Here is a copy of the email I sent to the "Acting Director". Currently she is acting like a director and unavailable...
Hello,
I wanted to express my disappointment with the lack of support I am receiving from my local NRCS. I live in Whatcom county and wish to build a 1/4 acre pond on my property. I purchased the property in 2004 and at that time had a very helpful NRCS agent come out and give me a preliminary opinion and volunteered to come back and do a survey. I informed him that I was still a few years away from being able to do the project and would be in touch.
So here we are a few years latter and much to my surprise when I contacted my local office to involve them in my project, was informed that the "NRCS longer does that". I was then informed that due to staff reductions that "only the dairy farmers" were eligible for technical assistance. I then asked to be placed on a low priority waiting list, but was told that my number would never be called. I emphasized that I was not looking for any cost sharing/loan help, but rather their involvement and leadership during my project...no, sorry. I then reminded him that I am tax payer too, but that did not seem to matter.
I am a member of an online forum dedicated to pond construction and care. There are numerous current projects from all around the country where folks are receiving tremendous support from their NRCS agents. Time and time again I hear of people stressing the importance and dedication of their local agents. So why the disparity? Why has the Washington NRCS taken a stance that they will no longer take an active leadership role in insuring that environmentally sound private ponds are created? You are Federally funded and have a responsibility to provide the same basic level of service to people no matter what part of the country you live in.
Your mission statement: The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.
Maybe you should change the "people" part to "dairy farmers in Washington state" to eliminate future confusion.
Cliffbrook- I couldn't agree more and beautiful ponds.
Jersey- Yup!!!
