Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS OR 18 03
The Watershed Planning Capacity in Oregon 2018-2022 opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NRCS OR 18 03) is a discretionary grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It is rooted in two main legal authorities: the Conservation Technical Assistance Program (16 U.S.C. 590a-590f and 590q; 7 C.F.R. 610; tied to CFDA 10.902) and the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, also known as Public Law 83-566 (codified in 16 U.S.C. 1001-1008, 1010, and 1012 and referenced in NRCS guidance at 390-NWPM, Part 506, Subpart A, Section 506.0). In practical terms, the grant is designed to build planning capacity so that watershed-scale projects in Oregon move forward with solid technical foundations and a compliant environmental review process.
The core purpose is to help develop Watershed Project Plans that are physically feasible, environmentally responsible, socially acceptable, and economically sound, with a clear schedule of actions to be implemented over a defined period of years. These plans are not just conceptual; they are intended to lay out specific, formally planned project actions within a defined geographic area. The plans are carried out by sponsoring irrigation districts (IDs) and are expected to deliver public benefits, reflecting NRCS's broader watershed protection and resource conservation mission.
A central feature of this opportunity is that funded work must provide technical assistance to local irrigation districts to produce two tightly linked deliverables. First, applicants are expected to help an irrigation district develop an irrigation system improvement plan and modernization strategy, essentially a roadmap for upgrading infrastructure and operations. Second, applicants must support the district and NRCS in developing the associated environmental compliance document under NRCS watershed planning: either a Watershed Project Plan Environmental Assessment (Plan-EA) or a Watershed Project Plan Environmental Impact Statement (Plan-EIS), depending on the scope and intensity of potential impacts. The environmental document is meant to evaluate reasonable alternatives and assess their impacts, and it must be developed with cooperation and assistance from state, local, and other federal agencies as appropriate.
NRCS structures these planning and environmental products so they are ultimately packaged as one combined document. If an EA is required, the final combined product is called a "Watershed Project Plan-EA." If an EIS is required, it becomes a "Watershed Project Plan-EIS." If the full set of proposed actions qualifies for one or more categorical exclusions, the plan can instead document the applicability of the categorical exclusion(s) and include an environmental evaluation in a combined "Watershed Project Plan-EE." This structure signals that the grant is not simply about drafting an engineering wish list; it is about producing an implementation-ready plan that aligns with federal environmental review expectations and can support later project construction or implementation decisions.
The opportunity targets irrigation districts of widely varying size, from a few thousand acres to tens of thousands of acres, which indicates the program is intended to be flexible and relevant for both smaller and larger districts across Oregon. Administrative details from the notice include a creation date of June 13, 2018, an original closing date of July 2, 2018, an award ceiling of up to $1,000,000 per award, and an expectation of roughly five awards. The funding activity category is Agriculture, and the listed CFDA numbers include 10.902 and 10.912, reflecting NRCS watershed and conservation assistance program areas. Eligibility is labeled broadly as "Others" with clarification to be provided in the full eligibility section of the announcement, suggesting a potentially wide applicant pool (for example, entities capable of delivering the required technical and environmental planning support) as long as they meet NRCS requirements.
Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as a capacity-building and pre-implementation planning investment: it funds the technical and environmental planning work needed to help Oregon irrigation districts define modernization actions, analyze alternatives, document impacts, coordinate with relevant agencies, and produce an NRCS-ready Watershed Project Plan package that can support future implementation under watershed authorities like Public Law 83-566.Apply for USDA NRCS OR 18 03
- The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Watershed Planning Capacity in Oregon 2018-2022" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.902, 10.912.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 13, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 02, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Watershed Planning Capacity in Oregon (2018-2022)
What is the Watershed Planning Capacity in Oregon 2018-2022 opportunity?
It is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The program is focused on building planning capacity for watershed-scale projects in Oregon by funding the technical and environmental planning work needed to develop NRCS-ready watershed project plans.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NRCS OR 18 03.
Which agency is offering this funding?
The funding is offered by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Is this a formula grant or a discretionary grant?
This opportunity is described as a discretionary grant program.
What are the legal authorities behind this grant?
The opportunity is rooted in two main authorities:
- The Conservation Technical Assistance Program (16 U.S.C. 590a-590f and 590q; 7 C.F.R. 610; tied to CFDA 10.902).
- The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (Public Law 83-566), codified in 16 U.S.C. 1001-1008, 1010, and 1012, and referenced in NRCS guidance at 390-NWPM, Part 506, Subpart A, Section 506.0.
What is the main purpose of this grant?
The main purpose is to fund planning and environmental compliance work that helps Oregon watershed-scale projects move forward with strong technical foundations and an environmental review process that meets NRCS watershed planning requirements.
What is the intended outcome of the funded work?
