Veterans job fair connects over 100 job seekers to employers

MIDDLETOWN, Del. – Today, approximately 150 job seekers came out to the Middletown Memorial Fire Hall for a veterans job fair hosted by U.S. Sens. Tom Carper, Chris Coons and U.S. Rep. John Carney (all D-Del.).

Currently, there are approximately 857,000 unemployed veterans nation-wide. That is why Delaware’s Congressional Delegation is working toward reducing this number through outreach events like this job fair, which included a resume and interview preparation workshop. The next Veterans Job Fair will be held on August 24, 2012, at Milford High School. Earlier this year, the delegation held job fairs in all three of Delaware’s counties, matching hundreds of employers with those seeking jobs.

“As a 23-year veteran, I’m committed to helping those who served their country find good-paying jobs in Delaware,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, also a member of the Veterans Jobs Caucus. “These men and women have the skills and leadership training that make them desirable job applicants.”

“Veterans are tested leaders who have learned how to manage people through some of the most difficult situations imaginable,” Senator Coons said. “This job fair did an outstanding job connecting veterans with employers looking to hire men and women with unique skills and leadership experience. Veterans bring extraordinary skills to their civilian careers. I hope that veterans who couldn’t make it to today’s job fair come out to next week’s veterans job fair in Milford.”

“I’m glad that so many veterans and employers took advantage of today’s job fair,” said Congressman Carney. “Veterans leave the service with important skills that translate directly to the workplace. I’m sure that many who attended today made relationships and found opportunities that will help them begin the next phase of their careers. I’m looking forward to building on this success with next week’s veteran job fair in Milford.”

For more information about the Aug. 24 job fair, call Senator Tom Carper’s Dover office at (302) 674-3308.  

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Senator Coons congratulates Delaware lawmakers and leaders on signing of SB 226

NEW CASTLE, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Delaware lawmakers and leaders in the criminal justice community at New Castle County Police headquarters on Wednesday to offer his congratulations to Governor Jack Markell and members of the Justice Reinvestment Task Force on the signing of the bipartisan SB 226, the Justice Reinvestment Act. The bill was based on a series of recommendations made by the task force, which analyzed crime data and official procedures over the last year in search of reforms to make Delaware’s criminal justice system more efficient and more just.

“A criminal justice system that is fair is the right of every Delawarean,” Senator Coons said. “Using a scientific, data-driven approach, we now have a package of reforms that runs the gamut from pre-trial risk assessment to better information at sentencing to smarter corrections strategies that reduce recidivism. This is a comprehensive approach that includes community-based services to decrease crime and strengthen neighborhoods.”

Governor Markell created the Justice Reinvestment Task Force by executive order last summer after Delaware was selected by the U.S. Department of Justice to participate in its Justice Reinvestment Initiative. The initiative is designed to assist jurisdictions in taking a data-driven approach to improving public safety, reducing spending on corrections and other criminal justice activities, and reinvesting savings in strategies that decrease crime and strengthen neighborhoods. The task force was led by Lt. Governor Matt Denn, with technical assistance provided by the Vera Institute of Justice, and involved substantial contributions from criminal justice leaders throughout Delaware in developing a set of recommendations.

State Senator Patti Blevins (D-Elsmere) introduced legislation based on those recommendations in May. The Senate passed the measure on June 12, as did the House on June 21.

“One of the things that is truly wonderful about this moment is that it happened because stakeholders at every level, from inside and outside of government, worked together,” Senator Coons said. “Drew Fennell and the Criminal Justice Council worked so hard to make this effort possible. Lt. Governor Denn and the Justice Reinvestment Task Force did a great job of identifying opportunities for reform. Leaders in the Senate and House turned those recommendations into legislation and advanced this bill so that Governor Markell could sign it today. I could not be prouder of the strong commitment and partnership shown at every step.”

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Statement from Senator Coons on tragic shooting at Wisconsin Sikh temple

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons, a graduate of Yale Divinity School, today released the following statement on the shooting of six people at a Sikh temple in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“Houses of worship are sacred spaces where Americans exercise their constitutionally protected right to live the tenets of their faith among family and community. This horrific crime is a violation of the principles of peace and tolerance that are at the very heart of American religious tradition.  

