174 



NASCA 



Statement of the National Association of Conservation Districts 



and the 



National Association of State Conservation Agencies 



Before the 



U.S. House of Representatives 



Committee on Agriculture 



Subcommittee on Environment, Credit and Rural Development 



March 23, 1994 



Mr. Chairman, members of the Subcommittee, I am Gerald Tklbert, Director of Policy 

 and Programs for the National Association of Conservation Districts, and I am here today on 

 behalf of America's nearly 3,000 conservation districts and the 54 state and territorial agencies 

 that provide administrative and policy oversight for their programs. TTiank you for the 

 invitation to appear before this subcommittee to share our views on the impact of wetlands and 

 nonpoint source pollution programs on agriculture and conservation efforts. 



Conservation districts are independent, special purpose units of local government that 

 coordinate and carry out comprehensive, natural resource management programs that address 

 forest and rangeland management, wetland protection and enhancement, agricultural and urban 

 erosion and s^iment control, wildlife and fish habitat management, and nonpoint source 

 pollution prevention and abatement for the protection of ground and surface water quality. 



For nearly 60 years, conservation districts and state conservation agencies have worked closely 

 with other state and local agencies in carrying out comprehensive conservation and resource 

 management programs at the local level. We have also forged strong partnerships with federal 

 agencies such as the USDA Soil Conservation Service, Extension Service and Agricultural 

 Stabilization and Conservation Service, and more recently with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

 Service and the Environmental Protection Agency to provide technical and financial assistance 

 to help farmers, ranchers and other land managers preserve and protect our land and water 

 resources. Today, there are a number of issues and initiatives being debated that could have a 

 significant impact on the health of these crucial and much-needed services and programs. 



NACD is pleased to see that a number of the bills being considered by Congress advocate 

 watershed-based planning and implementation of wetlands conservation and nonpoint pollution 

 abatement efforts. Conservation districts have long endorsed this approach as a way to bring 

 together the various stakeholders to work cooperatively in managing and protecting the 

 resource base. It also means that we will not look at any particular resource by itself, but 

 rather, treat an entire watershed as an integrated and interdependent system. 



We believe there are several important considerations that must be kept in mind in order to 

 fine tune and adjust the various initiatives of concern to this subcommittee today. It is 

 important that all of these programs emphasize the incentive-driven approach, combining 

 education and technical and financial assistance as the primary vehicles for implementation. 

 While we believe that there is a place for regulatory mechanisms in these programs, we do not 

 believe that regulation should be the primary approach in watershed protection and 

 management. 



National Association of Conservation Districts National Association of State Conservation Agencies 



509 Capitol Court, N.E., Washington, DC 20002 Route 3, Box 304, Tappahannock, VA 22560 



(202) 547-6223 / FAX (202) 547-6450 (804) 443-2484 



