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Date: June 19, 2006
Release No. 0210.06
Delaware Contact: Stuart A. Lee
Phone: 302.678.4179
Subject: USDA AWARDS NEARLY $20 MILLION IN CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS
SAVANNAH, Ga., June 19, 2006-Agriculture Under Secretary Mark Rey today awarded
nearly $20 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to 38 states to fund
66 projects designed to develop and refine cutting-edge technologies and
approaches that can help producers maintain viable agricultural operations.
"These projects exemplify cooperative conservation and continue USDA's
partnership with public and private entities to promote practical, innovative
solutions to manage our natural resources," said Rey in remarks to the annual
meeting of the National Association of Resource, Conservation and Development
Councils. "When matched by our state, local, tribal and private partners, these
grants will support research to improve the quality of our air and water, while
conserving our land."
CIG funds pilot projects and conservation field trials that can last from one to
three years. The total value of the approved projects exceeds $48 million after
the grantees match at least 50 percent. Grants for approved projects cannot
exceed 50 percent of the total project cost. The federal contribution for a
single project cannot exceed $1 million.
As part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), USDA's Natural
Resources Conservation Service administers CIG, which provides competitive
grants to state and local governments, tribes, non-governmental organizations
and individuals to promote the development and adoption of innovative
conservation approaches and technologies. Applicants from 45 states submitted
180 project proposals and requested about $63 million. Projects must involve
EQIP-eligible producers.
This fiscal year's grantees include 3 resource conservation and development
councils, 7 conservation districts, 4 state and local governments, 13
non-governmental organizations, 22 colleges and universities, 2 tribes, 12
business entities and 3 individuals.
Approved projects address traditional natural resource issues concerning
agriculture such as water quantity, water quality improvement, livestock
nutrient management, grazing lands and forest health, and soil resource
management. In addition, projects also address emerging natural resource issues
including agricultural air emissions, energy conservation and market-based
approaches to conservation.
USDA allocated $4.1 million to address natural resource concerns in the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed. This 64,000 square-mile watershed covers parts of
Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. These
states will use the funding to carry out diverse projects to address water
quality and other priority natural resource concerns.
As part of its outreach efforts, USDA will fund 6 proposals valued at $1.6
million to help tribes and limited resource producers in 11 states to address
natural resource issues as well as energy efficiency and market-based
approaches.
Additional information about CIG, including summaries of approved projects, is
available at
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig . A chart for a state listing of CIG
projects (pdf) can be found at:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig/2006awards.html .
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