Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 1.djvu/302

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116 STAT. 276 PUBLIC LAW 107-171—MAY 13, 2002 (1) SUBMISSION AND PROPOSAL. — To be eligible to participate in the demonstration program, a State, local government, or combination of States referred to in subsection (a) shall— (A) submit to the Secretary a conservation corridor plan that— (i) proposes specific criteria and commitment of resources in the geographic region designated in the plan; and (ii) describes how the linkage of Federal, State, and local resources will improve— (I) the economic viability of agriculture; and (II) the environmental integrity of the watersheds in the Delmarva Peninsula; and (B) demonstrate to the Secretary that, in developing the plan, the State, local government, or combination of States has solicited and taken into account the views of local residents. (2) DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT. — If the conservation corridor plan is submitted by more than 1 State, the plan shall provide a draft memorandum of agreement among entities in each submitting State. Deadline. (c) REVIEW OF PLAN. —Not later than 90 days after the date of receipt of a conservation corridor plan, the Secretary— (1) shall review the plan; and (2) may approve the plan for implementation under this subtitle if the Secretary determines that the plan meets the requirements specified in subsection (d). (d) CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.—The Secretary may approve a conservation corridor plan only if, as determined by the Secretary, the plan provides for each of the following: (1) VOLUNTARY ACTIONS. — Actions taken under the plan— (A) are voluntary; (B) require the consent of willing landowners; and (C) provide a mechanism by which the landowner may withdraw such consent without adverse consequences other than the loss of any payments to the landowner conditioned on continued enrollment of the land. (2) LAND OF HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE.— Criteria specified in the plan ensure that land enrolled in each conservation program incorporated through the plan are of exceptionally high conservation value, as determined by the Secretary. (3) No EFFECT ON UNENROLLED LAND. —The enrollment of land in a conservation program incorporated through the plan will neither— (A) adversely affect any adjacent land not so enrolled; nor (B) create any buffer zone on such unenrolled land. (4) GREATER BENEFITS. —The conservation programs incorporated through the plan provide benefits greater than the benefits that would likely be achieved through individual application of the conservation programs. (5) SUFFICIENT STAFFING.— Staffing, considering both Federal and non-Federal resources, is sufficient to ensure success of the plan.