“Sikh values are American values. A deep commitment to equality and hard work is at the heart of the Sikh faith and Sikh community.  For this violent attack to occur while temple members were reading scriptures and preparing for a Sunday service is heartbreaking.

“An attack on one house of worship is an attack on all. As Americans and people of faith, we stand together in this time of sorrow. Annie and I offer our deepest condolences to the families of the victims, the entire community of Milwaukee, and the worldwide community of Sikhs, and will continue to pray for peace and tolerance in our country and around the world.”

Carper, Coons, Carney congratulate Maryland delegation for funding to construct the C&D Canal Trail

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Representative John Carney today congratulated Maryland’s Congressional delegation on their announcement of a total of $2,060,000 in U.S. Department of Transportation funding for a 1.8 mile expansion of the Chesapeake & Delaware (C&D) Canal Trail in the state of Maryland. 

“This federal funding for the Maryland portion of the C&D Canal recreational trail — which will be along the northern bank of the Canal — will enable our two states to create a truly unique recreational opportunity that will help promote a healthy lifestyle and revitalize two cities,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Carper. “I cannot wait for the day that bikers, runners, and walkers can cross the Delaware-Maryland border on this trail, and I am confident that this trail will become a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.”

“Delawareans and Marylanders have always worked together to conserve our shared environment and recreational resources, and I’m pleased to have the C&D Canal Trail be a visual representation of those efforts,” said U.S. Sen. Chris Coons. “There are many people involved, across both our states, who have been working diligently to see the construction of the Michael N. Castle Trail. I want to congratulate Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin and all members of the Maryland Congressional delegation for this wonderful announcement and I look forward to the final completion of the trail.” 

“Part of the vision of the C&D Canal Trail was always to connect and enhance two historic cities in our region — Delaware City and Chesapeake City,” said Congressman Carney.  “I’m very pleased that this vision is now becoming a reality, and I look forward to even more people being able to take advantage of the fun, healthy activities the trail will offer.”

“Completion of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal Trail has been one of my top priorities,” said U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, “and a priority shared by U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, who championed this project in Delaware. The C&D Trail is a recreational treasure and this $2 million in federal funds ensures the completion of the Trail, which will attract tourists who want to enjoy the experience of hiking and biking between Chesapeake City, Maryland and Delaware City, Delaware.”

This project will complete the western 1.8 miles of a recreational trail linking the towns of Chesapeake City, Maryland and Delaware City, Delaware. Funds will be used to transform the existing gravel service road on the north side of the C&D Canal into a multi-purpose recreation trail with associated features including signage, trail heads, and rest facilities. This 1.8 mile segment will complete the Maryland segment of the 17 mile long trail, providing direct access to Chesapeake City’s ferry terminal and connecting residents and visitors in both states with the unique heritage, extensive environmental resources, and vital waterway operations of the C&D Canal.

In July, the Delaware Congressional delegation joined federal, state and local officials in announcing the naming and groundbreaking of the Michael N. Castle Trail at the C&D Canal. The event marked the first phase of the approximately 17-mile long, multiple-use recreational trail along the north side of the C&D Canal. 

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Senate condemns crimes of Joseph Kony and Lord’s Resistance Army

WASHINGTON – The United States Senate unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday night condemning the crimes against humanity committed by Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), supporting to ongoing international efforts to remove Kony from the battlefield, and calling for the U.S. to continue to enhance its mobility, intelligence and logistical support of regional forces protecting civilians and pursuing the LRA. The resolution was introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), and was cosponsored by 45 of their colleagues.

“As Secretary Clinton arrives in Uganda to speak with President Museveni about regional security cooperation and joint counter-LRA efforts, the Senate unanimously affirmed that the United States will continue to support African-led operations to end the LRA’s reign of terror and remove Joseph Kony from the battlefield,” Senator Coons said. “Kony and the LRA have terrorized Uganda and its neighbors in central Africa for more than two decades, tearing families apart and destroying communities. Joseph Kony represents the worst of mankind, and he and his commanders must be held accountable for their war crimes. I applaud my colleagues for unanimously passing this bipartisan resolution condemning the crimes committed by the LRA and supporting ongoing regional efforts to bring Kony and top LRA commanders to justice once and for all.” Senator Coons is chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs.

