Watershed grant deadline near

— The Natural Resources Conservation Service set a new deadline for landowners in the Illinois and Eucha-Spavinaw watersheds to apply for $3.75 million in grant money.

The Jan. 7 deadline gives landowners more time to apply for the money that’s available this fiscal year in the program meant to improve water quality, said agency spokesman Reginald Jackson. The deadline had been Nov. 30.

Jackson said 142 landowners in the Arkansas portion of the two watersheds have submitted applications to participate in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

The federal Resources Conservation Service announced Oct. 28 that the agency would make the $3.75 million available in the two watersheds that are the focus of a longrunning dispute between Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Agency Chief Dave White said it was his full intent to allocate $38 million in special funding to the program over eight years.

Landowners who apply for funding sign contracts that cover one to 10 years, agreeing to take certain conservation measures to improve water quality in exchange for payments.

To promote the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and a $30 million federal Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program that was announced last year for the Illinois River watershed, a conservation program coordinator was hired by the Illinois River Watershed Partnership, said Delia Haak, the river protection group’s director.

News, Pages 3 on 12/29/2010