eligible 8-digit 

HUC focus area watersheds. Proposals 

that integrate a MRBI–WREP proposal 

with a MRBI–CCPI project in one or 

more 12-digit HUC watersheds will be 

given additional consideration in the 

selection process. 

Overview 

WREP is a voluntary conservation 

program which is a component of WRP. 

WREP leverages resources of eligible 

partners to provide financial assistance 


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78 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 1 / Tuesday, January 3, 2012 / Notices 

to eligible landowners to protect, 

restore, and enhance high priority 

wetlands; improve wildlife habitat; and 

improve water quality. WREP partners 

are required to contribute a match as 

detailed in the proposal requirement 

section at 3(e). Proposals which include 

additional partner resources will be 

given higher priority consideration in 

the selection process. 

WREP financial assistance is 

delivered to eligible landowners and 

partners in approved project areas 

through easement acquisition, 

conservation program contracts, 

cooperative agreements, contribution 

agreements, or Federal contracts. 

Restoration may be achieved through 

payments to other parties who conduct 

the restoration activities. 

Only States and local units of 

government, Indian Tribes, and 

nongovernmental organizations are 

eligible to submit a proposal and enter 

into agreements with NRCS. A 

nongovernmental organization is an 

organization described in section 

501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 

of 1986. Individual landowners may not 

submit WREP proposals through this 

submission process. However, once a 

WREP project has been approved and 

announced, eligible landowners may 

apply for WREP through their local 

NRCS office. As part of the agreement, 

approved partners may also help 

facilitate the submission of landowner 

applications, provide additional 

technical or financial assistance to 

landowners, and provide other 

resources as defined in the agreement. 

Written proposals are to be submitted 

by eligible partners, and project 

evaluation will be based upon a 

competitive process and the criteria 

established in this notice. Once NRCS 

selects a partner’s proposal, landowners 

within the selected project area may 

submit an application directly to NRCS 

for participation in WRP. Individual 

landowner applications will be 

evaluated and ranked along with other 

applications in the watershed or 

geographic project area, when 

applicable, to ensure that the properties 

selected for funding will achieve project 

objectives. 

Wetland restoration and enhancement 

actions will be designed to improve 

water quality and maximize wildlife 

habitat benefits and wetland functions 

and values according to the WRP 

regulation, 7 CFR part 1467, and NRCS 

conservation practice standards. 

Additionally, the successful restoration 

of land and the resultant wetland values 

must take into consideration the cost of 

such restoration, as required by the 

WRP statute and reflected in the WRP 

regulation at 7 CFR part 1467.4. 

Proposals must conform to the WRP 

guidelines for restoration and 

management of lands subject to a WRP 

easement. 

Benefits to the partners in WREP 

agreements include: 

• Involvement in wetland restorations 

in high priority MRBI focus areas; 

• Ability to cost-share restoration or 

enhancement components beyond those 

required by NRCS; 

• Ability to participate in 

management or monitoring of selected 

project locations; and 

• Opportunity to utilize innovative 

restoration methods and practices. 

Land Eligibility 

The land eligibility criteria for WREP 

are the same as for WRP and are listed 

in 7 CFR 1467.4. 

Proposal Requirements 

For consideration, the proposal must 

be in the following format and contain 

the information set forth below. 

(1) Proposal Cover and Summary. The 

first few pages of the proposal must 

include— 

(a) Project Title. 

(b) Project Director/Manager name, 

telephone, mailing address, and email 

address. 

(c) Name and contact information for 

lead partner submitting proposal and 

other collaborating partners. 

(d) Short general summary of project, 

including: 

(i) Potential acres to be enrolled in the 

project area, 

(ii) Designated 12-digit watershed(s) 

where the project is located, including 

the State(s), and county(s). Include a 

general location map, 

(iii) Proposed project start and end 

dates that do not exceed 4 consecutive 

years including FY 2012, 

(iv) The project objectives and 

resource concerns to be addressed, and 

(v) Total amount of financial 

assistance being requested. 

(2) Project Natural Resource 

Objectives and Actions. The proposal 

must— 

(a) Identify and provide detail about 

the wildlife and water quality concerns 

to be addressed and how the proposal’s 

objectives will address those concerns. 

