North Platte NRD Reminds Landowners About Cost-Share Opportunities

The Board of Directors and Staff of the North Platte Natural Resources District

(NPNRD) would like to remind producers and landowners in the District that applications for the
conservation cost-share program will be reviewed on February 17th. Subsequent to that review,
landowners will be notified by mail as to the status of their application. To be considered for
this funding year, applications must be made at the local Natural Resources and Conservation
Service (NRCS) office by February 13th. Applications have been accepted since November 1st
on a continuous basis. 

The Conservation Cost-Share Program reimburses cooperating landowners for a portion of the costs of installing conservation practices on their farm or ranch.

The programs are available to landowners in Banner, Garden, Morrill, Scotts Bluff and southern
Sioux counties for soil, water and range conservation improvements.

Applications will be scored, ranked, and ultimately awarded based on rankings established
by the Board of Directors. The ranking system has replaced the "first-come first-served"
approval process used previously. The ranking system will allow the cost-share funds to be
prioritized in a way that will help with the District's ground water management goals. Costshare
rates will change to a uniform 50 percent of actual cost or the cost share docket, whichever
is less, with a maximum amount of $3,000 per landowner per practice.

Applications received after February 13th will be considered for Fiscal Year 2016. These
applications will be accepted on a continuous basis and will be reviewed in February 2016.

Landowners will have until June 1st to complete the project, and extensions will not be
granted. Landowners will have to provide bills/cost verifications, pictures, and map of finished
practice before the funds will distributed.

For more information and a complete list of cost-share practices, visit www.npnrd.org or
call (308) 632-2749.