The Secretary shall, during the 1991 through 1995 calendar years, formulate and carry out an environmental easement program (hereafter in this part referred to as the "easement program") in accordance with this part, through the acquisition of permanent easements or easements for the maximum term permitted under applicable State law from willing owners of eligible farms or ranches in order to ensure the continued long-term protection of environmentally sensitive lands or reduction in the degradation of water quality on such farms or ranches through the continued conservation and improvement of soil and water resources.
The Secretary may acquire easements under this section on land placed in the conservation reserve under this subchapter (other than such land that is likely to continue to remain out of production and that does not pose an off-farm environmental threat), land under the Water Bank Act [16 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.], or other cropland that—
(A) contains riparian corridors;
(B) is an area of critical habitat for wildlife, especially threatened or endangered species; or
(C) contains other environmentally sensitive areas, as determined by the Secretary, that would prevent a producer from complying with other Federal, State, or local environmental goals if commodities were to be produced on such land.
The Secretary may not acquire easements on—
(A) land that contains timber stands established under the conservation reserve under this subchapter; or
(B) pasture land established to trees under the conservation reserve under this subchapter.
The Secretary may terminate or modify any existing contract entered into under section 3831(a) of this title if eligible land that is subject to such contract is transferred into the program established by this part.
(Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, §1239, as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, §1440, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3597; amended Pub. L. 102–237, title II, §204(7), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1855.)
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Last modified: October 26, 2015