Farmland Protection Program: Notice of Request for Proposals

Federal Register: April 3, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 64)
Notices
Page 16253-16258
[DOCID:fr03ap03-34]
 

This notice is also available in Adobe Acrobat format.
Farmland Protection Program: Notice of Request for Proposals

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Farmland Protection Program

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, Department of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: Section 2503 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of
2002 (Pub. L. 107-171) amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to include
the Farmland Protection Program (FPP), providing up to $100 million in
financial assistance in fiscal year 2003, for the purposes described in
FPP. Congress delegated authority for FPP to the Chief of the Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS, on behalf of the Commodity
Credit Corporation (CCC) and using its authorities, requests proposals
from Federally recognized Indian tribes, States, units of local
government, and nongovernmental organizations to cooperate in the
acquisition of conservation easements on farms and ranches. Eligible
land includes farm and ranch land that has prime, unique, or other
productive soil, or that contains historical or archaeological
resources. These lands must also be subject to a pending offer from
eligible entities for the purpose of protecting topsoil by limiting
conversion of that land to nonagricultural uses.

DATES: Proposals must be received in the NRCS State Office within May
19, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Written proposals should be sent to the appropriate NRCS
State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
The telephone numbers and addresses of the NRCS State Conservationists
are in the appendix of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise Coleman, NRCS; phone: (202)
720-9476; fax: (202) 720-0745; or e-mail: denise.coleman@usda.gov;
Subject: FPP or consult the NRCS Web site at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002/PubNotc.html

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background
Urban sprawl continues to threaten the Nation's farm and ranch
land, as social and economic changes over the past three decades have
influenced the rate at which land is converted to non-agricultural
uses. Population growth, demographic changes, preferences for larger
lots, expansion of transportation systems, and economic prosperity have
contributed to increases in agricultural land conversion rates.
The amount of farm and ranch land lost to development and the
quality of farmland being converted are significant concerns. In most
States, prime farmland is being converted at two to four times the rate
of other, less-productive agricultural land.

There continues to be an important national interest in the
protection of farmland. Land use devoted to agriculture provides an
important contribution to environmental quality, protection of the
Nation's historical and archaeological resources, and scenic beauty.

Availability of Funding
Effective on the publication date of this notice, NRCS announces
the availability of up to $100 million for FPP, until September 30,
2003. The NRCS State Conservationist must receive proposals for
participation within 45 days of the date of this notice. State, Tribal,
and local government entities and nongovernmental organizations may
apply. Selection will be based on the criteria established in this
notice, and additional criteria developed by the applicable State
Conservationist. Pending offers by an eligible entity must be for
acquiring an easement for perpetuity, except where State law prohibits
a permanent easement.

Under the Farmland Protection Program, NRCS may provide up to 50
percent of the appraised fair market value of the conservation
easement. Landowner donations up to 25 percent of the appraised fair
market value of the conservation easement may be considered part of the
entity's matching offer. For the entity, two cost-share options are
available when providing its matching offer. One option is for the

[[Page 16254]]

entity to provide in cash at least 25 percent of the appraised fair
market value of the conservation easement. The second option is for the
entity to provide at least 50 percent of the purchase price in cash, of
the conservation easement. The second option may be preferable to an
entity in the case of a large bargain sale by the landowner. If the
second option is selected, the NRCS share cannot exceed the entity's
contribution.

The following two examples illustrate how these two cost-share
options may function. Under Option 1 where 25 percent of the appraised
fair market value is selected by the entity, the total appraised fair
market value of the conservation easement is $1 million. The landowner
chooses to donate 40 percent of the appraised fair market value,
resulting in the actual easement purchase price being $600,000. In this
case, the cooperating entity contributes $250,000 and NRCS contributes
$350,000. Option 2, where 50 percent of the purchase price is selected,
would occur when a landowner makes a large charitable donation, where
25% of the appraised fair market value exceeds 50 percent of the
purchase price. For example, the total appraised fair market value of
the conservation easement is $1 million. The landowner chooses to
donate 60 percent of the appraised fair market value, resulting in the
actual easement purchase price being $400,000. In this case, NRCS and
the cooperating entity both contribute $200,000.

