Virginia Receives Two Grants to Address Water and Air Quality Concerns 

RICHMOND, May 30, 2006- Virginia received more than $90,000 in grants to address natural resource concerns throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The grants were funded under the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) whose purpose is to foster conservation partnerships that focus technical and financial assistance on critical natural resource issues. CCPI is administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  One grant will be used to assess water quality issues in the Shenandoah Valley.  Another grant will help poultry producers on the Eastern Shore address air quality issues.

Approximately $5 million in CCPI grants was awarded nationwide.  NRCS State Conservationist M. Denise Doetzer said, “These projects are examples of how federal, state, and local agencies and organizations can tackle pressing conservation issues.” 

NRCS awarded Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) nearly $40,000 to coordinate an assessment of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River Watershed.  This area is one of Virginia’s major agricultural regions and is facing rapid growth and land use changes.  The watershed assessment will be instrumental in preserving the natural and agricultural resources of this area.   Assessment findings will be used to: identify the best fitting conservation practices for the watershed, promote adoption of practices by producers and target implementation where it is most critical.

NRCS awarded the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. $52,700 to address air quality issues surrounding poultry farms.  DPI has outlined a strategy with poultry farmers to implement conservation systems that include vegetative buffers. These buffers will help dissolve excess nutrients, utilize animal waste, improve air quality and ultimately help sustain agricultural systems. This project will be carried out in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.

National CCPI information is available online at www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cpi.

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