The purposes of the environmental quality incentives program established by this part are to promote agricultural production, forest management, and environmental quality as compatible goals, and to optimize environmental benefits, by—
(1) assisting producers in complying with local, State, and national regulatory requirements concerning—
(A) soil, water, and air quality;
(B) wildlife habitat; and
(C) surface and ground water conservation;
(2) avoiding, to the maximum extent practicable, the need for resource and regulatory programs by assisting producers in protecting soil, water, air, and related natural resources and meeting environmental quality criteria established by Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies;
(3) providing flexible assistance to producers to install and maintain conservation practices that sustain food and fiber production while—
(A) enhancing soil, water, and related natural resources, including grazing land, forestland, wetland, and wildlife; and
(B) conserving energy;
(4) assisting producers to make beneficial, cost effective changes to production systems (including conservation practices related to organic production), grazing management, fuels management, forest management, nutrient management associated with livestock, pest or irrigation management, or other practices on agricultural and forested land; and
(5) consolidating and streamlining conservation planning and regulatory compliance processes to reduce administrative burdens on producers and the cost of achieving environmental goals.
(Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, §1240, as added Pub. L. 107–171, title II, §2301, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 253; amended Pub. L. 110–234, title II, §2501(a), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1057; Pub. L. 110–246, §4(a), title II, §2501(a), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1785.)
Sections: Previous 3838p 3838q 3839 3839a 3839b 3839c 3839d 3839aa 3839aa-1 3839aa-2 3839aa-3 3839aa-4 3839aa-5 3839aa-6 3839aa-7 Next
Last modified: October 26, 2015