Last week, the House and Senate approved an Omnibus Appropriations Bill that contains funding for many key conservation programs. National Association of Conservation Districts President Brent Van Dyke says they’re pleased lawmakers increased funding for the EPA’s Section 319 non-point source grant program.

He says the Omnibus measure also includes just under $14 million for NRCS for the Conservation Technical Assistance program.

However, Van Dyke says the biggest disappointment was the $30 million cut to the Environmental Quality Incentives program.

Van Dyke says EQIP is so important to the voluntary incentive based conservation his group supports.