The intended outcome is a Watershed Project Plan package that is physically feasible, environmentally responsible, socially acceptable, and economically sound, and that includes a schedule of actions to be implemented over a defined period of years within a defined geographic area.
Who are the watershed project plans carried out by?
The plans are carried out by sponsoring irrigation districts (IDs).
Are the plans expected to provide public benefits?
Yes. The plans are expected to deliver public benefits and align with NRCS's watershed protection and resource conservation mission.
What are the two main deliverables this grant expects applicants to support?
Funded work must provide technical assistance to local irrigation districts to produce two closely linked deliverables:
- An irrigation system improvement plan and modernization strategy (a roadmap for upgrading infrastructure and operations).
- The associated environmental compliance document required under NRCS watershed planning (a Plan-EA or Plan-EIS, depending on potential impacts).
What is an irrigation system improvement plan and modernization strategy in this context?
It is a planning deliverable that serves as a roadmap for irrigation districts to modernize and improve their irrigation systems, including infrastructure and operational upgrades, as part of a watershed-scale project planning effort.
What environmental compliance documents may be required under this opportunity?
The environmental compliance deliverable may be one of the following, depending on the scope and intensity of potential impacts:
- Watershed Project Plan Environmental Assessment (Plan-EA)
- Watershed Project Plan Environmental Impact Statement (Plan-EIS)
How is it determined whether a Plan-EA or a Plan-EIS is needed?
The notice indicates this is based on the scope and intensity of potential impacts from the proposed actions. The environmental document must evaluate reasonable alternatives and assess their impacts.
Can categorical exclusions be used instead of an EA or EIS?
Yes. If the full set of proposed actions qualifies for one or more categorical exclusions, the plan can document the applicability of the categorical exclusion(s) and include an environmental evaluation in a combined Watershed Project Plan-EE.
What is a Watershed Project Plan-EA?
If an Environmental Assessment (EA) is required, NRCS structures the final combined planning product as a single package called a Watershed Project Plan-EA (the watershed project plan combined with the EA content).
What is a Watershed Project Plan-EIS?
If an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required, the final combined planning product is packaged as a Watershed Project Plan-EIS (the watershed project plan combined with the EIS content).
What is a Watershed Project Plan-EE?
If the proposed actions qualify for categorical exclusion(s), the combined planning product can be packaged as a Watershed Project Plan-EE, documenting the categorical exclusion applicability and including an environmental evaluation.
Why does NRCS package the planning and environmental products as one combined document?
The structure is intended to produce an implementation-ready plan that aligns with federal environmental review expectations and can support later project construction or implementation decisions, rather than being only a conceptual or aspirational plan.
Does the environmental document need to consider alternatives?
Yes. The environmental compliance document is meant to evaluate reasonable alternatives and assess their impacts.
Does development of the environmental document involve other agencies?
Yes. The environmental document must be developed with cooperation and assistance from state, local, and other federal agencies as appropriate.
Is the work limited to a specific state?
Yes. The opportunity is specifically focused on watershed planning capacity and watershed-scale projects in Oregon.
What types of irrigation districts does this opportunity target?
The opportunity targets irrigation districts of widely varying size, ranging from a few thousand acres to tens of thousands of acres, indicating the program is intended to be relevant for both smaller and larger districts across Oregon.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is up to $1,000,000 per award.
How many awards are expected?
The notice indicates an expectation of roughly five awards.
What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is Agriculture.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The listed CFDA numbers include 10.902 and 10.912.
What do the CFDA numbers suggest about the program areas?
The CFDA listings reflect NRCS watershed and conservation assistance program areas, including the Conservation Technical Assistance connection (CFDA 10.902) referenced in the legal authorities.
When was this opportunity created?
The notice lists a creation date of June 13, 2018.
What was the original closing date for applications?
The original closing date listed in the notice is July 2, 2018.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is labeled broadly as "Others," with clarification expected to be provided in the full eligibility section of the announcement. The notice suggests a potentially wide applicant pool, such as entities capable of delivering the required technical assistance and environmental planning support, provided they meet NRCS requirements.
Is this grant primarily for construction or implementation?
The description frames this as a capacity-building and pre-implementation planning investment. It funds the technical and environmental planning work needed to support future implementation decisions, rather than funding construction itself.
How does this opportunity relate to Public Law 83-566?
The grant is intended to support watershed project planning that can enable future implementation under watershed authorities like the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (Public Law 83-566).
What makes the resulting plan "implementation-ready" according to the notice?
The plan is expected to include specific, formally planned actions in a defined geographic area, a schedule of actions over a defined period of years, and an accompanying environmental compliance component (EA, EIS, or documented categorical exclusion with an environmental evaluation) packaged together as an NRCS-ready document.
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