§3865 — Title 16 Conservation | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary must set up an agricultural conservation easement program to conserve eligible land and natural resources by using easements or other land interests. The program must combine and coordinate the goals and work of three earlier programs—the wetlands reserve (section 3837), the grassland reserve (section 3838n), and the farmland protection program (section 3838i)—as they existed the day before February 7, 2014. It must restore, protect, and improve wetlands on eligible land; protect farming and its long‑term viability and related conservation values by limiting nonfarm uses that harm them; and protect grazing uses and their conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible land.

Title 16, §3865

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall establish an agricultural conservation easement program for the conservation of eligible land and natural resources through easements or other interests in land.

(b)The purposes of the program are to—

(1)combine the purposes and coordinate the functions of the wetlands reserve program established under section 3837 11 See References in Text note below. of this title, the grassland reserve program established under section 3838n 1 of this title, and the farmland protection program established under section 3838i 1 of this title, as such sections were in effect on the day before February 7, 2014;

(2)restore, protect, and enhance wetlands on eligible land;

(3)protect the agricultural use and future viability, and related conservation values, of eligible land by limiting nonagricultural uses of that land that negatively affect the agricultural uses and conservation values; and

(4)protect grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible land.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 3837, 3838n, and 3838i of this title, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), were repealed by Pub. L. 113–79, title II, §§ 2703(a), 2704(a), 2705(a), Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 767, 768.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2601(1), inserted “that negatively affect the agricultural uses and conservation values” after “uses of that land”. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2601(2), substituted “restoring or conserving” for “restoring and conserving”.

§3865 Establishment and Purposes