2012 Air Quality Initiative

Colorado Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is assisting agricultural producers with reducing ozone precursors [oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC)] emissions from agricultural sources. The primary goal is to achieve and maintain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) within the designated nonattainment areas of Colorado.

The NRCS is providing payments for participants implementing conservation practices on their lands that benefit air quality. The priority is to reduce emissions by removing existing, high polluting combustion systems and replacing with new, cleaner technologies. Funding for this initiative is provided through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

Listed below are the eligible counties and corresponding NAAQS nonattainment pollutants. This list is intended to identify those counties eligible for the Colorado 2012 Air Quality Initiative funding only and is not intended to limit the implementation of any accepted air quality practice.

Who Can Apply

Eligible producers includes persons or entities who are owners of land in agricultural or forest production or those who are engaged in livestock, agricultural or forest production on eligible land and that have an air quality related natural resource concern on the agricultural operation.

Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, private non-industrial forestland, and other farm or ranch lands.

Producers must submit a program application and other documentation to support eligibility to be considered for financial assistance through EQIP. For more detail regarding eligibility and application requirements contact your local NRCS field office.

Applications for the EQIP Air Quality Initiative are accepted on a continuous basis throughout the fiscal year, however, NRCS will establish specific dates where eligible applications will be evaluated, ranked, and approved for funding.

For fiscal year 2012, NRCS has established application deadlines where eligible applications will be ranked and approved for funding as follows:

Application Period 1 - Submission Deadline: Friday, February 3, 2012

Application Period 2 – Submission Deadline: Friday, March 30, 2012

Applications submitted after these deadlines will be evaluated and considered for funding in later funding opportunities. Producers must submit a complete program application and other documentation to support eligibility to be considered for financial assistance through EQIP.

2012 Air Quality Incentive Information

2012 AQI Approved Conservation Practice List (PDF, 29KB)
Provides the list of NRCS approved conservation practices that are offered to address air quality related resource concerns.
 

EQIP Sign-up Information On-Line

EQIP sign-up information is available online. The application for the EQIP program can be found at NRCS-CPA-1200 and NRCS-CPA-1202. 
More information will be forthcoming.