Secretary Glickman Joins Vice President Gore in Announcing a Major Conservation Initiative for Chesapeake Bay - On October 20, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman joined Vice President Al Gore, Maryland Governor Parris Glendening, and Senators Paul Sarbanes and Barbara Mikulski in announcing a significant commitment of Federal and State resources to a new conservation program aimed at protecting the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The historic agreement provides $195 million to make it more attractive for Maryland farmers to place land in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Maryland is the first State to have created a partnership agreement with USDA to enhance rental rates under the 16th CRP sign-up. In his remarks, Gore said that Maryland is leading the Nation in efforts to protect water quality and that similar programs are being considered in Illinois and Minnesota.

USDA Opens New Compost Facility - At an October 20 dedication ceremony, USDA opened a new compost research facility to demonstrate the benefits of recycling for the environment and in cost savings. The new facility is located at the Beltsville, MD, Agricultural Research Center, which is part of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

"The scientists will develop and test new technologies for cooperative recycling--ways to reduce urban landfill problems while turning excess nutrients and other potential pollutants into valuable products such as organic fertilizer for farms and gardens," said Deputy Agriculture Secretary Richard Rominger. "To put the research results into the hands of those who can use it, USDA will join with private industry to develop and transfer new recycling and composting technologies."

"Composting converts nitrogen and other nutrients into stable forms that are less likely to enter waterways," said Rominger. "The facility will also help in complying with Maryland's voluntary nutrient management program, designed to keep nitrogen and phosphorus out of the Chesapeake Bay. The project also has national implications for developing similar recycling cooperation between farms and towns," he added.

USDA Administrative Convergence - Administrative Convergence Action Team (ACAT) co-leader Pearlie Reed met this week with the State Food and Agriculture Council (FAC) in Kentucky. Discussed were the FACs' concerns about administrative convergence. As part of the ACAT's outreach, additional meetings may be held in other parts of the Nation. The FACs are now defining what their States will need for effective program administration under convergence. In this effort, the FACs are actively encouraging the involvement of local unions.

Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) Project Celebrated in Wisconsin - On October 24, a Wetland Restoration Celebration was held at Duffy's Marsh, a 1,732-acre WRP wetland restoration project in Marquette County, WI. Duffy's Marsh is the largest wetland restoration project in the State, and one of the largest in the Nation. Landowners worked with NRCS and the Fish and Wildlife Service to restore the marsh to its former beauty and wetland value. Permanent easements have been completed for the project, including about 1,000 acres of open water area and 700 acres of grassy wetland and upland. The restoration work consists primarily of plugging the network of ditches that drained the former mint, carrot, onion, and corn farms.

Speakers at the restoration celebration included NRCS Chief Paul Johnson; Bill Hartwig, Fish and Wildlife Service; Vince Metcalf, a landowner; and Dale Peterson, NRCS soil conservation technician. Guests included local landowners, a high school biology class, media, and partner agencies. In addition to a walking tour along the embankment, and a sign unveiling, the program also included the release of baby turtles back into the marsh. The turtle eggs had been disturbed during construction and taken care of by Peterson's family until they hatched. The marsh is already highly populated with ducks and migrating waterfowl. The marsh will have about 1,000 acres of open water by next spring.

First International Conference on Geospatial Information in Agriculture and Forestry - The First International Conference on Geospatial Information in Agriculture and Forestry will be held June 1-3, 1998, at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in 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, with special emphasis on applying advanced geospatial data and information techniques to improve today's decision making while defining future research requirements and implementation strategies. The three-day technical program will offer over 300 presentations in general and poster sessions, with extensive interactive workshops, demonstrations, and exhibits of products and services. The conference Internet site is: http://www.erim.org/CONF/ag.html.

USDA Accountability, Civil Rights, and Reorganization - On October 23, Agriculture Secretary Glickman testified before the House Agriculture Committee (Chairman Bob Smith, OR). The hearing focused on a bill introduced by Eva Clayton (NC), H.R. 2185, to establish equitable service for customers and equal opportunity for employees of the Department of Agriculture. Chairman Smith also requested testimony on his bill, H.R. 2692, which was formally introduced the evening before the hearing. H.R. 2692 proposes to combine the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service under an Under Secretary of Agriculture for Foreign Agriculture and Agricultural Field Services. The legislation also addresses the issue of civil rights at USDA.

In his testimony, the Secretary stated strongly that revisiting USDA organizational structure is inappropriate at this time. The Secretary complimented both NRCS and FSA for the good work the agencies have done to implement the 1996 Farm Bill programs. He asserted that a merger would be disruptive to USDA activities and that farmers and ranchers need both a strong NRCS and FSA. The Secretary said, "They perform critical and unique functions which I don't think should be mashed together."

Representative Bill Barrett (NE) asked how future appropriation levels would impact the agencies. Secretary Glickman replied that administrative convergence is set in motion to try to prepare for shrinking budgets. He said that the intent is to reduce duplication and spending in administrative areas in order to free up resources and funds to be applied to direct program assistance. The Secretary added that NRCS is a technical organization that partners closely with conservation districts, while FSA administers farm program and farm lending programs. This difference was identified as a key reason why the agencies shouldn't be merged.