Objectives should be specific, 

measurable, achievable, resultsoriented, and include a timeline for 

completion. 

(b) For each objective, identify the 

actions to be completed to achieve that 

objective and address the identified 

natural resource concern. Specify which 

actions are to be addressed through this 

project using WREP assistance, and 

which are being addressed through 

alternate non-Federal funding sources or 

other resources provided. 

(c) Identify the total acres that require 

wetland protection, restoration, and 

enhancement. 

(3) Detailed Project Description. 

Information provided in the proposal 

must include— 

(a) A description of the partner(s) 

history of working cooperatively with 

landowners on conservation easements. 

(b) A description of the watershed 

characteristics within the designated 

focus area covered by the proposal 

including a detailed watershed map that 

indicates the project location. The 

description should include information 

related to land use types, vegetation, 

soils, hydrology, potential sources of 

water quality impairments, occurrences 

of at-risk species, proximity to other 

protected areas, and a summary of 

resource concerns. Proposals should 

state whether a MRBI–WREP proposal is 

integrated with a MRBI–CCPI proposed 

project and include the name of the 

proposed project. 

(c) A description of the partner(s) and 

the roles, responsibilities, and 

capabilities of the partner(s). Proposals 

which include resources from partners 

other than the lead partner must include 

a letter or other documentation 

confirming the commitment of 

resources. 

(d) A description of the project 

duration, plan of action, and project 

implementation schedule. Project 

proposals cannot exceed 4 years. 

(e) A description of the financial 

assistance resources that are requested 

through WREP, and the non-Federal 

resources provided by the partner(s) that 

will be leveraged by the Federal 

contribution. WREP requires partners to 

contribute a match of: 

(i) In-kind only contributions of at 

least 20 percent of the restoration costs, 

(ii) cash only contributions of at least 

5 percent of the restoration costs, or 

(iii) a combination of in-kind and cash 

contributions of at least 20 percent of 

the restoration costs. 

Proposals which include additional 

partner resources will be given 

additional consideration in the selection 

process. Contributions provided by the 

partners to achieve additional ranking 

points can be in the form of technical or 

financial assistance for the protection, 

restoration, and enhancement of the 

wetland. Contributions can also be in 

the form of assistance with management 

and monitoring activities. Contributions 

above the match requirement can be 

cash or in-kind equipment or services. 

Partners may provide incentives to 

landowners to participate in WREP; 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 1 / Tuesday, January 3, 2012 / Notices 79 

however, incentive payments will not 

be considered part of the match 

requirement. Incentives include sign-up 

bonuses, practice incentive payments, 

or similar activities not funded through 

WRP. 

(f) Total budget for the project 

including all partner resources which 

will be leveraged for the project and the 

amount of WREP financial assistance 

being requested for project broken out 

by fiscal year with totals. Include a 

description of the amount of funds 

needed annually for easement 

acquisition and wetland restoration and 

enhancement activities. 

(g) A description of non-Federal 

resources that will be available for 

implementation of the proposal. 

Proposals which include additional 

non-Federal resources will be given 

higher consideration in the selection 

process. The partner needs to state 

clearly how they intend to leverage 

Federal funds along with partner 

resources. Landowner contributions in 

the implementation of agreed-to 

wetland restoration and enhancement 

practices may not be considered any 

part of a match from the potential 

partner for purposes of WREP. Partners 

will also be required to submit a plan 

for monitoring, evaluating, and 

reporting progress made toward 

achieving the objectives of the 

agreement. 

(h) An estimate of the percentage of 

potential landowners, or estimate of the 

percentage of acres likely to be enrolled 

within the project area, compared to the 

total number of potential landowners or 

acres located in the project area. A 

statement on how the partner will 

encourage participation to guarantee 

success of the project. It is not necessary 

for a target area to involve multiple 

landowners to be selected. Projects will 

be evaluated based on the ecological 

merits of the proposal and contributions 

by the partners. 

(i) A statement describing how the 

partner will provide outreach, 

especially to encourage participation by 

Indian Tribes, beginning farmers or 

ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers 

or ranchers, and limited resource 

farmers or ranchers. 

