FARGO, N.D. Wildlife officials said Friday that a $35 million federal program to conserve wetlands and grasslands in the five-state Prairie Pothole Region is an effort to find new ways to protect native prairie with less money from the government.

The Department of Agriculture's Environmental Quality Incentives Program includes conservation grants, carbon credits and technical assistance for farmers, ranchers and others who volunteer to participate. The federal program targets native prairie considered to be at high risk of conversion to cropland.

"We are at a critical time," Agriculture Undersecretary Robert Bonnie said Friday in announcing the program. "There is significant pressure on grasslands in the Great Plains and we have to be more targeted with the conservation we do."

Prairie potholes are shallow depressions that are wetlands and are commonly found in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Montana. The region provides important breeding and nesting habitat for more than 60 percent of the nation's migratory waterfowl. The Dakotas are especially hotbeds for pheasant and duck hunting.

Bonnie said the native grasses in the region provide vital water storage to reduce regional flooding and improve water quality. He said there's also potential to store carbon in soils, which reduces the level of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.

Eric Lindstrom, government affairs representative for Ducks Unlimited in Bismarck, said a pilot program with similar incentives was held in North Dakota last year. It protected about 24,000 acres of land at a cost of about $3 million.

"Basically we're working to keep the grass sod-side up by offering a new series of incentives," Lindstrom said.

High commodity prices in recent years, along with new varieties of crops such as corn and soybeans that allow planting in less receptive soils, have cut into interest in the Conservation Reserve Program, Bonnie said. The program allows landowners to take marginal cropland out of production for 10 to 15 years.

Many of those contracts are about to expire. In addition, the number of acres in rural CRP land will be ratcheted down from a cap of about 32 million acres in the previous farm bill to 24 million in 2017, as a cost savings measure.

"There are some new programs in the farm bill we think will enhance our efforts here. It gives us a few more tools in the toolbox," Bonnie said. "We want to roll this out now as folks are thinking about operations for the next year."

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Program Provides $35 Million to Help Conservation

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This is state certified journey level commercial and industrial electrical work performing maintenance, repair, and installation work on facilities and equipment. Work involves performing electrical repair, maintenance, and installation work on buildings and machinery in City owned facilities, parks, and recreational buildings. Assignments are received from the Lead Electrician through work orders, verbally, or in writing.

The employee works independently and is responsible for carrying out the work assignments in accordance with instructions, policies and accepted practices. Additional guidance is provided through Federal, State, and local laws, guidelines, codes, and ordinances, NEC, EPA, ADA, and OSHA regulations, training classes and Departmental and City policies and procedures. Work is reviewed by the Lead Electrician through visual inspection, work orders, schedules, conferences, and performance appraisals for accuracy, completeness, and adherence to policies and procedures.This position serves as a lead position over less experienced workers or part-time personnel.

Performs electrical work; repairs and installs relays, electric eyes, electrical conduit, switches, fixtures, receptacles, controls, and circuits; troubleshoots electrical problems; installs and repairs exit and emergency lights, electrical outlets, and ballasts; replaces plugs on air conditioners, microwaves and other items; repairs electrical problems associated with draglines and generators.

Performs electronic work; repairs and maintains electronic lock down doors at the jail; repairs scoreboards for ball parks.

Communicates with other City departments, the public, sub-contractors and contractors when repairing or performing maintenance on City-owned buildings.

Employee will at times work other shifts and be on call, but are not absolutely restricted during their off-duty time or in their personal activities, yet may be required to be available only should their services be required. Employee shall be considered as waiting to be engaged to perform their assigned duties and shall not be entitled to compensation unless such employee is actually engaged to perform such required services.

Requires regular and prompt attendance plus the ability to work well with others and work well as a team. May perform the work of the Lead Electrician when absent. Attends training and seminars when requested. Picks up and delivers office supplies. Transports items to auctions; moves furniture, boxes, desks and chairs. Washes vehicles.

Work exposes the employee to adverse weather conditions, temperatures extremes on roofs and near incinerators, and loud noise levels. Work also exposes employee to hazards associated with traffic, working around inmates, electrical wiring, heights, wetness, sewage, blood borne pathogens, chemicals, gases, odors, and fumes. Protective equipment is required such as gloves, mask, ear plugs, safety glasses, back supports, amp meter, rain suits and a welding helmet. Work is performed both inside and outside and requires the physical ability to sit and operate a motor vehicles, and machinery associated with the trade. Work also requires some heavy lifting and carrying parts and materials and the ability to climb ladders, stand, bend, stoop, squat, and crawl while performing essential functions.

