land stabilization, conservation, and erosion control

land stabilization, conservation, and erosion control Sec. 203. (a) In order to provide for the control and prevention of erosion and sediment damages in the Appalachian region and to promote the conservation and development of the soil and water resources of the region, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to enter into agreements of not more than ten years with landowners, operators, and occupiers, individually or collectively, in the Appalachian region determined by him to have control for the period of the agreement of the lands described therein, providing for land stabilization, erosion and sediment control, and reclamation through changes in land use, and conservation treatment including the establishment of practices and measures for the conservation and development of soil, water, woodland, wildlife, and recreation it sources. (b) The landowner, operator, or occupier shall furnish to the Secretary of Agriculture a conservation and development plan setting forth the appropriate and safe land uses and conservation treatment mutually agreed by the Secretary and the landowner operator, or occupier to be needed on the lands for which the plan was prepared. (c) Such plan shall be incorporated in an agreement under which the landowner, operator, or occupier shall agree with the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the land uses and conservation treatment provided for in such plan on the lands described in the agreement in accordance with the terms and conditions thereof. (d) In return for such agreement by the landowner, operator, or occupier the Secretary of Agriculture shall be authorized to furnish financial and other assistance to such landowner, operator, or occupier in such amounts and subject to such conditions as the Secretary determines are appropriate and in the public interest for the carrying out of the land uses and conservation treatment set forth in the agreement: Provided, That grants hereunder shall not exceed 80 per centum of the cost of carrying out such land uses and conservation treatment on fifty acres of land occupied by such owner, operator, or occupier. (e) The Secretary or Agriculture may terminate any agreement with a landowner, operator, or occupier by mutual agreement if the Secretary determines that such termination would be in the public interest, and may agree to such modification of agreements previously entered into hereunder as he deems desirable to carry out the purposes of this section or to facilitate the practical administration of the program authorized herein. (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Agriculture, to the extent he deems it desirable to carry out the purposes of this section, may provide in any agreement hereunder for (1) preservation for a period not to exceed the period covered by the agreement and an equal period thereafter of the cropland, crop acreage, and allotment history applicable to land covered by the agreement for the purpose of any Federal program under which such history is used as a basis for an allotment or other limitation on the production of such crop; or (2) surrender of any such history and allotments. 79 Stat. 13 (g) The Secretary of Agriculture shall be authorized to issue such rules and regulations as he determines are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. (h) In carrying out the provisions of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall utilize the services of the Soil Conservation Service, and the State and local committees provided for in section 8(b) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act (16 U.S.C. 500(b)), and is authorized to utilize the facilities, services, and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation. The Corporation shall not make any expenditures to carry out the provisions of this subsection unless funds specifically appropriated for such purpose have been transferred to it. (i) Not to exceed $17,000,000 of the funds authorized in section 401 of this Act shall be available to carry out this section.