Soil and Water Conservation Districts

Item 436 #7c

Language
Page 262, line 4, strike "$34,346,268" and insert "$35,221,268".
Page 262, line 4, strike "$14,308,988" and insert "$16,058,988".
Page 262, after line 36, insert:  
"D.1.  The funds provided in this Item for the Soil and Water Conservation Districts shall be distributed to the districts in accordance with program, financial and resource allocation policies established by the Soil and Water Conservation Board.  To the greatest extent possible, funds provided in this Item for programs managed and carried out by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, including the $610,000 each year designated for technical assistance in the Potomac-Shenandoah water basin, shall reflect the policies and priorities established by the Soil and Water Conservation Board.
2.  The Department, working in concert with the Soil and Water Conservation Board, shall provide a report to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees by November 4 each year on the agricultural best management practices program, including, but not limited to, the number of participating farmers, acres under program management, types and frequency of best management practices used, amounts of local and private funding matches, and results."

Explanation
(This amendment provides $2.6 million of general fund support for the Soil and Water Conservation Districts, specifically for technical and administrative services provided by districts to communities statewide. These independent political subdivisions play an important role in nonpoint source pollution abatement efforts, including the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Virginia Agriculture Cost Share Program, the Agricultural Best Management Practices Tax Credit Program, and the Agricultural Stewardship Act. Budget language would direct the Soil and Water Conservation Board to develop and adopt policies, and instruct the Department to coordinate its spending with the Board's priorities.)