February 19, 2013

SUBJECT: Columbia County NRCS Local Work Group Meeting

FROM: Don Mehlhoff (NRCS Columbia County District Conservationist)

WHEN: March 14, 2013, from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: Columbia Soil and Water Conservation District Building (Formerly Warren Grange) meeting room in bottom floor

35285 Millard Road, St. Helens, Oregon

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) requests your attendance and input regarding conservation needs and priorities in Columbia County. Your input is important to us.

Oregon NRCS has been developing implementation strategies to target important natural resource concerns throughout the state. We would like your input about where the priority conservation areas are in Columbia County, which are the most important resource concerns, what conservation practices will address those concerns, and what kind of conservation work is actively occurring in the county.

The purpose of this meeting is to share where we are currently focusing our efforts, and receive input and recommendations from our Partners to truly make this a locally-led effort. Our goal is to concentrate our efforts where the need is the greatest and most beneficial to the resources. The Local Work Group provides suggestions to NRCS to prioritize local funding as available from Farm Bill Programs.

If you are unable to attend this meeting, please feel free to send another representative from your organization or neighborhood, or contact NRCS at (503) 397-4555 ext. 105, or e-mail to share your concerns and ideas. All Local Work Group meetings are open to the public, and we welcome everyone’s participation.

Thank you in advance for your time, your participation and your interest in conservation in Columbia County. Please let me know if you or another representative will be attending so we have time to prepare the meeting room.

Sincerely,

Don Mehlhoff

USDA NRCS, District Conservationist

e-mail:

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.) should contact the USDA Office of Communications at (202) 720-5881 (voice) or (202) 720-7808 (TDD). To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, Washington DC, 20250, or call (202) 720-7327 (voice) or (202) 690-1538(TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.