Definitions
For the purposes of this notice, the following definitions apply:

Chief means the Chief of NRCS, USDA.

Conservation plan is the document that--

• Applies to highly erodible cropland;
• Describes the conservation system applicable to the highly
  erodible cropland and describes the decisions of the person with
  respect to location, land use, tillage systems, and conservation
  treatment measures and schedules; and
• Is approved by the local soil conservation district in
  consultation with the local committees as established under section
  8(b)(5) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act (16 U.S.C.
  590h(b)(5)) and by NRCS for purposes of compliance with 7 CFR part 12.
  Eligible entities means Federally recognized Indian tribes, States,
  units of local government, and nongovernmental organizations that have
  pending offers for acquiring conservation easements for the purpose of
  protecting agricultural use.
   

Eligible land is land on a farm or ranch that has prime, unique,
State-wide, or locally important soil, or contains historical or
archaeological resources, and is subject to a pending offer by an
eligible entity. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, grassland,
pastureland, and forest land that is an incidental part of an
agricultural operation. Other incidental land that would not otherwise
be eligible, but when considered as part of a pending offer, may be
considered eligible if inclusion of such land would significantly
augment protection of the associated eligible farmland. Eligible land
must be owned by landowners who certify that they do not exceed the
adjusted gross income limitation eligibility requirements set forth in
section 1604 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. As
defined by section 1604 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act
of 2002, a landowner's adjusted gross income cannot exceed $2.5 million
for the three tax years immediately preceding the payment disbursement,
which occurs when the conservation easement deed is executed.

Fair market value of the conservation easement is ascertained
through standard real property appraisal methods. Fair market value is
the amount in cash for which in all probability the easement would have
sold on the effective date of the appraisal, after a reasonable
exposure of time on the open competitive market, given a willing and
reasonably knowledgeable seller and a willing and reasonably
knowledgeable buyer, with neither acting under any compulsion to buy or
sell, giving due consideration to all available economic uses of the
property at the time of the appraisal.

Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) contains the official NRCS
guidelines, criteria, and standards for planning and applying
conservation treatments and conservation management systems. The FOTG
contains detailed information on the conservation of soil, water, air,
plant, and animal resources applicable to the local area for which it
is prepared.

Historic and archaeological resources are:

• Listed in the National Register of Historic Places
  established under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), 16
  U.S.C. 470, et seq., or
• Formally determined eligible for listing in the National
  Register of Historic Places by the State Historic Preservation Officer
  (SHPO) or Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) and the Keeper of
  the National Register in accordance with section 106 of the NHPA, or
• Formally listed in the State or Tribal Register of Historic
  Places of the SHPO that is designated under section 101(b)(1)(B) of the
  NHPA, or the THPO that is designated under section 101(d)(1)(C) of the
  NHPA.
  
  Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) system is a land
  evaluation site assessment system, approved by the NRCS State
  Conservationist, used to rank land for farm and ranchland protection
  purposes. The ranking is based on soil potential for agriculture, as
  well as social and economic factors, such as location, access to
  markets, and adjacent land use.
  
  Nongovernmental organization is any organization that:
• Is organized for, and at all times since the formation of
  the organization, has been operated principally for one or more of the
  conservation purposes specified in clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of
  section 170(h)(4)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
• Is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of that
  Code that is exempt from taxation under 501(a) of that Code; and
• Is described in section 509(a)(2) of that Code; or
• Is described in section 509(a)(3) of that Code and is
  controlled by an organization described in section 509(a)(2) of that
  Code.
  
  Pending offer is a written bid, contract, commitment, or option
  extended to a landowner by one or more eligible entities to acquire a
  conservation easement for the purpose of protecting topsoil by limiting
  nonagricultural uses of the land.
  
  Prime soils are soils that have the best combination of physical
  and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, fiber, forage,
  oilseed, and other agricultural crops with minimum inputs of fuel,
  fertilizer, pesticides, and labor, without intolerable soil erosion, as
  determined by the Secretary.
  
