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VSP budget updates
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VSP capital funding cost share available
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Upcoming Joint meetings: July and Sept.
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Monthly vouchering
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Equipment request form
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SSB 5353: Information for non-VSP counties
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Catch up on VSP webinar recordings
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NRCS webinar: Research on the use of precision ag technologies for cropland phosphorus management
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Least-Conflict Solar Siting on the Columbia Plateau report available
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AFT Outcome Estimation Tools Training Webinar Series
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Subscribe to VSP calendar!
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New website! www.vsp.wa.gov
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Quarterly reports due
July 10
Quarterly reports are due for work performed from April 1 – June 30, 2023.
Final vouchers due
July 10
Counties and CDs need to make sure to submit all 2022-23 expenses to be included on the final voucher for June 2023.
Joint Technical Panel and Statewide Advisory Committee meeting
July 13, 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Spokane and online.
All counties, staff, and work group members are invited to attend. This meeting will focus on presentations from Ferry, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Lincoln, and Spokane counties. See 2023 upcoming Joint meetings below for information on meeting structure.
Physical location: Spokane Conservation District, 4422 E. 8th Ave, Spokane Valley, WA 99212
Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 897 9871 4535
Passcode: 298752
Two-year status reports due for all VSP counties
Aug. 30
All VSP counties have the same deadline for submitting the report. See reporting info and submittal form for more details.
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In the 2023-25 biennial budget, the Legislature funded VSP at the same level of operating budget as before, but also included additional operating and capital funding. SCC leadership and staff are developing the budget allocation for the 2023-25 biennium.
Implementation funding
SCC has allocated $240,000 to each county for the 2023-25 biennium to be used for VSP implementation, an increase of $5,000 from the last biennium. Funding for counties to continue VSP implementation remains available as we transition from one biennium to the next.
SCC-County contracts
SCC sent the 2023-25 contract and cover letter by email only on June 9, 2023, to each person listed as the responsible individual for last year’s SCC-county VSP contract. SCC also sent the contract and cover letter by email to technical service providers (TSP) that implement VSP on behalf of the county.
If you are responsible for VSP implementation in your county, and you or your county did not receive the email, please email Nicole Boyes immediately (564-669-3149) to remain eligible to be reimbursed for VSP expenses.
Monitoring funding available
A portion of the additional funds the Legislature made available for VSP are designated for monitoring efforts. The allocation for each county for the entire biennium comes to $47,000.
During May and June 2023, SCC sought feedback and input from VSP counties, TSPs, and conservation districts (CDs) as to what monitoring-related activities those funds could be used for. After reviewing feedback, SCC has created Monitoring Expenses Guidelines (Guidelines) that set parameters for the use of monitoring funds. The process to access those funds will be as follows:
- Monitoring equipment: If a county or TSP wants to purchase monitoring equipment, and if the purchase is over $2,000, they must use the VSP Equipment Purchase Request Form. See form for additional requirements. The form has been modified so that the county (or TSP) must assert that, if they are purchasing monitoring equipment, it meets the definition set forth in the Monitoring Expenses Guidelines and that the purchase is directly related to the monitoring activities and/or monitoring plan of the VSP work group.
- Other monitoring activities: If a county or TSP wants to undertake any of the following other monitoring activities, there is no additional form to fill out, however see reimbursement process below.
- Creating a monitoring plan, conducting monitoring, and analyzing and reporting on monitoring, either by the county or the county’s TSP.
- Monitoring training.
- Hiring a consultant to create a monitoring plan, conduct monitoring, or to analyze and report on monitoring.
- Reimbursement process for other monitoring activities:
- SCC will send a contract amendment to each of the 27 VSP counties requiring the use of the $47,000 for monitoring purposes.
- Counties or TSPs will need to review the guidelines to ensure compliance before vouchering for eligible expenses and make sure that SCC has their VSP implementation budget on file with the $47,000 line item in it to voucher for monitoring expenses out of that $47,000.
- Counties or TSPs will voucher monitoring expenses under the VSP Contract Outcome number in their contract amendment.
- Eligible monitoring expenses and ineligible costs are set out in the guidelines. SCC financial staff will review vouchers for eligible expenses. Ineligible expenses on vouchers will be denied.
For questions, please contact Nicole Boyes (564-669-3149) or Bill Eller (509-385-7512). The Monitoring Expense Guidelines are now posted on the VSP website.
If you are interested in the specific funding status of a particular VSP county, please contact that county directly. County VSP contacts can be found by clicking on the appropriate county on the map here.
Final vouchers due July 10, 2023
Counties and CDs need to make sure to submit all 2022-23 expenses to be included on the final voucher for June 2023. June 2023 vouchers are due to SCC on July 10, 2023. Counties or CDs need to submit close-out forms with the June 2023 voucher, including unused VSP operations funding as well as unused VSP supplemental funding.
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Project funding is open!
SCC received an additional $3 million in capital funds for the 2023-35 biennium. SCC encourages counties and CDs to input projects into CPDS so that they are ready to go for review!
- Proposals will be considered monthly on the first Tuesday of the month (except for July and August 2023, which will be the second Tuesday). The first review by the committee will be on July 11.
- At the SCC May commission meeting, the commission supported an increase in the landowner cost-share cap in the 2023-25 biennium from $50,000 to $100,000. More details will be coming from the SCC financial department in July.
- Projects awarded during this new fiscal year must be completed by June 30, 2025.
On-the-ground projects
This capital funding provides an opportunity for on-the-ground conservation projects that protect the five critical areas (including salmon habitat) while maintaining agricultural viability. Complete details are available in the VSP Guidelines and tips for successful VSP project proposals - Oct. 2022.