High school diploma from a school accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or GED certificate issued by the appropriate state agency or graduation from a technical college accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education with experience and proficiency in electrical at the journeyman level; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience that demonstrates thefollowinglisted knowledge, skills and abilities:Knowledge of electrical practices, methods and techniques. Knowledge of proper safety precautions associated with the trade. Knowledge of the proper operation of tools and equipment. Ability to perform a wide variety of electrical repair, maintenance and installation work. Ability to perform heavy manual labor. Ability to use tools and machinery associated with the trade. Ability to operate and use a bucket truck when needed. Ability to weld.Ability to communicate verbally and in writing. Ability to maintain accurate and complete records.

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Featured Job: General Services Electrician

The number of MBTA employees taking home six-figure pay skyrocketed nearly 40 percent last year, a staggering jump one fiscal watchdog said is on track to derail the system.

T spending is out of control, said Gregory W. Sullivan, former state inspector general now research director at the Pioneer Institute.

The Legislature has to take control because, evidently, the T is incapable of doing so. Last year, the T had $1.3 billion of expenses and the taxpayers paid for two-thirds of it ... out of property taxes and the state gas tax, Sullivan said.

Click here for the "Your Tax Dollars at Work" database on MBTA pay

The number of MBTA employees taking home $100,000 or more rose to 985 in 2013 a 39 percent increase compared with 711 employees in 2012, according to payroll records obtained by the Herald yesterday.

Some T workers on the six-figure track include:

A foreman who worked as an electrician and collected more than $209,000 his base salary was nearly $95,000;

Two other electricians who cashed in for more than $180,000 in gross pay off of base salaries between $94,000 and nearly $97,500;

Two engineers, whose base pay was $88,170, and took home pay between $175,000 and $180,000.

Some of the hefty increases were attributed to overtime pay, said T spokesman Joe Pesaturo. He referenced specific projects to explain the electricians pay hike, saying those employees worked in conjunction with several capital projects, including the Longfellow Bridge, the new Assembly Square Orange Line Station, and the new Orient Heights Blue Line Station, which opened late last year.

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Number of MBTA workers earning six figures soars

Photo by Jeff Goldberg/ESTO

The concert hall features 842 vineyard-style seats.

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Designed to be extremely intimate, Bing Concert Hall's 842 vineyard-style seats are organized in terraced platforms that surround the entire performance space. The optimal acoustical design called for lofty, 48-ft-high ceilings, resulting in 680,000 cu ft of volumegreater than halls with more than three times as many seats. Nine reflective acoustic panelsthe largest 43 ft by 51 ft and weighing 8,000 lbwere hung around the curvaceous space. Each panel had a unique curvature, orientation and shape, requiring tight installation tolerances due to the acoustic sensitivity and lack of any square, flat walls to measure against. Laser scanning and BIM guided the team to precision placements. One judge praised the team's "exceptional quality and craftsmanship." Bing Concert Hall was the only project to win in two categories.

Project Team

Owner: Stanford University

Architect: Ennead Architects, New York City

General Contractor: Turner Construction Co., Oakland

Engineers: Degenkolb Engineers, San Francisco; Taylor Engineering and The Engineering Enterprise, both Alameda; Wilsey Ham, Foster City

Consultants: Fisher Dachs Associates, New York City; Nagata Acoustics, Los Angeles

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Cultural & Specialty Contracting: Bing Concert Hall

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Dear Angie: What are the environmental benefits of permeable pavement? Paul S., Indianapolis

Dear Paul: One of the biggest benefits of permeable pavement systems which work like a sponge to soak water through pavement and into the ground is their ability to prevent chemicals and debris from entering storm drains and eventually, lakes, rivers and oceans.

Rain instead percolates through stone- or soil-filled joints between pavers or through pores in expanses of pavement and into an underground gravel base that filters gasoline, car oil and other contaminants from the water.

Because more precipitation soaks into the ground, rather than running down the nearest storm drain, permeable pavement reduces flash flooding and erosion. It also helps replenish the water table and limit how much water is needed for landscaping.

In addition, permeable systems reduce the need for subsurface drains, piping and sewers that local governments build to accommodate runoff.

Permeable pavement works for just about any hardscape project, including walkways, patios and driveways. These systems function ideally in areas that flood frequently or provide poor drainage. Permeable pavement is popular in the Pacific Northwest, in rainy cities such as Seattle and Portland, Ore.

There are two main types of permeable paving:

Pavers, which come in all shapes, sizes and designs, from small bricks to large stones.

Porous pavement, which looks similar to cottage cheese and can be made from concrete or asphalt.

If properly constructed, permeable pavement can last for 20 or more years. These systems require little maintenance, often only periodic removal of debris from joints or holes with a small wet-dry vacuum.

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Ask Angie: What are the benefits of permeable pavers?