Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program

 

To help participants protect, restore, develop or enhance habitat for upland wildlife, wetland wildlife, threatened and endangered species, fisheries, and other types of wildlife.

Active 10.914 Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture C - Direct Payments For Specified Use; Z - Salaries and Expenses Not applicable. 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 This program was repealed by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), effective February 7, 2014.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., Title XII, Part subtitle D, Section 1244h, Public Law 99-198, 16 U.S.C. 3831 Applicant must meet Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation (HEL/WC) requirements, Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) requirements, verification that applicant will be in control of land for the duration of a contract. A participant may be an owner, landlord, operator, or tenant of eligible lands. Limited resource producers, small-scale producers, producers of minority groups, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, Alaska natives, and Pacific Islanders are encouraged to apply. Evidence that applicant has control over land to be entered into contract and submits an acceptable Wildlife Habitat Development Plan for the land unit of concern that incorporates needed wildlife habitat conservation practices. This program was repealed by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), effective February 7, 2014.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 not applicable. 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 This program was repealed by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), effective February 7, 2014.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. NRCS may designate a wildlife habitat type or a region of special wildlife habitat concern as a priority. The priorities are designated by the State Conservationist based on recommendations of local working groups which are convened by the local conservation district with recommendations from the State Technical Committee. NRCS will give special consideration to applicants who have WPOs that address wildlife habitat concerns consistent with National and state priorities. Applications will be ranked and selected for funding. Not applicable. Not applicable. A participant may appeal any adverse determination to NRCS. Not applicable. Applications will be ranked and selected for funding based on: The wildlife habitat benefits derived and the extent the cost-share agreement will assist in achieving the wildlife habitat priority goals and objectives in the area the land unit is located. Technical assistance is provided to develop a WHIP Plan of Operation (WPO) for eligible participants. Cost-share payments may be made to implement fish and wildlife habitat conservation practices. Up to seventy-five percent cost-share is available from NRCS to reimburse participants for installing conservation practices beneficial to wildlife. Not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements. 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. Maintained in the NRCS state office and Federal records centers for specified number of years. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is voluntary. 25%. Installation of cost-share practices to develop wildlife habitat can be funded by cost-sharing up to 75 percent of the total cost of establishing the conservation practice by NRCS. Program participants or nonfederal partners provide the remaining 25 percent. Other conservation practices may be required to be installed without program payments. Matching requirements are voluntary.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. The WHIP cost-share agreement period is a minimum of 1 to 10 years. Obligations for assistance are tied to the schedule for applying wildlife habitat conservation practices included in the WPO used as the basis for cost-share agreement. Payments are made when the participant and NRCS certify that a conservation practice is completed in accordance with the cost-share agreement. 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. 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. NRCS, FSA, and many local conservation districts are located in USDA service centers. For a list of NRCS State Office telephone numbers and addresses, see Appendix IV of the Catalog or visit the NRCS National Website at http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app. Ronnie Maurer, Branch Chief, Programs Branch, Financial Assistance Programs 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/ 12-3322-0-1-302 (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $2,000.00; FY 24 est $2,000.00; FY 21$0.00; FY 20$10,000.00; FY 19$21,000.00; FY 18$73,000.00; FY 17$172,000.00; FY 16$543,000.00; - (Salaries and Expenses) FY 22$142,000.00; FY 23 est $398,000.00; FY 24 est $374,000.00; FY 21$275,000.00; FY 20$1,406,000.00; FY 19$1,346,000.00; FY 18$5,327,000.00; FY 17$6,217,000.00; FY 16$8,401,000.00; - Average contract payments are estimated to be $4,500. 7 CFR Part 636. Program manuals, handbooks, and leaflets issued by NRCS and FSA. Not applicable.