  Soils that are of Statewide or local importance are soils used to
  produce food, feed, fiber, forage, or oilseed crops. The appropriate
  State or local government agency determines statewide or locally
  important farmland with concurrence from the Secretary.
  
  State conservationist refers to an NRCS employee authorized to
  direct and supervise NRCS activities in a State, the Caribbean Area,
  (Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) or the Pacific Basin Area (Guam,
  American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianna Islands).
  Unique soils are soils other than prime soils that are used for the
  
  [[Page 16255]]
  
  production of specific high-value food and fiber crops, as determined
  by the Secretary. They have a special combination of soil quality,
  location, growing season, and moisture supply needed to economically
  produce sustained high quality or high yields of specific crops when
  treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods. Examples
  of such crops include citrus, tree nuts, olives, cranberries, fruits,
  and vegetables. Additional information on the definition of prime,
  unique, or other productive soil can be found in section 1540(c)(1) of
  the Farmland Protection Policy Act (Public Law 97-98) (7 U.S.C. 4201,
  et seq.) and 7 CFR part 658.
  
  Overview of the Farmland Protection Program
  
  The CCC, acting through NRCS, will accept proposals submitted to
  the NRCS State Offices from eligible entities, including Federally
  recognized Indian tribes, States, units of local government, and
  nongovernmental organizations that have pending offers for acquiring
  conservation easements for the purposes of protecting topsoil by
  limiting nonagricultural use of the land and/or protecting historical
  and archaeological sites on farm and ranch lands. Reference information
  regarding the FPP can be found in the ``Catalog of Federal Domestic
  Assistance 10.913.''
  
  All proposals must be submitted to the appropriate NRCS State
  Conservationist within 45 days from the date of this notice. The NRCS
  State Conservationist may consult with the State Technical Committee
  (established pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 3861) to evaluate the merits of the
  proposals.
  
  The NRCS State Conservationist will review and evaluate the
  proposals based on State, Tribal or local government or nongovernmental
  organization eligibility, land eligibility, and the extent to which the
  proposal adheres to the objectives outlined in the NRCS State FPP plan.
  Proposals must provide adequate proof of a pending offer for the
  subject land. Adequate proof includes a written bid, contract,
  commitment, or option extended to a landowner. Pending offers based
  upon appraisals completed and signed by State-certified or licensed
  appraisers will receive higher priority for FPP funding. Proposals
  submitted directly to the NRCS National Office will not be accepted,
  and will be returned to the submitting entity.
  
  Development of the State Farmland Protection Program Plan
  Funding awards to participants will be based on National and State
  criteria. FPP will be available in those States for which an NRCS State
  Office submits a State FPP Plan to the NRCS National Office. At a
  minimum, the State FPP Plan contains the following:
• Acreage of prime and important farm and ranch land
  estimated to be protected;
• Acreage of prime and important farm and ranch land
  converted to nonagricultural uses;
• Number or acreage of historic and archaeological sites
  estimated to be protected on farm or ranch lands;
• Degree of development pressure;
• Percentage of funding guaranteed to be provided by
  cooperating entities;
• History of cooperating entities' commitments to
  conservation planning and implementing conservation practices;
• Participating entities' histories of acquiring, managing,
  holding, and enforcing easements (including average annual farmland
  protection expenditures over the past five years, accomplishments, and
  staff);
• Amount of FPP funding requested; and

Participating entities' estimated unfunded backlog of
conservation easements on prime, unique, and important farmland acres.
At the State level, each State Conservationist will develop a State
FPP Plan to submit to NRCS National Office. This State FPP Plan may be
completed in consultation with the State Technical Committee, and it
will include ranking considerations used by the State, including the
above-mentioned NRCS National criteria and other NRCS State ranking
criteria. The following examples of NRCS State ranking criteria may be
used to evaluate and rank specific parcels, including but not limited
to proximity to protected clusters, viability of the agricultural
operations, parcel size, type of land use, maximum cost expended per
acre, an entity's commitment to assuring farm and ranch succession and
transfer to viable farming operations, and percentage of funding
guaranteed to be provided by cooperating entities. State ranking
criteria will be developed on a State-by-State basis and will be
available to interested participating entities before proposal
submission. Interested entities should contact their State
Conservationist for a complete listing of applicable National and State
ranking criteria.

