NEWS
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of Communications News Room 460-A
Washington, DC 20250-1300
Internet: News@usda.gov   Phone: 202-720-9035
World Wide Web Home Page: http://www.usda.gov
                                                
Release No. 0155.02
                               Alisa Harrison (202) 720-4623
                                  Dann Stuart (202) 690-0474
                                                
    USDA PARTNERSHIP TO PROTECT WEST VIRGINIA WATERSHEDS
   Veneman traveling to three states as part of Earth Day
                         Activities

      CHARLESTON, W. Va., April. 19, 2002, -- Agriculture
Secretary Ann M. Veneman, along with Governor Bob Wise and
Congresswoman Shelly Moore Capito, launched a new
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) to safeguard
more than 4,000 fragile watershed acres in the state of West
Virginia.

      "This program is a win-win situation for West
Virginia," said Veneman.  "This project reaffirms the Bush
Administration's commitment to strong conservation programs
and will help improve water quality in watershed areas.
Through this program, farmers will be able to restore small
strips of lands next to streams, while continuing to produce
on the rest of the farm."

      The West Virginia CREP is a federal-state partnership
that will pay producers to remove from agricultural
production land next to the Potomac, New, Greenbrier, and
Little Kanawha rivers.  The program will reimburse producers
for planting riparian buffers, filter strips, trees, and
grasses that keep pollutants from entering the watersheds. 
The trees and grasses will help protect water quality and
provide wildlife habitat for a wide array of wildlife
species.

      The total cost of the program is expected to reach
$11.4 million over the next year.  Of that amount, $8.2
million will come from USDA and $3.2 million from the state. 
USDA will also offer technical assistance to ensure long-
term protection of the watersheds.

      CREP uses state and federal resources to help solve
conservation problems.  The program combines an existing
USDA program, the Conservation Reserve Program, with state
programs to meet specific state and national environmental
objectives.  CREP provides for voluntary agreements with
producers to convert cropland and/or pastureland to native
grasses, trees, and other vegetation in return for rental
payments and other incentives.  More than 300,000 acres are
currently enrolled in CREP in about 20 states.

      As part of Earth Day activities, Secretary Veneman is
traveling to West Virginia and Ohio on April 19 and
Wisconsin on April 22 to highlight Bush Administration
efforts to improve the environment through innovative
agricultural programs.  Following the CREP ceremony in West
Virginia, Veneman joined Congresswoman Shelly Moore Capito
for a roundtable discussion with local farmers. Agriculture
Commissioner Gus Douglas also participated in today's
activities.

                                #