Agricultural Water Enhancement Program

 

AWEP as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, promotes ground and surface water conservation and improved water quality on agricultural lands. As authorized by Congress, this is not a grant program to eligible partners. This is a program whereby approved, eligible partners will enter into multi-year agreements with NRCS to promote ground and surface water conservation, or improve water quality on eligible agricultural lands

Active 10.925 Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture C - Direct Payments For Specified Use; Z - Salaries and Expenses Not applicable. The Food Security Act of 1985. This program was repealed by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), effective February 7, 2014. Therefore, no new enrollments are authorized for this program after that date., Public Law 99-198, 16 U.S.C. 3801 Partners representing agricultural producers who face serious threats to soil, water, and related natural resources, or who need assistance with complying with Federal and State environment laws. A participant may be an owner, landlord, operator, or tenant of eligible agricultural lands or non-industrial forestlands. Limited resource producers, small-scale producers, socially disadvantaged individuals, federally recognized Indian tribal governments, Alaska natives, and Pacific Islanders are encouraged to apply. Eligible partners include: Federally recognized Indian Tribes, States, units of local government, agricultural or silvicultural associations or other groups of such producers, or other nongovernmental organization with experience working with agricultural producers To be eligible the agricultural producers must be in compliance with highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions and in compliance with the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) payment limitations. Evidence that applicant has control over land to be entered into contract and submits an acceptable conservation plan for the farm or ranch unit of concern that incorporates needed natural resource conservation practices and provides either a social security number or individual tax identification number of all proposed beneficiaries. Applicants claiming either limited resource producer or beginning farmer classification may be asked to provide documents to justify their claim. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles. This program was repealed by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), effective February 7, 2014. Therefore, no new enrollments are authorized for this program after that date. Preapplication coordination is required. Under AWEP, the NRCS enters into partnership agreements with eligible entities and organizations that want to promote ground and surface water conservation or improve water quality on agricultural lands. After the Chief has announced approved AWEP project areas, eligible agricultural producers may submit a program application. Each fiscal year, NRCS may make AWEP financial and technical assistance available to eligible owners and operators of agricultural lands who participate in approved AWEP project areas. Partners may assist NRCS by identifying producers in the project area. Partners may also assist producers in submitting applications for the program. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. This program was repealed by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), effective February 7, 2014. Therefore, no new enrollments are authorized for this program after that date. This program was repealed by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), effective February 7, 2014. Therefore, no new enrollments are authorized for this program after that date. Not applicable. Not applicable. A participant may appeal any adverse determination to the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Not applicable. 1. Include high percentages of agricultural land and producers in a region or other appropriate area; 2. Result in high levels of applied agricultural water quality and water conservation activities; 3. Significantly enhance agricultural activity; 4. Allow for monitoring and evaluation by the partner; 5. Assist agricultural producers in meeting a regulatory requirement that reduces the economic scope of the producer's operation; 6. Achieve the project's land and water treatment objectives within 5 years or less; 7. Are from States with water quantity concerns where the proposal will: a. Include conservation practices that support the conversion of agricultural land from irrigated farming to dryland farming; b. Leverage Federal funds provided under the program with funds provided by partners; c. Assist producers in States with high priority water quantity concerns, as determined by the agency. The high priority areas are located in the following regions: Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer, Everglades, Ogallala Aquifer, Puget Sound, Red River, Sacramento River Basin, and Upper Mississippi River Basin. d. Include other factors and criteria as approved by the agency which help identify those proposals which best achieve the purposes of AWEP. Technical assistance is provided for conservation planning, design and implementation of conservation practices for eligible participants. Financial assistance is provided for implementation of structural, and land management practices. Cost-share payments may be made to implement one or more eligible structural or vegetative practices. Incentive payments can be made to implement one or more land management practices. Not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart F. This program was repealed by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), effective February 7, 2014. Therefore, no new enrollments are authorized for this program after that date. Partnership Agreements and producer contracts are maintained in local NRCS office and Federal record centers for specified number of years. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is voluntary. 25%. Conservation practices may be eligible for conservation payments up to 75 percent of the total cost of establishing the practice including costs of foregone income. Limited resource producers, socially disadvantaged producers and beginning farmers and ranchers may be eligible for payments up to 90 percent of the approved practice cost. Matching requirements are voluntary.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. An agricultural producer may apply directly to NRCS for financial or technical assistance to implement agricultural water enhancement activities. Producers who apply directly to NRCS must be eligible for EQIP and selected applications will be subject to applicable EQIP requirements. Eligible partners enter into multi-year agreements with NRCS to promote ground and surface water conservation or improve water quality on eligible agricultural lands. AWEP is intended to leverage investment in natural resources conservation along with services and non-Federal resources of other eligible partners. Eligible partners include: Federally recognized Indian Tribes, States, units of local government, agricultural or silvicultural associations or other groups of such producers such as an irrigation association, an agricultural land trust, or other nongovernmental organization with experience working with agricultural producers. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Lump. For more information on this and other related conservation programs, consult the local telephone directory where your land is located for location of the USDA service center. For a list of NRCS State offices with telephone numbers and addresses, information is available on the internet at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/. AWEP program information is available on the internet at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/awep. Ronnie Maurer, Branch Chief, Programs Branch, Financial Assistance Program Division
1400 Independence Avenue, SW Room 4534-S
Washington, DC 20250 USA
ronnie.maurer@usda.gov
Phone: 202-819-6368 http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/awep/ 12-1004-0-1-302 (Salaries and Expenses) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $315,000.00; FY 24 est $299,000.00; FY 21$45,000.00; FY 20$153,000.00; FY 19$262,000.00; FY 18$1,227,000.00; FY 17$6,375,000.00; FY 16$3,707,000.00; - (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $0.00; FY 24 est $0.00; FY 21$0.00; FY 20$0.00; FY 19$0.00; FY 18$20,000.00; FY 17$87,000.00; FY 16$175,000.00; - Conservation payments are limited to a maximum payment limitation per producer of $300,000 for the life of the 2008 Farm Bill. Average contracts are estimated to be $40,841. This program was repealed by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), effective February 7, 2014. Therefore, no new enrollments are authorized for this program after that date. Not applicable. Not applicable.