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NRCS New York ProgramsUpdated: 12/19/2008 NRCS technical experts help land managers and communities take a comprehensive approach in planning the use and protection of soil, water, and related resources on private and non-Federal lands, in rural, suburban, urban, and developing areas. NRCS works in partnership with State and Local conservation agencies to deliver a wide range of programs necessary to enhance our natural resources.
2002 NRCS Farm Bill Information
Financial Assistance ProgramsEasement Programs
Other Programs
Conservation Operations and Technical AssistanceThe purpose of these programs is to assist land-users, communities, units of state and local government, and other Federal agencies in planning and implementing conservation systems to reduce erosion, improve soil and water quality, improve and conserve wetlands, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, improve air quality, improve pasture conditions, reduce upstream flooding, and improve woodlands. This is the core conservation technical assistance of the NRCS. The objectives of the program are to assist individual landusers, communities, Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), and other units of State and Local government and Federal agencies to meet their goals for resource stewardship and assist individuals to comply with State and Local requirements. Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)The Conservation Reserve Program was authorized under the Food Security Act of 1985, Title XII, Public Law 99-198. It is administered by USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) through the Farm Services Agency (FSA). Technical assistance is provided by the NRCS. The CRP encourages farmers to voluntarily plant permanent areas of grass and trees on land that needs protection from erosion, to act as windbreaks, or in places where vegetation can improve water quality or provide food and habitat for wildlife. Eligible producers must enter into contracts with the CCC lasting between 10 and 15 years. In return they receive annual rental payments, incentive payments for certain activities, and cost-share assistance to establish the protective vegetation. The CRP has been expanded in the past few years to also include a "Continuous Sign-up" element along with the regular annual sign-up periods. AccomplishmentsThe Conservation Reserve Program in New York has attracted participants from throughout the state with over 55,000 acres enrolled in the program as of October 1, 1999. Most of this land has been seeded to permanent grasses, including native warm-seasoned grass species. In addition, the removal of New York's most erosive and least profitable cropland from production has reduced erosion by 288,000 tons statewide and has improved the net returns to cropland still in production. Total Federal expenditures for the program were about $3 million generating $3.7 million in local sales statewide and creating 37 new jobs across the state. Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) ProgramThe Emergency Watershed Protection program was authorized by Section 216, Public Law 81-516 and Sections 403-405, Public Law 95-334. The purpose of the program is to reduce hazards to life and property in watersheds damaged by severe natural events. An emergency is considered to exist when a watershed is suddenly impaired by flood, fire, drought, or other natural causes that result in life and property being endangered by flooding, erosion or sediment discharge. The emergency area need not be declared a national disaster to be eligible for assistance. This document requires
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Big Flats Plant Materials Center, located in Corning, New York |
The Plant Materials Program was authorized under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936, Public Law 74-46. The purpose of the Plant Materials Program program is to:
Assemble, test, and release plant materials for conservation use
Determine techniques for successful use and management of conservation species
Facilitate the commercial increase of conservation species
Provide for the timely development and transfer of effective state-of-the-art applied plant science technology to solve conservation problems
Promote the use of plant science technology
To accomplish this purpose, NRCS maintains and operates a Plant Materials Program as part of its on-going coordinated conservation operations activities through a network of Plant Material Centers (PMC) and Plant Material Specialists (PMS). The Plant Materials program in New York serves states from Maine to West Virginia through its Big Flats Plant Materials Center.
The New York team has released 18 plant varieties to commercial production. During the 1999 fiscal year alone, $1 million was generated through the sale of these conservation plants from commercial nurseries and seed companies. This revenue resulted in an additional $800,000 in the purchase of goods and services nationwide.
The benefits of these plants go far beyond their commercial success as they work to stabilize stream banks, provide food and shelter for threatened and endangered wildlife species, and conserve the soil on badly eroded cropland. In this way, the Plant Materials Program supports and contributes to the success of all other programs administered by the NRCS in New York by making these plants available to solve resource problems.
The Resource Conservation and Development program was authorized under Public Law 97-98, 95 Stat. 1213. The purpose of the program is to improve the capability of State and local units of government and local non-profit organizations in rural areas to plan, develop, and carry out programs for resource conservation and development. Plans may address land conservation, water management, community development, or other elements including energy conservation, protection of agricultural land, or protection of fish and wildlife habitats.
