Rural Abandoned Mine Program (RAMP) Comment Period Extended - The comment period for the RAMP prime farmland specifications has been extended for an additional 60 days until January 27, 1999. Through RAMP, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance through 5-10 year contracts with land users to work with local communities to improve the quality of the environment through the restoration of abandoned mines.

NRCS Develops Institutes Product Catalog - NRCS has developed and recently distributed the first Institutes Product Catalog to agency offices and to the State and national offices of their conservation partners. The 36-page catalog includes products and services offered by the Institutes. The catalog can be downloaded with Adobe Acrobat from the Institutes website at: http://www.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/pdf/instcatalog.pdf

Reminder: NRCS Civil Rights Video Available - This is a reminder that the video highlighting NRCS program outreach efforts to underserved customers is available for use in NRCS State and field offices. "Conservation Through Inclusion: The NRCS Civil Rights Charge" explains the operations of the NRCS National Civil Rights Committee, which addresses civil rights issues throughout NRCS. The video was distributed to NRCS offices nationwide during October. Additional copies are available from the NRCS National Employee Development Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Contact Chris Larson at NEDC; fax: 817-509-3271; or e-mail: clarson@ftw.nrcs.usda.gov.

NRCS " The Leader in You" Series Capitalizes on Electronic Commerce - On December 16, NRCS' Social Sciences Institute and partners will sponsor a satellite broadcast on using the Internet to meet customer needs as part of an ongoing "The Leader in You" series. Some of Silicon Valley's most visible movers and shakers will discuss how to deploy the power of the Internet. Participants will learn how to build a framework for an Internet site to incorporate new technologies and business models and how to evaluate the extent of opportunities and threats the Internet poses. The broadcast is available to all NRCS, district and State conservation employees, directors and Earth Team volunteers.

NRCS Special Assistant to the Chief Receives USDA/HACE Award - Christine Pytel, Special Assistant to the Chief, recently received an award from USDA/HACE (Hispanic American Cultural Effort), a USDA Employee Organization. She was awarded a USDA/HACE Certificate of Appreciation for exemplary leadership of the Secretary's Hispanic Advisory Council in striving for solutions concerning Hispanic issues.

Christine Pytel currently serves as co-chair to the Secretary's Hispanic Advisory Council along with George W. Aldaya, Deputy Administrator for Management, Farm Service Agency, who also received an award.

Secretary Dan Glickman established the Secretary's Hispanic Advisory Council in 1997 and designated Ms. Pytel and Mr. Aldaya as co-chairs. The Council consists of one member from each of the USDA mission areas, a senior advisor, and a representative from the USDA Hispanic Employees Organization.

The Council gives USDA Management a focal point to assess, measure, and ensure progress in addressing Hispanic issues and objectives in the areas of program delivery and services, education and research, and employment and career development.

For more information about the Secretary's Hispanic Advisory Council, please visit the web site at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/councils/hispanic.

NRCS Caribbean Area Staff Outreach Activities - NRCS Caribbean Area staff are providing outreach activities to farmers following Hurricane Georges. The staff has published a

4-page newspaper insert; and produced 6-radio and 4-television shows explaining Department of Agriculture programs and requirements for participation. NRCS is working with the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture to assist farmers in the Caribbean Area.

Animal Feeding Operations (AFO) Listening Sessions Update - A total of approximately 600 people attended the first four AFO National Listening sessions in Tulsa, OK; Harrisburg, PA; Ontario, CA; and Madison, WI. California, Michigan, and Nebraska are also conducting their own Statewide sessions. The purpose of these sessions is to hear comments on the draft Unified National Strategy for Animal Feeding Operations. Information is still forthcoming from the listening sessions that occurred December 3, in Seattle, WA, and December 4, in Des Moines, IA.

Several dozen people, over half of whom have been producers, have provided verbal comments. The sessions are being transcribed and will be used as part of the final policy analysis.

Concerns focus on increased regulations; lack of funding to construct waste systems; support for a quality environment, being able to make a living; and the need for more research.

The dates and locations of the 5 remaining sessions are:

• December 9, Chattanooga, TN
• December 10, Indianapolis, IN
• December 10, Fort Worth, TX
• December 14, Denver, CO
• December 15, Annapolis, MD

NRCS to Clean Up Abandoned Copper Mine - NRCS in Michigan has the lead in cleaning up an abandoned copper mine whose runoff is damaging water quality in Torch Lake. The project, designed by NRCS, is funded by $15.2 million from the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund Program.

