Colorado Bulletin No.: CO-300-08-06

DATE:  April 7, 2008

SUBJECT:   LTP – Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Initial Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) Application Cut-off Date

TO:       Area Conservationists
            Area Resource Conservationists for Programs
            District Conservationists

PURPOSE:  To inform staff of their responsibilities to meet the action required by dates

EXPIRATION DATE:  September 30, 2008

ACTION REQUIRED BY:  July 1, 2008
                                     September 12, 2008

The initial cut-off date for WRP applications to be considered for FY 2009 funding will be July 1, 2008. This will afford Area WRP Teams time to complete preliminary field investigations before winter. (Refer to Attachment 1, the Colorado FY 2009 WRP Implementation Schedule.)

District Conservationists (DCs) are to verify the status of land ownership and to confirm eligibility (conservation compliance/Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)) before notifying the Area Resource Conservationist for Programs (ARC-P) of a pending application. The ARC-Ps will coordinate with the Area WRP Teams and DCs to:

1. Evaluate an application’s program eligibility (i.e., “applicant” and “land”).
2. Complete the Wetlands Reserve Program Colorado Eligibility and Ranking Tool (Attachment 2).
3. Perform preliminary site inspection (the DC signs off on the Preliminary Certificate of Inspection and Possession (Attachment 3).
4. Complete Worksheet 3: Site Visit Survey – Visual On-Site Inspection of the Property and of Adjoining Properties of the All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) – Land Acquisition Screening Process Worksheets (Attachment 4).
5. Develop the preliminary restoration plan.
6. Assemble items in the Appraiser Package Checklist (Attachment 5).


Refer to the WRP Guidance Document (Attachment 6) for further information.

The DCs will forward complete packages to the ARC-Ps for review. The ARC-Ps will ensure that complete application packages are sent to Gary Finstad, Easements Coordinator, by September 12, 2008.

Please ensure that all prospective applicants are informed of the cut-off date and have time to apply for the program. I encourage you to use promotional efforts that have proven to be most effective in your area. Please inform local partner organizations (especially U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biologists) of the cut-off date as well.

Please direct questions to Gary Finstad, Easements Coordinator, at (720) 544-2820, or your Area Resource Conservationist for Programs.


/s/

ALLEN GREEN
State Conservationist

Attachments

cc:
Tim Carney, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, Lakewood, CO
Gary Finstad, Easements Coordinator, Lakewood, CO
Dollie Gonzales, Resource Conservationist for Programs, Lakewood, CO
Marta Villano, Program Analyst, Lakewood, CO

DIST:  A, D

< Back to Colorado Bulletins