WASHINGTON, DC, Jan. 3, 2007 -- U.S. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner announced in late October that more than $9 million in grants will be awarded to universities nationwide to address water supply and water quality issues such as improving drinking water quality, enhancing lawn care practices and protecting watersheds.
"Producers need to ensure their lands provide safe, reliable sources of water for our nation's communities," Conner said. "These projects will create and share knowledge that ensures availability of clean water to protect human health, help farmers, and protect the environment."
The USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) funded these grants through its National Integrated Water Quality Program. The goal of the CSREES National Integrated Water Quality Program is to improve the quality of the nation's surface water and groundwater resources. This program includes regional and national water quality coordination projects along with watershed-scale projects to support integrated, multifunctional agricultural research, extension and education activities. Funded projects lead to science-based decision making and management practices that improve the quality of the nation's surface water and groundwater resources in agricultural, rural and urbanizing watersheds.
Competitively awarded national and watershed-scale projects in fiscal year 2006 include:
• Duke University, $570,000
• Iowa State University, $598,000
• Kansas State University, $598,000
• Montana State University, $100,000
• Ohio State University, $165,000
• Purdue University, $598,000
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln, $570,000
• University of New Hampshire, $480,000
• University of Rhode Island, $180,000
• University of Vermont, $390,000
• University of Wisconsin, $99,000
In addition to these awards, nine regional water quality coordination projects were awarded continuation grants. These projects include:
• Colorado State University, $586,080
• Iowa State University, $208,581
• Rutgers University, $544,498
• Texas A&M University, $1,238,490
• University of Arizona, $550,000
• University of Idaho, $586,080
• University of Maryland, $603,000
• University of Rhode Island, $606,867
• University of Wisconsin, $601,920
CSREES (www.csrees.usda.gov) advances knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations.
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