North Dakota District Cooperators Recognized - NRCS in North Dakota recently recognized four Burleigh County Soil Conservation District cooperators for their support of NRCS training efforts. Over the past 16 years, the William McDonald, James Irvine, James Miller and Arnie Hafner families have opened their properties to students of the windbreak technology course held in Bismarck, North Dakota. The trees and shrubs these individuals have maintained are shining examples of successful windbreak systems. Rarely are the locations that have windbreaks been better suited to meet the protection needs of cropland, livestock, building sites, and subdivisions.

Since the inception of the windbreak technology course, 193 individuals from 10 States and 1 Canadian province have benefited from the on-the-ground observation of successful windbreaks at the North Dakota sites. Aerial photos, white papers, and discussions of the residential windbreak system, just north of town, have been shown and reviewed at agroforestry gatherings, and in conservation literature, around the world.

Pilot Session For NRCS Areawide Conservation Planning Course Held - The pilot session for the new NRCS Areawide Conservation Planning Course was held in Missouri the first week in November. Twenty participants from Missouri and Illinois provided feedback to the instructors on the course content, layout, and delivery. The course will now be finalized and delivered at five additional training sessions scheduled for this fiscal year. The areawide Conservation Planning Course was developed under the leadership of the Conservation Operations Division and the National Employee Development Center.

Mobile Irrigation Labs in South Florida Save Million of Gallons of Water - According to the South Dade Soil & Water Conservation District, the South Florida Water Management District, and the NRCS, 200 million gallons of water a year have been saved through voluntary irrigation system improvements in Dade County. These savings are the direct result of cooperating landowners implementing recommendations from Mobile Irrigation Lab (MIL) evaluations. Landowners changed and repaired irrigation equipment to save 53.3 million gallons. Eight growers revised their irrigation schedules to save 95.4 million gallons. Twenty-five systems were converted from solid-set to low volume, saving 49.2 million gallons, and two systems were converted from a big gun to a solid-set system, saving 2.0 million gallons.

Four MILs are funded by the South Dade SWCD, the South Florida Water Management District, and NRCS. In its sixth year, the partnership reports significant success in promoting sound water management practices. Since 1992, operators have completed evaluations on 612 systems covering 17,852 acres. Sixty-one follow-up evaluations have been completed. Actual water savings are determined from follow-up evaluations.

During FY 1998, the MILs evaluated 110 systems, or 1,713 acres, and completed 25 follow-up evaluations for an actual water savings of 22.3 million gallons. Three evaluations were conducted on systems converted from overhead to micro-sprinkler systems as part of the USDA-NRCS's Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Potential water savings in Dade County for FY 1998 are estimated at 324 million gallons of water.

In Lee County alone, the Lee Soil & Water Conservation Districts MIL completed 164 irrigation evaluations in FY 1998. These evaluations included 135 single-family residences, 28 multi-family units and one commercial site. MIL evaluations covered 315 acres with potential water savings estimated at 79.5 million gallons per year.

Urban and agricultural MILs reach and educate many Florida residents each year. The labs play an increasingly important role in helping people save billions of gallons of water in a State where a growing population places heavy demands on the natural resource base.

Sign the Earth Day Pledge On-Line! - During Earth Day 1999, the Ag-Earth Partnership will again host an Earth Day celebration - this time on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Over the seven-day period prior to Earth Day, members from the agricultural community will report on environmental successes and innovative practices. The final national event will feature comments from Administration and Congressional dignitaries; testimonials from farm and ranch advocates; a traditional farmers market; and an exhibition of innovative partnerships already underway. An even bigger event is planned for the year 2000. NRCS is a founding member of the Ag-Earth Partnership.

The Earth Day celebration is complemented by year-round activities to publicize the event and showcase success stories, including a web site, articles, and other outreach activities. To sign the pledge on-line and learn more about Ag-Earth Partnership, visit the web site at http://www.nasda-hq.org/nasda/earth/index.html.

Congress will be in recess until January 6, 1999.

Receive "NRCS This Week" by E-mail - You can receive "NRCS This Week" by e-mail the minute it's cleared. To get on the NRCS THIS WEEK mailing list, send an e-mail to: listproc@nrcs.usda.gov. Do not use a subject line and put the following in the body of the message: subscribe NRCS-THIS-WEEK Firstname Lastname (example: subscribe NRCS-THIS-WEEK Fred Jacobs). To get help with other commands that are available at the "listproc@nrcs.usda.gov" address, send a message with no subject and the word HELP on a line by itself in the body of the message. "NRCS This Week" will continue to be posted on the NRCS Homepage.