The National Office will allocate funds to States based on the
information provided in the State FPP Plan. Within 30 days after the
Request for Proposal deadline has closed, the NRCS State
Conservationist may make awards to eligible entities based on the funds
provided. Once selected, eligible entities must work with the
appropriate NRCS State Conservationist to finalize and sign cooperative
agreements, incorporating all FPP requirements.

The conveyance document (i.e., conservation easement deed or
conservation easement deed template) used by the eligible entity must
be reviewed and approved by the USDA Office of General Counsel before
being recorded. Since title to the easement is held by an entity other
than the United States, the conveyance document must contain a clause
that all rights conveyed by the landowner under the document will
become vested in the United States should the Federally recognized
Indian tribe, State, local unit of government, or nongovernmental
organization (i.e., the participant(s) abandon, fail to enforce, or
attempt to terminate the conservation easement). As a condition of
participation, all highly erodible land in the easement shall be
included in a conservation plan. The conservation plan will be
developed using the standards and specifications of the NRCS Field
Office Technical Guide and 7 CFR part 12, unless otherwise determined
by the State Conservationist, in partnership with the eligible entity.
The conservation plan will be implemented in a timely manner, as
determined by the State Conservationist, following FPP enrollment.

Organization and Land Eligibility Selection Criteria
To be eligible, a Federally recognized Indian tribe, State, unit of
local government, or nongovernmental organization must have a farmland
protection program that purchases conservation easements for the
purpose of protecting prime, unique, or other productive soil or
historical and archaeological resources by limiting conversion of farm
or ranch land to nonagricultural uses.

Criteria for Proposal Evaluation
Proposals must contain the information set forth below in order to
receive consideration for assistance:
1. Organization and programs: Eligible entities must describe their
farmland protection program and their record of acquiring and holding
permanent agricultural land protection easements or other interests.
Information provided in the proposal should:
(a) Demonstrate a commitment to long-term conservation of
agricultural lands through the use of voluntary easements or other
interests in land that

[[Page 16256]]

protect farmland from conversion to nonagricultural uses;
(b) Demonstrate the capability to acquire, manage, and enforce
easements;
(c) Demonstrate the number and ability of staff that will be
dedicated to monitoring easement stewardship;
(d) Demonstrate the availability of funds. The purchase price may
not exceed the appraised fair market value of the conservation
easement. If a landowner donation is included in the entity's match,
the entity must demonstrate the availability of 25 percent of the
appraised fair market value or 50 percent of the purchase price; and
(e) Include pending offer(s). A pending offer is a written bid,
contract, commitment, or option extended to a landowner by an eligible
entity to acquire a conservation easement that limits nonagricultural
uses of the land before the legal title to these rights has been
conveyed. The primary purpose of the pending offers must be for
protecting topsoil by limiting conversion to nonagricultural uses.
Pending offers having appraisals completed and signed by State-
certified general appraisers will receive higher funding priority by
the NRCS State Conservationist. Appraisals completed and signed by a
State-certified or licensed general appraiser must contain a disclosure
statement by the appraiser. The disclosure statement should include at
a minimum the following: The appraiser accepts full responsibility for
the appraisal, the enclosed statements are true and unbiased, the value
of the land is limited by stated assumptions only, the appraiser has no
interest in the land, and the appraisal conforms to the Uniform
Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, the Uniform Appraisal
Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions, or another land valuation
system used by the State, where the land transaction will occur, in
purchasing real estate.

