PUBLIC LAW 107-171—MAY 13, 2002 116 STAT. 279 programs under subtitle D (excluding the conservation reserve program under subchapter B of chapter 1, the wetlands reserve program under subchapter C of chapter 1, and the conservation security program under subchapter A of chapter 2) to approved applications in any State that has not received, for the fiscal year, an aggregate amount of at least $12,000,000 for those conservation programs. " SEC. 1242. DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. "(a) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary shall provide technical assistance under this title to a producer eligible for that assistance— "(1) directly; or "(2) at the option of the producer, through a payment, as determined by the Secretary, to the producer for an approved third party, if available. "(b) CERTIFICATION OF THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS.— "(1) IN GENERAL.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, the Secretary shall, by regulation, establish a system for— "(A) approving individuals and entities to provide technical assistance to carry out programs under this title (including criteria for the evaluation of providers or potential providers of technical assistance); and "(B) establishing the amounts and methods for pay- ments for that assistance. "(2) EXPERTISE.— In promulgating regulations to carry out this subsection the Secretary shall ensure that persons with expertise in the technical aspects of conservation planning, watershed planning, environmental engineering (including commercial entities, nonprofit entities. State or local governments or agencies, and other Federal agencies), are eligible to become approved providers of the technical assistance. " (3) INTERIM ASSISTANCE.— "(A) IN GENERAL.—^A person that has provided technical assistance in accordance with an agreement between the person and the Secretary before the date of enactment of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 may continue to provide technical assistance under this section until the date on which the Secretary establishes the system described in paragraph (1). "(B) EVALUATION.— I f a person described in subparagraph (A) seeks to continue to provide technical assistance after the date referred to in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall evaluate the person using criteria referred to in paragraph (1). "(4) NON-FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.— The Secretary may request the services of, and enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with, non-Federal entities to assist the Secretary in providing technical assistance necessary to develop and implement conservation programs under this title.". SEC. 2702. REGULATIONS. (a) IN GENERAL. —Except as otherwise provided in this title or an amendment made by this title, not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Commodity Credit Corporation, shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to implement this title. 16 USC 3842. Deadline. 16 USC 3801 note. Deadline.
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