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December 16, 2008
NACD Sends Stimulus Proposal to Congress
Today NACD President John Redding sent a proposal for the
economic stimulus package that is being discussed by
Congress and President Elect Obama. Congressional
leadership has indicated strong support for an economic
stimulus that creates “green jobs.” While the term “green
jobs” is relatively new, it is a function conservation
districts have been performing since the late 1930s when
they were first created to lead the local and national
investments in conservation of the nation’s natural
resources.
NACD’s proposal, developed in consultation with the NACD
Legislative Committee and officer team, would increase
spending for several conservation programs that could also
result in significant job creation. Priorities included in
NACD’s proposed stimulus funding are the Watershed
Rehabilitation and Operations Accounts; the 319 Nonpoint
Source Grants program; forest and rangeland activities
including wildfire mitigation, wood based energy
development, fuels reductions, pest prevention and
rehabilitation, invasive plant rehabilitation, and
post-wildfire restoration; and the Healthy Lands
Initiative.
NACD’s proposal also emphasizes the need for a temporary
exemption for state and local cost-sharing requirements
in all stimulus projects. The proposal would provide more
than $2.6 billion in spending for natural resource
infrastructure projects and could create over 43,000 jobs
in natural resource conservation.
Click here to read the full text of NACD’s economic stimulus proposal.
NACD Comments on the Role of Local Work Groups
Today, NACD filed comments to NRCS on the interim final
regulation on State Technical Committees and Local Work
Groups. The new regulation, which went into effect on
November 25, reflects new provisions in the 2008 Farm Bill
that combine the Local Work Group and stakeholder input
processes. NRCS is now in the process of developing
guidance documents for the regulation and is seeking
comments regarding the successful operation of LWGs and
State Technical Committees.
In NACD’s comments, the Association requested that local
conservation districts continue convening the new local
work groups, which has been the practice for several
years. NACD believes it is a critical leadership role for
districts and encourages all districts and state
associations to file comments with NRCS before the
January 26, 2009 deadline to ensure the continuation of
this role for districts. It is important for districts to
outline processes that work at the local level so
decision-makers in Washington, D.C., will have a basis for
their recommendations.
Click here to view the full text of NACD’s comments, which can also be used as a model for district comments.
Presidential Transition and 111th Congressional
Organization Continue to Organize
Work continues in Washington, D.C., to prepare for the new
administration of President-elect Obama and the 111th
Congress.
The President-elect recently named individuals to lead
energy and environmental efforts in the new Administration.
Recently named members include former EPA Administrator
Carol Browner in the newly created position of Assistant to
the President for Energy and Climate Change; physicist and
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Director Steven Chu
as Secretary of Energy; former New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection Chief Lisa Jackson as Environmental
Protection Agency Administrator; and Los Angeles Deputy
Mayor Nancy Sutley as chair of the White House Council on
Environmental Quality. Press reports also indicate that
President-elect Obama plans to name Senator Ken Salazar
(D-CO) as Secretary of the Interior. Each of these
appointments will require confirmation by the Senate.
Congress is also making organizational decisions as it
prepares for the 111th session. In the Senate, Majority
Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) named his recommendations for
committee leadership including Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) as
Agriculture Committee chair, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) as
Energy and Natural Resources Committee chair, Sen. Barbara
Boxer (D-CA) as Environment and Public Works Committee
chair, and Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) as Appropriations
Committee chair. Several key committee leadership decisions
have also been made in the House of Representatives, where
the Republican leadership selected Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK)
to be Agriculture Committee ranking member, and Rep. Doc
Hastings (R-WA) to be the House Natural Resources Committee
ranking member.
NACD looks forward to working with leaders in both the
White House and the Congress next year.
NACD Leaders Make the Rounds
NACD leaders are crisscrossing the country, meeting with
members and representing the National Association. NACD CEO
Krysta Harden recently traveled to Wenatchee, Wash., and
Appleton, Wisc., for each state’s respective annual meeting.
She provided updates on NACD activities and challenged
conference attendees at both events to become stronger
advocates for conservation.
NACD President Steve Robinson and NACD Grassroots Manager
Jeremy Peters were in Roanoke, Va., last week for the
Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation
Districts’ Annual Meeting. Robinson served as the keynote
speaker for the event, highlighting conservation districts’
rich history, showcasing NACD’s current activities and
outlining his vision for conservation for the next 70 years.
Robinson also joined NACD Secretary/Treasurer Gene Schmidt
in Washington, D.C., this week to meet with the auditors and
work on NACD’s budget. The leaders also met Pennsylvania
Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolf and with leadership
from the Conservation Technology Information Center.
Annual Meeting Breakouts Offer Unmatched Opportunities
Where else can you find agency briefings, board and media
training opportunities, policy updates and education
workshops all in one place? NACD’s 2009 Annual Meeting will
offer participants a full slate of helpful breakout
sessions, spanning from climate change to small acreage
farming, and from the 2008 Farm Bill to recovery after a
major storm. In addition, conference goers can decide
between a selection of three-hour, in-depth workshops on
Wednesday, February 4. Workshop topics include building a
stronger board, working with the media and districts’ role
in local work groups. Details, descriptions and speakers
for all of these sessions and more are available at
http://nacdnet.org/events/annualmeeting/program/breakouts/.
Your biggest challenge will be to decide which session to
attend!
NACD’s 2009 Annual Meeting will be held February 1-4, 2009
in New Orleans, La. Register today at
http://nacdnet.org/events/annualmeeting/registration/! Full
conference details are available at http://nacdnet.org/events/annualmeeting/.
Endangered Species Act Final Rule Released
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine
Fisheries Services (Services) recently announced changes to
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Section 7 of
the ESA outlines processes federal action agencies must use
to ensure their actions do not jeopardize listed species or
their habitat.
The changes clarify conditions under which the Services must
be consulted, streamline the informal consultation process
and provide agencies with better guidance. In the final
rule, consultation processes are streamlined, allowing
informal consultation to address multiple actions and
reducing instances where documentation of biological
assessment is required in duplication. Importantly, the rule
also establishes a 60-day deadline for the Services’
consultation process.
The final rule represents changes to ESA requirements that
conservation districts should be aware of when working with
federal partners. NACD submitted comments on the proposed
rule in October (see http://nacdnet.org/policy/input/comments/esa_10-14-08.pdf).
For more information on this rulemaking, visit
http://www.doi.gov/initiatives/ESA_Section7FR.pdf. The
final regulation will take effect January 15, 2009.
EPA Writes Final Rule for Air Releases
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently
released a final rule regarding the administrative
reporting exemption for air releases of hazardous
substances from animal waste at farms. The changes under
the exemption are relevant to conservation districts when
working with local emergency response authorities on
farm-related releases.
The exemption is authorized under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
(CERCLA) and the Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Under the rule, EPA is providing
a full exemption to the reporting requirement under CERCLA
and a limited exemption to the reporting requirement under
EPCRA for releases of hazardous substances to the air from
animal waste at farms. The exemptions are based on findings
that EPA—as well as state and local emergency response
authorities—have not taken, nor expect to take, response
actions as a result of air releases from farms.
Farm operators must still make notifications when
hazardous substances are released to the air from sources
other than animal waste, such as ammonia tanks, and when
hazardous substances are released to soil and water. Large
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations will still be
required to submit emergency notification reports under
EPCRA.
Additional information on the final rule is available at
http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/epcra/index.htm.
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