RFP for the Farmland Protection Program Published in Federal Register - On May 28, a Notice of Request for Proposals for the Farmland Protection Program (FPP) was published in the Federal Register. There is $2 million available from the Commodity Credit Corporation for the FPP in fiscal year 1997. The Federal Government will cooperate with State, tribal, or local government entities to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land with prime, unique, or other productive soils. State, tribal, or local government entities have until July 14, 1997, to submit their requests to the appropriate NRCS State Conservationist. The notice can be accessed from the Federal Register home page: http://www.access.gpo.gov; or the NRCS home page: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov.

NRCS Employees Complete Graduate Studies - The NRCS National Employee Development Center announced the following individuals who have graduated, or will graduate in the next few months, from the NRCS Graduate Studies Program:

--John Andrews, Colorado, M.S. in Agricultural Environmental Engineering

--Margareta Bishop, Montana, M.S. in Ecosystems Management/Environmental Sociology

--Lydia Collazo, Puerto Rico, M.S. in Engineering Management

--Helen Flach, California, Ph.D. in Public Policy

--David Howell, California, M.S. in Natural Resource Planning Interpretation

--Lenore Matula, New Jersey, M.S. in Plant and Soil Science

--Roger Montague, Texas, M.S. in Training Development

--John Piskac, Kansas, M.S. in Public Administration

--Carlos Suarez, Pennsylvania, M.S. in Geoenvironmental

--Richard Vigil, New Mexico, M.P.A. in Natural Resource Water Management

Congratulations, graduates!

Updated Practice Standards Available via the Internet - The NRCS National Practice Standards Workgroup for Wildlife, Aquatic, Wetland, and Riparian Practices has developed 10 new practice standards, recommended major changes to 9, and recommended additions to 37 others. These new and revised conservation practice standards can be accessed via the Internet on: http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/BCS/standards/standards.html. They will help NRCS personnel and our partners plan with landowners the restoration and management of wildlife, aquatic, riparian, and wetland habitats in some new and varied ways. NRCS has had wildlife and wetland conservation practices for a number of years; however, over time some practice standards give way to new technology or they need to be revised to incorporate new methods, concerns, or criteria. Farm bill programs have a new emphasis on wetland restoration and the development and restoration of wildlife and aquatic habitats and NRCS has seen the need to develop some new conservation practice standards in these areas. States will develop the general specifications to guide practice installation in the field.

UPCOMING SATELLITE BROADCASTS

Equal Employment Opportunity Legislation Training - The NRCS National Employee Development Center is announcing an important training event for NRCS supervisors and managers and our conservation partners. Scheduled for June 30, 1997, 3-4 p.m. EDT, this satellite broadcast, "It's Your Responsibility: An Overview of EEO Legislation," will explain the major Federal EEO laws and provide a five-step plan of action for helping to ensure compliance with those laws. Though targeted for supervisors and managers, all NRCS employees are invited to participate. For more information, contact your NRCS training officer.

USDA Honor Awards Conference - The USDA Honor Awards will be broadcast by satellite on June 11, 1997, from 1-2:30 p.m. EDT, at the following coordinates: Satellite: Galaxy 3R, C-Band; location: 95 degrees west; transponder: 21 (horizontal); downlink frequency: 4120 MHz; audio frequency: 6.2 and 6.8; trouble number: 202-720-8559.

National Working Women's Summit - The Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor is hosting the National Working Women's Summit on June 5, 1997, via satellite from Washington, D.C., from 1 to 3 p.m. EDT. This summit is an outgrowth of regional summits held in fall 1996, which evolved from the Women's Bureau "Don't Work in the Dark" public education campaign. The initiative encourages American working women to get the facts, know their rights, and find out what works across the country. The central theme of this summit is "Economic Equity: Realities, Responsibilities, and Rewards," and is being held in response to women throughout the country who asked for a national forum to discuss the issue of main concern to them, that is, economic equity. If you would like to host a downlink site or for more information, call Adrian Aquirre at 202-219-6601, ext. 182.

The satellite coordinates are:

KU Band satellite - Galaxy 4, Transponder 21 (Horizontal Polarity); downlink frequency: 12110 MHz; audio frequency 6.2/6.8; location: 99 degrees west.

C Band satellite - GE 2 (General Electric), Transponder 4 (Horizontal Polarity), downlink frequency: 3780 MHz; audio frequency 6.2/6.8.; location: 85 degrees west. (This is a new satellite replacing Telstar 402, which went out of service this year. Downlink receivers will need to be updated to tune in this satellite.) The trouble number to call on the date of the telecast is 202-720-8559.

IN THE FIELD

Arizona Develops Outreach Handbook - NRCS in Arizona has developed materials for in-State training as part of its outreach and information campaign on the 1996 Farm Bill. One-day training sessions were held throughout the State for NRCS, FSA, and conservation district employees and, in some cases, Extension Service and Forest Service employees. Part of the training focused on how to get the public involved in the Local Work Group process. A Step-by-Step guide was prepared for conservation districts to use to convene the first meeting of the Local Work Group. The guide contained:

1. A media advisory news release announcing the meeting.

2. A notice suitable for newsletters.

3. An 8 1/2-by-11-inch notice of public meeting.

4. Sample letter to congressional delegation.

5. Sample letter to Local Work Group members.

6. Sample letter of invitation to other interested constituents.

7. List of contacts of key organizations in their area, with addresses and telephone numbers.

The material was provided in a three-ring binder and on floppy disk, enabling the conservation districts to "fill in the blanks" and have an instant communication campaign on conducting the local work group process. The Executive Director of the Arizona Association of Conservation Districts used the Local Work Group meeting as a means of giving capacity building training on how to conduct effective meetings. The training ranged from how to arrange the room for better communication and participation to dealing with conflicts. A special training was conducted for Tribal Leaders of the Navajo Nation.

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill Delayed - Most House Members went home late Thursday evening, May 22, when it became apparent that the conferees were not going to be able to readily reach agreement on the emergency supplemental bill until after the Memorial Day recess. The House defeated a resolution to adjourn 67-278, and will remain in pro forma session but will not conduct further legislative business until June 3rd. When members return after the Memorial Day recess, they will still have to address potential amendments to the supplemental including a continuing resolution to avoid Government shutdowns, and rights-of-way on public lands for the purpose of building roads. The conference version of the bill would then have to pass each chamber before it can be sent to the President for signature. The President has said he will veto the measure if it contains the continuing resolution in its present form.

Balanced Budget Agreement - The Senate finalized work on the balanced budget agreement on Friday, May 23. After defeating numerous attempts to make major changes in the agreement, the way is clear for the conference report to be prepared. Once the conference report is agreed to, the appropriations committees will begin their work allocating the discretionary funds for the FY98 appropriations. The Senate is on recess until June 1.

Congressional Briefing on EQIP Final Rule - NRCS staff will brief House and Senate staff on details of the Final Rule for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program next week. The Final Rule was published on May 22nd and contains the final operating parameters and procedures for the program. NRCS staff will present the rule and be available to answer questions by attendees.

CONSTITUENCY AND PARTNERSHIP NEWS

EPA Fact Sheet on Wetlands Available - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues a series of fact sheets called "Nonpoint Pointers." One in the series is called "Managing Wetlands to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution" (number EPA-841-F-96-004K). To order this fact sheet or others in the series, contact the National Center for Environmental Publications and Information by phone at 513-489-8190 or Fax at 513-489-8695. Other EPA publications such as "America's Wetlands" (OPA-87-016), "Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment and Wildlife Habitat" (EPA-832-R-93-005), "Natural Wetlands and Urban Stormwater: Potential Impacts and Management) (EPA-843-R-001), or "Wetlands Fact Sheets" (EPA-843-F-95-001) are available by calling EPA's Wetlands Hotline at 1-800-832-7828.

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 15-18 - National Association of RC&D Councils Conference, St. Paul, MN. Contact: Becky Lane, 202-546-8800 or write to: National Association of RC&D Councils, 509 Capital Court, NE, Suite 100, Washington, D.C. 20002.

June 24-26 - National Agricultural Resource Management Planning Conference, Omni Royal Orleans, New Orleans, LA. Call Lyn Kirschner at 765-494-1827 or send e-mail to: kirschner@ctic.purdue.edu.

July 17-19 - Land Improvement Contractors of America Summer Meeting, Providence, RI. Contact Wayne F. Maresch at 301-248-9313 or e-mail to: Wayne F86@aol.com.

July 22-25 - The 52nd Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference; Interactions, Managing Ecosystems on a Watershed Basis; Toronto, Canada. Contact: Jennifer Pemble, 800-843-7645. Conference information can also be found at: http://www.swcs.org/AnnCon.htm.

August 3-6 - Fifth Conference on Agroforestry in North America, "Exploring the Opportunities for Agroforestry in Changing Rural Landscapes," Ithaca, NY. Contact Cornell University Conference Services 607-255-6290 or visit the Association for Temperate Agroforestry Web site at: www.missouri.edu/~afta/afta_home.html.

August 10-14 - American Society of Agricultural Engineers National Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.

September 1-6 - The 9th World Water Congress, International Water Resources Association, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Contact Aly M. Shady at 819-994-4098 or e-mail aly_shady@ACDI-CIDS.gc.ca.

QUOTE

"EQIP will help farmers and ranchers throughout the country address some of their most pressing natural resource concerns--including soil erosion, water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, wetlands, and grazing lands. Healthier lands, cleaner water, and better wildlife habitat on private lands will benefit all Americans for generations to come."

--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman, May 20, 1997

NRCS This Week is issued weekly by the Conservation Communications Staff, NRCS headquarters, Washington, D.C., and posted on the NRCS Home Page at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov. Please send correspondence and material via e-mail to: nancy.garlitz@usda.gov or mail to Editor, "NRCS This Week," NRCS, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013 or FAX to Editor, "NRCS This Week," 202-690-1221.

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