USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to Cover Costs for Conservation Restoration Plans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Terry Cosby announced recently that NRCS will not be seeking reimbursement from the Hermits Peak /Calf Canyon (HPCC) Claims Office for creating Conservation Restoration Plans. NRCS will be covering this cost wholly through NRCS funds.

“NRCS believes it is important not to take any funding intended for landowners impacted by the Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon wildfire and subsequent flooding,” said NRCS Chief Terry Cosby, who recently toured sites in Mora and San Miguel Counties where NRCS has been active in wildfire and flood recovery.

Since late March, NRCS NM has delivered 316 of 553 applications received for Conservation Restoration Plans, covering over 29,000 acres and $140,000,000 million in potential compensation.

Conservation Restoration Plans

In March, NRCS announced a partnership with the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office to provide Conservation Restoration Plans to claimants at no charge. These plans are comprehensive natural resource plans that provide a holistic approach to recovery and include cost estimates for recovery actions eligible for compensation under the HPCC Office. NRCS plans under this partnership will streamline the claims review process, ensuring claimants receive final compensation that is comprehensive, fair, and transparent.

How to Request a NRCS Conservation Restoration Plan

Landowners have two options for requesting a NRCS Conservation Restoration Plan.

1. Submit a Notice of Loss to the Claims Office. If you have already submitted a Notice of Loss and are interested in a NRCS Conservation Restoration Plan, ask your Claims Navigator.
2. Landowners may also choose to contact NRCS directly. To request a Conservation Restoration Plan from NRCS directly, landowners can complete a “Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Request for Conservation Restoration Plan Assistance” form. Landowners can deliver this form in person to the NRCS field office in Las Vegas or Mora, send it by mail, or send it by email to ConservationRestorationPlan@usda.gov.

NRCS offices:

1927 A 7Th St
Las Vegas, NM 87701
(505) 425-3594 Ext.3

523 State Highway 518
Mora, NM 87732
(575) 387-2424 Ext. 3

Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Claim’s Offices:

16 Mills Ave.
Las Vegas, NM 87701
(In Mills Plaza near Big R
and Family Dollar)

Mora County Courthouse
1 Courthouse Drive,
Mora, NM 87732

1711 Llano Street,
Suite E.
Santa Fe, NM 87505
(Next to Mucho Gourmet
Sandwich Shoppe)

HPCC Claims Office Helpline: 505-995-7133

You can also visit the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office website or the NRCS Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Conservation Restoration Plan website.

More Information

Additional USDA disaster assistance information can be found on farmers.gov, including USDA resources specifically for producer impacted by drought and wildfire and the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet (PDF, 1.5 MB), and Farm Loan Discovery Tool. For Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service programs, producers should contact their local USDA Service Center. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent.

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