In The News Potomac News - October 30, 2001 Seeking greener pastures County's rural guardians help curb pollution, erosion BY KATE BISSELL kbissell@potomacnews.com If you have never heard of the Prince William County Soil and Water Conservation District, you probably don't live out in the country. The inconspicuous agency has been working with farmers since the Depression but remains largely unknown in the community. The office is charged with helping farmers implement practices that preserve the quality of soil and combat water pollution, such as preventing waste runoff and erosion. "It's not like everybody on the corner is a farmer, like it was years ago. Unfortunately, we don't get a lot of press," said Melvin Bellinger, chairman of the Prince William SWCD board of directors. Last year, an agency conservationist went door to door, looking for farmers and livestock owners who might benefit from SWCD programs to let them know what kind of assistance was available. At that time, a cost-sharing budget of more than $200,000 allowed the agency to fund just about any farming project, but funds were slashed by nearly 65 percent for the 2002 fiscal year. Now it will be up to the local district's board of directors to decide what projects receive funding with the limited grant money. Three seats on that board are up for election Nov. 6 and six men are vying for the nonpartisan positions. Three candidates are incumbents: Bellinger, Jeffrey Guide, vice chairman of the board and Robert "Pete" Shiner. The challengers are Marty Nohe, Steve Danziger and Dan Berrios. Those elected will be part of a five-member board that includes two directors appointed by the state Soil and Water Conservation Board. The board oversees a staff of six who work with the local farming community, which includes more than 250 farms, many quite small, in the Prince William District -- the county, Manassas and Manassas Park. All three challengers said they want to raise the profile of the SWCD. "Prior to my getting involved, most people had no idea what it was and it really had no impact on people's lives," said Berrios, a former bank loan officer who has been working full-time on various Republican campaigns for the last year. He said he wants to give the agency a new urban identity and show all county residents how their actions impact the environment. "Generally, [the SWCD] was for agricultural purposes but the county isn't agricultural anymore and, unfortunately, other than cleaning up streams and Arbor Day poster contests, there's not a whole lot they've been doing," Berrios said. Staff and members of the Prince William SWCD Board of Directors disagree. "I want to make sure we don't get trivialized. I think we do make a big impact on the quality of soil and water," said Bellinger, a former farmer and U.S. Department of Agriculture employee. Bellinger said the agency runs programs that improve the management of erosion and water nutrients without hindering land owners' ability to farm or enjoy their property. Prince William SWCD staff members come up with "best management" plans for farmers and horse owners and show them how to minimize the impact of animals on the land. The district does cost-sharing with farmers and livestock owners, using grant money to help cover the costs of special projects. Common projects include installing fences to keep livestock out of streams and building concrete tanks for storing manure. The Soil and Water Conservation District workers plan and oversee the projects and the district funds up to 75 percent of the cost. Last year, the staff worked on about 40 projects, with average costs of $5,000 to $15,000 each, said John Bell, Prince William district manager. The local district receives funding from the state, county and federal governments. The operating budget is about $250,000, not including grant money for cost-sharing projects. For the past few years, grant funding has been nearly unlimited, but that will not be the case in coming years. The local district's cost-sharing budget was more than $200,000 last year but was cut to $72,000 for this fiscal year. The District expects the amount to be even less in coming years, Bell said. "The little amount of money we do get has to go a long way," said Guide, who works for the Library of Congress and studied animal science and horticultural in college. With less funding from the state, the district will have to pick and choose among needed farming projects. It will be up to the board of directors to decide which farmers will receive funding. The Prince William SWCD also manages Adopt-a-Stream programs and does educational outreach with local schools. Last week, it held Farm Field Day at the county fairgrounds. It organizes Arbor Day festivities every April. Bellinger, who has served on the board as an appointed member for five years, said he wants to stay on the board out of his commitment to conservation and agriculture. Guide said he is running for another term because he hasn't accomplished all he set out to do on the board. "We haven't focused on the amount of education that needs to be done," he said. Candidates Danziger and Nohe, who does not have farming experience, both said they hope to bring the district into the public eye if elected. "It's not a high-profile seat but it's a good way to get involved," said Nohe, who owns Appliance Connection in Woodbridge. "In order to be environmentally responsible, it has to be more than telling people what to do, it has to be a stewardship of land," he said. "What we need to do is be more of a bully pulpit. I would use this as a springboard to educate the public," said Danziger, who is vice-chairman of the Prince William Park Authority. Shiner was out of town and could not be reached for comment. Staff writer Kate Bissell can be reached at (703) 878-8068. Return to Homepage

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