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September 27, 2011
Has Your District Worked with the Military on Longleaf Pine Restoration?
NACD is working with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a Primer
on conservation districts. As part of this ongoing project, NACD is currently
seeking examples specifically related to Longleaf Pine restoration.
If your district has worked with the military on this type of project, please email
NACD Communications Director Bethany Shively at Bethany-Shively@nacdnet.org.
The Primer will be shared with military bases and will be showcased at the
upcoming NACD Annual Meeting, exemplifying ways the military and conservation
districts can work together to protect and manage our nation’s natural resources.
Senate Strikes Deal to Avert Government Shutdown
Faced with another possible government shutdown next week, the U.S. Senate
on Monday night agreed to a continuing resolution (CR), which would fund the
government through Nov. 18.
The measure includes $2.6 billion for Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) disaster relief for Fiscal Year2012. FEMA was set to run out of disaster
aid funds on Wednesday.
The Senate separately passed a short-term CR through Oct. 4 by voice vote
to give the House time to consider the longer bill. The House is currently on a
weeklong recess and is scheduled to be back in session on Oct. 3. However,
a pro forma session is scheduled for Thursday, during which the chamber
could clear the short-term measure by unanimous consent.
The short-term agreement sets up the possibility of another showdown in
mid-November, just days before the super committee is charged with offering
its recommendations.
Chesapeake Bay Group Tours Maryland
This week, NACD participated in a Chesapeake Bay Discussion Group field
visit to the Wye Research and Education Center in Queenstown, Md. The
visit was followed by a tour to various field sites, examining emerging
conservation technologies addressing water quality.
The presentations included sessions on how the Maryland Department of
Agriculture is helping in the Phase II Watershed Improvement Process, nutrient
research and using decision agriculture modeling to improve water quality.
Emerging technologies at the field sites included an algal scrubber, a ditch
filter and a stormwater pond filter.
NACD Director for Legislative Affairs Karl Anderson attended the event, along
with NRCS Chief Dave White and representatives from more than a dozen
other organizations. The Maryland Association of Conservation Districts hosted
the tour.
Nominations Open for Transportation Planning Excellence Awards
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) will be accepting nominations for the 2012 Transportation Planning
Excellence Awards (TPEA) Program from October 1 through December 1.
Developed by the FHWA and FTA, TPEA is a biennial awards program recognizing
outstanding initiatives across the country that develop, plan and implement
innovative transportation planning practices. TPEA is cosponsored by the
Transportation Research Board (TRB).
To be eligible for nomination, an organization must be involved in a planning
project or process that has used FHWA and/or FTA funding sources to make
an outstanding contribution to the field of transportation planning.
Award winners will be announced in the spring of 2012 and will receive their
awards at the TRB 2012 Summer Meeting on the West Coast. For more
information, visit www.planning.dot.gov or email Angel Williams at TPEA2012@dot.gov.
National Conservation Foundation Conservation District Award
The National Conservation Foundation is excited to offer the National
Conservation Foundation Conservation District Award, through which one
winning conservation district will receive $10,000 to carry out a local project.
The Foundation is seeking “on-the-ground” projects that touch local communities.
The Foundation is partnering on this year’s award with the NACD Presidents
Association. The Presidents Association is composed of individuals who are
serving or have served as a president of a state or territory association of
conservation districts.
The National Conservation Foundation seeks to encourage and facilitate the
implementation of unique programs and services by districts and other conservation
organizations that advance the conservation, wise use and orderly development
of the nation’s natural resources.
Click here for more information, including
application forms and general guidelines.
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