CIG invests in innovative, on-the-ground conservation technologies and approaches, with the eventual goal of widescale adoption to address water quality and quantity, air quality, energy conservation, and environmental markets, among other natural resource issues.
“There are some truly exceptional ideas in the community that can help protect the Pacific Islands and our unique agricultural and forest areas,” said Lawrence Yamamoto, Director of the Pacific Islands Area for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. “This program provides an opportunity to study and showcase some of these ideas,” he said.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service administers CIG as part of the Agency’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Grants are awarded to state and local governments, federally-recognized Indian tribes, non-governmental organizations and individuals.
NRCS received 230 full proposals and awarded nearly $18 million in Conservation Innovation Grants for 61 projects representing 43 states and U.S. territories of the Pacific. Grant recipients provide matching funds to CIG bringing the total value of the approved projects to more than $35 million. In addition to addressing traditional natural resource issues such as water quality, grazing lands, and forest health, projects receiving awards also address emerging natural resource issues, including agricultural air emissions, energy conservation and market-based approaches to conservation. A summary of all selected proposals is available at www.nrcs.usda.gov.
For the Pacific Islands Area, here are the project summaries that were awarded a 2010 Conservation Innovation Grant:
Guam — $182,000 to the University of Guam to raise awareness about carbon and nutrient pools and fluxes in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Hawaii — $100,000 to Island Paradise Aquaponics, LLC to install creative aquaponic farming system that functions in any soil condition, saves energy, conserves water, conserves fertilizer input and maximizes land usage.
2010 represents the 75th year of NRCS “helping people help the land.” Since its inception in 1935, the NRCS conservation delivery system has advanced a unique partnership with state and local governments and private landowners delivering conservation based on specific, local conservation needs, while accommodating state and national interests. For more information about NRCS conservation programs online, visit: www.pia.nrcs.usda.gov, or visit the nearest USDA Service Center in your area.
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