25 NEW RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT AREAS Release No. 0119.98 Brad Fisher (202) 720-4024 brad.fisher@usda.gov Roger Salazar (202) 720-4623 roger.salazar@usda.gov GLICKMAN ANNOUNCES 25 NEW RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT AREAS WASHINGTON, March 17, 1998--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced today that 25 areas in 18 states are now eligible for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Resource Conservation and Development Program. "We are glad to have these new RC&D areas on board," said Glickman. "Through the program, people in these areas will have unprecedented opportunities to take the lead in making their communities better places to live. Projects they choose to undertake will offer vital boosts to the health of their natural resources, economies, and standards of living." "RC&D typifies our belief in the importance of effective grassroots leadership. This type of leadership is critical for community development and the conservation of our natural resources," said Pearlie S. Reed, chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service. "We are very pleased that the people and communities in these new RC&D areas will enjoy the benefits of this vital program." The RC&D Program offers technical and financial assistance from USDA for conservation and water management projects and expansion of economic, cultural, and recreational opportunities. Projects are led by RC&D boards or councils comprised of volunteers from the private sector and units of local government. Board and council members identify local problems and develop and implement plans to solve those problems. The NRCS provides funds for a local RC&D coordinator and support staff. The coordinator works with the local board or council, serves as a liaison with USDA, and ensures that the RC&D area obtains access to USDA programs. RC&D projects currently underway include those that prevent soil erosion on cropland, improve water quality, protect and enhance fish and wildlife habitat, improve recreational and tourist facilities, and create business opportunities through partnerships between private industry and local government. With the addition of the following areas, there will be 315 RC&D's at work throughout the nation. States RC&D Areas Counties California Central Sierra Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne California South Coast Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura Florida South Florida Broward, Dade, Monroe Georgia Rolling Hills Bartow, Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Floyd, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk Idaho Mid-Snake Cassia, Jerome, Minidoka, Twin Falls Illinois/Iowa Interstate Henry, Mercer, Rock Island (Illinois); Muscatine, Scott (Iowa) Iowa Iowa Valley Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Tama Iowa Sioux Rivers Cherokee, Ida, Monona, Plymouth,Woodbury Kentucky Gateway Bath, Carter, Elliott, Greenup, Lewis, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Rowan Kentucky Jackson Purchase Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Marshall, McCracken Montana North Central Mont. Blaine, Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier, Hill, Liberty, Phillips, Pondera, Teton, Toole Nebraska South Central Neb. Adams, Buffalo, Dawson, Gosper, Hall, Hamilton, Kearney, Merrick, Phelps Nevada High Desert Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Nye New Hampshire Southern N.H. Cheshire, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford, Sullivan New York Ontario Lake Plains Genesee, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Wayne Pennsylvania Southeastern Pa. Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton South Carolina Edisto-Savannah Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Orangeburg Tennessee Smoky Mountain Blount, Cocke, Hamblen, Jefferson, Sevier Texas Bluebonnet Ellis, Hill, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Parker, Rockwall Texas Chisolm Trail Archer, Clay, Collin, Cooke, Denton, Grayson, Jack, Montague, Witchita, Wise, Young Texas Concho Valley Coke, Coleman, Concho, Crockett, Irion, McCulloch, Menard, Reagan, Runnels, Schleicher, Sutton, Tom Green, Upton Texas Pecos Valley Crane, Ector, Loving, Pecos, Reeves, Terrell, Ward, Winkler Utah Mountainland Summit, Utah, Wasatch Utah Wasatch Front Davis, Morgan, Salt Lake, Toolele, Weber Washington Big Bend Adams, Franklin, Grant, Lincoln Secretary Glickman also announced the expansion of the following RC&D areas. State RC&D Areas Counties Added California Central Coast Santa Barbara Georgia Limestone Valley Chattooga, Catoosa, Dade, Gordon, Walker Georgia Upper Ocmulgee Henry Pennsylvania Pocono Northeast Montour Texas De-Go-La Bee, Live Oak, McMullen, San Patricio Texas Rio Bravo Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Kennedy, Kleberg, Nueces, Willacy # NOTE: USDA news releases and media advisories are available on the Internet. Access the USDA Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://www.usda.gov