Representative Tom Ewing (IL) asked how soil and water conservation districts could work with a merged agency. The Secretary stated that the existing conservation partnership is extraordinary. He underlined the unique benefits that are provided by districts and how resources and personnel are shared. He concluded that H.R. 2692 does not address how the partnership might be affected.

Gerald Vap, of the National Association of Conservation Districts (also representing the National Association of State Conservation Agencies), stated that the issue of civil rights is of such importance that it should be addressed in a forum of its own. He said that it is inappropriate for the two issues to be included in one piece of legislation. He also said that the reorganization of 1994 should be allowed to work its course.

House Resources Committee Passes Measure To Block American Heritage Rivers - On October 22, the House Resources Committee passed H.R. 1842 out of committee in a 15-8 vote. The measure now goes to the floor for House consideration. This bill, sponsored by Helen Chenoweth (ID), would prohibit the designation of rivers under the Presidential American Heritage Rivers initiative. Chenoweth states that the initiative would impose Federal designations on State waters and private property.

Flood Control at Devils Lake - The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (Chairman John Chafee, RI) held a hearing on October 23 on the Army Corps of Engineers' flood control plan at Devils Lake, ND. Chairman Chafee opened the meeting by noting that Devils Lake is one of only two closed basins in North America. He underlined the fact that since the low-lying land has no natural outlet, it is alarming that the level of the lake has risen over 20 feet in recent years. The Chairman outlined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' plan to periodically drain excess water from the basin into the Sheyenne and Red Rivers. He also noted that while funding for the project was requested by the President, Congress neglected to provide funding in the Fiscal Year 1997 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill. Senator Byron Dorgan (ND) said that the situation has become an emergency and that the Federal government must implement the Corps' project to avoid future emergency measures. He also noted that in the six counties within the Devils Lake Basin, over 430,000 acres are enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Much of these CRP acres were further noted to be under water or saturated, thereby effectively serving as water storage areas.

John H. Zirschky, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, said that a great many resources of Federal, State, and local governments have been committed to address these flooding problems. He said that construction, design, and study efforts are underway to address problems and insure that the government is poised to respond quickly to changes in the lake's level. Dave Sprynczynatyk, engineer for the State of North Dakota, said that while many have mistakenly assumed that the basin should drain to the south, the natural outlet for the water is actually Hudson Bay. As a result, he asserted, the Army Corps of Engineers project should be implemented.

Agriculture Appropriations Await Final Passage - The last step in passage of the Fiscal Year 1998 Agricultural Appropriations is Senate approval of the conference report. The Senate will likely pass the report soon.

www.garden.org - The National Gardening Association (NGA), a member-supported non-profit organization based in Burlington, VT, will award 300 grants to schools and youth programs nationwide for use during the 1998 growing season. Gardening programs involving at least 15 children between the ages of 3-18 years are eligible, with consideration given for educational, social, or environmental programming: sustainability; community support; strong leadership; need, and innovation. To receive an application, access the NGA Internet site or write to: Garden Grants Dept. PS, National Gardening Association, 180 Flynn Ave., Burlington, VT 05401. You can also call 1-800-538-7476. Applications should include: name, title, school or organization, address and phone number. Deadline for completed applications is November 15.

November - Native American Heritage Month

November 22-24 - The Groundwater Foundation's Annual "Priming the Pump" Groundwater Education Workshop and Groundwater Guardian Designation Conference, McDonald's Corporation Campus, Oak Brook, IL. Contact The Groundwater Foundation, P.O. Box 22558, Lincoln, NE, 68542-2558 or call 1-800-858-4844.

December 3-6 - 17th International Symposium of the North American Lake Management Society, Houston, TX. Contact Dr. Robert Doyle at 972-436-2215, or send e-mail to loyler@EX1.wes.army.mil, or contact Dr. Alan Groeger at 512-245-2284, or send e-mail to AG11@swt.edu.

December 6-10 - The 59th Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, Milwaukee, WI. For information visit this Internet site: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us (see "Fish" or "Wildlife"), or call Alan Crossley at 608-275-3242.

December 8-12 - Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Workshop, Westin Crown Center Hotel, Kansas City, MO. For more information contact Larry Babich at 202-720-8770, or Judy Foland at 202-720-9482.

December 10-13 - National Organization of Professional Black Natural Resources Conservation Service Employees Sixth Annual Training Conference, "Bridging the Gap to the New Millennium: A Field of Dreams." Renaissance Atlanta Hotel-Concourse, One Hartsfield Centre Parkway, Atlanta, GA. For reservations call 404-209-9999.

February 10-12, 1998 - Managing Manure in Harmony with the Environment and Society, Soil and Water Conservation Society West North Central Manure Management Conference, Ames, IA. Contact: Bob Ball, NRCS, Parkade Center, Suite 250, 601 Business Loop 70 West, Columbia, MO 65203. Phone: 573-876-0900.

"Worlds can be found by a child and an adult bending down and looking together under the grass stems or at the skittering crabs in a tidal pool."

--Mary Catherine Bateson (b. 1939), American anthropologist

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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