Examples of funded proposals have included projects such as: waste transfer, pumping plants, fencing, heavy-use areas, waste storage facilities, riparian forest buffers, trails and walkways, roof runoff structures, sprinkler systems, access control, irrigation system/micro irrigation, livestock pipelines, tree/shrub site preparation, wetland enhancements, livestock water facilities, drainage ditch coverings, and more.
Proposal tips
Notice of successful funding awards can take up to 3-5 business days to reach project applicants (committee meets first Tues. of the month). Please make sure the correct contact person and email is listed in CPDS for the project. Please also confirm that the contact person is someone at either the county or the conservation district, and not the landowner.
In 2023, Joint VSP Technical Panel (TP) and Statewide Advisory Committee (SAC) meetings will be online and in person at a central location for presenting counties. All county work groups, CDs, and interested stakeholders are welcome to attend.
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July 13, 2023: Spokane & online
Counties presenting: Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Lincoln, and Spokane
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Oct. 12, 2023: Pullman & online
Counties presenting: Benton, Franklin, Whitman, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin
Meeting format
- Presentations from the specific list of counties.
- Time on the agenda for each presenting county will serve as a check-in with the TP and SAC as the county prepares for their next 5-yr report.
- A presenting county is invited to participate however they prefer, including, but not limited to a conversation with the TP and SAC, a presentation by the county (with or without PowerPoint) or a virtual tour of county VSP projects.
Time set aside on the agenda for specific counties is not the only time that a county can attend or communicate with the TP and SAC.
This schedule does not replace communications that are on-going between any VSP entities at the local or state level, but to provide a dedicated “check-in” opportunity for any county that wants to make use of it. Subject to availability, any county may present any issue at the Joint Meeting. Counties are welcome to inquire about time on the agenda.
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Please remember to voucher monthly for VSP expenses.
Counties and those that work with counties on VSP are in danger of missing out on reimbursement for implementation expenses incurred. Monthly reimbursement requests for all county VSP contracts (as well as any other contracts) are required. If no expenses have been incurred during a month, a voucher should still be done showing zero expenses incurred.
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An equipment purchase is a conditionally allowable expense and must be included in the scope of work and must have prior written authorization from SCC financial staff or program manager if valued over $2,000.
SCC has created an on-line form (updated for new biennium) for counties and technical service providers who contract with counties to implement VSP to use when purchasing equipment valued at over $2,000 with VSP funds. View guidelines here.
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SSB 5353 reopens VSP to the 12 counties who originally did not join during the 2011-2012 opt-in window (Clallam, Clark, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Klickitat, Pierce, Skamania, Snohomish, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, and Whidbey Island). Governor Inslee signed SSB 5353, making it effective on July 23, 2023.
SCC hosted a webinar on June 15 designed for county commissioners, county staff, and conservation district staff of non-VSP counties, this webinar focused on the process of opting into VSP.
SCC is also reaching out to the Washington State Association of Counties and the Planning Association of Washington to get the word out about SSB 5353.
SCC staff will be available to attend board of county commissioner meetings for any of the 12 counties that could join. If interested, please contact Bill Eller.
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May 16 - SCC-County Contract for 2023-35 Biennium Budget Webinar
The webinar reviewed the new contract for the 2023-25 biennial budget between VSP counties and SCC, provided a template that a VSP sub-contractor/technical service provider might use when contracting with a VSP county for implementation, and summarized the budget for the 2023-25 biennium, including timelines, vouchering, deliverables, responsible parties, and other items.
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May 4 - VSP Training 101
This webinar was tailored toward new VSP staff responsible for tasks like implementation, contracts, processing expense vouchers, cost-share, monitoring, adaptive management, outreach, education, and reporting.
July 20 at 1:00 p.m. eastern (NOT PACIFIC TIME ZONE)
Dr. Douglas R. Smith from the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory will present research on the use of precision ag technologies to improve cropland phosphorus management. Dr. Smith will share findings from collaborations with the USDA Conservation Effects Assessment Project, including field studies focused on reducing fertilizer runoff and increasing profitability by prioritizing high-yield areas for crop production.
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A report to the Washington State Legislature has been developed by Washington State University’s Energy Program. The report aims to identify areas within the state where utility-scale photovoltaic farms could be sited to minimize impacts for farmlands, ranchlands, and ecosystem health. Groups representing the interests of farmers, ranchers, environmental stewards, and the solar industry had input in the creation of the report and associated maps.
The pace and scale of potential solar development has been on the radar of many VSP counties within the Columbia Plateau. There are potential impacts to VSP if solar development results in changes to agricultural activities, agricultural viability, and/or critical area functions and values (e.g., habitat loss).
If you haven’t yet, check out the report and maps from this project.
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With support from EPA and the Walton Family Foundation, American Farmland Trust is providing project managers with an Outcomes Estimation Tools Training Webinar Series to aid in their quantification of outcomes associated with farm conservation practices.
The webinars will be the first Wednesday of each month starting May 2023 and will run through 2024.
On Wednesday, July 12, AFT will be hosting a training on the Nutrient Tracking Tool (NTT)--a free, online, user-friendly decision-making tool that quantitatively estimates the nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment losses from crop, pasture, forest lands.
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SCC has transitioned VSP to a brand new website! Check it out at www.vsp.wa.gov. Please let Sarah Wilcox know if you have any questions or difficulties. |
SCC is excited to offer a VSP calendar tool to share meetings and events. Depending on your software, you may need to "turn on calendar" or drag/copy meetings over to your calendar.
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Not a newsletter subscriber?
Sign up here and choose the subscription for the “Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP)” under the Programs and Policy tab.
If you have any questions please contact Bill Eller or Sarah Wilcox.
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Copyright 2023 - Washington State Conservation Commission |
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