Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service

Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service agricultural conservation program For necessary expenses to carry into effect the program authorized in sections 7 to 15, 16(a), (b), and 17 of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, approved February 29, 1936, as amended and supplemented (16 U.S.C. 590g–590o, 590p(a), (b), and 590q), and sections 1001–1008, and 1010 of the Agricultural Act of 1970, as added by the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1501–1508, and 1510), and including not to exceed $15,000 for the preparation and display of exhibits, including such displays at State, interstate, and international fairs within the United States, $190,000,000, of which $75,000,000 shall be available immediately upon enactment, for compliance with the programs of soil-building and soil- and water-conserving practices authorized under this head in the Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriation Act 1978, entered into during the period October 1, 1977, to December 31, 1978, inclusive: Provided, That no portion of the funds for the current year’s program may be utilized to provide financial or technical assist-92 STAT. 1088ance for drainage on wetlands now designated as Wetland Types 3 (III) through 20 (XX) in United States Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Circular 39, Wetlands of the United States, 1956: Provided further, That necessary amounts shall be available for administrative expenses in connection with the formulation and administration of the 1979 program of soil-building and soil- and water-conserving practices, including related wildlife conserving practices, and pollution abatement practices, under the Act of February 29, 1936, as amended (amounting to $190,000,000, excluding administration, to incur obligations and to liquidate such obligations, to remain available until expended, but including technical assistance and related expenses, except that no participant in the Agricultural Conservation Program shall receive more than $3,500, except where the participants from two or more farms or ranches join to carry out approved practices designed to conserve or improve the agricultural resources of the community): Provided further, That such amounts shall be available for the purchase of seeds, fertilizers, lime, trees, or any other conservation material, or any soil-terracing services, and making grants thereof to agricultural producers to aid them in carrying out enduring conservation and environmental enhancement measures and practices, as specified in section 1501 of Public Law 95–113 (including those practices or programs which are deemed essential to maintain soil productivity, prevent soil depletion, or prevent increased cost of production, thus assuring a continuous supply of food and fiber necessary for the maintenance of a strong and healthy people and economy) as determined by the county committees, approved by the State committees and the Secretary, under programs provided for herein: Provided further, That such assistance will not be used for carrying out measures and practices that are primarily production-oriented or that have little or no conservation or pollution abatement benefits: Provided further, That not to exceed 5 per centum of the allocation for the current year’s program for any county may, on the recommendation of such county committee and approval of the State committee, be withheld and allotted to the Soil Conservation Service for services of its technicians in formulating and carrying out the Agricultural Conservation Program in the participating counties, and shall not be utilized by the Soil Conservation Service for any purpose other than technical and other assistance in such counties, and in addition, on the recommendation of such county committee and approval of the State committee, not to exceed 1 per centum may be made available to any other Federal, State, or local public agency for the same purpose and under the same conditions: Provided further, That for the current year’s program $2,500,000 shall be available for technical assistance in formulating and carrying out rural environmental practices: Provided further, That no part of any funds available to the Department, or any bureau, office, corporation, or other agency constituting a part of such Department, shall be used in the current fiscal year for the payment of salary or travel expenses of any person who has been convicted of violating the Act entitled “An Act to prevent pernicious political activities”, approved August 2, 1939, as amended, or who has been found in accordance with the provisions of title 18 U.S.C. 1913, to have violated or attempted to violate such section which prohibits the use of Federal appropriations for the payment of personal services or other expenses designed to influence in any92 STAT. 1089 manner a Member of Congress to favor or oppose any legislation or appropriation by Congress except upon request of any Member or through the proper official channels: Provided further, That unexpended funds previously appropriated to liquidate outstanding obligations for the 1975 through 1978 Agricultural Conservation Programs shall be merged with the 1979 appropriation as of December 31, 1978. forestry incentives program For necessary expenses, not otherwise provided for, to carry out the program of forestry incentives, as authorized in section 4 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103), including technical assistance and related expenses, $15,000,000. water bank program For necessary expenses to carry into effect the provisions of the Water Bank Act (16 U.S.C. 1301–1311), $10,000,000, to remain available until expended. emergency conservation measures For emergency conservation measures, to be used for the same purposes and subject to the same conditions as funds appropriated under this head in the Third Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1957, $10,000,000, with which shall be merged the unexpended balances of funds heretofore appropriated for emergency conservation measures.