16 U.S.C. § 3473 — Regulations

Page 2301 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 3501 (1) domestic and international demand for agricultural products from the United States is great and is expected to significantly in- crease over the next twenty years; (2) the ability of the United States to pro- vide agricultural products to meet that de- mand is seriously impaired by the annual loss of five billion tons of soil due to wind and water erosion; (3) the battle against soil erosion is being lost despite the annual expenditure of millions of dollars by the Federal Government on re- search, technical assistance, and conservation incentives to control soil erosion; (4) conservation tillage practices are esti- mated to reduce soil erosion by 50 to 90 per centum over conventional farming practices; and (5) conservation tillage may result in better yields, greater land use flexibility, decreased fuel use, decreased labor and equipment costs, increased retention of soil moisture, and more productive land than conventional farming practices and may be adaptable to a broad range of soil types and slopes throughout the country. (b) It is the sense of Congress that the Sec- retary of Agriculture should, and is hereby urged and requested to— (1) direct the attention of our Nation’s farm- ers to the costs and benefits of conservation tillage as a means of controlling soil erosion and improving profitability; and (2) conduct a program of research designed to resolve any unanswered questions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of conserva- tion tillage over other soil conservation prac- tices. (Pub. L. 97–98, title XV, § 1553, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1345.) § 3473. Regulations The Secretary of Agriculture shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. (Pub. L. 97–98, title XV, § 1554, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1345.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original ‘‘this title’’, meaning title XV of Pub. L. 97–98, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1328, which enacted this chapter and sec- tions 2272 and 2273 and chapter 73 (§ 4201 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture, amended sections 1002 to 1005 of this title, section 1010 of Title 7, section 714b of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and section 1236 of Title 30, Min- eral Lands and Mining, and enacted a provision set out as a note under section 2272 of Title 7. § 3474. Conservation incentives landowner edu- cation program (a) In general Not later than 1 year after March 12, 2019, the Secretary shall establish a conservation incen- tives landowner education program (referred to in this section as the ‘‘program’’). (b) Purpose of program The program shall provide information on Federal conservation programs available to landowners interested in undertaking conserva- tion actions on the land of the landowners, in- cluding options under each conservation pro- gram available to achieve the conservation goals of the program, such as— (1) fee title land acquisition; (2) donation; and (3) perpetual and term conservation ease- ments or agreements. (c) Availability The Secretary shall ensure that the informa- tion provided under the program is made avail- able to— (1) interested landowners; and (2) the public. (d) Notification In any case in which the Secretary contacts a landowner directly about participation in a Fed- eral conservation program, the Secretary shall, in writing— (1) notify the landowner of the program; and (2) make available information on the con- servation program options that may be avail- able to the landowner. (Pub. L. 116–9, title III, § 3002, Mar. 12, 2019, 133 Stat. 756.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was enacted as part of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, and not as part of title XV of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 which comprises this chapter. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries DEFINITION OF ‘‘SECRETARY’’ Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, see section 2 of Pub. L. 116–9, set out as a note under sec- tion 1 of this title. CHAPTER 55—COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES Sec. 3501. Congressional statement of findings and pur- pose. 3502. Definitions. 3503. Establishment of John H. Chafee Coastal Bar- rier Resources System. 3504. Limitations on Federal expenditures affect- ing the System. 3505. Exceptions to limitations on expenditures. 3506. Certification of compliance. 3507. Priority of laws. 3508. Separability. 3509. Repealed. 3510. Authorization of appropriations. § 3501. Congressional statement of findings and purpose (a) The Congress finds that— (1) coastal barriers along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and along the shore areas of the Great Lakes of the United States and the adja- cent wetlands, marshes, estuaries, inlets and nearshore waters provide— (A) habitats for migratory birds and other wildlife; and (B) habitats which are essential spawning, nursery, nesting, and feeding areas for com-