The program also establishes or improves coordination systems in rural areas. Program objectives focus on improvement of quality of life achieved through natural resources conservation and community development which leads to sustainable communities, prudent use, and the management and conservation of natural resources. There are several RC&D Councils in New York.
The Urban Resources Partnership (URP) is a relatively new USDA initiative that encourages the use of conservation partnerships, State; Local; other Federal agencies; local community organizations and private sector organizations to carry out resource protection efforts in specially identified urban areas. In New York two such cities have been identified, New York City and Buffalo.
The URP focuses on education, resource protection and enhancement, community development projects and other efforts in neighborhoods that have been traditionally under served by USDA programs.
This program element actually contains two separate and distinct programs, Watershed Operations authorized by Public Law 78-534, the Flood Control Act of 1944 and Small Watersheds authorized by Public Law 83-566.
The purpose of these programs is to cooperate with State and Local agencies, Tribal governments, and other Federal agencies to prevent damages caused by erosion, floodwater, and sediment and to further the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water and the conservation and utilization of the land.
The objectives of this program are to assist local sponsors in assessing conditions in their watershed, developing solutions to their problems, and installing necessary measures to alleviate the problems. Measures may include land treatment and structural and nonstructural measures. Federal cost sharing for installation of the measures is available. The amount depends upon the purposes of the project.
Since 1954, more than 20 projects have been constructed under the Watershed Program in New York. The majority of these projects were designed and built to alleviate flooding and have benefited communities across the state through flood protection and, in some cases, recreational opportunities they offer.
In the case of a single storm, (Hurricane Floyd), four completed flood control projects accrued over $16 million in benefits because of the flooding that did not occur when the storm moved through the southeastern part of the state. At the same time, the Federal investment for new projects in New York last year was only $2.7 million. This spending resulted in 26 jobs across the state and local sales of $3.3 million. When the benefits attributable to Hurricane Floyd are added to the equation, the increase in local sales for the PL-566 program is $22 million statewide.
The Wetlands Reserve Program was first authorized under the Food Security Act of 1985, Title XII, Public Law 99-198.
The purpose of the WRP is to preserve, protect, and restore the nations valuable wetlands. Wetland protection will improve wildlife and migratory bird habitat, improve water quality, and provide flood water retention, ground water recharge, open space, and aesthetic values.
It is a voluntary program. Participating landowners can establish conservation easements of either permanent or 30-year duration, or can enter into restoration cost-share agreements where no easement is involved. In exchange for establishing a permanent easement, the landowner receives payment up to the agricultural value of the land and 100 percent of the restoration cost.
The 30 year easement is 75 percent of the agricultural value and 75 percent of the restoration cost. The restoration cost-share agreements are for a minimum 10 year duration and provide for 75 percent of the cost for restoring the involved wetlands. In all instances, landowners continue to control access to their land.
The Wetlands Reserve Program is one of the larger programs in New York. During the 1999 fiscal year alone, $3.1 million were spent on financial assistance for the program, 198 contracts were approved, and 7,572 acres of agricultural wetlands were committed to wetland restoration.
The impact of these activities translates into 44 jobs created by the program and $6 million in increased sales of locally purchased goods and services across the state. A recent survey reported that over 600,000 people hunt in New York and over 3 million participate in wildlife observation activities each year. Expenditures per person average $1,150 for hunters and $340 for wildlife watchers.
The WRP supports these activities by providing additional recreational opportunities closer to home. A second study suggests that these recreational activities constitute a value of $21 per acre of wetland, translating into an annual benefit of $151,000 statewide during FY99 alone.
The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program is authorized by Section 387 of Title III of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act of 1996. The purpose of the program is to develop habitat for upland wildlife, wetland wildlife, threatened and endangered species, fish and other types of wildlife.
Objectives of the program are to provide technical, educational, and financial assistance to eligible landowners to address the protection of wetlands, wildlife habitat, and related concerns on their land.
If you encounter any problems with files provided on this page, have questions, suggestions, or find a broken link, please contact Gary Vandawalker at 315-477-6546.
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Environmental
Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)