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EQIP Grazing Land Ranking Tool

Ranking Tool Summary for Grazing (Released 04/28/2009)

Description:

1. This ranking criteria will be used for all eligible 2009 EQIP applications in the grazing land category. Ranking points can only be given for practices which are included in the EQIP contract.
2. Documentation must be present in client case file to support ranking decisions. This should include completed specification, demonstrating how resource concerns are being met, as well as completed CST based plan approved by a Certified Conservation Planner.
3. A completed Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Guide is required for all applications where wildlife benefits are claimed.
4. At risk species are defined as Native species whose population (s) or habitat is in danger of loss by their listing as State or Federal Threatened or Endangered, Candidate, or State Species of Concern, or as focus species in Alaska's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.

Description:

Land Uses:

Crop, Forest, Grazed Forest, Grazed Range, Hay, Headquarters, Native/Naturalized Pasture, Natural Area, Pasture, Watershed Protection, Wildlife

Efficiency Score:

  Scoring Multiplier: 1.00
  Scoring Ranges and Results Text:
High: 900 - 405 Medium: 390 - 200 Low: 185 - 0

Scoring range represents projects which have a high level of average resource benefit in comparison to average cost of installation.

Scoring range represents projects which have a medium level of average resource benefit in comparison to average cost of installation.

Scoring range represents projects which have a relatively lower level of average resource benefit in comparison to average cost of installation.

National Priorities:

  Scoring Multiplier: 1.00
  Scoring Ranges and Results Text:

High: 200 - 90

 Medium: 85 - 45 Low: 40 - 0

Scoring range represents projects which make significant progress toward addressing National Priorities of the EQIP Program.

Scoring range represents projects which make progress toward addressing National Priorities of the EQIP Program.

Scoring range represents projects which make a lower amount of progress toward addressing National Priorities of the EQIP Program.

Questions:

Question Number Question Points
1 Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in a considerable reduction of non-point source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, excess salinity in impaired watersheds with total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) where available, groundwater contamination or point sources such as contamination from confined animal feeding operations? 35
2 Will the treatment you intend to implement for water conservation or irrigation efficiency using EQIP result in a considerable reduction in water use? 5
3 Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in a considerable reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards? 15
4 Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in a considerable reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land? 50
5 Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in a considerable increase in the promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation? 50
6 Will the treatment that you intend to implement using EQIP result in considerable benefits to residue management, nutrient management, air quality management, invasive species management, pollinator habitat, and animal carcass management technology or pest management? 50
7 Will the treatment that you intend to implement using EQIP result in energy conservation benefits? 15
 

Total Points

 200

State Issues:

  Scoring Multiplier: 1.00
  Scoring Ranges and Results Text:

High: 500 - 225 Medium: 220 - 110 Low: 105 - 0

Scoring range represents projects which make significant progress toward addressing resource concerns of statewide importance on grazing land.

Scoring range represents projects which make progress toward addressing resource concerns of statewide importance on grazing land.

Scoring range represents projects which make a lower amount of progress toward addressing resource concerns of statewide importance on grazing land.

Questions:

