RC&D funding cut in federal budget

Funding has been cut to Downeast Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) as part of a federal budget cut of $51 million to the national RC&D program.
Downeast RC&D Council President Nathan Pennell explains that the news came on April 15 and the two staff members, Coordinator Heidi Nelson and Program Assistant Barbara Mauer, have been transferred over to the Natural Resources Conservation Service office in Machias. The lease on the Cherryfield RC&D office lasts for another three months, and Pennell notes that the council and regular meetings will continue to be held at that location for the time being.
The programs of Downeast RC&D, which are collaborative in nature, range from the scholarship program Julio Society International to support for area farmers with marketing and agriculturally‑based services and workshops. The most well-known program may be DART, Downeast Acadia Regional Tourism, a program that works on tourism opportunities for Washington and Hancock counties. Pennell says, "DART will continue. It's obviously a big one for the two counties. It's been a fantastic program that will continue, for sure."
As for the future of Downeast RC&D, Pennell says, "It's been defunded, not eliminated." The council, made up of volunteers from Hancock and Washington counties, will be meeting on May 5 to discuss going forward under the changed circumstances. "We have about 30 active projects. Different council members will be working on them to get the most urgent ones completed and then work on the ongoing ones." Federal funding will be sought on a project specific basis.
Pennell suspects that the actual amount of savings to the federal budget will be minimal because the national and local RC&D programs are already half way through their fiscal years. The council will move forward to try to get funding back into the 2012 budget. In the meantime he says, "All of the sponsors will do whatever we can to complete the projects already in place so that we don't have to drop them." He adds that RC&D is fortunate to have "some really good council members" to help see those projects through.
To learn more about Downeast RC&D visit <www.downeastrcd.com>.