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.....'\ . ....... Montana Funding During summer and fall 2003, CWA President Richard Fox initiated discussions with the Montana \Vatcrshcd Coordination Council (MWCC) to become familiar with how they were able to successfully obtain S 1.5 million in fiscal year 2003 federal National Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) funds to help support core operationalnceds for Montana's local watershed groups. The basic concept they agreed upon is that watershed organizations need additional funding to provide the coordination mechanism to bring all stakeholder interests to the table in a facilitated, consensus- driven process to manage natural and water resource issues. Over a two-year period they developed a concept paper, passed it on to Senator Conrad Burns' (Montana) staff. and were eventually funded through the NRCS. Regional Partnerships for Funding On December 7, 2003, members ofCWA and the MWCC met in Great Falls, Montana to further explore starting a regional partnership of Rocky Mountain Headwaters States to seek funding for the watershed groups throughout the region. Over the next month, the partnership was expanded to include four states (Colorado. Montana. Utah, and Wyoming); a concept paper was developed to outline the funding proposal; monthly conference calls were initiated; and the partnership began to formulate a political strategy to support the project. The week of February 23, 2004, CWA and M\VCC sent representatives to Washington, D.C. to meet with congressional staff members of Senators Max Baucus (Montana) and . . - =--......... ...; -'- -'- _ -W..cHE:.LA,QE:..dJlJ~.Y~.S__ Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Colorado) to present the Regional Headwater States Proposal. The responsc was favorable for supporting individual state requests for fiscal year 2005 and open to discussions about a multistate regional effort in the future. Although Utah did not send staff to attend these meetings in Febmary. there was indication of support from both Senator Bob Bennett and Representative Jim Matheson for their proposal. All three states followed up by submitting proposals to support funding via a line item in the federal budget for fiscal year 2005. A total of S3 million was requested for Colorado watershed groups during fiscal year 2005. CWA also solicited and obtained letters of support from across the state to support this budget request during March 2004. Reformulating the Political Strategy Following the announcement that Scnator Campbell decidcd not to seck reelection this ycar. the Colorado team refonnulated its political strategy and began to seek the support of other congrcssional staff from our state. In addition. the Regional Headwaters State Partnership revised its long-tenn strategy for obtaining funding on a regional scale. expanded its focus to include project funding. and began research to find a different mcchanism Watershed organizations need additional funding to effect a facilitated, consensus-driven process to manage natural and water resources issues. than a one year line item in the federal budget to obtain funding. Our research also indicated that similar regional projects for watershed funding were most successful when centered upon a common crisis. The team agreed that our current challenge. affecting all headwaters states. is the ongoing drought in the western United States. The Partnership. following months of work. again sent C\VA and M\VCC team members back to \Vashington. D.C. to meet with congressional staff members on May 25, 2004. The bipartisan and bicameral meeting included staff for Senators Baucus and Bennett. and for Colorado Congressman Mark Udall, Senator Wayne Allard. Congressman Bob Be3uprez. and Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave. as well as C\VA and MWCC team members. The group agreed to support the short-tenn appropriations request and provide long-term support for the regional approach of supporting watershed groups throughout the Rocky ~10untain region by seeking funding for drought management and water conservation. \Vork continues within the Regional Head\vatcr States Partnership to refine our long-term regional strategy and to submit a draft regional proposal in August 2004 to the same individuals who attended the May 25 meeting. They have agreed to provide guidance in our efforts to further develop the regional proposal. The most immediate goals are to complete Ollr proposal. list our top goals for funding. detail the authorization process. and determine if it is still possible to include \Vyoming in the regional initiative by January 2005.