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From: ForestRuss@aol.com<br>
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 11:38:24 EDT<br>
To: afrc_bac@ruralaction.org<br>
X-Mailer: 9.0 for Windows sub 5032<br>
Subject: [afrc_bac] Fwd: Fw: Administration Agrees To FLEP Funding
for 2005!</font></blockquote><br>
Great news for private forest landowners trying to battle invasive
plants! FLEP has got multiple provisions for landowners to receive
cost-share for invasives removal.<br><br>
Rachel<br><br>
<font size=3><b>Rachel Orwan<br>
</b>AmeriCorps VISTA<br>
Research Coordinator<br>
Appalachian Forest Resource Center<br>
P.O. Box 21, Glouster, OH 45732<br>
740-767-2090; 740-767-2874 (fax)<br>
<a href="http://www.appalachianforest.org/" eudora="autourl">w</a><a href="http://www.appalachianforest.org/" eudora="autourl">ww.appalachianforest.org</a>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Some of you might already know this, but it looks like FLEP is back.<br><br>
<br>
Karen J. Sykes<br>
Forest Resources Group Leader<br>
USDA Forest Service<br>
180 Canfield St.<br>
Morgantown, WV 26505<br>
Phone: 304-285-1532<br>
FAX: 304-285-1508<br>
SAF Certified Forester<br>
e-mail: ksykes@fs.fed.us<br><br>
<br>
----- Forwarded by Karen Sykes/NE/USDAFS on 07/21/2004 10:10 AM -----<br>
<br>
"Meckley, <br>
Patrick" <br>
<PMECKLEY@dnr.sta To <br>
te.md.us> "Bebe Shortall" <br>
<bebe.shortall@md.usda.gov>, "Bill <br>
07/21/2004 08:33 Miles" <billmiles@chesapeake.net>, <br>
AM "Jay Boynton" <br>
<jboynton@BDMINC.com>, "Jeff <br>
Thompson" <br>
<jthompson@mde.state.md.us>, "John <br>
Hutson" <jhutson@dnr.state.md.us>, <br>
"Jonathan Kays" <br>
<jk87@umail.umd.edu>, "Karen Sykes" <br>
<ksykes@fs.fed.us>, "Kenneth A <br>
Gibbs" <kag2@meadwestvaco.com>, <br>
"Klotz, Alan" <br>
<AKLOTZ@dnr.state.md.us>, "Larry <br>
Sharpe" <theplacetreefarm@cs.com>, <br>
"Len Wrabel" <br>
<Mar_Len@adelphia.net>, "Lin <br>
Spicer" <spicer@shorenet.net>, <br>
"Lloyd Casey" <lcasey@fs.fed.us>, <br>
"McKnight, Jonathan" <br>
<JMcKnight@dnr.state.md.us>, "Mel <br>
Noland" <mlnoland@bcpl.net>, "Mike <br>
Allinder" <afs@mail.ccisp.net>, <br>
"Mimi Wright" <awright@fastol.com>, <br>
"Robert Krauss" <br>
<kraussrbf@friend.ly.net>, "Scott <br>
Daniels" <br>
<sdaniels@dnr.state.md.us>, "Steve <br>
Bunker" <sbunker@tnc.org>, "Tim <br>
Connelly" <tconnelly@mdtcf.org>, <br>
"Ton Heisler" <br>
<tom.heisler@md.usda.gov> <br>
cc <br>
<br>
Subject <br>
FW: Administration Agrees To FLEP <br>
Funding for 2005! <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
Dear Committee,<br>
Here is some favorable news regarding FLEP. Thanks to all that rendered<br>
support. Your collective efforts paid off.<br>
Patrick<br><br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Simpson, Bob [<a href="mailto:BSimpson@TreeFarmSystem.org" eudora="autourl">mailto:BSimpson@TreeFarmSystem.org</a>]<br>
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 4:22 PM<br>
Subject: Administration Agrees To FLEP Funding for 2005!<br><br>
<br><br>
Congratulations to everyone who helped us achieve this giant step forward!!<br><br>
<br>
Today at the House Committee on Agriculture's hearing on FLEP, Mark Rey<br>
Undersecretary, Natural Resources and the Environment, Dept. of Agriculture<br>
announced that due to the overwhelming support from the forestry community<br>
for FLEP, the Administration has reconsidered its recommendation and will<br>
support funding through 2005 for $15 million. We have come a long way<br>
since this time last week when the future existence of FLEP was in doubt.<br>
Following questioning from Committee Chairman Bob Goodlate (R - VA), Rey<br>
said that in addition to the $15 million for FY 2005, the Department would<br>
work with the Committee to find ways to get FLEP back on track for full<br>
restoration of the funding through 2007.<br><br>
<br>
During this morning's hearing Goodlatte maintained that he was encouraged<br>
by the Administration's new position when he said, "It is crucial that the<br>
Administration work with us to fully implement this $100 million mandatory<br>
program. The Secretary is obligated to spend the full $100 million made<br>
available in the Farm Bill. We are badly off track in implementing this<br>
mandate. I am pleased to hear that the Administration has made clear their<br>
intentions with regard to FLEP. The 2002 Farm Bill took important steps to<br>
streamline and modernize forest landowner assistance programs, but it also<br>
reaffirmed the partnership between the Forest Service and the State<br>
Foresters as the delivery mechanism for technical and financial assistance.<br>
Full implementation of FLEP is critical to the priorities set forth during<br>
the Farm Bill."<br><br>
<br>
ATFS was represented by Tree Farmer and Virginia Tree Farm Committee<br>
Chairman, John Burke. In his testimony Burke said, " We were dismayed to<br>
learn that the President's budget eliminated FLEP. Despite what others may<br>
tell you, it is not a redundant program. Virtually all other programs are<br>
designed primarily for agricultural operators - either by statute [the<br>
Conservation Security Program, for example] or through the manner in which<br>
they're administered [like EQUIP]. State rating systems for cost-share<br>
eligibility can make it very difficult for forest owners who aren't farmers<br>
to even be considered for funding. Among family forest owners, though,<br>
fewer than 1 in 10 are also farmers or ranchers. For the rest, FLEP was<br>
their best shot at gaining access to Federally-funded conservation<br>
programs. " He and other panel members made it clear, that if there is no<br>
cash flow, there is no conservation..<br><br>
<br>
Although the Department of Agriculture has said it would fund FLEP for FY<br>
2005, there is still much work yet ahead of us before we can be assured<br>
that the program gets the funding it warrants. We are immediately<br>
beginning to work with the Senate so that they may understand the value and<br>
public benefits FLEP provides.<br><br>
<br>
Again, thank you to all of you who worked so hard to have your members send<br>
letters and faxes to their representatives. This is a big victory for all<br>
of you. And an especially grateful thank you to Representative Bob<br>
Goodlatte and his staff for their strong support.<br><br>
<br>
Bob Simpson<br>
Forestry Programs</font></blockquote></html>