The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) played a key role in advancing elements of the Farm Bill that provide critical support for conservation, partnerships between municipalities and agricultural entities, as well as funding for water quality protection. The strong bipartisan support from Congress was essential for the bill to pass.
“NACWA thanks the House and Senate for their hard work and productive engagement over the past two years to ensure the Farm Bill included bipartisan provisions that make important advances in conservation and water quality,” says Adam Krantz, NACWA’s Chief Executive Officer.
The conservation and partnership language in the Farm Bill makes critical strides in acknowledging and encouraging the collaborative work between municipal clean water utilities and agricultural partners to address water quality challenges through holistic watershed approaches that can provide the most effective and cost-efficient water quality improvements.
NACWA particularly appreciates language included in the Farm Bill that was championed by Congressman Bob Gibbs (R-OH) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), recognizing and encouraging partnerships at the watershed level between clean water utilities and farmers to advance the goals of the Clean Water Act and provide benefits to farmers, landowners and the public. This language affirms Congress’s intention for clean water utilities to be partners in conservation and water quality initiatives, and supports progress being made to address Clean Water Act regulatory obligations through watershed partnerships and innovative approaches. NACWA thanks both Congressman Gibbs and Senator Grassley for supporting this important provision.
The Farm Bill also includes important reforms to the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which numerous utilities have considered or used since its creation in the 2014 Farm Bill. These include streamlining the application process, providing an expedited renewal process, expanding in-kind match eligibility, increasing the focus on quantification of conservation outcomes, and robust funding. The Farm Bill also notably includes dedicated funding for source water protection, as well as support for implementing precision conservation practices and tracking conservation metrics. These provisions can help prevent excess nutrients from entering waterways and improve understanding of the impact of certain conservation practices on water quality.