“This resolution reinforces my important legislation that we passed in 2011 called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act,” Senator Inhofe said.  “It further puts the Senate on record against the terror acts of Joseph Kony and his LRA.  They have been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent victims and the displacement of over one million people.  We must keep the pressure up to help Africans bring these heinous acts to an end.  As Africa continues to be susceptible to the spread of extremist ideology, we must prevent the continent from becoming the new home of terrorist organizations.  Bringing Kony and the LRA to an end will remove a major destabilizing force while providing better security for the people of Africa.” Senator Inhofe is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The resolution, S.Res.402, does the following:

• Supports the efforts of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and other regional governments, as well as the African Union and United Nations, to end the threat posed by the LRA;
• Supports continued efforts by the United States to strengthen the capabilities of regional military forces deployed to protect civilians and pursue commanders of the LRA; as well as to enhance cooperation and cross-border efforts to increase civilian protection and provide assistance to populations affected by the LRA;
• Calls on the U.S. to utilize existing funds for ongoing programs to enhance mobility, intelligence, and logistical capabilities for partner forces engaged in efforts to protect civilians or remove Joseph Kony and his top commanders from the battlefield;
• Calls on the President to keep Congress fully informed of U.S. efforts and to work closely with Congress to identify and address critical gaps in efforts to counter the LRA. 

Hundreds of Americans signed on to S.Res.402 as “citizen cosponsors” to show their support for efforts to stop Joseph Kony. Their names were entered into the Congressional Record last month.

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Senate passes Coons-sponsored resolution honoring first American woman in Space, Dr. Sally Ride

WASHINGTON – A resolution sponsored by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) honoring the life and career of the first woman from the United States to fly in space, Dr. Sally Ride, was passed unanimously by the Senate on Thursday night. Dr. Ride died on July 23 at the age of 61.

“Sally Ride was inspirational, not only to young women, but to every American who has looked up with wonder and curiosity only the stars can inspire,” Senator Coons said. “Dr. Ride’s life’s work, like that of the shuttle program, was to inspire Americans to never stop searching for knowledge of our world, our universe, and ourselves. It’s a mission we all must carry out, and one that I am committed to helping fulfill. I’m glad my Senate colleagues came together last night to honor Dr. Ride with this resolution, and hope her memory will continue to persuade young Americans to search for answers in the sciences.”

The bipartisan resolution “expresses [the Senate’s] deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Sally Ride on her death; mourns the loss of Dr. Ride, a trailblazing pioneer who inspired millions of individuals, especially women and girls, to reach for the stars; and appreciates all of the contributions of Dr. Ride to science, physics, education, and human spaceflight.” 

Born, raised, and educated in California, she became a role model and hero when she launched her first mission in 1983, becoming the first American woman to enter low Earth orbit. After flying two shuttle missions and serving as a member of the Presidential Commission investigating the Challenger accident, she became a professor, and eventually started “Sally Ride Science” in 2001, a company dedicated to promoting new and exciting ways to engage elementary and middle school students with science at an early age.

Dr. Ride also wrote 5 science books for children, entitled: To Space and Back, The Mystery of Mars, Voyager: An Adventure to the Edge of the Solar System, Exploring Our Solar System, and The Third Planet: Exploring the Earth from Space.

The resolution was led by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and, in addition to Senator Coons, cosponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas).

You can read the entire resolution below:

Whereas Dr. Sally Ride was born on May 26, 1951, in Los Angeles, California;

Whereas Dr. Ride graduated high school from Westlake School for Girls in Los Angeles in 1968, and received from Stanford University a Bachelor of Science in Physics and a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1973, a Master of Science in 1975, and a doctorate degree in physics in 1978;

Whereas the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in this preamble as “NASA”) selected Dr. Ride as an astronaut candidate in January of 1978;

Whereas Dr. Ride worked on the ground as a communications officer for the second and third NASA space shuttle missions (STS-2 and STS-3) and helped develop the robot arm used by shuttle crews;

Whereas, on June 18, 1983, Dr. Ride became the first woman from the United States to travel in space when she served as a mission specialist for space shuttle mission STS-7;

Whereas Dr. Ride also served as a mission specialist on space shuttle mission STS 41-G, which launched into space from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on October 5, 1984;

