Minnesota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) April 2005 Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment Farm Service Agency United States Department of Agriculture Minnesota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY April 2005 2 Minnesota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment CHAPTER 1.0 PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION ..................................................... 9 1.1 HISTORY AND BACKGROUND .............................................................................................................................9 1.1.1 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).........................................................................................................9 1.1.2 Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)..............................................................................10 1.1.3 Minnesota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)............................................................11 1.1.4 Minnesota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program The Second Generation (CREPII)...................11 1.2 PROPOSED ACTION ..........................................................................................................................................11 1.3 PURPOSE OF ACTION ........................................................................................................................................12 1.4.1 Red River Basin ..........................................................................................................................................15 1.4.2 Lower Mississippi River..............................................................................................................................16 1.4.3 Southwest Minnesota ..................................................................................................................................18 1.5 LEGISLATIVE MANDATES.................................................................................................................................19 1.6 OTHER PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS ...........................................................................................................20 1.7 SCOPING...........................................................................................................................................................22 CHAPTER 2.0 ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION....................... 25 2.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................25 2.2 DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVES......................................................................................................................25 2.2.1 Alternative 1-No Action...................................................................................................................................25 2.2.2 Alternative 2- Implement Minnesota CREP II (Preferred Alternative) ......................................................25 2.2.2.1 Eligible Land...............................................................................................................................................26 2.2.2.2 Eligible Conservation Practices..................................................................................................................26 2.2.2.3 Contract Periods ........................................................................................................................................27 2.2.2.4 Payment Options .......................................................................................................................................27 2.2.2.5 Program Costs ...........................................................................................................................................28 CHAPTER 3.0 RESOURCES ....................................................................................................... 29 3.1 OVERVIEW AND DESCRIPTION OF RELEVANT RESOURCES ...............................................................................29 3.1.1 Red River and it’s Watershed .....................................................................................................................29 3.1.1.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................29 3.1.1.2 Relevant Affected Resources ..................................................................................................................31 3.1.2 The Lower Mississippi Basin....................................................................................................................40 3.1.2.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................................................40 3.1.2.2 Relevant Affected Resources .......................................................................................................................43 3.1.3 The Missouri and Des Moines Basins.........................................................................................................52 3.1.3.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................................................52 3.1.3.2 Relevant Affected Resources .....................................................................................................................55 3.2 Profile of Minnesota Agriculture................................................................................................................64 3.2.1 Minnesota CREP Area ..................................................................................................................................65 CHAPTER 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES...................................................... 69 4.1 ALTERNATIVE 1-NO ACTION/ WITHOUT THE PROPOSED PROGRAM ..................................................................69 Contemplated Future Actions ...................................................................................................................................74 4.2 ALTERNATIVE 2-ENROLLMENT OF TARGETED ACREAGE AS PER THE 2004 MOA............................................75 4.3 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF THE CREP ALTERNATIVE.............................................................................................82 4.4 SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS .....................................................................................................................................83 4.5 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ...............................................................................................................................85 CHAPTER 5.0 LIST OF PREPARERS AND CONTRIBUTORS......................................... 86 CHAPTER 6.0 REFERENCES .................................................................................................. 88 April 2005 3 Minnesota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment APPENDICIES ............................................................................................................................... A-1 FOOTNOTES.............................................................................................................................. A-278 April 2005 4 Minnesota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment ABSTRACT FEDERAL ACTION: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Service Agency (FSA), proposes to evaluate alternatives to and potential effects of a voluntary enrollment type of conservation program in the State of Minnesota. The goals of this program are to control erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat within three targeted watersheds including the Red River of the North, the Missouri and the Minnesota portion of the Lower Mississippi basin. The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a component of the USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the largest and most comprehensive Federal conservation program. LEAD AGENCIES: FSA, through funding provided by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), is the lead Federal Agency for administering CREP. The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resource (BWSR), a partner with FSA, is the lead State agency. BWSR and cooperating agencies contribute to the monitoring and mapping occurring within the CREP area. AUTHORITY: CREP is authorized pursuant to the provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended (16 U.S.C. 3830 et seq.), and promulgated in 7 CFR 1410. DOCUMENT TYPE: Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA), prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190; 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), as amended, 40 CFR 1500-1508, and FSA environmental regulations at 7 CFR Part 799. CONTACT: Jeff Johnson, State Environmental Coordinator Farm Service Agency Box 994 Willmar, Minnesota 56201-0994 Phone: (320) 235-3540 x 113 e-mail: [email protected] http://www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/cepd/epb/assessments.htm COMMENTS: This Final PEA was prepared in accordance with the United States Department of Agriculture FSA National Environmental Policy Act Implementation Procedures found in 7 CFR 799, as well as the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Public Law 91-190, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, 1 January 1970, as amended. A Notice of Availability for