Birdman
08-24-2004, 09:55 AM
Conservation Initiatives Fact Sheet
Today's Presidential Action
a.. Today, President Bush visited the Katzenmeyer Farm in Le Sueur,
Minnesota, to highlight his continued commitment to improving the
environment and the strong conservation ethic of America's farmers and
sportsmen - by announcing three important new conservation initiatives that
will help protect wildlife, water, and precious land resources.
b.. These new conservation efforts will further support the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's (USDA) largest conservation program on private
lands, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). CRP is a successful, 20-year
old, voluntary program that works with farmers and sportsmen to conserve
environmentally sensitive land and provide habitat for waterfowl and birds.
Background on Today's Presidential Action
Originally authorized under the 1985 Farm Bill, CRP is a voluntary program
sponsored by USDA that provides incentives to landowners to remove
environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and instead
establish protective vegetative cover of grass, trees, or wildlife habitat.
Since its inception in 1986, this program has helped reduce soil erosion by
more than 40 percent and restored 1.8 million acres of critical wetlands.
Since President Bush signed the historic 2002 Farm Bill, CRP has increased
enrollment by 2.6 million acres, conserving a total of 34.8 million acres of
environmentally sensitive land for wildlife habitat, riparian buffers, and
soil protection. The 2002 Farm Bill provides more than $40 billion over a
decade to restore millions of acres of wetlands, protect habitats, conserve
water, and improve streams and rivers near working farms and ranches. Today,
President Bush announced three new efforts to strengthen conservation under
CRP:
a.. Strengthening the Environment by Expanding and Extending the
Conservation Reserve Program:
b.. Early Re-Enrollment and Extensions of CRP Contracts to Improve
Environmental Benefits. The President announced that USDA will offer early
re-enrollment and contract extensions in order to improve the environmental
benefits of the existing CRP acreage. The President directed the Secretary
of Agriculture to initiate a plan for maintaining and expanding the benefits
of the Conservation Reserve Program in the future, working closely with
farmers, sportsmen, wildlife groups, conservation leaders, communities, and
other interested individuals.
a.. At present, 16 million acres under CRP contract are scheduled to
expire in 2007. Another 6 million acres would follow in 2008, 4 million in
2009, and 2 million in 2010. Today's action by the President will make sure
these farmlands stay protected. A request for public comment on various
aspects of CRP will be published in the Federal Register in early August
2004. This action underscores the Bush Administration's commitment to full
enrollment of CRP up to 39.2 million acres and to strong conservation on
working farms.
a.. CRP General Sign-Up to Help America's Farmers. The President also
announced a general sign-up of 800,000 acres under CRP. The sign-up will
occur from Aug. 30 through Sept. 24, 2004, at local USDA/FSA offices.
Today's announcement further demonstrates President Bush's commitment to
helping our Nation's farmers maintain a strong agricultural economy while
meeting their commitments to the environment. Under the 2002 Farm Bill,
signed by President Bush in May 2002, USDA is authorized to enroll up to
39.2 million acres of farmland in CRP. Many of the lands protected under CRP
serve as stopping points for waterfowl during their migration.
a.. Northern Bobwhite Quail Habitat Initiative to Strengthen Wildlife
Habitats. The President today announced a new initiative to increase the
population of the northern bobwhite quail by 750,000 birds annually. The CRP
Northern Bobwhite Quail Habitat Initiative creates automatic enrollment of
250,000 additional acres of grass buffers on farms. CRP has already
strengthened wildlife habitat that has increased populations of birds, fish,
and many other wildlife species. In fact, studies show that the increase of
the duck population by 2.1 million each year is attributable to CRP.
Pheasant populations are at or near record high levels in many Midwestern
states.
b.. Non-Floodplain Wetlands Restoration Initiative for Critical
Environmental Benefits. Today, the President announced the Non-Floodplain
Wetland Restoration Initiative to encourage landowners to enroll 250,000
acres of large wetland complexes and playa lakes located outside the
100-year floodplain. Restoring these wetlands will provide critical
environmental benefits including:
a.. Provide vital habitat for many wildlife species, such as ducks,
pheasants, and sandhill cranes;
b.. Filter runoff, recharge groundwater supplies, and protect drinking
water; and
c.. Reduce downstream flooding.
Other Highlights of the President's Conservation Agenda
a.. Improving Wetlands. On Earth Day 2004, the President announced an
aggressive new national goal - moving beyond a policy of "no-net-loss" of
wetlands - to restore, improve, and protect at least 3 million wetland acres
over the next 5 years in order to increase overall wetland acres and
quality. To meet this goal, the President called on Congress to pass his FY
2005 Budget request, which includes $4.4 billion for conservation programs.
In December 2002, President Bush signed legislation reauthorizing the North
American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) for five years.
b.. Healthy Forests Initiative. On December 3, 2003, President Bush
signed legislation implementing key provisions of his Healthy Forests
Initiative. The President's Healthy Forests Initiative is helping restore
the health and vitality of forests and rangelands. The Initiative also helps
reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires, which benefits communities and
wildlife habitats.
c.. Great Lakes Restoration. In May 2004, President Bush established the
Great Lakes Interagency Task Force to address environmental and natural
resource issues of national concern and better coordinate the region's
sustainable development and restoration. The President's FY 2005 budget
includes an unprecedented $45 million for the Great Lakes Legacy Program,
almost five times the 2004 level of funding. These additional funds will
allow EPA, in conjunction with its community partners, to begin remediating
contaminated sediments at six sites. Sediment remediation will help keep
toxics such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals from
entering the food chain, where they could cause adverse effects on human
health and the environment.
