June 24, 2008 eNotes - National Association of Conservation Districts

June 24, 2008
index to previous eNotes

1. Congress Continues Work on FY 2009 Appropriations
House Appropriations subcommittees have begun work on fiscal year 2009 (FY 2009) appropriations, and several have recently approved spending bills.

The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee recently passed increases in funding for several key conservation programs, including $847.9 million for the Conservation Operations. The bill also restores funding for several programs proposed for reductions or elimination under the President’s budget, including $50.7 million for the Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) program, $40 million for Watershed Rehabilitation and $29.8 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations.

The House Interior and Environment Subcommittee also recently passed its spending bill. The bill restores funding cuts proposed under the President’s budget for the Forest Service, increasing funding by $473 million, not including firefighting costs. Specific details for State and Private Forestry and EPA 319 Nonpoint Source Grants have not been released by the subcommittee.

The full House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to take up the Agriculture spending bill this week, and action on Interior and Environment appropriations is anticipated in the coming weeks as well. Information on NACD’s FY 2009 appropriations priorities can be found at http://nacdnet.org/policy/appropriations/fy09/.

2. Final Farm Bill Enacted
Last week the President vetoed the complete (second version) of the 2008 Farm Bill. Both the House (317-109) and Senate (80-14) voted to override the Presidential veto. A printing error resulted in a missing Trade Title (Title III) in the first version that was vetoed by the President in May. Most titles were enacted in May when Congress overrode the President’s veto of the first version. The action last week finalizes enactment of all titles of the 2008 Farm Bill, ensuring that the trade provisions are now law.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has implementation plans underway and should begin preparing rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the new laws. NACD will be working on regulations with USDA, preparing written comments and holding meetings and briefings regarding the provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill.

3. NACD Executive Board Plans for the Upcoming Year
The NACD Executive Board enjoyed good southern hospitality during their annual budget planning meeting in June. The group met in Atlanta, Ga. to finalize a proposed FY 2009 budget for the association and to address other operational issues. They also addressed other operational and financial issues including approving an update of NACD’s investment policy, staffing issues and reviewing fundraising activities for the Capitol Court Campaign.

The group also used the meeting as an opportunity to meet with local district and state leaders. This year the Executive Board traveled to the home district of NACD President John Redding. Redding’s district, Walton County Soil and Water Conservation District, provided the Executive Board with a short tour of area projects, and the Georgia Association of Conservation District Supervisors provided dinner. Members of the Georgia State Soil and Water Conservation Commission also attended the event, along with other state and local partners. Thanks Georgia!

4. NACD Helps Hawaii with Board Member Development
NACD Director of Member Services Brad Ross participated in the Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts Annual Meeting in Kona, Hawaii last week. The annual meeting focused on board member development and understanding of their responsibilities as public officials. Board members from across the islands are developing strategies for addressing a broad diversity of natural resource concerns, securing financial resources and maintaining a strong pool of natural resource professionals. In addition to Sunshine Law training by the State Attorney General’s office, several training sessions on the locally led conservation process were conducted by Ross. Ross also helped districts understand the importance of developing a business plan.

On a related note, the NACD District Operations and Member Services Committee is currently working to build a library of capacity-building resources and leadership development materials for district use. In the future, a list of files will be posted on NACD’s website and resources will be available to districts upon request. NACD will notify districts when these resources are available for distribution.

5. Countdown to NACD's Renovation Ride
The countdown for the Renovation Ride (July 14-18) has begun! With only three weeks left until the week-long, 258-mile ride, NACD staff riders have paused in their training to get their bicycles to the shop for a tune-up. Their bikes aren’t the only things that need tuning up! Conservation district’s D.C. home is in serious need of a tune-up, too.

The three-story townhouse at 509 Capitol Court NE has covered a lot of ground over the 20 years since its purchase. Unfortunately, over the course of those 20 years, very little maintenance has been performed on the building, resulting in torn, worn and stained carpets, inefficient single-pain windows, outdated security systems, water-stained ceilings, problematic plumbing, just to name a few items that need renovation and repair.

We want to keep NACD and your national office running smoothly for the next 20 plus years! To do that, we need your help. Support the Renovation Ride by downloading our pledge form at http://www.nacdnet.org/events/509campaign/ride/ and pledging money to the team of your choice (Newbies or Old Pros). Help support this great cause. More information about the 509 Capitol Court Campaign, including a list of building improvements, current fundraising status and a list of donors is also available at http://www.nacdnet.org/events/509campaign/.

6. Dig It! 2009 NACD Stewardship Program
Can you dig it? Conservation districts and educators across the nation will encourage others to explore the nation’s foundation with the 2009 Stewardship Theme: “Dig It! The Secrets of Soil.”

NACD is using the Dig It! theme in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the Soil Science Society of America. This collaboration will complement the Smithsonian “Dig It! The Secrets of Soil,” exhibition, which will run July 19, 2008 through January 3, 2010 at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and travel to museums across the United States May 2010 to September 2013.

NACD is currently in the process of developing educational materials that will feature the 2009 soils theme and compliment the Smithsonian soils exhibition. If you have successful activities, exhibits or other ideas involving soil that could be featured in the 2009 Stewardship Educators Guide or on the 2009 Stewardship website, please send them to stewardship@nacdnet.org. Stewardship materials for 2009 will be available for sale by late summer 2008.

7. NACD Seeks Intern for Fall Semester
NACD’s Internship Program presents college students with an outstanding opportunity to spend a semester in the Washington, D.C., working with NACD’s legislative and communication staffs to advance the association’s legislative agenda. Through this program, interns gain working knowledge of Congress and federal natural resource and environmental agencies and an understanding of the roles conservation districts and state conservation agencies play in the development of natural resource, agricultural and environmental policies. After completing this 10-15 week internship, many of our interns have returned to work the nation’s capital upon graduation, thanks in large part to the contacts and experience they gained through their time in the NACD Office.

NACD accepts applications for Spring, Summer and Fall internships year-round, but tends to make hiring decisions closer to the appropriate deadline. The deadline for submitting an application for the Fall 2008 internship has been extended to Friday, July 11, 2008. For more information and to apply, go to http://www.nacdnet.org/about/intern_program/.

8. Upcoming CTIC Tour Highlights Conservation Education
The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) invites conservation district leaders to join them on the “Conservation in Action” tour this summer.

The July 17, 2008 tour will present opportunities to learn about innovative practices producers are utilizing to maintain healthy and profitable agriculture operations. Five different farms in Central Indiana will be highlighted, providing tour participants the opportunity for one-on-one interaction with featured producers as well as leaders from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and congressional staff.

For more information on this educational opportunity, visit the CTIC website at http://www.conservationinformation.org.

9. EPA Releases 2008 Report on the Environment
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released its 2008 Report on the Environment (EPA 2008 ROE). The 2008 Report on the Environment is a resource for understanding trends in the condition of air, water and land resources, and related changes in human health and the environment.

The EPA 2008 ROE is intended to create a reliable set of information that can be used for year-to-year comparisons as well as for planning future work to protect America’s resources. The ROE uses quantifiable scientific indicators to provide valuable information on the conditions of air, land, water, human health or ecological conditions. The report includes information on national environmental trends, as well as regional reports with specific indicators to provide more localized information important to the on-the-ground work of conservation districts.

To view EPA’s 2008 ROE, visit http://www.epa.gov/roe.

10. NACD Calendar of Events
July 18-23, NACD Summer Board Meeting and Legislative Conference, Washington, D.C.
August 3-5, Northeast Region Meeting, Portsmouth, NH
August 10-12, Southeast Region Meeting, Biloxi, MS
August 21-23, South Central Region Meeting, Hot Springs, AR
September 14-16, Southwest and Pacific Region Meeting, Aptos, CA

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