38 Implementation Guidance 



these lands to eligible farmers or other entities. These inventory lands 

 include existing and restorable wetland habitats of local, regional, State, 

 national and international importance. 



Under a Memorandum of Understanding between the FmHA and Service, 

 the Service has an opportunity to screen all inventory lands, identify 

 important wetland protection opportunities and formulate and implement, 

 or sponsor third party implementation of, mutually acceptable plans for 

 wetland preservation and enhancement. The Service estimates that more 

 than 200,000 acres of wetlands may be preserved and enhanced through 

 cooperative Federal, State and private group efforts under this provision. 



Once the Farm Debt Restructure and Conservation Set-Aside provision 

 floan servicing) becomes operational, wetlands on private lands may be 

 set aside in conservation easements, in exchange for debt relief to the 

 landowners. 



The driving wetland protection tool for FmHA inventory land and loan 

 servicing is the Executive Order on Protection of Wetlands (11990) which 

 establishes Federal policy to conserve wetlands regardless of any priority 

 system. Therefore, virtually all wetlands are eligible for protection and 

 possible enhancement on inventory lands and through loan servicing 

 and the process of prioritization need not be pursued in most cases. 

 However, the NWPCP criteria could be applied to wetlands in the FmHA 

 inventory to identify those warranting priority consideration (including 

 restorable wetlands) for acquisition by local conservation entities. State 

 fish and wildlife agencies and private conservation organizations. 



Section 616 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 authorizes the Secretary of 

 the Department of Agriculture to transfer lands, or interest therein, to 

 Federal or State agencies for conservation purposes. The NWPCP would 

 be useful for identifying wetlands that warrant protection and/or 

 management through this land transfer process. 



b. Section 906(e) of the Water Resources Development Act of 

 1986 



Section 906(e) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 provides 

 that, in those cases when activities to enhance fish and wildlife resources 

 are recommended as part of any report to Congress, the first cost shall be 

 Federal when: 



the enhancement provides benefits that are determined to be 

 national, including benefits to species identified by the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service as of national economic importance, 

 species subject to treaties or international conventions involving the 

 U.S., and anadromous fish; 