2. Lands to be acquired: The proposal must describe the lands to be
acquired with assistance from FPP. Specifically, the proposal must
include the following:
(a) A map showing the proposed protected area(s);
(b) The amount and source of funds currently available for each
easement to be acquired;
(c) The criteria used to set the acquisition priorities; and
(d) A detailed description of the land parcels, including:
(i) The priority of the offers;
(ii) The names of the landowners;
(iii) The address and location maps of the parcels;
(iv) The size of the parcels, in acres;
(v) The acres of the prime, unique, or State-wide and locally
important soil in the parcels;
(vi) The number or acreage of historical or archaeological sites,
if any, proposed to be protected, and a brief description of the sites'
significance;
(vii) A map showing the location of other protected parcels in
relation to the land parcels proposed to be protected;
(viii) Estimated cost of the easement(s): The consideration to be
paid to any landowners for the conveyance of any lands or interests in
lands cannot be more than the fair market value of the land or
interests conveyed, as determined by an appraiser licensed in the
State.
(ix) An example of the cooperating entity's proposed easement deed
used to prevent agricultural land conversion;
(x) Indication of the accessibility to markets;
(xi) Indication of an existing agricultural infrastructure, on- and
off-farm, and other support system(s);
(xii) Statement regarding the level of threat from urban
development;
(xiii) A description of the eligible entity's farmland protection
strategy and how the FPP proposal submitted by the entity corresponds
to the entity's strategic plan;
(xiv) Other factors from an evaluation and assessment system used
to set priorities. If the eligible entity used the LESA system or a
similar land evaluation system as its tool, include the scores for the
land parcels slated for acquisition;
(xv) Other partners involved in acquisition of the easement and
their estimated financial contribution; and
(xvi) Other information that may be relevant as determined by the
NRCS State Conservationist.

Ranking Considerations
When the NRCS State Office has assessed organization eligibility
and the merits of each proposal, the NRCS State Conservationist will
determine whether the farm or ranch land is eligible for financial
assistance from FPP. NRCS will use the National, as well as State
criteria, which may include a LESA system or other similar system, to
evaluate the land and rank the parcels.

NRCS will only consider enrolling eligible land in the program that
is of sufficient size and has boundaries that allow for efficient
management of the area. The land must have access to markets for its
products and an infrastructure appropriate for agricultural production.
NRCS will not enroll land in FPP that is owned in fee title by an
agency of the United States, is publicly-owned land, or land that is
already subject to an easement or deed restriction that limits
agricultural viability. NRCS will not enroll otherwise eligible lands
if NRCS determines that the protection provided by the FPP would not be
effective because of onsite or offsite conditions. For example, a
proposal may nominate an agricultural parcel surrounded by a developed
area or a parcel that contains hazardous material, or a parcel that
lies within a local government's long-term plan earmarking the parcel
for future development. The parcel's isolation from other farms and the
local government's position, expressed in either its land use plan or
zoning, may cause NRCS to determine that the use of FPP funds is not
appropriate.

NRCS will place a priority on acquiring easements that provide
permanent protection from conversion to nonagricultural use. NRCS will
place a higher priority on easements acquired by entities that have
extensive experience in managing and enforcing easements. NRCS may
place a higher priority on lands and locations that help create a large
tract of protected area for viable agricultural production and that are
under increasing urban development pressure. NRCS may place a higher
priority on lands and locations that correlate with the efforts of
Federal, State, Tribal, local, or nongovernmental organizations'
efforts that have complementary farmland protection objectives (e.g.,
open space or watershed and wildlife habitat protection). NRCS may
place a higher priority on lands that provide special social, economic,
and environmental benefits to the region. A higher priority may be
given to certain geographic regions where the enrollment of particular
lands may help achieve National, State, and regional goals and
objectives, or enhance existing government or private conservation
projects.

Cooperative Agreements
The CCC, through NRCS, enters into a cooperative agreement with a
selected eligible entity to document participation in FPP. The
cooperative agreement will address, among other subjects--
(1) The easement type, terms and conditions;
(2) The management and enforcement of the rights acquired;
(3) The role and responsibilities of NRCS and the cooperating
entity;
(4) The responsibilities of the easement manager on lands acquired
with FPP assistance; and
(5) Other requirements deemed necessary by the CCC, acting through

[[Page 16257]]

NRCS, to protect the interests of the United States.
The cooperative agreement will also include an attachment listing
the pending offers accepted in FPP, landowners' names, addresses,
location map(s), and other relevant information. An example of a
cooperative agreement may be obtained from the NRCS State
Conservationist.

