North Dakota State Soil Conservation Committee
North Dakota State University - NDSU Extension Service   

NORTH  DAKOTA  STATE  SOIL  CONSERVATION  COMMITTEE 
2718 Gateway Ave., #104 - Bismarck, ND 58503
Phone: (701) 328-9718 - Fax: (701) 328-9721

MINUTES 
of the  
State Soil Conservation Committee meeting  

Bismarck , North Dakota 

November 8, 2005

A meeting of the North Dakota State Soil Conservation Committee was held at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel, Bismarck, North Dakota.  The meeting was called to order at 11:30 a.m., on November 8, with Chair Thomas Christensen presiding.  The following persons attended all or a portion of the meetings:  

committee members present 
Robert Blegen, Supervisor, Area I
Keith Bartholomay, Supervisor, Area II
Duane Hawk, Supervisor, Area III
Lynette Wood, Supervisor, Area IV
Shorty Hoerauf, Supervisor, Area V
Lowell Disrud, Appointee
Thomas Christensen, Appointee

 advisors present 
J.R. Flores, State Conservationist, USDA-NRCS
Judy Carlson, ND Department of Agriculture
Dwight Comfort, Water Resources Engineer, ND State Water Commission
Dean Hildebrand, Director, ND State Game and Fish

others present
Scott Hochhalter, Soil Conservation Specialist, NDSU Extension Service
Roxanne Johnson, President, NDASCD 
Terry Lund, President, NDACDE

nd GAME & FISH DEPARTMENT
Dean Hildebrand updated the State Soil Conservation Committee on activities with the North Dakota Game & Fish Department.    

ND STATE WATER COMMISSION  
Dwight Comfort reviewed with the State Soil Conservation Committee water levels in Devils Lake and Lake Sakakawea.  He provided updates on the Southwest Pipeline and Northwest Area Water Supply projects.     

APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
IT WAS MOVED BY COMMITTEE BARTHOLOMAY, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER HAWK, AND CARRIED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 21, 2005 COMMITTEE MEETING AS DISTRIBUTED.  Committee Members Hawk, Wood, Bartholomay, Blegen, Disrud and Christensen voted “Aye.”  Committee Member Hoerauf absent.  No negative votes were cast.

NORTH DAKOTA’S ONE-CALL EXCAVATION NOTICE SYSTEM  
The State Soil Conservation Committee reviewed the Attorney General Opinion regarding tree-planting operations being exempt from North Dakota’s one-call excavation notice system established under N.D.C.C. ch. 49-23.  It is in the opinion of the Attorney General that the act of planting trees for nursery, or for farm and ranch windbreaks or shelterbelts, is excluded from the requirement to notify the one-call excavation notification center as an agricultural activity, so long as the planting activity does not disturb the soil to a depth of 18 inches or more.  If trees are planted for gardening and landscaping activities, the person planting the trees is not required to notify the one-call service center if the planting does not disturb the soil to a depth of twelve inches or more.  The exception applies to non-agricultural windbreaks or shelterbelt planting activities.  

ND ASSOCIATION CONSERVATION DISTRICT EMPLOYEES (NDACDE)  
Terry Lund reviewed several activities of the NDACDE with the State Soil Conservation Committee.  He indicated that the NDACDE has over 60 members.  This is the second year the NDACDE sponsored an auction at the NDASCD Annual Meeting.  The funds earned are used to help support the training needs of the soil conservation district employees.  The NDACDE is developing a scholarship and mentoring program in 2006.   

ND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE  
Judy Carlson updated the State Soil Conservation Committee on the soil survey digitizing celebration and Project Safe Send.   

EASTERN GRAND FORKS CO. SCD AND WESTERN GRAND FORKS CO. SCD CONSOLIDATION UPDATE 
Scott Hochhalter reviewed the consolidation procedure with the Eastern Grand Forks Co. SCD and the Western Grand Forks Co. SCD with the State Soil Conservation Committee.  The districts are working on gathering signatures from qualified electors living in the district to complete the petitions.   

SSCC and ndascd conservation summit 
Scott Hochhalter reviewed the Soil Conservation District Workload Assessment Survey with the State Soil Conservation Committee.  The Conservation Summit is to be held on January 10-11, 2006.  The survey results will be the major agenda item to be discussed.  The State Soil Conservation Committee would like to have NRCS provide a facilitator and recorder for the Conservation Summit.    

SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 
Scott Hochhalter updated the State Soil Conservation Committee on the progress of the 2006 contribution agreement.     

USDA-NRCS  
J.R. Flores reviewed the Conservation Security Program with the State Soil Conservation Committee.  He indicated that the initial budget is very lean.  His number one priority is securing the funding needed for the contribution agreement with the State Soil Conservation Committee.    

NDASCD 
Roxanne Johnson mentioned that she was elected President and Richard Faught was elected Vice President for the North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts.  She mentioned that Aaron Smestad and Richard Faught are the new directors.    

OTHER BUSINESS 
The State Soil Conservation Committee reviewed the Resource Analysis Team concept used in the Conservation Agriculture project.  The State Soil Conservation Committee will invite Sharon Clancy to the next meeting to further discuss this concept.    

There being no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 3:15 p.m.  

Scott Hochhalter, Soil Conservationist Specialist
Recording Secretary    

To review the complete listing of all the Soil District Minutes 
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