Whereas, in June of 1985, Dr. Ride was assigned to the crew of STS 61-M for which mission training terminated in January of 1986, following the space shuttle Challenger accident;

Whereas Dr. Ride served as a member of the Presidential Commission investigating the space shuttle Challenger accident and, upon completing that investigation, was assigned to NASA Headquarters as a Special Assistant to the Administrator for long-range and strategic planning;

Whereas, in 1989, Dr. Ride joined the faculty at the University of California, San Diego, as a Professor of Physics and Director of the California Space Institute, a research unit at the University of California;

Whereas, following her passion of motivating girls and young women to pursue careers in science, math, and technology, Dr. Ride founded her own company, known as Sally Ride Science, in 2001, to create entertaining science programs and publications for upper elementary and middle school students, as well as their parents and teachers;

Whereas, as a long-time advocate for improved science education, Dr. Ride initiated and directed education projects designed to fuel the fascination of middle school students with science and wrote 5 science books for children, entitled: To Space and Back, The Mystery of Mars, Voyager: An Adventure to the Edge of the Solar System, Exploring Our Solar System, and The Third Planet: Exploring the Earth from Space;

Whereas Dr. Ride served as a member of the President’s Counsel of Advisors on Science and Technology, the Space Studies Board, and the Pacific Council on International Policy;

Whereas Dr. Ride was a fellow of the American Physical Society and also served on the boards of the Office of Technology Assessment, the Carnegie Institution of Washington, the National Collegiate Athletic Association Foundation, the Aerospace Corporation, and the California Institute of Technology;

Whereas Dr. Ride was the only person to have served on commissions investigating both the space shuttle Challenger and Columbia accidents; and

Whereas Dr. Ride has received numerous honors and awards, including induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Astronaut Hall of Fame, the Jefferson Award for Public Service, the Wernher von Braun Memorial Award of the National Space Society, the Lindbergh Eagle Award, the Theodore Roosevelt Award of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and 2 NASA Space Flight Medals: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Sally Ride on her death;

(2) mourns the loss of Dr. Ride, a trailblazing pioneer who inspired millions of individuals, especially women and girls, to reach for the stars; and

(3) appreciates all of the contributions of Dr. Ride to science, physics, education, and human spaceflight.

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Statement from Senator Coons on Senate’s failure to pass cybersecurity legislation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who worked with his Senate colleagues to strengthen and advance the Cybersecurity Act of 2012, issued the following statement after the bill failed to gain enough votes for cloture on Thursday.

“America faces no greater national security threat than that posed through digital channels. The threat is real, it is significant, and it is imminent – and America is unprepared. The Senate has had every opportunity to take necessary steps to better prepare our country and avert the potentially devastating impact of a cyber attack. By not acting today, we increase the likelihood that Congress’ response to a devastating attack in the future will be made in haste and out of fear, and without the constructive deliberation that marked the Lieberman-Collins bill. As we saw following the terror attacks of 9/11, such a reactionary response can lead to broad new powers for government, restrictions on civil liberties for citizens, and burdensome regulations on businesses. Information sharing about imminent threats alone is not sufficient for cybersecurity. It must be matched with steps to ensure our nation’s critical infrastructure is resilient to cyber attacks before the phone rings, not after.

“For months, I worked with several of my colleagues — Democrats and Republicans — to bridge the political gulf that threatened to swallow this legislation. We made significant progress, but not enough to pass the bill today. We cannot, however, give up. The differences expressed by my colleagues are not insurmountable, even if the issues raised by certain vocal political forces are unrealistic.

“I remain committed to strengthening our nation’s cyber defenses, and believe the Lieberman-Collins Cybsersecurity Act of 2012 remains our best approach to doing so. I hope the Senate returns to the measure this fall, and will actively work with my colleagues to ensure that the progress we made in the last weeks and months is not lost. My hope is that our return to this issue happens before the ‘digital Pearl Harbor’ warned of by so many experts, and not after.”

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Senators Coons, Isakson praise Senate’s reauthorization of key provision of Africa trade law

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), chair and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, praised the Senate’s passage on Thursday of a bill to reauthorize the Third Country Fabric Provision of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is set to expire at the end of September. The Third Country Fabric Provision is seen as key to the United States’ long-term trade relationship with Africa, which is currently home to six of the world’s ten fastest-growing economies in the world.

