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Federal Incentive Programs in Washington State
> U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture> Farm Service Agency Farm Service Agency (FSA)The Farm Service Agency administers farm commodity, crop insurance, and conservation programs for farmers and provides loans for farm ownership and farm operations. FSA programs are primarily directed at agriculture producers. Farmers apply for programs and loans at county offices. > Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)The Farm Service Agency manages this program for agricultural landowners in partnership with the Natural Resource Conservation Service. The Conservation Reserve Program is designed to protect environmentally sensitive farmland from erosion, to improve water quality, to reduce surplus farm commodities, and to improve wildlife habitat. Over one million acres are enrolled in eastern Washington and provide valuable wildlife habitat. Two types of benefits are available: cost-sharing to establish protective cover; and annual rental payments to retire land from agricultural production for a period of 10 to 15 years. Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program is administered by the Farm Services Agency and the Washington State Conservation Commission. It provides incentives to restore and improve salmon and steelhead habitat on private land. Projects stabilize stream banks, create shade to lower water temperature, provide a source of large woody debris to create ponds, reduce sediment, reduce chemicals and nutrients, and increase wildlife. Cost share is available for the installation of a riparian buffer (trees, shrubs, plantings), fencing, and animal watering stations. Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)The Natural Resources Conservation Service helps individuals, groups, organizations, and governments voluntarily conserve natural resources on private land. Its Washington State office is located in Spokane.They assist land users and communities with conservation planning and applying conservation approaches that benefit natural resources and protect water quality. The NRCS provides technical, and in some cases, financial assistance for stewardship activities. The agency works closely with conservation districts, local governments, and private landowners to help prioritize local natural resource needs. It administers several programs, some of which are detailed below. > Conservation of Private Grazing Land (CPGL) Conservation of Private Grazing Land (CPGL)The Conservation of Private Grazing Land Initiative provides education and technical assistance to owners of private grazing lands. It offers technical assistance in the following areas, among others: better grazing land management, protecting soil from erosive wind and water, conserving water, providing habitat for wildlife, sustaining forage and grazing plants, and using plants to sequester greenhouse gases and increase soil organic matter. Conservation Security Program (CSP)The Conservation Security Program is designed to reward farmers who have adopted good conservation practices, and it provides substantial incentives to expand or enhance current conservation efforts. It is a voluntary program providing financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on tribal and private working lands. Working lands for the purposes of CSP include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture, and range land, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. In 2006, the Naches watershed was selected for Washington's CSP sign-up. Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)The Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency are partners in this voluntary program. The Environmental Quality Incentive Program makes financial and technical assistance available for farmers and ranchers to undertake conservation practices, particularly those related to water quality improvements. EQIP encourages producers to solve point and non-point source pollution on farms, ranches, and non-industrial forest land. Practices funded may include: establishing permanent vegetative cover; building structures for sediment retention, erosion control or water control; protecting streams; constructing wetlands system for agricultural water treatment; enhancing riparian buffer strips and permanent wildlife habitat; and reducing sources of agricultural pollutants. Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agriculture and prevents conversion of agricultural lands to non-agricultural uses. It provides matching funds to help purchase development rights. Working through existing programs, USDA partners with state, tribal, or local governments and non-governmental organizations to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land from landowners. To qualify, farmland must: be part of a pending offer from a state, tribe, or local farmland protection program; be privately owned; have a conservation plan for highly erodible land; be large enough to sustain agricultural production; be accessible to markets for what the land produces; have adequate infrastructure and agricultural support services; and have surrounding parcels of land that can support long-term agricultural production. Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)The Grassland Reserve Program is a voluntary program that helps landowners and operators restore and protect grassland, including rangeland and pasture. The program emphasizes support for grazing operations, plant and animal diversity, and grassland and land containing shrubs and forbs that is under the greatest threat of conversion to cropland or urban use. Under GRP, landowners are provided cost-share funds to restore native grasslands. The program is offered to the highest priority sites only. Assistance is provided to landowners and operators for developing the plan which describes intentions and objectives, practices needed and landowner requirements to maintain grassland diversity. Easements may be permanent or for 30 years. NRCS Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC & D)This program helps community leaders develop rural economies by improving and conserving local natural resources. Each RC & D office targets a specific geographic area, and a council of local officials, citizens, special districts, and nonprofit organizations is formed to identify problems, goals, and a plan of action for each area. The NRCS provides a coordinator who creates partnerships with government groups, local communities, and other nonprofit organizations; seeks outside funding; and provides technical assistance. Projects may include wetland protection, flood plain management, and habitat restoration. NRCS Technical AssistanceThe main directive of the NRCS is to provide technical assistance to landowners, groups, organizations, tribes, and local and state government for the purpose of conserving and managing soil, water, and natural resources. This on-the-ground assistance can help to inventory natural resources and apply conservation practices to protect and enhance those resources. The majority of the users of these services are in the agricultural community. The NRCS folds a broad range of tasks under the heading technical assistance, including: wetland determinations on agricultural lands and small areas adjacent to agricultural land; development of conservation plans; development of standards, specifications, design, and installation of conservation measures including wetland creation, restoration, and enhancement; information on appropriate plant materials; and soil surveys. Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)The Wetlands Reserve Program is a voluntary program offering agricultural landowners an opportunity to receive payments for restoring and protecting wetlands. WRP provides cost-share funds for wetlands restoration and up to the agricultural value of the land for granting the government a conservation easement. The program is offered to the highest priority sites only. Assistance is provided to landowners for developing the plan which describes intentions and objectives, practices needed to accomplish the restoration, landowner requirements for maintaining the restored wetland values, and other details. Easements may be perpetual or for 30 years. Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP)The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program provides technical and financial assistance to enhance priority fish and wildlife habitat in areas impacted by agricultural activities. Priority habitats include: estuaries, wetlands, riparian habitat, shrub-steppe, and oak woodlands. Other priorities include restoring habitat for fish passage streams containing critical or depressed stocks and restoring and enhancing wetlands identified in the Pacific Coast and Intermountain West Joint Venture Plans. US Forest Service (USFS)The Forest Service protects and manages National Forests and Grasslands. They also provide technical and financial assistance to State and private forest owners. Their goals are to encourage good stewardship and land management on forest and grasslands, to help states and communities to wisely use forests to promote rural economic development and a quality rural environment, and to provide training and education. USFS partners with the Washington Department of Natural Resources to administer the following programs in Washington State. > Forest Legacy Program (FLP) Forest Legacy Program (FLP)The Forest Legacy Program is a federal grant program to protect forestlands from conversion to non-forest uses. In Washington State, the program is guided by the US Forest Service and carried out through the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Through the program, federal grants pay for conservation easements and other means that prevent development. The Forest Legacy Program provides for both traditional forest uses and the protection of water, cultural resources, fish and wildlife. Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP)The Forest Land Enhancement Program was established by the 2002 Farm Bill. It provides education, on-site advice, and cost-share assistance to help non-industrial private forest landowners develop Forest Stewardship Plans and implement a variety of forest stewardship practices on their lands. The cost-share part of the program replaces the former Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP) and Forestry Incentives Program (FIP) that have now been eliminated by Congress. FLEP is separate from, but complementary to, the Forest Stewardship Program. In Washington, the program is administered by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Eligible practices include: developing a forest stewardship plan afforestation and reforestation, forest stand improvement, water quality/riparian/wetland/watershed improvement, fish and wildlife habitat improvement, forest health improvement. Forest Stewardship ProgramThe Forest Stewardship Program is a nationwide program designed to assist non-industrial private forest landowners in managing their properties for a variety of resource values. The program offers advice and assistance to landowners with over 5 acres to help improve forests for timber production, forest health, wildlife and fish habitat, special forest products, water quality, aesthetics, and fire safety. Advice is customized to meet the landowner’s personal objectives. The program is funded by the USDA Forest Service and delivered by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources in close cooperation with several other state and federal agencies and private organizations. U.S. Department of InteriorU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) works to conserve, protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of the American people. Primary resource responsibilities of the agency include migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, inter-jurisdictional fisheries, and the habitats upon which they depend. The Western Washington office supplies a fact sheet (pdf) on available grants. The Eastern Washington office lists grants on its website. Some of the programs the USFWS offers are listed here. > Chehalis Fisheries Restoration Program Chehalis Fisheries Restoration ProgramThe Chehalis Fisheries Restoration Program makes funding and technical assistance available for on-the-ground restoration of salmon habitat, watershed assessments, and outreach education in the Chehalis River and Grays Harbor Basins. The CFRP's goal is to recover Chehalis Basin fisheries by forming partnerships with private landowners, non-profit organizations, and local, tribal, and state agencies. Projects that have been funded include: removal of invasive species and replanting, riparian and wetland restoration of off-channel rearing habitat, restoring agricultural wetlands for fish use, and monitoring fish use to these habitats. Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation FundThe Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund is a federal grant program to promote the conservation of species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). The program is authorized by Section 6 of the ESA and funded by Congress. In Washington State it is administered in cooperation with two state agencies: the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This fund promotes conservation for threatened and endangered species by providing financial assistance. Three types of grants are available: 1) Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance grants, for developing habitat conservation plans (HCPs); 2) Recovery Land Acquisition grants, for permanently conserving land that contributes to the recovery of listed species by supporting approved recovery plans; 3) Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition grants, for permanently conserving land that complements conservation already being provided under permitted HCPs for listed, proposed, or candidate species. Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act (FRIMA)This USFWS program is administered by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The FRIMA program seeks to match federal funds with local, state, and tribal programs to increase native fish survival, reduce entrainment in existing water distribution systems, and increase access to productive fish habitat by constructing fish screening and passage projects. Local, state, and tribal governments are primary applicants. Other private and public landowners may partner with local governments in submitting applications. A proposed project must be associated with an active water diversion and must benefit fish species native to the project area.Habitat Conservation PlanningHabitat Conservation Planning is designed to compensate for the impacts of land use activities on listed endangered or threatened species and their habitats. A Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is the key component of an application package necessary to apply for an incidental take permit (ITP). The HCP and ITP allow for the incidental take of threatened or endangered species while providing suitable mitigation and conservation strategies to protect those species and their habitats over the long term. Planning occurs on non-federal lands where threatened or endangered species are present or of concern. It is a voluntary effort initiated by non-federal landowners (such as industrial or small timber owners, agricultural producers, or jurisdictional entities). Land acreage ranges from one acre to over a million acres, though there are no restrictions on the size of the HCP area. Habitat Conservation Planning, prerequisite for authorizing an ITP, allows landowners to conduct their otherwise legal activities (such as timber harvest and agricultural production) that may result in take of listed species. HCPs provide long-term regulatory assurances to the landowner for the duration of the plan, i.e., the government will honor its permit commitment as long as the HCP permittee honors their habitat management plan. The USFWS provides technical assistance, such as habitat information to the landowner, on-site habitat assessment, and design and planning for the development of the HCP. Financial assistance may be available through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. Landowner Incentive ProgramThe Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant program administered by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. It provides technical and financial assistance to private landowners for conservation and restoration efforts that produce benefits to at-risk fish and wildlife species and their habitats. Projects are identified through state and regional planning processes, as well as best professional knowledge, and utilize best available science to determine project design, prioritization, implementation, and monitoring. The program encourages local partnerships between neighboring landowners, public agencies, and private organizations. The program is designed to assist private landowners who do not qualify for some of the larger grant programs, such as the Farm Bill programs or Salmon Recovery Funding Board grants. National Fish Passage ProgramThe goal of the National Fish Passage Program is to restore native fish and other aquatic species to self-sustaining levels by reconnecting habitat that has been fragmented by barriers, where such re-connection would not result in a net negative ecological effect such as providing increased habitat to exotic species. The program uses a voluntary, non-regulatory approach to remove and bypass barriers. It, works with local communities and partner agencies to restore natural flows and fish migration. The program is administered by National and Regional Coordinators, and delivered by Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance Offices. National Wildlife Refuge Challenge Cost ShareWhile the majority of available funds in the National Wildlife Refuge Challenge Cost Share program are directed towards USFWS Refuge properties, this program also provides limited financial and technical assistance to private landowners for enhancing or restoring degraded or converted wetlands, riparian areas, or other critical habitats. USFWS staff seek private landowners and other non-federal partners for projects that complement activities on Refuges. One or more of the following federal trust resources must be enhanced: migratory birds, anadromous fish, or endangered species. Call 503-872-2720 for more information. North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Small GrantsThe NAWCA Small Grants program, a partnership with the Pacific Coast Joint Venture, provides grants to public-private and state-federal partnership projects to acquire, restore, enhance, and manage wetland habitats, particularly those most important for migratory birds. Projects have included: construction of water control structures, re-vegetation, erosion control, wetland acquisition, and habitat enhancement. Any group or individual may submit proposals; a small grant program (up to $50,000) was initiated in 1996 to encourage new partners, especially smaller organizations such as local conservation districts and land trusts. Partners for Fish and Wildlife ProgramThe Partners for Fish and Wildlife program offers technical and financial assistance to private landowners wishing to restore fish and wildlife habitats. The focus is on re-establishing historic native communities. Priority is given to projects that: contribute to the survival of endangered, threatened, or candidate species; benefit anadromous fish; contribute to the objectives of the National Wildlife Refuge System or the North American Waterfowl Management Plan; are located close to existing priority habitat and help reduce habitat fragmentation; contribute to the restoration of globally or nationally imperiled natural communities; and result in a self-sustaining system that is not dependent upon artificial structures. Private Stewardship Grant ProgramThe Private Stewardship Grant Program supports voluntary on-the-ground conservation actions that benefit species listed or proposed as endangered or threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. It provides grants and other assistance to individuals and groups. Types of projects that may be funded include managing nonnative competitors, reintroducing imperiled species, implementing measures to minimize risk from disease, restoring streams that support imperiled species, or planting native vegetation to restore a rare plant community. Although the program does not fund the acquisition of real property either through fee title or easements it does not exclude any other approach from consideration as long as it demonstrates tangible on-the-ground benefits to the imperiled species. |
