33 Illinois counties eligible for air quality initiative
Farmers in 33 Illinois counties are eligible for a new air quality initiative through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Kay Shipman
Published: Feb 3, 2012
“The NRCS has developed and funded an initiative that can help farmers reduce contributions to particulate matter and the formation of ozone, which will serve to improve air quality throughout the region,” said Ivan Dozier, assistant state conservationist for Illinois NRCS.
The Illinois counties were designated as needing to address air quality issues. Farmers and landowners in those counties are eligible for special technical and financial assistance. Potential solutions include more than 40 conservation practices and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
Top priority will be given to the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Jersey, Kane, Kendall, Lake, Madison, McHenry, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, and Will.
Secondary priority counties, should funding be available, are Boone, Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, DeKalb, Greene, Jackson, Henry, LaSalle, Livingston, Macon, Macoupin, Mercer, Moultrie, Montgomery, Perry, Piatt, Rock Island, Washington, and Whiteside.
A number of regular and popular conservation practices used in Illinois may directly or indirectly benefit air quality, according to Dozier. These include establishing cover crops, planting windbreaks, or using nutrient management systems.
Eligible participants include ag or forest landowners or those involved in livestock, agricultural or forest production on eligible land that has an air-quality-related concern. Eligible land includes cropland, pastureland, private non-industrial forestland, and other farmland.
For a list of eligible practices or to learn about Illinois air quality concerns, go online to www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1045920.pdf.
Applications for the EQIP air quality initiative will be accepted on a continuous basis throughout the fiscal year; however, March 30 will be a cut-off date for evaluating, ranking, and approving funding.
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