The 2006 Conservation Security Program Includes Three Oklahoma Watersheds

Contact: Jasper Parker, 405-742-1243

Stillwater, Oklahoma Aug 25, 2005—Three Oklahoma watersheds have been selected for the 2006 Conservation Security Program (CSP). Nationally, 110 watersheds, with at least one in all 50 states, Guam and Puerto Rico, will be eligible for the 2006 CSP. The sign-up period will take place early in fiscal year 2006. These watersheds represent more than 120,000 of the nation's potentially eligible farms and ranches, covering more than 46 million acres that are evenly split between cropland and grazing land.

"This voluntary program recognizes farmers and ranchers for their ongoing stewardship activities on working agricultural lands," said Darrel Dominick, NRCS state conservationist for Oklahoma "Natural resource conservation efforts by America's producers benefit everyone through healthier soil, cleaner air and water, and improved fish and wildlife habitat. CSP successfully demonstrates a cooperative public-private conservation partnership." The 2006 watershed selections for Oklahoma represent over 6,100 farms and ranches and more than 1.2 million acres of agriculture lands.

The three watersheds selected:

Poteau River Watershed - The watershed lies in east central Oklahoma extending into western Arkansas. Oklahoma counties in the watershed cover parts of Latimer, Le Flore, Haskell, and Pittsburg.

Upper Beaver Watershed - The watershed lies in the western two counties of the panhandle of Oklahoma extending into north Texas, and northeast New Mexico. Oklahoma counties in the watershed include parts of Cimarron and Texas.

Spring Watershed - The Spring Watershed flows from Missouri and Kansas into Ottawa County in far northeast Oklahoma. The majority of the watershed lies in Missouri with it terminating in Oklahoma at the Grand Neosho River/Grand Lake.

The sign-up period will take place early in fiscal year 2006. Nationwide, these watersheds represent more than 120,000 of the nation's potentially eligible farms and ranches, covering more than 46 million acres that are evenly split between cropland and grazing land.

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service held the first CSP sign-up in 2004. This announcement brings the number of watersheds enrolled to 330 across the nation, covering 250 million acres that have been eligible for the program.

The 2006 CSP will include a renewable energy component. Eligible producers will receive compensation for converting to renewable energy fuels such as bio-diesel and ethanol, for recycling 100 percent of on-farm lubricants, and for implementing energy production, including wind, solar, geothermal and methane production.

A sign-up announcement will be published that will detail specific program requirements in the watersheds. The program will be offered each year on a rotational basis in as many watersheds as funding allows.

All programs and services of the Natural Resources Conservation Service are provided in a nondiscriminatory manner.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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