Colorado NRCS Leadership Team Meeting Minutes
November 6, 2007

• Guest introduction:
• Ken Morgan, CDOW
• Jeff Burwell, Montana Acting STC

• Area 4 – Cathee W.
• Programs
• Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 EQIP Contracts Reviewed – 400 contracts
• Two WHIP RFPs submitted
• WRP – six applications
• Discussed Bio-diesel plant in Dove Creek and the fact that ground has been broken to build the plant.
• Area 2 – Roy H.
• Programs
• Area 2 has 450 EQIP applications.
• Partner Contributions on Wildlife in the Lower South Platte Watershed were estimated to be
• $1 million – 1420 acres
• With $175 thousand coming from landowners
• Area 3 – John K.
• Programs
• Area 2 has 400 EQIP applications
• CSP planning Meeting on November 5.
• CD Annual Meetings are scheduled in November
• SWCS Biofuels Workshop to be held in conjunction with the CACD Annual meeting
• RC&D Activities
• Watershed level weed treatment
• Upper Arkansas Watershed basin wide initiative
• SE RC&D had a great meeting
• Water issues in the South Platte
• Watershed plan development public meeting.
• Area 2 offered to assist with CSP projects in Area 3.
• Area 1 – Charlie H.
• David Doty on family medical leave; Ed Neilson is the Acting AC
• Staffing update

• EQIP
• Initial sign up closed on November 2.
• 80% of FY2007 EQIP budget initially allocated
• High priority – uploaded in earlier December if not sooner
• Approval of applications to be completed by December 21.
• Planning 3 rounds of application funding; Nov 26, Dec 10, and Dec 21.
• Plan to fund the higher ranking projects to help field office workload
• Plant invasive species proposals
• Received 14 proposals for about $1.1 million
• Conservation Initiative Grants
• Planning for a grant sign-up in late 2008
• WHIP
• Received 9 proposals for about $660 thousand.
• No funds authorized yet for new FY2008 applications
• Reminder that planning is funded under CTA
• Very limited TA funds for servicing existing contracts.
• Easements
• Colorado Bulletin drafted to clarify the management planning
• To be completed by the end of FY 08
• A ProTracts like environment is being developed and to be implemented in FY08
• Training Programs
• General Contracting and Contracting Management training materials under development.
• Area 4 is scheduled for January
• Easements 101 – ½ day course
• Area 4 is scheduled for January
• ACs asked to provide requests for specific Programs training needs
• CSP
• Plans for signup in John Martin Reservoir/Arkansas watershed in January or February.
• State Technical Committee
• Letter sent to the committee members to advise them of the accelerated Programs efforts.
• Next meeting planned once the new Farm Bill issues are clearer.

• Final Report Of Findings (FROF):
• Randy will be sending the hyperlink containing Quality Reviews to the field
• GIS meeting scheduled for December 5 at the State office
• Randy, Tim Carney, and Frank Riggle plan to attend
• Purpose of the meeting is to develop a joint strategy on how to use GIS expertise to get to the next level.
• Area 3 DC meeting/visit
• Randy spoke on Direct Charge related to programs and the process
• RC&D Meeting November 16 regarding Carbon Sequential in Fort Morgan and Sterling.

• Ken is the State Farm Bill Coordinator and the Private Land Biologist Coordinator.
• Shane Briggs is now the State Terrestrial Program Coordinator.
• Moving forward on the Private land Biologist position.
• Plan to have in place by June 2008.

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