Central Platte NRD Elects Board Treasurer and Secretary

(GRAND ISLAND, NE)-  At the Central Platte Natural Resources District’s board meeting on Thursday, Chuck Maser of Grand Island and Deb VanMatre of Gibbon were elected as board treasurer and secretary, respectively. Board officers may serve two, two-year terms. This will be Chuck Maser’s second term as treasurer and Deb VanMatre’s first term as secretary.

OTHER ACTION/AGENDA ITEMS

-Irrigation Conservation Project  The Water Resources Committee discussed a potential partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to install meters and other irrigation conservation practices as part of a three-year project. The board encouraged staff to continue working with TNC.

-Letter of Engagement  The board approved submitting a letter of engagement to the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources to request initiation of Central Platte NRD’s second 10-year increment Integrated Management Plan (IMP). The development of a second increment IMP will allow further progress to be made toward meeting the IMP’s goals and objectives, and to reduce the overall difference between the current and fully appropriated levels of development identified.

-Natural Resources Conservation Service  Joe Krolikowski, district liaison, reported that March 2, 2018, is the deadline to sign up for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) at their local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office. CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to help farmers and ranchers conserve and enhance soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their agricultural and forestry land. Krolikowski said that the CSP is a unique program since participants receive an annual land use payment for the environmental benefits they produce on their operations. Under CSP, participants are paid for conservation performance - the higher the operational performance, the higher their payment. Funding is available statewide. Eligible land includes cropland, grassland, prairie, improved pastureland, non-industrial private forestland, and agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe. Contracts are set at five years and include all the land controlled by an operator. For more information about CSP, including eligibility requirements and a self-screening checklist, producers can visit http://www.ne.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/CSP.html or stop by their local NRCS field office.

-Legislative Report  Lyndon Vogt, general manager, reported on bills relating to natural resources in this session. Vogt also reported that there is discussion to consider combining the Ag and the Natural Resources committees in the future due to the low number of bills introduced to these committees.

-Nebraska Natural Resources Commission  Mick Reynolds, Middle Platte Basin representative, reported that the Commission recently held a public hearing with the majority of testimony questioning the requirement that a permit must be approved prior to applications being approved by the Commission. Reynolds said the Rules Committee is scheduled to meet on February 1, 2018, to discuss the testimony.

-Cost Share The board approved applications through the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation and CPNRD cost-share programs for underground pipeline, grazing deferment, center pivot incentive, flow meters, and tree planting in the amount of $25,225.50.

-Executive Session- The board went into executive session regarding a legal matter.

-Meeting Changes The board rescheduled their Board Retreat to February 22nd from 8:30-Noon; prior to the board meeting. The March board meeting was moved to March 29th due to conference conflicts.

-Committee Selection  Board members selected the committees that they plan to serve on and the following chairmen were selected: Water Resources- Jay Richeson, Eastern Projects- Jerry Wiese, Western Projects- Marvion Reichert Jr., Programs- Keith Ostermeier.

-Staff Introduction  Courtney Widup was introduced as the NRD’s new water resources technician. Widup previously worked at the Upper Big Blue NRD.

-Upcoming Events The board will meet on February 22, March 29, April 26.
Water Information Update: February 7 from 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Hotel Grand Conference Center in Grand Island. Public invited. RSVP by calling (308) 385-6282.

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Marcia Lee

Information/Education Specialist

Central Platte Natural Resources District

215 Kaufman Ave  Grand Island NE 68803

(308) 385-6282  www.cpnrd.org