[Excerpts from Oct. 13th Minnesota Governor Press Release]
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty today proposed a quarter billion dollar initiative to set aside 100,000 acres of land near environmentally sensitive waterways. The Governor's proposal, the centerpiece of his clean water initiative unveiled in June, would expand the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in Minnesota to dramatically reduce runoff into the state's rivers, streams, wetlands and groundwater.

The proposal — which will be submitted to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman this week — focuses on restoring 42,500 acres in the Red River Watershed in the northwest, 42,500 acres in the Lower Mississippi Watershed in the southeast and 15,000 acres in the Missouri River Watershed in southwest Minnesota. CREP is a voluntary federal-state-local program that works with farmers and ranchers to set aside marginal agricultural lands along waterways to enhance wildlife habitats, improve water quality, reduce erosion and sedimentation and reduce the impacts of recurrent flooding.

Once the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has received Minnesota's proposal, the final details will be negotiated and agreed upon by both the state and the USDA. Farmers can begin voluntarily signing up to put their land in the program as early as March 2004. Landowners will have the choice of a 35-year or perpetual easement.

Nearly $200 million in federal money combined with $46 million from the state will fully fund the effort. Governor Pawlenty has committed to seeking $23 million in funding for the CREP program in both the 2004 and 2006 bonding bills.

Full Release
Governor's Letter to USDA
Application
Summary

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