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<br />~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />The Managingfor Excellence Project will identifY and address 21st Century challenges <br />Reclamation must meet to fulfill its mission to manage, develop, and protect water and related <br />resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner. Future meeting dates can be <br />found at httD://www.Usbr.20v/excellence when they are established. <br /> <br />Reclamation Security Costs Addressed at Oversight Hearing: The U.S. House of <br />Representatives' Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power on June 22 held an oversight <br />hearing regarding the need to protect dams and reservoirs from terrorist threats. <br /> <br />NRCS Announces Signup for Wetlands Reserve Program Reverse Auction: The Natural <br />Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced June 20 the availability of $1 0 million for a <br />Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) reverse auction to identifY more effective and efficient <br />methods of reducing the cost of WRP easement acquisition. The purpose of the reverse auction is <br />to reduce the easement acquisition and NRCS technical assistance costs. <br /> <br />The WRP a voluntary program established for the purpose of protecting, restoring and enhancing <br />wetlands, while maximizing wildlife benefits. The WRP reverse auction is being offered to <br />eligible landowners in select counties of Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Idaho, <br />California and Colorado. Eligible landowners should complete an application for the reverse <br />auction at their local NRCS field offices. The sign-up period is July 3 through July 28, 2006. To <br />be eligible for participation, lands must be privately owned, tribal land or State, county or non- <br />federal public lands that meet WRP eligibility criteria. <br /> <br />Two types of enrollment options are available to eligible landowners: a 30-year easement where <br />the landowner may receive 75 percent of the landowner offer for the enrolled land plus 75 percent <br />of the cost of approved wetland restoration practices, or a perpetual easement where the <br />landowner may receive 100 percent of the landowner offer for the enrolled land plus the cost of <br />approved wetland restoration practices. <br /> <br />For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or go to: <br />httD://www.nrcs.usda.20v/Drol!ramsIWRP/Pro2InfoIWRPProl!ramInfo.html <br /> <br />USDA Awards Nearly $20 Million in Conservation Innovation Grants: On June 19 <br />Agriculture Under Secretary Mark Rey awarded nearly $20 million in Conservation Innovation <br />Grants (CIG) to 38 states to fund 66 projects designed to develop and refine cutting-edge <br />technologies and approaches that can help producers maintain viable agricultural operations. <br /> <br />As part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), USDA's Natural Resources <br />Conservation Service administers CIG, which provides competitive grants to state and local <br />governments, tribes, non-governmental organizations and individuals to promote the development <br />and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Applicants from 45 states <br />submitted 180 project proposals and requested about $63 million. Projects must involve EQIP- <br />eligible producers. <br /> <br />Approved projects address traditional natural resource issues concerning agriculture such as water <br />quantity, water quality improvement, livestock nutrient management, grazing lands and forest <br />health, and soil resource management. In addition, projects also address emerging natural <br />resource issues including agricultural air emissions, energy conservation and market-based <br />approaches to conservation. <br /> <br />9 <br />