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Kansas State Technical Committee Minutes - March 2005

Kansas State Technical Committee (KTC) Meeting
Monday, March 7, 2005
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Kansas Highway Patrol Training Academy
2025 Iron Street - Salina, Kansas

Harold L. Klaege, State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) gave the welcome and opening remarks.  Introductions were made.

Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)

Paul Gallagher, GRP coordinator, NRCS, reviewed the Kansas GRP for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 and 2004.  In addition, Paul reviewed the revised Conservation Easement Deed, FY 2005 funding allocation to Kansas, and proposed changes to the GRP ranking worksheet as recommended by a subcommittee of KTC, which met on January 31, 2005.

The discussion lasted two hours.  Following are the KTC’s recommended changes from the FY 2004 funding allocation and ranking worksheet.

Recommendation of KTC: Continue to have pools of funds for easements and rental agreements.  The pool of funds for rental agreements should be limited and follow FY 2004 guidelines (priority should be given offers for 20-year and 30-year agreements).  However, do not fund any rental agreements in areas of Exurban (ranchette) development.

In addition, the $250,000 Flint Hills earmark funds should be used for easement application in Flint Hill counties.  Select highest ranked applications in Flint Hill counties remaining on easement application list after all other easement funds (available to all Kansas counties) have been expended.

Recommendation of KTC: Give priority to applicants that still control mineral rights.

Recommendation of KTC:  Allow for pipeline and power line easements on GRP land, which is consistent with the revised Conservation Easement Deed (for both easement and rental agreement applications).

Recommendation of KTC:  Give priority status to operations that provide direct forage resource to a grazing operation.

Recommendation of KTC:  Adjust point to woody/invasive species question and bordering properties with invasive species to make equal.

Recommendation of KTC:  Decrease ranking points for offers in Mineral Development areas to 60 points (from 80).

Recommendation of KTC:  Decrease ranking points for offers in aggregate extraction to 20 points (from 40).

These documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat DocumentConservation Easement Deed (NRCS-CPA-255) (39 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSummary of Revisions to GRP Conservation Easement Deed (1.8 MB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentRanking Worksheet (17 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentGuidance on Ranking Worksheet (17 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentExurban Ranchette Development Areas (86 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentGrassland Concern Regions (150 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentPotential Subsurface Mineral Exploration and Development Areas (317 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSoils Suitable for Cultivation (Classifications I-IV) (422 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentUrban/Commercial Development Area (80 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentNon-Appropriated Water Rights (304 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentPotential Industrial Scale Wind Harvesting Areas (135 KB)

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Gaye L. Benfer, Soil Conservationist, NRCS, reported a listening session was held to obtain feedback on updating the national EQIP priorities.

Gaye reviewed the current national priorities and gathered input from the KTC.  Those recommendations were forwarded to NRCS National Headquarters.

Recommendations for updating the current national priorities were as follows:

  1. Reduction of non-point source pollution in impaired watersheds consistent with TMDL’s.
    • The need to address drinking water source protection areas should be addressed in this concern also.
    • The conservation of ground and surface water resources should be a separate priority with emphasis on the High Plains Aquifer.
  2. Reduction of emissions that contribute to air quality impairment violations of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
  3. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable high levels on agricultural land.
  4. Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation.
  5. Promotion of native grassland conservation and grazing land health.
  6. Other items considered were:  stream bank erosion, sedimentation of federal reservoirs, and soil health (microbial action).

Meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.

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