National Association of Conservation Districts

Letters

Dear Senators Domenici and Baucus:

The nation’s 3,000 conservation districts commend you for your leadership, once again, in introducing the National Drought Preparedness Act of 2005.

The United States often suffers serious economic and environmental losses from severe regional droughts but has no national policy to ensure an integrated and coordinated federal strategy to respond to drought emergencies. Even though historically there have been frequent and significant droughts of national consequence, drought has been addressed primarily through special legislation and makeshift action rather than through a systematic and permanent process. State, tribal and local governments have to deal individually and separately with each federal agency involved in drought monitoring, planning, mitigation and response. Crop and pasture losses, fire and dust storms cause significant environmental and economic disruption in many areas of the nation that currently are experiencing substantial drought conditions.

Conservation districts support the approaches in S. 802 and H.R. 1386 to address this void proposed and look forward to selecting a representative to participate on the National Drought Council. It is crucial for our nation to have a coordinated national policy on drought that will result from this legislation. We are poised to help in any way we can to get this important legislation enacted this year.

Sincerely,

Bill Wilson
President



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