Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative

Updated 03/17/2009

2009 Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative

Introduction

The Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) is a voluntary conservation initiative that enables the use of certain conservation programs with resources of eligible partners to provide financial and technical assistance to owners and operators of agricultural and nonindustrial private forest lands.

Eligible producers, who participate in a project area identified in an approved partner agreement, may apply for program assistance.

Eligible programs include:

• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
• Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP)
• Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), when it is announced.

Under CCPI, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) enters into partnership agreements with eligible entities that want to enhance conservation outcomes on agricultural and nonindustrial private forest lands. The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the authority for CCPI to the NRCS Chief.

CCPI obtains its legal authority from Section 2707 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 which establishes the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) by amending Section 1243 of the Food Security Act of 1985 [16 U.S.C. 3843].

Program Description

During fiscal year 2009, NRCS will make Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) funds and when approved and available, Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) benefits to owners and operators of agricultural and nonindustrial private forest lands who participate in approved CCPI projects.

As authorized by Congress, this is not a grant program to eligible partners. This is a program whereby approved eligible partners will enter into multi-year agreements with NRCS to help enhance conservation outcomes on agricultural lands and private nonindustrial private forest lands. The intent of CCPI is for the Federal government to leverage investment in natural resources conservation along with services and resources of non-Federal partners.

Eligible Partners

Federally recognized Indian Tribes, State and local units of government, producer associations, farmer cooperatives, institutions of higher education, and nongovernmental organizations with a history of working cooperatively with producers. Individual producers are not eligible to submit a partner proposal.

Producers

Owners and operators of agricultural and nonindustrial private forest lands are eligible to apply for program benefits offered through CCPI. In order for a producer to be considered for financial assistance through a CCPI partner agreement, the land associated with a program application must be located within an approved CCPI project area. Only producers who are eligible for EQIP, WHIP or CSP may receive financial assistance through these programs. When announced and available refer to Fact Sheets and visit the NRCS program website for information how and when to apply to the EQIP, WHIP and CSP programs. For more detail regarding eligibility and application requirements contact your local NRCS field office.

Funding

For CCPI, the 2008 Farm Bill requires that 6 percent of the funds for EQIP and WHIP and 6 percent of the allowed acres for the CSP programs be reserved for support of producer contracts approved under this authority. Of these funds reserved for CCPI, 90 percent are to be used for projects within States and territories of the U.S., as approved by NRCS State Conservationists. The remaining 10 percent of these resources are to be awarded to “multi-State” project proposal based upon a competitive national process. The 2009 Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) announces the availability of funding through the following NRCS administered programs:

Environmental Quality Incentives Program Financial Assistance Funds

• Allocated to States for statewide competition: Up to $48.7 million
• Reserved for National Competition: Up to $5.4 million
• Total EQIP Financial Assistance: Up to $54 million

Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program Financial Assistance Funds

• Allocated to States for statewide competition: Up to $3.7 million
• Reserved for National Competition: Up to $405,000
• Total WHIP Financial Assistance: Up to $4.1 million

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

• To be determined.

How To Apply

Proposals for CCPI partnership agreements are made to NRCS State Conservationists for evaluation and approval.

The CCPI Partner application deadline for fiscal year 2009 is April 23, 2009.

Partner proposals must be postmarked and submitted to the appropriate NRCS State Conservationist or to the Chief within 45 days of the date of the Federal Register Notice, but no later than April 23, 2009; see the Notice below.

If you submit a proposal directly to the Chief, please allow an extra week for delivery. All documents mailed to NRCS National Headquarters are scanned and x-rayed by the USDA Mail Services Center, which may delay internal delivery.

Multi-state CCPI partnership proposals will be sent the NRCS Chief for consideration in a national evaluation process. Multi-state proposals must be accompanied by a letter of review from each of the NRCS State Conservationists included in the proposal. The State Conservationists' letters of review must be sent to the NRCS Chief no later than May 8, 2009.

The Notice “Request for Application” below contains all application information. No additional forms or documents are required for partner proposals, other than what is required in the “Proposal Criteria” section of the published Notice.

Notices and Additional Information

NRCS requests public comment on how CCPI can contribute to the Nation’s efforts on energy, climate change, and carbon sequestration within the framework of the Initiative by April 8, 2009. Refer to the Notice below for instructions how to make comments.

Program Contact

Mark Parson, 202-720-1840; mark.parson@wdc.usda.gov

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