Signed in Washington, DC, on March 17, 2003.
Bruce I. Knight,
Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation, and Chief, Natural
Resources Conservation Service.

NRCS State Conservationists

Alabama: Robert N. Jones, 3381 Skyway Drive, Post Office Box 311,
Auburn, AL 36830; phone: (334) 887-4500; fax: (334) 887-4552;
robert.jones@al.usda.gov

Alaska: Shirley Gammon, Atrium Building, Suite 100, 800 West
Evergreen, Atrium Building, Suite 100, Palmer, AK 99645-6539; phone:
(907) 761-7760; fax: (907) 761-7790; sgammon@ak.nrcs.usda.gov

Arizona: Michael Somerville, Suite 800, 3003 North Central Avenue,
Phoenix, AZ 85012-2945; phone: (602) 280-8810; fax: (602) 280-8809 or
8805; msomervi@az.nrcs.usda.gov

Arkansas: Kalven L. Trice, Federal Building, Room 3416, 700 West
Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201-3228; phone: (501) 301-3100; fax:
(501) 301-3194; kalven.trice@ar.usda.gov

California: Charles W. Bell, Suite 4164, 430 G Street, Davis,
California 95616-4164; phone: (530) 792-5600; fax: (530) 792-5790;
charles.bell@ca.usda.gov

Colorado: James Allen Green, Room E200C, 655 Parfet Street,
Lakewood, CO 80215-5521; phone: (720) 544-2810; fax: (720) 544-2965;
james.green@co.usda.gov

Connecticut: Margo L. Wallace, 344 Merrow Road, Tolland,
Connecticut 06084; phone: (860) 871-4011; fax: (860) 871-4054;
margo.wallace@ct.usda.gov

Delaware: Elesa K. Cottrell, Suite 101, 1203 College Park Drive,
Suite 101, Dover, DE19904-8713; phone: (302) 678-4160; fax: (302) 678-
0843; elesa.cottrell@de.usda.gov

Florida: T. Niles Glasgow, 2614 N.W. 43rd Street, Gainesville, FL
32606-6611, or Post Office Box 141510, Gainesville, FL 32606-6611;
phone: (352) 338-9500; fax: (352) 338-9574; niles.glasgow@fl.usda.gov

Georgia: Leonard Jordan, Federal Building, Stop 200, 355 East
Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601-2769; phone: (706) 546-2272; fax:
(706) 546-2120; leonard.jordan@ga.usda.gov

Guam: Joan B. Perry, Director, Pacific Basin Area, Suite 301, FHB
Building, 400 Route 8, Maite, G U 96927; phone: (671) 472-7490; fax:
(671) 472-7288; joan.perry@pb.usda.gov

Hawaii: Lawrence Yamamoto, Acting, Room 4-118, 300 Ala Moana
Boulevard, Post Office Box 50004, Honolulu, HI 96850-0002; phone: (808)
541-2600; fax: (808) 541-1335; lyamamoto@hi.nrcs.usda.gov

Idaho: Richard W. Sims, Suite C, 9173 West Barnes Drive, Boise, ID
83709; phone: (208) 378-5700; fax: (208) 378-5735;
richard.sims@id.usda.gov

Illinois: William J. Gradle, 2118 W. Park Court, Champaign, IL
61821; phone: (217) 353-6600; fax: (217) 353-6676;
bill.gradle@il.usda.gov

Indiana: Jane E. Hardisty, 6013 Lakeside Boulevard, Indianapolis,
IN 46278-2933; phone: (317) 290-3200; fax: (317) 290-3225;
jane.hardisty@in.usda.gov

Iowa: Leroy Brown, 693 Federal Building, Suite 693, 210 Walnut
Street, Des Moines, IA 50309-2180; phone: (515) 284-6655; fax: (515)
284-4394; leroy.brown@ia.usda.gov

