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____________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />VSP Agreement Between the KITTITAS COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT and KITTITAS COUNTY - Page 15 of 17 <br />A. The DISTRICT will assist the Watershed Group in continued development of a <br />timeline for periodic evaluations, adaptive management, and provide written <br />reports of plan status/accomplishments to the COUNTY and the Washington <br />State Conservation Commission. <br />B. The DISTRICT will coordinate monitoring programs with other state agency <br />activities. <br />C. Implement the the requirements of the VSP and RCW Chapter 36.70A.700-760. <br />a. Two year status reports. No later than August 30, 2021, provide the written <br />biennial report to the COMMISSION. The biennial report must provide the <br />status of plans and accomplishments of the work plan to COMMISSION. The <br />biennial report should include a summary of how plan implementation is <br />affecting each of the following: <br />1. The protection and enhancement of critical areas within the area <br />where agricultural activities are conducted; <br />2. The maintenance and improvement of the long-term viability of <br />agriculture; <br />3. Reducing the conversion of farmland to other uses; <br />4. The maximization of the use of voluntary incentive programs to <br />encourage good riparian and ecosystem stewardship as an <br />alternative to historic approaches used to protect critical areas; <br />5. The leveraging of existing resources by relying upon existing work <br />and plans in counties and local watersheds, as well as existing state <br />and federal programs to the maximum extent practicable to achieve <br />program goals; <br />6. Ongoing efforts to encourage and foster a spirit of cooperation and <br />partnership among county, tribal, environmental, and agricultural <br />interests to better assure the program success; <br />7. Ongoing efforts to improve compliance with other laws designed to <br />protect water quality and fish habitat; and <br />8. A description of efforts showing how relying upon voluntary <br />stewardship practices as the primary method of protecting critical <br />areas and does not require the cessation of agricultural activities. <br />b. Five year review and evaluation report. If a Five year VSP report is due <br />during this contract period, than no later than the current deadline for <br />submittal of the report to the COMMISSION, and in conjunction with the <br />county watershed group, facilitate, develop, assist and submit the five year <br />report to the director of the COMMISSION. See RCW 36.70A.720 (2) (b) (i) <br />and (c) (i). When submitting the five-year review and evaluation report to the <br />COMMISSION, as per RCW 36.70A.720 and RCW 36.70A.730, the <br />COUNTY agrees to use the COMMISSION’S Guide and Template. The <br />Guide is available for download on the COMMISSION’s VSP web page: <br />(https://www.scc.wa.gov/vsp/implementation). The Template will be provided <br />or made available by the COMMISSION to the COUNTY. <br />c. At five year intervals from the date of receipt of funding, each county <br />watershed group must submit a report to the director of the Commission and <br />the COUNTY on whether it has met the work plan's protection and