Question Number Question Points
1 RMS plan will be implemented on all grazing land acres in CTU through EQIP contract. Addresses at least 5 resource concerns (answer only ONE from 1 and 2). 50
2 RMS plan will be implemented on majority of grazing land acres in CTU through EQIP contract. Addresses at least 5 resource concerns. (answer only ONE from 1 and 2) 20
3 EQIP plan contains practice which will treat separate resource concerns on at least two Alaska EQIP Statewide Priorities through RMS systems. (answer only ONE from 3 and 4) 40
4 EQIP plan contains practice which will treat separate resource concerns on at least two Alaska EQIP Statewide Priorities (answer only ONE from 3 and 4). 20
5 Observable nutrients, organics, and/or sediment are entering surface water, and will be fully addressed. Water body is anadromous. (answer only ONE from 5 through 8) 50
6 Observable nutrients, organics, and/or sediment are entering surface water, and will be fully addressed. Water body is NOT anadromous. (answer only ONE from 5 through 8) 40
7 No observable nutrients, organics, and/or sediment entering surface water. Water quality is improved through installation of EQIP plan. Water body is anadromous. (answer only ONE from 5 through 8) 20
8 No observable nutrients, organics, and/or sediment entering surface water. Water quality is improved through installation of EQIP plan. Water body is NOT anadromous. (answer only ONE from 5 through 8) 15
9 Grazing systems is planned through EQIP, where livestock are FENCED OUT AND EXCLUDED from surface water. Water body is anadromous. (answer only ONE from 9 through 12) 35
10 Grazing systems is planned through EQIP, where livestock are FENCED OUT AND EXCLUDED from surface water. Water body is NOT anadromous.(answer only ONE from 9 through 12) 30
11 Grazing system is planned through EQIP, where livestock are not excluded from surface water, but use is restricted through management tools such as off site water. Water body is anadromous. (answer only ONE from 9 through 12) 25
12 Grazing system is planned through EQIP, where livestock are not excluded from surface water, but use is restricted through management tools such as off site water. Water body is NOT anadromous. (answer only ONE from 9 through 12) 20
13 Active gully erosion is present and will be fully treated on highest priority significant human caused erosion sites. Sum of width by depth measurements at outlet of gully's are at least 100 square feet. Example: one gully ten feet deep by ten feet wide equals 100 square feet (answer only ONE from 13 - 15). 30
14 Active gully erosion is present and will be fully treated on majority of significant human caused erosion sites. Sum of width by depth measurements at outlet of gully's are at least 60 square feet. Example: two gullies, each six feet deep by five feet wide equal 60 square feet. (answer only ONE from 13 - 15) 20
15 Active gully erosion is present and will be treated on one site, but remains a problem on other areas of CTU. Sum of width by depth measurements at outlet of gully's are less than 60 square feet. Example: two gullies, each six feet deep by five feet wide equal 60 square feet. (answer only ONE from 13 - 15) 10
16 Streambank erosion is present and will be fully treated on most significant actively eroding site. Minimum criteria: cut bank 5 feet, minimum length 50 feet, no structures are present which will limit technical prescription. 15
17 Forage Harvest Management (511) is scheduled for at least 3 years with specific prescriptions for wildlife habitat benefit during mechanical forage harvest. 20
18 Nutrient Management (590) will be applied for at least 3 years. 20
19 Prescribed Grazing (528) will be applied for at least three years on entire CTU. Includes specific prescriptions for wildlife habitat benefit. (answer only ONE from 19 and 20) 30
20 Prescribed Grazing (528) will be applied for at least three years. Does not includes specific prescriptions for wildlife habitat benefit. (answer only ONE from 19 and 20) 15
21 Use exclusion (472) will be applied for at least 3 years. Includes specific prescriptions for wildlife habitat benefit. (answer only ONE from 21 and 22) 30
22 Use exclusion (472) will be applied for at least 3 years. Does not includes specific prescriptions for wildlife habitat benefit. (answer only ONE from 21 and 22) 15
23 Heavy Use Area Protection (561), or Livestock Use Area Protection (757) are implemented. 20
24 Riparian forested buffer (391) or Riparian Herbaceous buffer (390) will be implemented through contract. 35
25 Pest Management (595) will be applied for at least 3 years. 15
26 Noxious and invasive plants are present and will be treated by EQIP contract on ALL significant areas. (answer only ONE from 26 and 27) 30
27 Noxious and invasive plants are present and will be treated by EQIP contract on a single significant area. (answer only ONE from 26 and 27) 15
28 Pesticides are impacting surface or groundwater. Concern will be addressed through EQIP contract. (Do not take point simply for implementing 595, need additional documentation for site about impacts.) 30
29 Sheet and rill erosion is present and will be treated through Prescribed Grazing system (528). 25
30 Installation of EQIP contract benefits identified at-risk species, or species of concern. 25
 

Maximum Points: Total Points

 765

Local Issues:

Scoring Multiplier: 1.00
Scoring Ranges and Results Text:

High: 200 - 90 Medium: 85 - 45 Low: 40 - 0

Scoring range represents projects which make significant progress toward addressing concerns of locally identified species and resource concerns.

Scoring range represents projects which make progress toward addressing concerns of locally identified species and resource concerns.

Scoring range represents projects which make a lower amount of toward addressing concerns of locally identified species and resource concerns.

Questions:

Question Number Question Points
1 This project has a benefit to the highest priority locally identified wildlife species. 40
2 This project has a benefit to secondary priority locally identified wildlife species. 20
3 EQIP plan addresses natural resource concerns identified as high priority by the Local Work Group. 40
4 EQIP plan addresses natural resource concerns identified as a secondary priority by the Local Work Group. 20
5 EQIP plan includes practices which are identified as high priority by the Local Work Group. 40
6 EQIP plan includes practices which are identified as a secondary priority by the Local Work Group. 20
7 This project addresses locally identified noxious or invasive species of concern. 20
8 This project addresses one or more locally identified priority subsistence species 30
 

Maximum Points:      Total Points

 230

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