Vilsack, Stabenow announce new conservation ‘partnerships’
May 27, 2014 | 06:16 PM
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., today announced the implementation of a new regional conservation partnership program that they said will “launch a new era in American conservation efforts.”
Vilsack and Stabenow made the announcement in Bay City, Mich., which sits at the heart of the Saginaw Bay watershed in the center of the Great Lakes region, where agriculture is a leading industry.
Vilsack praised Stabenow for including in the farm bill the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which he said will benefit similar areas across the nation because it combines four programs into one: the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program, Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative, and the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion.
In addition to the Great Lakes region, Vilsack announced seven other ritical conservation areas eligible for funding: Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Mississippi River Basin, Longleaf Pine Range, Columbia River Basin, California Bay Delta, Prairie Grasslands, and the Colorado River Basin.
“This is an entirely new approach to conservation,” said Vilsack. “We’re giving private companies, local communities, and other non-government partners a way to invest in what are essentially clean water start-up operations.”
In a news release, USDA said the RCPP will competitively award funds to conservation projects designed by local partners specifically for their region. Eligible partners include private companies, universities, non-profit organizations, local and tribal governments and others joining with agricultural and conservation organizations and producers to invest money, manpower and materials to their proposed initiatives.
USDA has $1.2 billion in funding over the life of the five-year program, with $400 million available the first year, and hopes it can leverage an additional $1.2 billion from partners for a total of $2.4 billion for conservation.
Through RCPP, partners propose conservation projects to improve soil health, water quality and water use efficiency, wildlife habitat, and other related natural resources on private lands. USDA believes the projects will also create jobs through conservation work that involves building and maintaining infrastructure-building terraces in fields or restoring wetlands, which requires the hiring of contractors, engineers, scientists, and others.
The RCPP has three funding pools:
Vilsack and Stabenow made the announcement in Bay City, Mich., which sits at the heart of the Saginaw Bay watershed in the center of the Great Lakes region, where agriculture is a leading industry.
Vilsack praised Stabenow for including in the farm bill the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which he said will benefit similar areas across the nation because it combines four programs into one: the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program, Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative, and the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion.
In addition to the Great Lakes region, Vilsack announced seven other ritical conservation areas eligible for funding: Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Mississippi River Basin, Longleaf Pine Range, Columbia River Basin, California Bay Delta, Prairie Grasslands, and the Colorado River Basin.
“This is an entirely new approach to conservation,” said Vilsack. “We’re giving private companies, local communities, and other non-government partners a way to invest in what are essentially clean water start-up operations.”
In a news release, USDA said the RCPP will competitively award funds to conservation projects designed by local partners specifically for their region. Eligible partners include private companies, universities, non-profit organizations, local and tribal governments and others joining with agricultural and conservation organizations and producers to invest money, manpower and materials to their proposed initiatives.
USDA has $1.2 billion in funding over the life of the five-year program, with $400 million available the first year, and hopes it can leverage an additional $1.2 billion from partners for a total of $2.4 billion for conservation.
Through RCPP, partners propose conservation projects to improve soil health, water quality and water use efficiency, wildlife habitat, and other related natural resources on private lands. USDA believes the projects will also create jobs through conservation work that involves building and maintaining infrastructure-building terraces in fields or restoring wetlands, which requires the hiring of contractors, engineers, scientists, and others.
The RCPP has three funding pools:
- 35 percent of total program funding directed to critical conservation areas, chosen by the agriculture secretary;
- 40 percent directed to regional or multi-state projects through a national competitive process; and
- 25 percent directed to state-level projects through a competitive process established by NRCS state leaders.
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