COUNCIL NEWS & PROJECT UPDATES

News from Washington - RC&D Program / May 14,2008

     Today the House of Representatives passed the conference report on the Farm bill. This bill includes important legislative language for RC&D, recommended by the National Association of RC&D Councils on behalf of all councils. The Farm bill will be considered in the Senate tomorrow.  The President has threatened a veto. Council members should encourage their Members of Congress to support the Farm bill and vote to override a veto.

     This Farm bill conference report includes legislative language that:

1) Calls for an area planning process, for the RC&D program, which is locally led;  2) Calls on the Secretary of Agriculture to designate a Coordinator for each Council to provide and assist in providing technical assistance;  3) Adds to the technical assistance definition - providing assistance for the implementation of area plans and projects; and 4) Adds to the technical assistance definition * providing services which bring to bear the resources of Department of Agriculture programs in a local community as defined in the locally led planning process.

     Our goal in bringing forward these farm bill recommendations to Congress was to make sure that councils operated with local priorities in the forefront, that each council has one coordinator, and that coordinators are free to assist with all aspects of the area plan.

     While this is great news for councils, keep in mind that funding for RC&D is still provided on an annual basis through the appropriations process. We need to continue to make the case to restore funding at $56 million for RC&D.  We expect the appropriations subcommittee to act on funding in mid- to late June.

     Thank you for all the letters and calls you have sent to keep Congress apprised of our priorities. Please call on us if you have any questions.

Roberta Jeanquart                                                                                                                                          National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils                                  444 N. Capitol St. NW Suite 345                                                                                                           Washington, DC 20001

Phone 202 434-4780,  Fax 202 434-4783,  e-mail robertaj@sso.org

NEXT COUNCIL MEETING

Time & Tide's Council Meetings are open to the public.  State and local Legislators, County Commissioners, Public Officials and the general public are encouraged to attend the meetings.

Next Meeting is Scheduled For:

Wed., August 6th, 09:30am - 12:00pm  in the USDA Conference Room at the USDA Augusta Service Center located at 21 Enterprise Drive, Suite #1, Augusta, ME. 

If you are unable to attend the meeting in person but would like to participate by telephone (teleconferencing), please notify the office 5 business days prior to the scheduled meeting.

For directions or to arrange for telephone conferencing, please Contact Us.

NEXT MEETING - AGENDA

Not available at this time. 

OTHER RC&D AREA NEWS

To see what is happening in other RC&D Areas throughout Maine, check out the sites below:

Threshold to Maine RC&D Area        (covers York, Cumberland, Oxford & Franklin Counties)

Heart of Maine RC&D Area                    (covers Somerset, Piscataquis, Penobscot and a very small portion of northern Hancock and Washington Counties)

Down East RC&D Area                                  (covers Hancock & Washington Counties)

St. John Aroostook RC&D Area        (covers Aroostook and a small portion of eastern Penobscot and northern Washington Counties).  To find out what is happening in the St. John Aroostook RC&D Area please contact their office.  Contact info