(j) A description of the wetland 

protection, restoration, and 

enhancement activities to be 

implemented during the project 

timeframe, and the general sequence of 

implementation of the project. Activities 

may include those efforts undertaken by 

the partner and those that the partner 

requests NRCS to address through 

financial support. 

National Ranking Considerations 

The appropriate State Conservationist 

will evaluate proposals and forward 

recommendations, with justification, to 

the NRCS Chief for review and 

selection. The Chief will give a higher 

priority to proposals that: 

(a) Have a high potential to achieve 

wetland restoration; 

(b) Have a high potential to 

significantly improve water quality; 

(c) Have a high potential to 

significantly improve wildlife habitat; 

(d) Have a high potential to remove 

frequently flooded lands from 

agricultural production returning lands 

to more natural conditions; 

(e) Significantly leverage non-Federal 

financial and technical resources and 

coordinate with other local, State, tribal, 

or Federal efforts; 

(f) Demonstrate the partner’s history 

of working cooperatively with 

landowners on conservation easements; 

(g) Provide innovation in wetland 

protection, restoration, enhancement, 

and management methods and outcomebased performance measures and 

methods; 

(h) Provide evidence that wetland 

restoration and enhancement activities 

will be completed within 2 years of 

easement closing; 

(i) Provide for monitoring and 

evaluation of the effectiveness of the 

restoration activities on water quality; 

(j) Provide for matching financial or 

technical assistance funds to assist 

landowners with the implementation of 

the Wetlands Reserve Plan of 

Operations and associated contracts; 

(k) Facilitate the submission of 

landowner applications; 

(l) Provide for outreach to, and 

participation of, Indian Tribes, 

beginning farmers or ranchers, socially 

disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, and 

limited resource farmers or ranchers 

within the area covered by the 

agreement; and 

(m) Integrate a MRBI–WREP proposal 

with a MRBI–CCPI proposed or 

approved project. 

Partnership Agreements 

Upon proposal selection, NRCS will 

enter an agreement with a partner as the 

mechanism for partner participation in 

WREP. At a minimum, the agreement 

will address: 

(a) The role of the partner; 

(b) The role of NRCS; 

(c) The format and frequency of 

reports that is required as a condition of 

the agreement; 

(d) The Plan of Work and budget to 

identify other funding sources (if 

applicable) for financial or technical 

assistance; 

(e) The specified project schedule and 

timeframe; 

(f) Whether the agreement will serve 

as an obligating document or whether 

funds will be obligated under a separate 

agreement with the partner or with a 

third party; and 

(g) Other requirements deemed 

necessary by NRCS to achieve purposes 

of the WRP. 

Landowner Application 

Landowners must meet the eligibility 

requirements of WRP, as published in 7 

CFR part 1467. Landowners interested 

in participating may apply for 

designated WREP funds at their local 

service center after WREP proposals are 

selected. In FY 2012, NRCS will make 

WREP funds available to eligible 

landowners to enroll land under a 

permanent easement, a 30-year 

easement, a 30-year contract on acreage 

owned by Indian Tribes, or through a 

Restoration Agreement. 

NRCS and the partner may assist 

landowners in determining whether the 

application is appropriate for WREP 

depending on the wetland protection, 

restoration, and enhancement activities 

that the applicant seeks to install or 

perform. 

Signed the 22nd day of December, 2011, in 

Washington, DC. 

Dave White, 

Vice President, Commodity Credit 

Corporation and Chief, Natural Resources 

Conservation Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–33692 Filed 12–30–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

International Trade Administration 

[A–570–863] 

Honey From the People’s Republic of 

China: Preliminary Rescission of the 

Administrative Review 

AGENCY: Import Administration, 

International Trade Administration, 

Department of Commerce. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce 

(‘‘Department’’) is conducting the 

administrative review of the 

antidumping duty order on honey from 

the People’s Republic of China (‘‘PRC’’) 

for the period of review (‘‘POR’’) 

December 1, 2009, to November 30, 

2010. As discussed below, we have 

preliminarily determined to rescind this 

administrative review because we have 

found the sales made by Dongtai Peak 

Honey Industry Co., Ltd. (‘‘Dongtai 

Peak’’) that entered during the POR 

were not bona fide. 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES