National Association of RC&D Councils Announces 1998 Award Winners - The National Association of RC&D Councils announced the winners for each of the four national award categories. The Outstanding RC&D Council category was awarded to the Central Coast RC&D Council of Morro Bay, CA. Outstanding RC&D Coordinator went to NRCS employee, Gary M. Boring who provides technical assistance and organizational support to the New River-Highlands RC&D area in Virginia. The Parents Club, Inc., of the Ouachita Mountains RC&D in Oklahoma, won the Outstanding RC&D Council Sponsor category. Outstanding RC&D Council Person was awarded to C. Stephen Driver of the King's Mark, CT, RC&D Council. The reviewers used the following criteria in judging the nominations. Innovation and Spirit - Did the nominees demonstrate a balanced and efficient approach in completing their relative task? Outreach and Team Player - Was it obvious that inclusion and respect of other cultures, local knowledge, and social understanding was used to develop and implement planned objectives? Coordination - Work items were strategically approached, had regional benefit, and insured that credit for project work was shared by all parties involved. Presentation - Was the nominee's contribution clearly stated and presented in the format requested?

NRCS Works to Provide Quality "Joins" of Soil Surveys - As part of its work for accelerating digitizing soil surveys over the next 5 years, NRCS is working on providing quality "joins" of soil surveys. These "joins" will provide digital soil data that are accurate from one orthophoto quad to the next, irrespective of the location of town, county, or State boundaries. This extra upfront work will produce more accurate soil survey digitized data and maps which will be more useful to planners.

New PPCs to be Released Soon - The Social Sciences Institute will distribute 13 new issues of the "People, Partnerships, and Communities" (PPC) series to all State and field NRCS and conservation district offices. Each PPC issue focuses on a single topic, explains the basics of how a field person can use the information, and lists sources for more information. New releases include: Using Budgets in Conservation, Reading The Land: How to Include Historical Information About Farms in Conservation Plans, Expanding Your Customer Base, How to Identify Community Leaders, Conflict Management, Community Leadership, and Public Partnerships for Locally Led Conservation.

IN THE FIELD

German Ag Officials to Participate in NRCS Study Tour - A 3-member delegation from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Germany will participate in a U.S. study tour on "Protection of Agricultural Areas," May 4-15. The members will meet with NRCS at National Headquarters; Indianapolis, IN; Soil Quality Institute in Ames, IA; Northern Plains Regional Office in Lincoln, NE; Soil Quality Team in Akron, CO; and the Napa Valley and Diablo Range Area in California. Other highlights of this tour will include visits to the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) National Soil Erosion Laboratory in West Lafayette, IN; ARS Soil Tilth Laboratory in Ames, IA; and several farms throughout the tour.

This U.S. tour is a result of travel by NRCS' National Agronomist, and a resource conservationist from Lincoln, NE, to Germany in May 1997. There, they exchanged agricultural conservation technology and evaluated the potential for exchanges with Federal and State Agricultural Institutes and the Environmental Institute.

Flood-Stricken States Receive Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) Assistance - NRCS expects to receive nearly 270 requests for damage reports from recently flooded areas of Alabama. According to agency estimates, more than $3 million in EWP funds may be needed to restore these areas to pre-flood conditions.

In California areas flooded by heavy winter rains, six EWP restoration projects have been completed. Working with NRCS are local resource conservation districts, other partners, and Federal and State agencies. Five projects are under construction and agreements have been signed with local sponsors for 20 more. Some potential EWP project areas in northern California are still flooded and cannot be accessed. So far, 40 counties have been declared Federal disaster areas. NRCS has made available more than $2.6 million in cost share funds for restoration projects.

In Florida, NRCS estimates that $2 million in EWP funds may be necessary to remove debris and establish erosion control practices because of severe March rains in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Franklin, and Liberty counties. NRCS also reports that February storms in Seminole County will require $90,000 in EWP funds for debris removal from streams.

Natural Resources Research Center (NRRC) in Fort Collins - A new research center will be constructed on the Colorado State University campus in Fort Collins, CO, at the Center for Advanced Technology. Construction of the first building is scheduled to begin this September, with completion within the year. The center will bring together agency partners engaged in natural resources research and related areas. The co-location of U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies, as well as part of the U.S. Geological Survey, is expected to improve opportunities for collaboration among these agencies.

Also, the participating agencies intend to share administrative and support activities, which will produce savings over the life of the project. As this project was recognized as a successful example of government reinvention, the NRRC Strategic Planning Team received Vice President Gore's Hammer Award for its efforts toward building a government that works better and costs less.

Grazing Lands Technology Institute (GLTI) Conference - The GLTI recently conducted a national conference in Fort Worth, TX, to highlight the new technologies contained in the National Range and Pasture Handbook. Over 150 attended the week-long session representing 46 States.

Associate Chief Danny Sells spoke at the conference and emphasized the need for NRCS to be a technology-driven, rather than program-driven, agency. He stressed the need for improving technical assistance, for keeping the field offices' needs at the front of the priority list, and the need to keep the agency current in science and technology.

LAN/WAN Voice Meetings - In an effort to provide better support to USDA Service Centers, computer specialists from the Northeast recently crossed agency and staff lines to attend the Northeast LAN/WAN Voice meetings. The sessions, held in Massachusetts and Delaware, were conducted at the request of State computer specialists.

Session summaries will be posted on a website at: http://neirtnt.ct.nrcs.usda.gov/nelwv/index.htm.

Complimentary Subscriptions to Economic Development Finance Service (EDFS) Available - RC&D councils, conservation districts, and watershed boards interested in applying for a free, one-year enhanced subscription to the Economic Development Finance Service (EDFS), which includes support for training in Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) organization and administration, should contact Bill Amt, EDFS, (202) 624-7806; email: nadobpa@sso.org. To be eligible, the RLF must have been established after 1993, with at least one loan made to a natural resource-based business. Submission deadline is May 15, 1998. More information is available at the EDFS website at: http://www.nado.org/edfs.htm.

CONSTITUENCY AND PARTNERSHIP NEWS

Public Service Campaign Features Farmers - Vermont's Conservation Partnership recently rolled out its new public service campaign featuring agriculture's contributions to a healthy environment. It reminds Vermonters that many things they value begin with agriculture. The radio and television campaign, entitled "Vermont-A Farm Product," asks Vermonters to thank farmers for their contributions to the State's quality of life. Partners involved with the campaign include NRCS; Farm Service Agency; Extension Service; Vermont's Conservation Districts; and the Vermont Department of Agriculture, Food, and Markets.

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Animal Waste Summit - This week, Senator Tom Harkin, Secretary Dan Glickman, and EPA Administrator Carole Browner participated in a national summit on animal waste issues. Issues discussed included the scope of Federal regulations, engineering and scientific standards, and the coordination between USDA and EPA on the issue. Several governmental, private sector, and non-profit organizations also participated in the forum.

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UPCOMING

May 1-31 - Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

June 1-3 - The First International Conference on Geospatial Information in Agriculture and Forestry, Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL. The conference will focus on trends in the development and use of geospatial information technology by the agricultural and forestry communities. For more information, call 313-994-1200, ext. 3234; fax: 1-313-994-5123; e-mail: wallman@erim-int.com; or visit the conference website at: http://www.erim-int.com/CONF/ICGIAF/Aghome.html.

June 14-16 - National Association of Conservation Districts, Northern Plains Regional Meeting, Badlands Motel, Medora, ND. For more information, contact Robert Raschke at 303-988-1810; fax: 303-988-1896.

June 21-23 - National Association of Conservation Districts, Water Resources Committee Meeting, Statehouse Inn, Boise, ID. For more information, contact Bill Horvath at 715-341-1022; fax: 715-341-1023.

June 28-July 2 - The President's Interagency Council on Women will host the "Second International Conference on Women in Agriculture" in Washington, DC. The conference is chaired by Under Secretary Jill Long Thompson and will focus on the business of agriculture, the agricultural economy, and the agricultural community. SF-182 training forms are being accepted for the $250 conference registration fee. For more information, contact Robin Bailey at 301-585-1030 or visit the conference web site at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/icwa Click on "What's New" and go to "Second International Conference on Women in Agriculture."

July 3 - 50th Anniversary Ceremony, Cordell, OK. The ceremony will mark the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Cloud Creek Site 1, the first small watershed dam built in the United States.

July 5-9 - Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) Annual Conference, "Balancing Resource Issues," San Diego, CA. For more information, contact Pat Mulligan at 515-289-2331, extension 17 or visit the SWCS website at: http://www.swcs.org/AnnConf98/ACWelcome.htm.

July 12-14 - National Association of Conservation Districts, North Central Regional Meeting, Holiday Inn, Worthington, OH. For more information, contact Brad Ross, 614-265-6614; fax: 614-262-2064.

July 19-22 - The Iowa State University College of Agriculture and University Extension will host a conference on "Animal Production Systems and the Environment: An International Conference on Odor, Water Quality, Nutrient Management, and Socioeconomic Issues" to be held at the Convention Center in Des Moines, IA. For more information, contact Deb Schmidt, 515-294-5961; e-mail: x1schmid@exnet.iastate.edu.

July 23-26 - Rural Business-Cooperative Service and NRCS will host the 1998 Global Summit of Women, "Women & The Global Market" in London, UK. Deadline for hotel reservations at the Stakis Metropole Hotel is July 1. For more information, fax the Global Summit of Women at 202-466-6195; e-mail: GlobSummit@aol.com.

July 27-August 1 - 11th National Envirothon, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI. For more information, contact Brenda Weiser at 800-825-5547, ext. 27 or e-mail: envirothon@nacdnet.org.

October 11-14 - The Association of Dam Safety Officials will host "Dam Safety '98," Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, NV. For more information, call 606-257-5140; fax: 606-323-1958; or e-mail: damsafety@aol.com.

November 10-13 - ETC/Environmental Technology China will present "The 4th International Exhibition on Environmental Protection, Pollution Control and Green Production Technology," China International Exhibition Centre, Beijing, P.R., China. For more information, contact Rebecca Fung 852-25163346; fax: 852-25165024; or e-mail: aes@adsaleexh.com.

QUOTE

"These sons and daughters of Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India, Korea, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and so many other Asian and Pacific lands have enriched our national life and culture with their energy and talents, with their commitment to family and community, and with their enduring reverence for freedom."

-- William J. Clinton, 42nd President of the United States.

NRCS This Week is issued weekly by the Conservation Communications Staff, NRCS headquarters, Washington, D.C., and posted in the SCS:SCS shared folder on FTS2000Mail. Please send correspondence and material via FTS2000Mail to !A16SCSOPA and type "This Week" on the subject line or e-mail: fred.jacobs2@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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