§ 700.12 - Eligible project areas.

(a) Only those project areas which reflect the water quality priority concerns developed through the established water quality management program planning process and have identified agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems are eligible for authorization under RCWP. Only those critical areas or sources of pollutants significantly contributing to the water quality problems are eligible for financial and technical assistance.

(b) An RCWP project area is a hydrologically related land area. Exceptions may be made for ease of administration, or to focus on concentrated critical areas. To be designated as an RCWP project area eligible for authorization, the area's water quality problems must be related to agricultural nonpoint source pollutants, including but not limited to, sediment, animal waste, irrigation return flows, runoff, or leachate that contain high concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, dissolved solids, toxics (pesticides and heavy metals), or high pathogen levels.