Robert Fraley
President KHEA
1602 Beechwood Road
Owenton, KY 40359
Ph. (502) 857-4842
E-Mail KHEA@nraonline.com
Today's Presidential Action
a.. Today, President Bush visited the Katzenmeyer Farm in Le Sueur,
Minnesota, to highlight his continued commitment to improving the
environment and the strong conservation ethic of America's farmers and
sportsmen - by announcing three important new conservation initiatives that
will help protect wildlife, water, and precious land resources.
b.. These new conservation efforts will further support the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's (USDA) largest conservation program on private
lands, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). CRP is a successful, 20-year
old, voluntary program that works with farmers and sportsmen to conserve
environmentally sensitive land and provide habitat for waterfowl and birds.
Background on Today's Presidential Action
Originally authorized under the 1985 Farm Bill, CRP is a voluntary program
sponsored by USDA that provides incentives to landowners to remove
environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and instead
establish protective vegetative cover of grass, trees, or wildlife habitat.
Since its inception in 1986, this program has helped reduce soil erosion by
more than 40 percent and restored 1.8 million acres of critical wetlands.
Since President Bush signed the historic 2002 Farm Bill, CRP has increased
enrollment by 2.6 million acres, conserving a total of 34.8 million acres of
environmentally sensitive land for wildlife habitat, riparian buffers, and
soil protection. The 2002 Farm Bill provides more than $40 billion over a
decade to restore millions of acres of wetlands, protect habitats, conserve
water, and improve streams and rivers near working farms and ranches. Today,
President Bush announced three new efforts to strengthen conservation under
CRP:
a.. Strengthening the Environment by Expanding and Extending the
Conservation Reserve Program:
b.. Early Re-Enrollment and Extensions of CRP Contracts to Improve
Environmental Benefits. The President announced that USDA will offer early
re-enrollment and contract extensions in order to improve the environmental
benefits of the existing CRP acreage. The President directed the Secretary
of Agriculture to initiate a plan for maintaining and expanding the benefits
of the Conservation Reserve Program in the future, working closely with
farmers, sportsmen, wildlife groups, conservation leaders, communities, and
other interested individuals.
a.. At present, 16 million acres under CRP contract are scheduled to
expire in 2007. Another 6 million acres would follow in 2008, 4 million in
2009, and 2 million in 2010. Today's action by the President will make sure
these farmlands stay protected. A request for public comment on various
aspects of CRP will be published in the Federal Register in early August
2004. This action underscores the Bush Administration's commitment to full
enrollment of CRP up to 39.2 million acres and to strong conservation on
working farms.
a.. CRP General Sign-Up to Help America's Farmers. The President also
announced a general sign-up of 800,000 acres under CRP. The sign-up will
occur from Aug. 30 through Sept. 24, 2004, at local USDA/FSA offices.
Today's announcement further demonstrates President Bush's commitment to
helping our Nation's farmers maintain a strong agricultural economy while
meeting their commitments to the environment. Under the 2002 Farm Bill,
signed by President Bush in May 2002, USDA is authorized to enroll up to
39.2 million acres of farmland in CRP. Many of the lands protected under CRP
serve as stopping points for waterfowl during their migration.
a.. Northern Bobwhite Quail Habitat Initiative to Strengthen Wildlife
Habitats. The President today announced a new initiative to increase the
population of the northern bobwhite quail by 750,000 birds annually. The CRP
Northern Bobwhite Quail Habitat Initiative creates automatic enrollment of
250,000 additional acres of grass buffers on farms. CRP has already
strengthened wildlife habitat that has increased populations of birds, fish,
and many other wildlife species. In fact, studies show that the increase of
the duck population by 2.1 million each year is attributable to CRP.
Pheasant populations are at or near record high levels in many Midwestern
states.
b.. Non-Floodplain Wetlands Restoration Initiative for Critical
Environmental Benefits. Today, the President announced the Non-Floodplain
Wetland Restoration Initiative to encourage landowners to enroll 250,000
acres of large wetland complexes and playa lakes located outside the
100-year floodplain. Restoring these wetlands will provide critical
environmental benefits including:
a.. Provide vital habitat for many wildlife species, such as ducks,
pheasants, and sandhill cranes;
b.. Filter runoff, recharge groundwater supplies, and protect drinking
water; and
c.. Reduce downstream flooding.
Other Highlights of the President's Conservation Agenda
a.. Improving Wetlands. On Earth Day 2004, the President announced an
aggressive new national goal - moving beyond a policy of "no-net-loss" of
wetlands - to restore, improve, and protect at least 3 million wetland acres
over the next 5 years in order to increase overall wetland acres and
quality. To meet this goal, the President called on Congress to pass his FY
2005 Budget request, which includes $4.4 billion for conservation programs.
In December 2002, President Bush signed legislation reauthorizing the North
American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) for five years.
b.. Healthy Forests Initiative. On December 3, 2003, President Bush
signed legislation implementing key provisions of his Healthy Forests
Initiative. The President's Healthy Forests Initiative is helping restore
the health and vitality of forests and rangelands. The Initiative also helps
reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires, which benefits communities and
wildlife habitats.
c.. Great Lakes Restoration. In May 2004, President Bush established the
Great Lakes Interagency Task Force to address environmental and natural
resource issues of national concern and better coordinate the region's
sustainable development and restoration. The President's FY 2005 budget
includes an unprecedented $45 million for the Great Lakes Legacy Program,
almost five times the 2004 level of funding. These additional funds will
allow EPA, in conjunction with its community partners, to begin remediating
contaminated sediments at six sites. Sediment remediation will help keep
toxics such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals from
entering the food chain, where they could cause adverse effects on human
health and the environment.
Robert Fraley
President KHEA
1602 Beechwood Road
Owenton, KY 40359
Ph. (502) 857-4842
E-Mail KHEA@nraonline.com