NRCS Indiana GUIDANCE DOCUMENT FOR EQIP FY08 NATIONAL RANKING QUESTIONS
National Question 1: Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in considerable reductions to non-point source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, excess salinity in impaired watersheds consistent with TMDL’s where available as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination (Question 1(1) & (2)) or point source such as contamination from confined animal feeding operations (Question 1(3))?
GUIDANCE FOR NATIONAL QUESTION 1(1):
a. The Offered acreage is in a 303d listed watershed (per the 303d-listed watersheds shapefile for any agriculture)…
AND
b. At Least 1 Practice is scheduled that has at least a +4 but no – 2 or lower impacts on the Indiana CPPE (from SmarTech) for specific Soil Erosion (Sheet/Rill, Wind, Ephemeral Gully, or Classic Gully only) or specific Water Quality resource concerns (Sediment, Temperature, Pesticides, Nutrients, Pathogens, or Salinity only – both surface and groundwater)…
INTERPRETATION - AWARD RANKING POINTS FOR NATIONAL QUESTION 1(1) IF:
- a.
- The offered acreage is in a 303d listed watershed (per the 303d listed watersheds shapefile for any agriculture – F:\geodata\project_data\nrcs\EQIP2007\wdb_303d_ag)…AND
- b.
- AT LEAST 1 OF THE FOLLOWING IS IN THE EQIP APPLICATION PLAN:
| Conservation Crop Rotation (328) | Prescribed Forestry (409) |
| Cover Crop (340) | Prescribed Grazing (528) |
| Critical Area Planting (342) | Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch Till (345) |
| Field Border (386) | Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed (329) |
| Filter Strip (393) | Riparian Forest Buffer (391) |
| Grassed Waterway (412) | Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) |
| Lined Waterway or Outlet (468) | Underground Outlet (620) |
| Mulching (484) | Waste Storage Facility (313) |
| Nutrient Management (590) | Waste Treatment Lagoon (359) |
| Pasture and Hay Planting (512) | Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380) |
| Pest Management (595) |
GUIDANCE FOR NATIONAL QUESTION 1(2):
a. The Offered acreage is in a 303d listed watershed (per the 303d-listed watersheds shapefile for livestock agriculture)…
AND
b. At Least 1 Practice is scheduled that has at least a +4 but no – 2 or lower impacts on the Indiana CPPE (from SmarTech) for Water Quality resource concerns (Pathogens only – both surface and groundwater)…
INTERPRETATION - AWARD RANKING POINTS FOR NATIONAL QUESTION 1(2) IF:
a. The Offered acreage is in a 303d listed watershed (per the 303d-listed watersheds shapefile for livestock agriculture – F:\geodata\project_data\nrcs\EQIP2007\wdb_303d_eColi)…AND
(National Question #1 – continued)
GUIDANCE FOR NATIONAL QUESTION 1(3):
a. The Offered acreage is considered a Confined Animal Feeding Operation…
AND
b. At Least 1 Practice is scheduled that has at least a +4 but no – 2 or lower impacts on the Indiana CPPE (from SmarTech) for any specific Water Quality resource concerns (Sediment, Temperature, Pesticides, Nutrients, Pathogens, or Salinity only – both surface and groundwater)…
INTERPRETATION - AWARD RANKING POINTS FOR NATIONAL QUESTION 1(3) IF:
a. The Offered acreage is considered a Confined Animal Feeding Operation…AND
National Question 2: Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in the conservation of a considerable amount of ground or surface water resources?
GUIDANCE FOR NATIONAL QUESTION 2:
a. At Least 1 Practice is scheduled that has at least a +4 but no – 2 or lower impacts on the Indiana CPPE (from SmarTech) for any Water Quantity resource concerns (both surface and groundwater).
INTERPRETATION - AWARD RANKING POINTS FOR NATIONAL QUESTION 2 IF:
a. AT LEAST 1 OF THE FOLLOWING IS IN THE EQIP APPLICATION PLAN:
Critical Area Planting (342) Filter Strip (393) Grassed Waterway (412) Prescribed Forestry (409) Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed (329) Underground Outlet (620)
National Question 3: Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in a considerable reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards?
GUIDANCE FOR NATIONAL QUESTION 3:
a. The Offered acreage is in an Air Quality Non-Attainment Area (per the Air Quality Non-Attainment areas shapefile)
AND
b. At Least 1 Practice is scheduled that has at least a +4 but no – 2 or lower impacts on the Indiana CPPE (from SmarTech) for any Air Quality resource concerns.
INTERPRETATION - AWARD RANKING POINTS FOR NATIONAL QUESTION 3 IF:
- a.
- The Offered acreage is in a Air Quality Non-Attainment Area (per the Air Quality Non-Attainment areas shapefile – F:\geodata\project_data\nrcs\EQIP2007\air_06_counties))…AND
- b.
- AT LEAST 1 OF THE FOLLOWING IS IN THE EQIP APPLICATION PLAN:
Hedgerow Planting (422) Nutrient Management (590) Pest Management (595) Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch Till (345) Riparian Forest Buffer (391) Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580) Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) Waste Utilization (633) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380)
National Question 4: Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in a considerable reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land?
Award Ranking Points if:
The Offered acreage currently is eroding above T, but will erode below T after the plan is implemented (as documented through RUSLE2).
National Question 5: Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in a considerable increase in the promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation?
Award Ranking Points if:
The Offered acreage is within the impact area of a State or Federally-listed T & E Species (per the T & E shapefile available through Toolkit), and the practices will have a positive impact on that species (as documented on the CPA-52). The criteria necessary for the practice to have a positive impact is listed on the word document associated with the T & E species shapefile or contact Dave Stratman.