Kansas: Harold Klaege, 760 South Broadway, Salina, KS 67401-4642;
phone: (785) 823-4565; fax: (785) 823-4540; harold.klaege@ks.usda.gov

Kentucky: David G. Sawyer, Suite 110, 771 Corporate Drive,
Lexington, KY 40503-5479; phone: (859) 224-7350; fax: (859) 224-7399;
dsawyer@ky.usda.gov

Louisiana: Donald W. Gohmert, 3737 Government Street, Alexandria,
LA 71302; phone: (318) 473-7751; fax: (318) 473-7626;
don.gohmert@la.usda.gov

Maine: Russell A. Collett, Suite 3, 967 Illinois Avenue,
Bangor, ME 04401; phone: (207) 990-9100, ext. 3; fax: (207)
990-9599; russ.collett@me.usda.gov

Maryland: David P. Doss, John Hanson Business Center, Suite 301,
339 Busch's Frontage Road, Annapolis, MD 21401-5534; phone: (410) 757-
0861; fax: (410) 757-0687; david.doss@md.usda.gov

Massachusetts: Cecil B. Currin, 451 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002-
2995; phone: (413) 253-4351; fax: (413) 253-4375;
cecil.currin@ma.usda.gov

Michigan: Ronald C. Williams, Suite 250, 3001 Coolidge Road, East
Lansing, MI 48823-6350; phone: (517) 324-5270; fax: (517) 324-5171;
ron.williams@mi.usda.gov

Minnesota: William Hunt, Suite 600, 375 Jackson Street, St. Paul,
MN 55101-1854; phone: (651) 602-7900; fax: (651) 602-7913 or 7914;
william.hunt@mn.usda.gov

Mississippi: Homer L. Wilkes, Suite 1321, Federal Building, 100
West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269-1399; phone: (601) 965-5205;
fax: (601) 965-4940; hwilkes@ms.nrcs.usda.gov

Missouri: Roger A. Hansen, Parkade Center, Suite 250, 601 Business
Loop 70, West Columbia, MO 65203-2546; phone: (573) 876-0901; fax:
(573) 876-0913; roger.hansen@mo.usda.gov

Montana: David White, Federal Building, Room 443, 10 East Babcock
Street, Bozeman, MT 59715-4704; phone: (406) 587-6811; fax: (406) 587-
6761, dwhite@mt.nrcs.usda.gov

Nebraska: Stephen K. Chick, Federal Building, Room 152, 100
Centennial Mall, North Lincoln, NE 68508-3866 phone: (732) 246-1171;
fax: (732) 246-2358; steve.chick@ne.usda.gov

Nevada: Richard Vigil, Acting, Building F, Suite 201, 5301 Longley
Lane, Reno, NV 89511-1805; phone: (775) 784-5863; fax: (775) 784-5939;
rvigil@nv.usda.gov

New Hampshire: Richard D. Babcock, Federal Building, 2 Madbury
Road, Durham, NH 03824-2043; phone: (603) 868-7581; fax: (603) 868-
5301; rbabcock@nh.nrcs.usda.gov

New Jersey: Anthony J. Kramer, 1370 Hamilton Street, Somerset, NJ
08873-3157; phone: (732) 246-1171; fax: (732) 246-2358;
tdrewes@nj.nrcs.usda.gov

New Mexico: Rosendo Trevino III, Suite 305, 6200 Jefferson Street,
N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87109-3734; phone: (505) 761-4400; fax: (505)
761-4462; rosendo.trevino@nm.usda.gov

New York: Joseph R. DelVecchio, Suite 354, 441 South Salina Street,
Syracuse, NY 13202-2450; phone: (315) 477-6504; fax: (315) 477-6550;
joseph.delvecchio@ny.usda.gov

North Carolina: Mary K. Combs, Suite 205, 4405 Bland Road, Raleigh,
NC 27609-6293; phone: (919) 873-2101; fax: (919) 873-2156;
mary.combs@nc.usda.gov

North Dakota: Thomas E. Jewett, Room 278, 220 E. Rosser Avenue,
Post Office Box 1458, Bismarck, ND 58502-1458; phone: (701) 530-2000;
fax: (701) 530-2110; tom.jewett@nd.usda.gov.

