Maryland State Technical Committee

April 22, 2009

State Conservationist (STC) Jon Hall welcomed 31 members of the State Technical Committee (STAC) and thanked them for attending. Each member introduced themselves.

Local Work Groups

Mr. Hall thanked the Upper Shore group (Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, and Talbot) for their report and suggestions. He encouraged others local work groups to meet and forward their recommendations to him prior to the STAC’s next meeting. Tom Morgart, NRCS Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)/Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Program Manager, described practices suggested by the Upper Shore local work group. These recommendations have been forwarded to NRCS technical specialists for discussion regarding feasibility and practice standards. Their results will be reported at our next meeting.

Subcommittees

Nutrient Management

Bill Angstadt presented as chair of this newly formed group which began meeting on January 28, 2009. Their discussions included program timelines, tracking, eligibility, the Chesapeake Bay Initiative, etc. Their recommendations have been given to STC Jon Hall. Mr. Hall will report on decisions made from the subcommittee’s recommendations at our next meeting. The subcommittee found this forum very beneficial and will meet quarterly two (2) weeks prior to the STAC’s meetings.

Forestry

Steve Koehn thanked Jon Hall for the opportunity to form this subcommittee and for assistance from Tom Morgart and Patty Engler. After an initial conference call, the subcommittee met on April 17, 2009. They were briefed on U.S. Forest Service and discussed the definition for “non-industrial, private forest land.” The group also discussed the process to become an NRCS Technical Service Providers (TSP). Glen Carowan talked about the State’s 100,000 acre CREP goal and a meeting with TSPs on May 12th and 13th.

The subcommittee is drafting a State Forestry Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) patterned after the National MOU which may include the U.S. Forest Service, the State of Maryland, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts (MASCD), and the Cooperative Extension Service (CES). The group will meet again before a final MOU is drafted.

Programs

Mark Rose, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, shared that Congressman Kratovil had issued a news release announcing 2009 program funding. Jon Hall reminded the group that our application process is continuous. Mr. Rose also provided a program implementation schedule handout which included ranking dates.

Ranking tools are in various stages of development based on STAC recommendations at and after the last meeting. Tom Morgart and Eugene, acting Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP), Grassland Reserve Program (GRP), and Conservation Security Program (CSP) Program Manager, shared draft copies. Discussion included clarification of “negative points” for applicants who have terminated contracts in the past. Mr. Morgart also clarified the funding pools designated by NRCS national. Mr. Antstadt asked that a subcommittee be formed to review the ranking tools for 2010 funding.

Program eligibility tools will not be in place until at least mid-May.

Program managers will provide information regarding the success of this year’s ranking tools, number of applications, number funded, etc. at the next STAC meeting.

Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) – Mr. Rose presented an overview of the selection process for these applications which were due on April 23, 2009.

Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) – Eight (8) national proposals have been review by Maryland NRCS staff. Tom Morgart facilitated a discussion to determine if the STAC supports a Maryland CIG process with affirmative results. The STAC emphasized that proposals should be significantly innovative. STAC members indicated their willingness to review, rate, and rank proposals via a sign-up sheet.

Chesapeake Bay Initiative (CBI) - Tom Morgart briefed the group on the Initiative which focuses on Core 4 practices through EQIP. He added that we are working with the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to utilize EQIP for the State cover crop program.

WHIP and GRP - Eugene Jones provided copies of ranking criteria for these programs. STAC members were asked to forward comments to Mr. Jones.

CSP – Mr. Jones also discussed CSP for Fiscal Year 2009. NRCS program implementation training for the week of April 27th has been postponed. Mr. Jones has been working with NRCS field staff to identify three to five “priority resource concerns.” There was a discussion regarding forestry resource concerns and agricultural resource concerns. He advised that we must be mindful of the potential for duplicate payments (with other NRCS programs).

STAC members signed up to be on a CSP Task Force via meetings and/or teleconferences.

Mark Rose discussed the upcoming audit for CSP contracts and the process being developed by Eugene Jones. The audit and clean up of contract issues must be completed by September 30, 2009, and corrective actions must be completed by December 31, 2009.

Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) – Mark Rose provide handouts on this year’s allocation as well as draft rate caps. Steve Strano, NRCS State Biologist, provided draft ranking factors.

Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) – Mark Rose discussed NRCS’ new approach to FRPP’s ranking process. There will be a continuous sign-up for the application period by qualified entities. He said ranking criteria are in rough draft form. There has also been a change in the percentage of acres which must prime or unique lands.

The goal for 2010 will be four funding cycles with properties closing within 18 months.

Algal Scrubber Louise Lawrence of MDA presented a proposal from the Caroline Soil Conservation District in cooperation with MDA and the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) to install and monitor algal scrubbers as a research project in Caroline County. Since the location of the three-year project is on CREP land adjacent to a drainage ditch, the Farm Services Agency (FSA) must have the State Technical Committee’s concurrence. After all questions were answered, the Committee recommends this project move forward.

The STAC asked that Pat Kangus be invited to the next STAC meeting to give a more detailed presentation on the Algal Scrubber project.

New Business

Living Fences - Mark Dixon of McInnis Agroforestry gave a presentation on “living fences.” There was discussion regarding practice standards. Jon Hall agreed to ask the NRCS Resources Staff to discuss Mr. Dixon’s presentation, contact other states to see if they have such a practice standards, and if not, to evaluate the practice to see if it fits into NRCS standards and specification. The Resources Staff will report their findings at the next STAC meeting.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) – STAC members were provided a handout on FOIA from the Farm Bill.

Next Meeting

The next STAC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 9:00 AM to Noon, NRCS State Office Conference Room, Annapolis, MD.

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