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<br />, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />· The role and impacts of information technology on water management. <br />· Information gaps and the needs for reliable and timely resource data and information to support <br />water and land resources management. <br />· The importance of access to appropriate water and land management technologies. <br />· Lessons learned from innovative and collaborative information programs. <br /> <br />AWRA partnered with the "WaterWeb" Consortium on this event. The WaterWeb Consortium is a <br />group of organizations promoting the effective use of the Internet to disseminate water information and <br />share water management experience. Currently, the Consortium is working with the United Nations to <br />develop a "Water Portal for the Americas" that will serve as a prototype for other regional water <br />portals. Visit www.waterweb.org for more details. <br /> <br />Federal and Interstate <br /> <br />Governor Request Federal Assistance: On Jan. 22 Governor Owens wrote to Interior Secretary <br />Norton requesting temporary drought assistance under Section 104 ofthe Reclamation States <br />Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991. The Act gives the Secretary broad authority to utilize federal <br />facilities to address drought conditions. <br /> <br />FY 2004 Federal Budget Request: On February 3, the President released his $2.2 trillion FY2004 <br />budget request. The following are summaries of the requests related to our areas of concern: <br /> <br />Agriculture De1?artment: <br /> <br />Conservation -- Funding for conservation programs at $3.9 billion (B), a $582 million (M) increase <br />over FY 2003. This includes $l.lB for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for <br />technical assistance and implementing new Farm Bill programs. <br /> <br />Interior <br /> <br />Conservation (generally) -- $900M for the Land and Water Conservation Fund; $38.4M for the <br />partners for Fish and Wildlife program; another $49.6M for the North American Wetlands <br />Conservation Fund; another $IO.4M for joint North American Management Plan ventures to protect <br />migratory birds; $58M for the National Fish Hatchery System; and $1 13M for the Cooperative <br />Conservation Initiative. <br /> <br />(The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is funded with revenues from federal outdoor <br />recreation user fees, the federal motorboat fuel tax, surplus property sales, and revenues from offshore <br />oil and gas leases. The fund has historically been used by federal land agencies to acquire new <br />recreational property, but the law also authorizes use of the fund to acquire water. This year, the <br />President has submitted a proposal for $900 million to fully fund the L WCF. The CWCB Stream and <br />Lake Protection Section is researching opportunities to work with federal and state agencies to utilize <br />LWCF funds to achieve streamflow protection goals.) <br /> <br />Environmental Protection Agencv <br /> <br />EP A's total budget request is $7.63B. The request includes: $200M for state pollution control <br />programs, up $20M; $105M for drinking water state grants, up $12M; $20M for wetlands grants; and <br />$20M for 20 new EP A watershed pilot projects. The Administration asked for $850M for the Drinking <br />Water State Revolving Fund (the same as past years), but with a $1.2B long-term annual spending <br />goal, assuming economic growth, which is intended to help close the infrastructure funding gap. <br />Similarly, the President asked for $850M for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (compared to <br />$1.35B in FY2002 and $1.2B in FY2003). The Congress is considering $1.3B-$1.425B for FY2003. <br />The President also suggests a $2.8B long-term goal to finance 15,000 new wastewater projects over 20 <br />years. <br /> <br />3 <br />