Ohio: J. Kevin Brown, Room 522, 200 North High Street, Columbus, OH
43215-2478; phone: (614) 255-2500; fax: (614) 255-2548;
kevin.brown@oh.usda.gov

Oklahoma: M. Darrel Dominick, USDA Agri-Center Building, Suite 203,
100 USDA, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74074-2655; phone: (405) 742-1204; fax:
(405) 742-1126; darrel.dominick@ok.usda.gov

Oregon: Robert Graham, Suite 1300, 101 SW Main Street, Portland, OR
97204-3221; phone: (503) 414-3200; fax: (503) 414-3103;
bob.graham@or.usda.gov

[[Page 16258]]

Pennsylvania: Robin E. Heard, Suite 340, 1 Credit Union Place,
Harrisburg, PA 17110-2993; phone: (717) 237-2202; fax: (717) 237-2238;
robin.heard@pa.usda.gov

Puerto Rico: Juan A. Martinez, Director, Caribbean Area, IBM
Building, Suite 604, 654 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Hato Rey, PR 00918-4123;
phone: (787) 766-5206; fax: (787) 766-5987; juan.martinez@pr.usda.gov

Rhode Island: Judith Doerner, Suite 46, 60 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI
02886-0111; phone: (401) 828-1300; fax: (401) 828-0433;
judith.doerner@ri.usda.gov

South Carolina: Walter W. Douglas, Strom Thurmond Federal Building,
Room 950, 1835 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201-2489; phone: (803)
253-3935; fax: (803) 253-3670; walt.douglas@sc.usda.gov

South Dakota: Janet L. Oertly, Federal Building, Room 203, 200
Fourth Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350-2475; phone: (605) 352-1200; fax:
(605) 352-1288; janet.oertly@sd.nrcs.usda.gov

Tennessee: James W. Ford, 675 U.S. Courthouse, 801 Broadway,
Nashville, TN 37203-3878; phone: (615) 277-2531; fax: (615) 277-2578;
jford@tn.nrcs.usda.gov

Texas: Lawrence Butler, W.R. Poage Building, 10l South Main Street,
Temple, TX 76501-7682; phone: (254) 742-9800; fax: (254) 742-9819;
larry.butler@tx.usda.gov

Utah: Phillip J. Nelson, W.F. Bennett Federal Building, Room 4402,
125 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84138, Post Office Box
11350, Salt Lake City, UT 84147-0350, phone: (801) 524-4550, fax: (801)
524-4403, skip.nelson@ut.usda.gov

Vermont: Francis M. Keeler, 69 Union Street, Winooski, VT 05404-
1999; phone: (802) 951-6795; fax: (802) 951-6327;
fran.keeler@vt.usda.gov

Virginia: M. Denise Doetzer, Culpeper Building, Suite 209, 1606
Santa Rosa Road, Richmond, VA 23229-5014; phone: (804) 287-1691; fax:
(804) 287-1737; denise.doetzer@va.usda.gov

Washington: Raymond L. ``Gus'' Hughbanks, Rock Pointe Tower II,
Suite 450, W. 316 Boone Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201-2348; phone: (509)
323-2900; fax: (509) 323-2909; raymond.hughbanks@wa.usda.gov

West Virginia: Lillian Woods, Room 301, 75 High Street, Morgantown,
WV 26505; phone: (304) 284-7540; fax: (304) 284-4839;
lillian.woods@wv.usda.gov

Wisconsin: Patricia S. Leavenworth, Suite 200, 6515 Watts Road,
Madison, WI 53719-2726; phone: (608) 276-8732; fax: (608) 276-5890;
pat.leavenworth@wi.usda.gov

Wyoming: Lincoln E. Burton, Federal Building, Room 3124, 100 East B
Street, Casper, WY 82601-1911; phone: (307) 261-6453; fax: (307) 261-
6490; ed.burton@wy.usda.gov

[FR Doc. 03-8029 Filed 4-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P