It assists states and local governments in identifying important forest lands at risk of conversion to non-forest uses and protecting them primarily through the use of conservation easements. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to acquire conservation easements, on a voluntary basis, from farmers and ranchers to keep the land in agricultural use. The program provides matching funds of no more than 50 percent of the purchase price for the acquired easements. These programs ensure the long term sustainability of communities and the environment by providing technical and financial assistance to forest and natural resource based rural communities. Communities develop their own local action program to identify the best opportunities for creating diversified, sustainable businesses that also protect natural resources.
Projects range from tourism and value-added manufacturing to historic preservation.
Dedicated funding is not provided for this program. Waters Two environmental groups in a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency claim Alabama officials have been allowed to miss deadlines to clean up Alabama waterways. The groups contend EPA promised when it settled another lawsuit four years ago to enforce the 1972 Clean Water Act in Alabama, but has failed to do so. EPA s water management chief, Bill Melville, said the head of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management s office that is responsible for proposing the rule changes also is under pressure from another lawsuit to enforce another aspect of the Clean Water Act. Under the Clean Water Act, all of the state s waters are supposed to be classified as safe for swimming and fishing.