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management plans (section 319), areas with shallow karst topography, and other environmental ly 

 sensitive areas. 



• Conservation Environmental Easement Program — The Conservation Environmental Easement 

 Program provides for permanent easements on lands that pose a significant environmental threat. 

 The exact eligibility for these lands is yet to be determined, and funding is not yet available. 



• Integrated Farm Management Program Option — The Integrated Farm Management Program 

 Option adds planting flexibility to federal farm programs, and encourages farmers to adopt 

 resource conserving crop rotations to help prevent soil erosion and protect water quality on 5 

 million acres. The program requires farmers to carry out an approved farm management plan to 

 promote the use of soil conserving crops and rotations on at least 20 percent of their crop base 

 qualified for federal programs. 



National Water Quality Assessment Program — The National Water Quality Assessment Program is a 

 major national assessment designed to describe the status and trends of U.S. waters and identify the 

 factors that affect water quality. In the pilot phase of the project, the USGS is investigating the extent 

 and location of ground water pollution by agrichemicals in several regions of the U.S. 



Mid-Continent Herbicide Initiative — In cooperation with USDA's Midwest Initiative, USGS is 

 conducting the Mid-Continent Herbicide Initiative, a five- to ten-year research program on the impact of 

 the agricultural herbicide atrazine on ground and surface water. 



USGS Federal-State Cooperative Program — This program is a partnership for water-resources 

 investigations involving 50-50 cost sharing between the USGS and more than 1,000 cooperating state or 

 local government agencies. The USGS performs most of the work on behalf of the cooperators. A 

 variety of hydrologic data collection activities and water-resources investigations are included in the 

 program. Examples include providing support for mapping aquifers, for monitoring pesticide 

 contamination, and assisting in developing wellhead protection programs. 



State Water Resources Research Institutes Program — Under this program, USGS provides grants to 54 

 state and U.S. territory Water Research Institutes at land-grant colleges or universities. The grants 

 support research, information dissemination, and training for students in water resources fields. 



USGS Information Dissemination Programs — Through its annual National Water Summary report, 

 USGS provides water quantity and quality information on a state-by-state and national basis to aid 

 policymakers in the analysis and development of water policies, legislation and management actions. The 

 report also includes case studies of NFS contamination and summaries of studies on managing and 

 coordinating federal and state water protection efforts. 



USGS' Hydrologic Data Collection Program provides information on the quantity, quality, location, and 

 use of the nation's surface and ground water. Data collection stations are maintained at selected locations 

 to provide records on streamflow, reservoir and lake storage, ground water levels, and the quality of 

 surface and ground water. These data form an information base that support national and regional water- 

 resource assessments. 



Maine's Pesticide Control Regulations — The Maine Pesticide Control Act of 1975 is the primary 

 legislative authority to regulate the labeling, distribution, storage, transportation, use, and disposal of 

 pesticides in Maine. Under this Act the state may cancel the registration of a pesticide, restrict its use, 



