The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TRIBUTE TO KENNETH AND LINDA STEIGERS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1688 on Sept. 12, 2006.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr12se06-30]
TRIBUTE TO KENNETH AND LINDA STEIGERS
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HON. C. L. ``BUTCH'' OTTER
of idaho
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing to the actions of Kenneth and Linda Steigers of Juliaetta, Idaho.
Nine years before the Steigers purchased a section of land in Clearwater County, Idaho, a flood tore through the area. It destroyed many large cottonwood trees and other vegetation in a riparian zone of Lolo Creek which runs through their property. Eventually, grass grew back near the banks of the creek, which attracted grazing cattle. At that time the Bureau of Land Management raised concerns that the cattle may be adversely affecting the water quality of the creek and the salmon spawning beds in the area.
The Steigers, through support from the Conservation Reserve Program, CRP, have worked diligently to rectify the problem. They used program funding to build a fence around the riparian area and also developed a spring at the top of a nearby slope to provide an alternate drinking area for the cattle. With the cattle no longer grazing in the area, cottonwood trees and shrubs are growing in the area again. The salmon habitat has improved and elk, deer, geese, ducks, blue herons, and other small water birds have become abundant.
For their actions as CRP participants the Steigers will be presented with the Conservation Reserve Program Outstanding American Conservationist Award by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns at the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday, September 13, 2006.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in congratulating the actions of Kenneth and Linda Steigers. It is accomplishments like this that make our world a more beautiful and enjoyable place to live.
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