December 7-9 - (Florida) The Methyl Bromide Alternatives Outreach, in cooperation with the Crop Protection Coalition, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Agriculture will host the 1998 Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions at the Omni Rosen Hotel in Orlando, Florida . For more information, contact Gary Obenauf at 209-447-2127; fax: 209-436-0692; or e-mail: gobenauf@concentric.net.

December 8-12 - (Arkansas) 7th Annual Training Conference of the National Organization of Professional Black Natural Resources Conservation Service Employees, "Bridging the Gap to the New Millennium," will be held at the Excelsior Hotel in Little Rock, AR. For more information, contact Jackie Roscoe at 202-720-5235; fax: 202-720-5548.

December 13-16 - (Nevada) The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) will hold its Annual Convention and Exposition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. For more information, call 1-800-551-7379; or visit the NGWA convention and exposition website at: http://www.ngwa.org/whatsnew/gold.html.

January 10 - 13 - (South Dakota) The Western Resource Conservation & Development Association Meeting will be held in Spearfish, SD. For more information, call the NRCS Resource Conservation & Community Development Division at 202-720-2241.

January 19-21 - (Illinois) Soil and Water Conservation Society will host a national conference, "The State of North America's Private Land," at the Holiday Inn O'Hare in Chicago, IL. For more information, contact Charlie Persinger at 515-289-2331; fax: 515-289-1227; or e-mail: swcs@swcs.org.

January 24-27 - (Colorado) Colorado State University will host "Tailings and Mine Waste '99" in Fort Collins, CO. The conference will provide a forum for presenting information on mine tailings, mine waste, and current and future issues facing the mining and environmental communities. Contact Linda L. Hinshaw at 970-491-6081; fax: 970-491-3584; or e-mail: lhinshaw@engr.colostate.edu.

January 31-February 4 - (California) 53rd National NACD Annual Meeting to be held at the Town and Country Resort and Conference Center (1-800-772-8528) in San Diego, CA. For more information, contact Robert Raschke at 303-988-1810; fax: 303-988-1896. Meeting agenda highlights and registration information are on NACD's home page at http://nacdnet.org/meetings/.

February 17-20 - (Texas) Land Improvement Contractors of America Winter Convention, Adams Mark Hotel, San Antonio, TX. Contact Wayne F. Maresch at 301-248-5749; fax: 301-248-0847; or e-mail: WayneF86@aol.com.

February 21-26 - (Nebraska) The Society for Range Management and the American Forage and Grasslands Council will hold their annual meeting, "Building on Our Heritage," at the Holiday Convention Center, 3321 South 72nd Street in Omaha, NE. For more information, visit the Society for Range Management web site at: http://srm.org/meetings.html.

April 21 - (Connecticut) The Southern New England Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society is holding its Spring conference, "Urban Riparian Buffers," in Enfield, CT, at the Harley Hotel. The deadline for papers is December 1. Submit papers to the Southern New England Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, PO BOX 262, Storrs, CT 06268; or e-mail: jpashnik@prodigy.net.

May 16-19 - (Texas) The National Watershed Coalition is presenting its Sixth National Watershed Conference, "Getting the Job Done at Ground Level," at the Doubletree Hotel in North Austin, TX. For more information, contact John W. Peterson at 703-455-6886 or 4387; fax: 703-455-6888; or e-mail: jwpeterson@erols.com.

May 23-28 - (Indiana) The International Soil Conservation Organization will host the 10th International Soil Conservation Conference, "Sustaining the Global Farm," at Purdue University in West LaFayette, IN. For more information, call 765-494-8683; fax: 765-494-5948 c/o ISCO99; e-mail: isco99@ecn.purdue.edu; or visit the conference website at: http://spc3.ecn.purdue.edu/isco99/isco99.htm.

June 6-9 - (Pennsylvania) The American Farmland Trust and 13 other agricultural organizations, in cooperation with NRCS and several other Federal agencies, will host the "Keep America Growing: Balancing Working Lands and Development" conference at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, contact Karl Otte at 703-440-8611; or visit the conference website at: www.farmland.org/KAG.html.

"I have never been happier, more exhilarated, at peace, rested, inspired, and aware of the grandeur of the universe and the greatness of God than when I find myself in natural setting not much changed from the way he made it."

- Jimmy Carter, 39th 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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