Indiana Sustainable Natural Resources

Task Force

September 28, 2011

Jerod Chew

Director of Environmental Stewardship

: The Challenge

• Importance of Environmental Stewardship

• ISDA structure for addressing Environmental Stewardship

• Programs, initiatives, and objectives

• Funding

• Future outlook

: The Challenge

• Water Quality – Hypoxia, Blue-Green Algae, etc.

• Soil productivity and health

• Recreational opportunities at risk

• Drainage maintenance costs

• Water treatment costs

• Environmentally conscientious public

: The Challenge

In percentage contribution to the total nutrient

flux delivered to the Gulf of Mexico…….

Indiana ranks 3rd for Nitrogen, 6th for Phosphorus

Out of 31

: The Challenge

Nutrient contributions to the Gulf, by State (USGS)

: The Challenge

Environmental Stewardship: How We Work

• Field Staff throughout the state

• Provide on-farm assistance to farmers and landowners

• Offer cost-share and incentives for conservation implementation

• Partnerships

: How We Work

• Division of Soil Conservation (DSC)

• State Soil Conservation Board (SSCB)

• Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD)

• Clean Water Indiana (CWI)

• Indiana Conservation Partners

: How We Work

Division of Soil Conservation

Duties:

- Provide professional assistance to SWCDs in planning, coordinating, and training

- Provide professional soil conservation technical assistance

- Administrative duties for SSCB

: How We Work

Division of Soil Conservation

Structure: 34 Total Staff

25 Resource Specialists

4 District Support Specialists

3 Program Managers: CREP/Water Quality Initiatives, Accountability/Technology, Ag Environmental Stewardship

1 Administrative Assistant

1 Director

: How We Work

Division of Soil Conservation

Division Programs and Initiatives:

Technical Assistance

On-Farm Network®

Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

Clean Water Indiana

Soil and Water Conservation District Support

Leadership Institute

: CREP

• Partnership Effort

• Systematic approach

– Continuous no-till/strip-till

– Cover crops

– Precision farming

– Nutrient and pest management

– Conservation buffers

: CCSI

• Provide Clean Water Indiana Grants to Soil and Water Conservation Districts

• Sediment and Nutrient Reduction

: Grants

: How We Work

State Soil Conservation Board

- Responsible for the direction of Clean Water Indiana funds

- SWCD capacity building and guidance

Clean Water IndianaProvide financial assistance to implement conservation practices to reduce nonpoint sources of water pollution through education, technical assistance, training, and cost sharing programs.

Partners

: Funding

• Soil Conservation and Clean Water Indiana are funded with Cigarette Tav Fund dollars.

4.62% of Cigarette Tax collections fund the

Cigarette Tax Fund

• Division of Soil Conservation receives 52% of 1/6 of Cigarette Tax Fund

• Clean Water Indiana receives 1/6 of Cigarette Tax Fund

: Funding

• Division of Soil Conservation generally ranges from 1.5 – 1.8M depending on reserves

• Clean Water Indiana generally ranges from 3.1 – 3.6M depending on reserves

Reserve15.000%

Staff & Support26.184%

AFR25.093%

CREP18.001%

Strategic Plan Implementation

15.395%

SSCB Costs0.299%

2010 Clean Water Indiana

Focused Environmental Stewardship

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