Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 95.djvu/1355

 PUBLIC LAW 97-98—DEC. 22, 1981

95 STAT. 1329

produce food and fiber in a manner that is more energy efficient; and (7) there is a need for— (A) reducing seepage from on-farm and off-farm irrigation ditches and conveyance systems; (B) improving water conservation and utilization; and (C) installing measures to capture on-farm irrigation return flows. FORlMtULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SPECIAL AREAS CONSERVATION PROGRAM

SEC. 1503. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture (hereafter in this subtitle referred to as the "Secretary") shall establish a program for the conservation of soil, water, and related resources in special areas designated pursuant to section 1504 (hereafter in this subtitle referred to as "designated special areas") by providing technical and financial assistance to owners and operators or groups of owners and operators of farm, ranch, and certain other lands at their request. Such assistance with respect to State, county, and other public land shall be limited to those lands that are an integral part of a private farm operating unit and under the control of the private landowner or operator. (b) To carry out the program established under this subtitle, the Secretary may enter into contracts with owners and operators of farm, ranch, or other land in a designated special area having such control over the land as the Secretary deems necessary. Contracts may be entered into with respect to land in a designated special area which is not farm or ranch land only if the erosion-related problems of such land are so severe as to make such contracts with respect to such land necessary for the effective protection of farm or ranch land in that designated special area. Contracts under this subtitle shall be designed to provide assistance to the owners or operators of such farm, ranch, or other land to make voluntary changes in their cropping systems which are needed to conserve or protect the soil, water, and related resources of such lands, and to carry out the soil and water conservation practices and measures needed under such changed systems and uses. (c) The basis for such contracts shall be a conservation plan approved by the Secretary and the soil and water conservation <Ustrict in which the land on which the plan is to be carried out is situated. The Secretary shall provide to the landowner or operator, upon request, such technical assistance as may be needed to prepare and submit to the Secretary a conservation plan that— (1) incorporates such soil and other conservation practices and measures as may be determined to be practicable to protect such land from erosion or water-related problems; (2) outlines a schedule for the implementation of changes in cropping systems or use of land or of water and of conservation practices and measures proposed to be carried out on the farm, ranch, or other land during the contract period; (3) is designed to take into account the local social, economic, and environmental conditions, which will help solve the particular erosion or water-related problems of the designated area; (4) may allow for such varying levels of conservation application as are appropriate to address the problems and may be developed to cover all or part of a farm, ranch, or other land as determined to be necessary to solve the conservation problems;

16 USC 3412.

Contracts.

Conservation P^^"-

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