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November 12, 2008
National Conservation Partnership Meets in Washington
NACD hosted the fall meeting of the National Conservation
Partnership last week in Washington, D.C. The Partnership
meeting is quarterly event at which leaders from NRCS,
NASCA, NARC&DC and NCDEA discuss conservation policy and
delivery issues. At the meeting last week, the Partners
provided updates regarding ongoing items in their
respective organizations. They also reviewed the
overarching goals of the Partnership and discussed items in
which all partners have a vested interest, such as an
update on the soon-to-be-released NRCS audit, the status of
data privacy issues, information technology issues and
initial planning for a partnership leadership training
conference in 2010.
The Partnership also joined NACD staff and leaders from
NRCS, USDA, USFS, and Capitol Hill in planting an American
Chestnut tree in memory of Olin Sims at the National
Arboretum. The planting was a part of the Living Legacy
Program established by the NACD Board to honor 2007 NACD
President Olin Sims. As part of the program, NACD requests
that members, districts, and partners plant a tree as a
lasting and living memorial to our former president. To
learn more about the Living Legacy program and to see other
tree plantings that are happening across the nation, go to
http://www.nacdnet.org/news/living_legacy/.
2008 Election Brings Many Changes to Washington
The historic elections last week will bring many new faces
to Washington, D.C. In the coming months, President-Elect
Barack Obama will consider appointees for members of his
cabinet, including Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior and
several others. He will also name a new Administrator of
the Environmental Protection Agency. These top-level
positions, along with several under secretary and deputy
secretary positions will require confirmation by the U.S.
Senate next year.
Along with the key positions mentioned above, thousands of
new political appointees will assume roles within the
Administration next year. At present, it is unknown who will
fill all of these positions, but NACD will share the
information as soon as it becomes available. It is an
exciting time in Washington, and NACD and its members will
take full advantage of the great opportunity to build new
relationships and educate those less familiar with the great
work of conservation districts.
110th Congress Returns to Work, Prepares for Next Session
The outcome of the 2008 elections will change the political
dynamic in Washington, D.C. as Democrats will have control
of both the White House and Congress starting in January.
Democrats have gained seats in both the Senate and House of
Representatives. Specific totals are not yet available as
several races are close and have yet to be called. Once the
111th Congress convenes in January, seats on respective
committees will be named. With the gains by the Democrats,
committee membership will shift to reflect the new ratios in
the House and Senate.
Current leadership in both the House of Representatives and
Senate have indicated plans to call lawmakers back to
Washington, D.C. on November 17 for a final lame duck
session of the 110th Congress. The primary goal in both
chambers of Congress will be to resume work on another
potential economic stimulus package. There has been
speculation that this stimulus package will focus on
transportation, infrastructure and energy and will cost
around $150 billion. During this time, Republicans and
Democrats are also expected to decide their respective party
leaders for the next Congress.
NACD will remain engaged with Congressional leaders during
the lame-duck session.
NACD Participates in Oregon State Meeting
NACD Second Vice President Bob Cordova traveled to Newport,
Ore. last week for the Oregon Association of Conservation
Districts (OACD) Annual Meeting. The meeting marked the
60th Anniversary of OACD. In his presentation to the crowd,
Cordova spoke to the past, present and future of
conservation districts, outlining his vision for the
national association and highlighting NACD’s current
priorities and efforts. Conference participants also heard
from a number of other partners and had an opportunity to
participate in breakouts covering a wide range of topics,
including records management, Farm Bill implementation,
small acreage outreach, district marketing, water quality,
effective boards and more.
NACD Comments on “Socially Disadvantaged” Provisions in
Farm Bill
NACD recently provided comments to NRCS regarding the
provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill that address socially
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. The provisions relate
to increased cost-share rates, incentives and advanced
payments for certain conservation programs. In the comments,
NACD expressed support for these provisions and for the
inclusion of Indian tribes and beginning, limited resource
and geographically-challenged farmers and ranchers. NACD
members from the Pacific Basin work with producer customers
located in remote island areas and are particularly
interested in these provisions. The full text of NACD’s
comments can be viewed at
http://nacdnet.org/policy/input/comments/farm_bill_11-7-08.pdf.
NRCS is continuing to work on Farm Bill regulations. NACD
hopes the regulations will be released yet this year. To
view additional NACD Farm Bill comments, please visit the
NACD website.
Interior Announces Full PILT Funding
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) recently
announced that more than $1.5 billion will be distributed
through 2012 to local governments that qualify for the
Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. The funding was
authorized by the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of
2008, which NACD reported on in the October 7 edition of
eNotes. Click here to read the article.
The DOI also announced that $138.7 million in supplemental
payments for fiscal year (FY) 2008 will be distributed by
the third week in November. When combined with payments made
earlier in FY 2008, this will mark the first time since
1994 that local governments received full PILT payments.
PILT provides compensation to local governments for
untaxable federal lands within their jurisdiction.
More information on PILT can be found at http://www.doi.gov/pilt/.
NACD/AEM Award Nominations Due November 21
Conservation districts work daily with landowners and
community leaders who rely on equipment to do their jobs
and run their businesses. In an effort to recognize
conservation districts’ innovative use of and need for
technology and equipment, NACD has partnered with AEM to
offer a new award. The new award program will be split into
two categories—Excellence in Conservation Equipment and
Technology Use and Defining Conservation Needs for the
Future. One winning conservation district will be selected
from each category, and each award winner will receive a
$2,000 cash reward.
The deadline to submit nominations for this award is
November 21, 2008. To learn more about this award or submit
a nomination, go to
http://www.nacdnet.org/news/awards/aem.phtml.
U.S. Dept. of Labor Seeks Conservationists to Complete
Survey
The United States Department of Labor is currently updating
its description of the soil and water conservationist
occupation. Seventy-five conservationists have already
responded to the call to complete the 45-minute survey. The
Department needs around 325 more responses from across the
country in order to obtain a balanced sampling of the
conservationist occupation. After the survey information
is compiled, the final description will be posted on the
O*NET resource center website and will be the foremost reference for the occupation of soil
and water conservationist.
The survey is open to and needs input from NRCS, local
district conservationists, state agency conservationists as
well as private sector conservationists. Conservation
employees with five or more years of service are especially
encouraged to respond. Survey volunteers will be offered the
opportunity to complete the survey on their own time or
during work hours depending on the needs of the individual
locations and the preferences of employee supervisors. If
you volunteer to complete the survey and are contacted, you
will be sent the survey information, $40 and a framed
certificate of appreciation from the U.S. Department of
Labor.
If you would like to volunteer to participate, please
contact Andrea L. Smith at asmith@onet.rti.org with
your name, address and daytime phone number. If you have
any questions, call Andrea Smith at (877) 233-7348, ext.
130.
National Forest Foundation Seeks Proposals for Awards
Program
The National Forest Foundation (NFF) is currently
soliciting pre-proposals for its 2009 Matching Awards
Program (MAP). The grant program provides matching funds on
a 1:1 basis to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and Native
American tribes to implement action-oriented, on-the-ground
and citizen-based monitoring projects that benefit national
forests and grasslands.
Proposals for the Matching Awards Program will be selected
for funding through a two-stage process. Applicants must
first submit a pre-proposal to NFF. The pre-proposals will
be evaluated, and then a subset of the pre-proposal group
will be invited to submit full proposals.
The submission date for pre-proposals is December 12, 2008.
To learn more about NFF’s Matching Awards Program, please
visit http://www.natlforests.org/consp_04_map.html.
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