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. (1) assisting producers in complying with local, State, and national regulatory requirements concerning—

   1. (A) soil, water, and air quality;
   2. (B) wildlife habitat; and
   3. (C) surface and ground water conservation;
2. (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. (3) providing flexible assistance to producers to install and maintain conservation practices that sustain food and fiber production while—

   1. (A) enhancing soil, water, and related natural resources, including grazing land, forestland, wetland, and wildlife; and
   2. (B) conserving energy;
4. (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. (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.)

Codification Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

Prior Provisions A prior section 3839aa, Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1240, as added Pub. L. 104–127, title III, § 334, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 996, related to purposes, prior to the general amendment of this part by Pub. L. 107–171.

Amendments 2008—Pub. L. 110–246, § 2501(a)(1), inserted “, forest management,” after “agricultural production” in introductory provisions.

Pars. (3), (4). Pub. L. 110–246, § 2501(a)(2), added pars. (3) and (4) and struck out former pars. (3) and (4) which read as follows:

“(3) providing flexible assistance to producers to install and maintain conservation practices that enhance soil, water, related natural resources (including grazing land and wetland), and wildlife while sustaining production of food and fiber;

“(4) assisting producers to make beneficial, cost effective changes to cropping systems, grazing management, nutrient management associated with livestock, pest or irrigation management, or other practices on agricultural land; and”.

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment Amendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.