OAR 698-010-0090
Evaluation Criteria
(1) The significance of the agricultural, natural resource, and related social values of the working land subject to the conservation management plan(s).
(2) The extent to which implementation of the plan(s) would protect, maintain, or enhance farming or ranching on working land, including how implementation of the plan(s) would:
(a) Maintain or improve the economic viability of the operation; and
(b) Reduce the potential for future conversion or fragmentation of the property and surrounding working land
(3) The extent to which implementation of the plan would protect, maintain, or enhance significant fish or wildlife habitat, water quality, or other natural resource values by:
(a) Protecting, maintaining, or improving the land, including soil, water, plants, animals, energy, and human needs considerations;
(b) Supporting implementation of the Oregon Conservation Strategy, Oregon’s Agricultural Water Quality Management Program, or other local, regional, state, federal or tribal priorities or plans that support fish or wildlife habitat, water quality, or other natural resource values;
(c) Protecting, maintaining or improving the quality and connectivity of wildlife habitat on and around the working land subject to the plan;
(d) Protecting, maintaining, or improving water quality or quantity; and
(e) Sustaining ecological values, as evidenced by the conservation management plan or inherent site condition.
(4) The extent to which implementation of the plan(s) would protect, maintain or enhance significant agricultural outcomes, benefits, or other investment gains, including the regional significance of the agricultural operation, or its suitability based on soils, slope, location or other relevant factors.
(5) The capacity and competence of the prospective conservation management plan holder to enter into and (if implementation funding is awarded) monitor and carry out implementation of a conservation management plan, including:
(a) The financial capability to manage the plan(s) over time;
(b) The demonstrated relevant commitment, expertise, and track record to successfully develop, implement, carry out, and monitor plan(s); and
(c) The strength of the conservation management plan holder as measured by effective governance.
(6) The extent to which the benefit to the state may be maximized, based on:
(a) The ability to leverage grant moneys from other funding sources;
(b) The duration and extent of the conservation management plan, with a preference for longer term agreements if implementation funding is awarded; and
(c) The potential for setting an example that will encourage additional working land projects.
(7) The impacts of plan implementation on owners or operators of neighboring lands, including:
(a) A plan for communicating with neighboring owners and operators once a conservation management plan is ready to be implemented about how to mitigate potential impacts; and
(b) A maintenance plan for infrastructure that may impact neighboring lands if not maintained over time.
8) The level of threat of conversion or fragmentation of the working land.
Source:
Rule 698-010-0090 — Evaluation Criteria, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/view.action?ruleNumber=698-010-0090.