“One of the best things we can do to strengthen America’s long-term economic security is to invest in the fastest-growing economies in the world the majority of which are in sub-Saharan Africa,” Senator Coons said. “AGOA and its Third Country Fabric Provision are helping to build a strong middle class in Africa, lessening dependency on U.S. foreign aid, and opening important new markets to American companies. It also benefits American consumers who can buy apparel at lower costs because of the savings experienced by major retailers who source their goods in sub-Saharan Africa. America can’t afford to turn its back on African markets, and today the Senate spoke in one voice supporting trade with the continent that has emerged as one of the most economically promising in the world. I’m glad the Senate came together today to finally reauthorize the Third Country Fabric Provision, and thank Senator Isakson and our colleagues who worked hard to get it passed.”

“I commend my colleagues in the Senate for passing this important piece of legislation, which will greatly benefit our economy and support American industry,” Senator Isakson said. “AGOA continues to create more customers for American businesses by supporting the growth of Africa’s middle class, and it reinforces our relationship with the people of Africa by strengthening the continent’s democratic institutions and promoting economic freedom.”

AGOA was passed in 2000 and has to be reauthorized every five years. AGOA’s Third Country Fabric Provision, which allows the duty-free import of apparel from sub-Saharan Africa assembled from textiles produced in other regions, must be reauthorized every three years. Its current authorization expires September 30.

Because apparel companies tend to make sourcing decisions months in advance, U.S. orders for African textile exports have plummeted as the provision’s reauthorization was stalled during much of the last year. According to the U.S. Trade Representative, African textile exports have already dropped by 27 percent in the last year, and U.S. orders African exports set to ship after the provision’s expiration are down 35 percent.

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Senators Coons, Enzi introduce R&D tax credit for startup companies

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) introduced legislation on Tuesday that would give innovative startup companies an opportunity to take advantage of the successful Research and Development Tax Credit, which incentivizes American companies to invest in innovation. Cosponsored by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the Startup Innovation Credit Act of 2012 allows qualifying companies to claim the R&D Tax Credit against their employment taxes instead of their income taxes. Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA-6) will introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives later this week.

“The Research and Development Tax Credit has helped tens of thousands of successful American companies create jobs by incentivizing investment in innovation, but startups can’t take advantage,” Senator Coons said. “Firms younger than five years old have been responsible for the overwhelming majority of our new jobs in recent years, and they are driving our nation’s economic recovery by taking risks to turn their ideas into marketable products. Let’s help build the next generation of American manufacturing by investing in American innovators with the Startup Innovation Credit Act.”

“Research and development is at the heart of startup businesses with big aspirations,” Senator Enzi said. “By allowing our job creators to keep more of their hard-earned cash through the startup R&D tax credit, they can focus on creating the good-paying, high value jobs our economy needs.”

Senators Enzi and Schumer are members of the Senate Finance Committee, and Rep. Gerlach is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which have jurisdiction over tax policy in Congress.

Research and development is the cornerstone of any competitive company, institution, or country, and while the Research & Development Tax Credit has proven essential to American innovators, it does not currently help startups.  According to the Government Accountability Office, more than half of the credit claimed by companies each year goes to firms with $1 billion or more in receipts.

To qualify for the Startup Innovation Credit, a company must be less than five years old and have less than $5 million in gross receipts. Since many young companies invest heavily in research and development in their first few years and don’t have income tax liability, they are unable to claim a federal income tax credit, like the R&D Tax Credit. With the Startup Innovation Credit, a startup company that lacks the income tax liability necessary to claim the R&D Tax Credit can instead claim the credit in the following year by reducing its employer-side payroll taxes by an equivalent amount up to $250,000.

“Over the last two years, I’ve talked with dozens of business leaders and experts in tax policy to refine the Startup Innovation Credit and ensure it is as smart as the innovators we’re trying to help,” Senator Coons said. “The bipartisan bill we’re introducing today can make a real difference in the next generation of American manufacturing.”

