53 



issuance of programmatic general permits, with appropriate environmental safeguards, for 

 approved State, Tribal, regional, and local regulatory programs. 



Another key aspect of the Administration's policy is to streamline and clarify wedands 

 programs affecting the agricultural community. At the hean of this effort is a commitment 

 on the part of Federal agencies to minimize duplication and reduce inconsistencies between 

 Swampbuster and Section 404 provisions. I am pleased to repon that the Administration 

 has taken a key step towards fulfilling this commitment. On January 6, 1994, the 

 Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Army, Department of the Interior, 

 and the Department of Agriculture entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) which 

 ensures that the Nation's farmers can rely on Soil Conservation Service (SCS) wetlands 

 jurisdictional determinations for piuposes of both programs. The MOA provides more 

 certainty for farmers and more effective coordination among Federal agencies with 

 wedands protection responsibilities. SCS has the lead responsibility for making wetland 

 determinations on agricultural lands and all lands of USDA program participants. 



The term "agricultural lands" is defined in the agreement to refer to those lands in 

 agricultural production that have been altered to such an extent that the natural vegetation 

 has been removed and cannot be used to determine whether the area is a wetiand. Range 

 lands, foresdands, wood lots, and tree farms are not considered agricultural lands in the 

 MOA. This definition was carefully worked out among the agencies to reflect available 

 resources, skills and experience, and to ensure the overall success of the MOA, and urge 

 Congress to employ this definition and adopt this approach. 



Also, we encourage Congress to adopt the MOA's approach of establishing SCS's role in 

 identifying and delineating wetlands on non-agricultural lands which are contiguous to or 

 contained within agricultural lands in Clean Water Act legislation. These non- agricultural 



