For immediate release

Wetlands program offers new opportunities, application ranking cut-off deadline announced

SPOKANE, Wash., (June 23, 2008) – Recently enacted legislation regarding USDA’s Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) may provide new opportunities for many Washington landowners who are interested in restoring or enhancing wetlands, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced today.

The deadline for applying for 2008 funding is July 15.

“Wetlands are notoriously difficult to farm, but they help protect water quality and provide homes to a wide array of wildlife,” said NRCS Assistant State Conservationist Dave Brown. “WRP provides a good way for landowners to receive financial and technical assistance to restore and enhance the wetlands areas, and receive a cash payment for a wetland easement,” he said.

An important change to the program in the 2008 Farm Bill has simplified the process the NRCS uses to assess property values used in determining easement payments to landowners, Brown said.

“The purchase price for the easement will be based on a market survey, our Geographic Area Rate Caps or on an offer made by the landowner,” he said. “The landowner will receive the lesser of the three.”

What that means, according to Brown, is with the market survey and rate caps are already determined, potential participants will know the offered payment up front. “As a result, landowners will be able determine the financial implications of their program participation decision,” he said.

WRP is a national program administered by NRCS to assist eligible applicants in the restoration, creation, protection and enhancement of wetlands on their property through a voluntary, environmentally safe and cost-effective manner. Landowners receive assistance through three program participation options: 10-year restoration cost-share agreements; 30-year conservation easements; or permanent easements. During the past two years, landowners qualified for more than $3.5 million in WRP assistance.

After the July 15 application ranking cut-off date, the evaluation criteria will help the agency prioritize eligible applications for funding. Program eligibility will continue to be determined by the process defined within the WRP manual.

While NRCS accepts applications on a continuous basis, Brown said applications received by July 15 will be ranked for the initial funding selection. “Applications received after that date will be considered for future funding periods,” he said.

“The selection criteria will help us identify those projects that have good wildlife benefits at a reasonable cost." Brown said. “Our goal remains completing wetland restoration as quickly and as cost-efficiently as we can – all while getting quality conservation on the land.”

Brown encourages landowners who are interested in this voluntary program to contact their local USDA Service Center. Additional information on WRP and other conservation programs is available on the Web at: http://www.wa.nrcs.usda.gov.

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