Agricultural conservation has been a public policy issue for more than 60 years. Congress has repeatedly taken action on the issue through water and soil legislation, often as part of omnibus farm bills. The USDA¿s conservation efforts have centered on implementing these conservation programs through working land conservation practices, retiring land from production or estab. conservation easements, and providing technical assistance. The climate change debate and use of ecosystem services markets has brought conservation to the forefront of discussion on the role of agriculture in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Also, the effect of ethanol production on natural resources and changes in land use is an ongoing concern in the area of biofuels policy.

Contents: (1) Introduction: Purposes and Goal; Achievements to Date; Funding to Date; (2) Background; (3) Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) Purposes and Activities: GPOI Goals and Needs; Demand for Peacekeepers; Need for Gendarme-Constabulary Forces; U.S. Peacekeeping Training and Assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa; The Transition to GPOI Training and Assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa; Development of a ¿Beyond Africa¿ Program; Western Hemisphere; Asia/South Asia/Pacific Islands; Greater Europe (Europe and Eurasia); Middle East; Foreign Contributions to Peacekeeping Capacity Building; Italian Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units; (4) Administration Funding Requests and Congressional Action, Illus.

"The Almanac of the Unelected" is the leading source for information about Congressional staff: the essential individuals who help elected officials establish political positions on issues, craft legislation, and put policies in place. This new edition features in-depth profiles of more than 600 senior Congressional committee staff members.

Contents: (1) Intro.; (2) EPA's Greenhouse Gas Regulations; (3) Legislation on Climate Change: Legislative and Regulatory Issues; Cap-and-Trade; GHG Emission Standards; HFC Cap-and-Trade; Removal of Existing EPA Authorities; Agricultural Sources of Emissions; Internat. Offsets; Tariff Provisions; State Preemption; Experience with Other Cap-and-Trade Systems; (4) Emissions from Power Plants: Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR): N. Carolina v. EPA; Effects of the Decision; Judicial and Legislative Options; Clean Air Mercury Rule: Background; NJ v. EPA; Other Mercury Issues; Next Steps; New Source Review; (5) Air Quality Standards; Background; Judicial Reviews; Adequacy of Monitoring. Illus. This is a print on demand publication.