“R&D is the principal way industry creates knowledge that can be commercialized into economically valuable products and services, and the R&D tax credit is a key way the federal government supports private-sector R&D activities,” Dr. Robert Atkinson, president and founder of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said. “The Startup Innovation Credit addresses a key weakness of the current tax credit. During their initial years of existence, small start-up companies trying to innovate and bring new ideas to market don’t yet have tax liabilities. As a result, small, emerging firms don’t have access to the R&D tax credit at a time when it would benefit most, potentially being the difference between success and failure. The Startup Innovation Credit is a practical change to spur more U.S.-based innovation and job growth in key industries like clean energy and information technology.”

“Research and development are essential ingredients for making American companies competitive in the global marketplace,” Rich Heffron, interim president of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce said. “The Startup Innovation Credit is an imaginative plan for providing entrepreneurs the means to create jobs while their company is still in its infancy. The companies that will make use of this program will be among those leading our country’s economic resurgence. The members of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce urge Congress to quickly move this legislation to the President’s desk.”

“The Startup Innovation Credit will create jobs and speed up innovation, helping early-stage companies like many of those that belong to Delaware Bio,” Bob Dayton, president of Delaware Bio said. “Startups that are investing in innovation have enormous potential to grow and create jobs, and the Startup Innovation Credit is a creative way to help nurture that potential when it will have the greatest impact.”

“DeNovix, Inc. is a Delaware-based small company developing instrumentation for bio-research,” Kevin Kelley, business director of DeNovix said. “Our team includes molecular biologists and engineering professionals.  The proposed legislation would allow our company to offset some of the costs of bringing new, innovative, technology-based products to market. We support the efforts of the senators who are drafting the bill.”

The full text of the legislation can be downloaded here:

http://www.coons.senate.gov/download/startup-innovation-credit

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Senators Carper, Coons highlight conservation accomplishments in Chesapeake Bay Watershed

SEAFORD, Del. – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) were joined by state officials and Seaford cattle farm owners Carlton and Jody Jones to highlight conservation accomplishments in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, working with farmers and other local stakeholders, has achieved historic levels of conservation implementation in the Chesapeake Bay watershed during the past two fiscal years, leading to water quality improvements, wildlife habitat enhancement and support of rural economies. 

NRCS helped Chesapeake Bay farmers like the Jones family, forest landowners, and other partners voluntarily install conservation practices or actions on a total of 650,000 acres of working lands. Since 2004, NRCS has provided more than $500 million to help farmers install or apply conservation practices. In addition, the 2008 Farm Bill provided assistance to farmers and forest landowners through the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI), which focuses funding and other resources on priority areas identified by NRCS and its partners. Through the use of CBWI and other Farm Bill programs, NRCS staff helped landowners to voluntarily implement over 60,000 new conservation practices in the watershed in fiscal year 2011. 

The Jones’ farm is within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and about 35 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. With the help of NRCS and the Sussex Conservation District, they have addressed water quality, nutrient management, soil conservation and air quality by implementing prescribed grazing, forage harvest management, pasture and hayland planting, cover crops, windbreaks, irrigates forage for maximum yield and nutrient uptake and feeds to beef cattle. 

“One thing I truly believe is unique to the first state and that I’m particularly proud of is the way Delawareans have worked together over the past several years to help protect the quality of our land and of our water for future generations,” said Sen. Carper. “The First State leads the nation in nutrient management planning participation which proves that Delaware farmers are true environmental stewards and taking this charge very seriously.”

“Voluntary conservation practices make a tremendous difference as we work to support our local farmers while protecting and sustaining our precious natural resources for generations to come,” Senator Coons said. “Delaware farmers continue to raise the bar when it comes to committing themselves to best management practices that protect and preserve the land they farm, as well as the natural resources that surround them. What has been accomplished in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed should not only be celebrated, but should also serve as a model for other areas in the state, region and the nation.”

NRCS staff has helped landowners voluntarily apply or construct the following conservation practices in priority watersheds and across the Chesapeake Bay region: 

• 262 new waste storage facilities to help farmers manage manure
• 151,689 acres of nutrient management to improve the rate, timing, and method of nutrient application
• 7,114 acres of access control to exclude livestock from streams
• 121,573 acres of reduced tillage to reduce soil erosion and improve soil quality
• 136,501 acres of cover crop to reduce nutrient losses
• 65,317 feet of terraces to control soil erosion

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