Earth Team Teens from New Orleans Stabilize Levee - A dozen Louisiana teens traveled to the town of Cut Off to help stabilize the banks of a hurricane protection levee. Through a program called "Making Good in the Hood," the teens turned their time and talents toward helping the Lafourche-Terrebonne Soil and Water Conservation District plant 3,000 containers of giant cutgrass on a 15,000-foot area of the Clovelly Levee. Organizing the project with the district were: NRCS Louisiana, the Bayou Land Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, South Lafourche Levee District, Belle Terre Erosion Control Company, and Louisiana Service Commission of the Lieutenant Governor's Office.

Florida Deals with Disaster Sites - NRCS Florida reports that all identified sites in Seminole, Flagler, and Volusia Counties have been cleared of debris left behind by recent wildfires. The agency estimates the cost of the work at $825,000. At sites still afflicted by damages caused by Hurricane Georges, damage assessment reports estimate that repair and channel cleanup work will cost nearly $9 million. Six sites have been repaired and eight sites are currently under construction.

RCD, NRCS Assist with Recovery of Burn Area - A recent fire that began as a controlled burn by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Californiaís Trinity County was blown out of control by high winds. More than 1,900 acres and 24 homes burned before the inferno was finally brought under control. But while the fires raged, the Trinity County Resource Conservation District began taking applications from property owners for assistance from the Emergency Watershed Protection Program. The RCD also is serving as an EWP sponsor for the affected area. NRCS is working with BLM on remedial efforts. More than 60 percent of the burned area is private land. The event received extensive coverage by media, including National Public Radio.

RC&D, Heritage Association Partner on Cherokee Heritage Initiative - Southeast Tennessee RC&D Council is now partnering with the TN Overhill Heritage Association on the Cherokee Heritage Initiative through a challenge grant for outreach to under-represented groups. The Cherokee Heritage Initiative is a collaboration between Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina to connect to Cherokee Heritage sites in both States. Other goals include: developing programs that feature Cherokee artists, building awareness of Cherokee history, and attracting people to the culture and products of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. Bob Peters is coordinator of the Southeast Tennessee RC&D Council.

Interim Soil Surveys Meet Immediate Needs - In recent years, some North Dakotans have voiced concerns about the length of time between completion of soil survey fieldwork and receipt of the published soil survey report. In response to this call from customers, NRCS North Dakota has prepared interim soil survey manuscripts, complete with copies of finished maps, to meet the immediate needs of the users. To date, interim reports have been prepared for Towner, Griggs, and McIntosh Counties. By January 2000, reports will be available for both Ransom and Williams Counties.

Soil Science Scholarships Awarded in Minnesota - Two students from Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet, Minnesota, received NRCS soil science scholarships during a ceremony at the college in late July. The students will complete their first two years at Fond du Lac and then transfer to the University of Minnesota to pursue degrees related to soil science and environmental studies. The soil science scholarship program is designed to develop a diverse pool of soil scientists with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the agency.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

USDA Releases $11.9 Million for Floodplain Easements - USDA-NRCS is providing $11.9 million through the Emergency Watershed Protection Program in eight states to purchase floodplain easements. The floodplain easement option applies to agricultural land where the purchase of an easement would be cost-effective in comparison with standard EWP repair work. NRCS will work with landowners who voluntarily agree to an easement that will permanently restore the floodplain to its natural condition. The easement monies will protect more than 18,000 acres of flood prone land in California, Colorado, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas. Funding was made available through the disaster supplemental appropriations bill passed earlier this year. Five other states-Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, and Nebraska-previously received a total of $19 million of EWP funding to purchase floodplain easements on nearly 12,000 acres. The floodplain easement option was authorized in the 1996 Farm Bill.

Final Rule Published on Technical Assistance, State Technical Committees - The NRCS final rule on technical assistance and state technical committees was published in the Federal Register on August 3. This rule sets forth the policies and procedures for the use of the state technical committees by USDA, as well as the criteria for membership on these committees and the responsibilities assigned to them. It also outlines NRCS's technical assistance roles and responsibilities. Copies of the rule may be obtained by accessing the NRCS homepage and clicking on 1996 farm bill provisions.

Backyard Conservation Hits the Air - In late July, the second wave of Backyard Conservation radio public service announcements was distributed to more than 4,000 stations nationwide. The CD contains four 30-second spots in English and Spanish. Also, NEW on the NRCS backyard website are 13 articles covering tips and topics related to backyard conservation practices. These are for use in newsletters, newspapers, and magazines. Check them out--you may learn something about basking sites, beneficial bugs, enhancing a wet spot, or controlling plant diseases. Each month, new articles will be added.

View from the Hill. . .

Senate Talks Alternative Energy - On July 29, the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee approved S. 935, which would authorize $49 million per year for 6 years for a national effort to convert crops, such as corn and wheat, into fuels, chemicals and electricity. The Energy and Agriculture departments would be in charge of this effort. Rep. Peter Fitzgerald, R-Illinois, offered an amendment to earmark $14 million of the authorized funds to go to a corn-to-ethanol pilot program. The panel gave voice approval to an amendment by Senator Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, to establish a pilot program to produce biomass crops on environmentally sensitive land. Harkin's amendment would allow farmers to use CRP land to grow crops that could be sold for biomass energy production.

SPECIAL EVENTS

American Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting

Nashville, Tennessee

August 8-11, 1999

This year's theme is "Farm to Table: Connecting Products, Communities, and Customers." NRCS economists will make presentations. For information on the meeting, contact AAEA at www.aaea.org

 

Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference

Biloxi, Mississippi

August 8-11, 1999

This year's theme is "Walk on the Wild Side." For more information, visit www.swcs.org

 

Blacks in Government 21st Annual Training Conference

New Orleans, Louisiana

August 16-20, 1999

 

Seventh Annual Nonpoint Source Monitoring Conference

Morro Bay, California

September 13-17, 1999

Information is available through a link on the Morro Bay National Estuary Programs web site at www.mbnep.org

 

National Conference on Reclamation

Roanoke, Virginia

September 16-18, 1999

This year's theme is "Building Successful Watershed Partnerships." For more information, please contact Byron

Thompson on (803) 253-3930 or at b.thompson@usda.gov

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