[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 10]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1410.8]

[Page 375-376]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
  CHAPTER XIV--COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 1410_CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
Sec.  1410.8  Conservation priority areas.

    (a) CCC may designate National conservation priority areas according 
to paragraph (c) of this section.
    (b) Subject to CCC review, State FSA committees, in consultation 
with NRCS and the State Technical Committee, may designate conservation 
priority areas within guidelines established by the Deputy 
Administrator. Such designation must clearly define conservation and 
environmental objectives and provide analysis of how CRP can cost-
effectively address such objectives. Generally, the total acreage of all 
conservation priority areas, in aggregate, shall not total more than 33 
percent of the cropland in a State unless there are identified and 
documented extraordinary environmental needs, as determined by the 
Deputy Administrator.
    (c) As determined by the Deputy Administrator, a region shall be 
eligible for designation as a priority area only if the region has 
actual significant adverse water quality, air quality, wildlife habitat, 
or other natural resource impacts related to activities of agricultural 
production, or if the designation helps agricultural producers to comply 
with Federal and State environmental laws.
    (d) Conservation priority area designations shall expire after 5 
years unless re-designated, except they may be withdrawn:
    (1) At the request of the appropriate State water quality agency; or
    (2) By the Deputy Administrator.
    (e) In those areas designated as conservation priority areas, under 
this

[[Page 376]]

section, cropland is considered eligible for enrollment according Sec.  
1410.6(b)(10) based on identified environmental concerns. These concerns 
may include water quality, such as assisting agricultural producers to 
comply with nonpoint source pollution requirements, air quality, or 
wildlife habitat (especially for threatened and endangered species or 
those species that may become threatened and endangered), as determined 
by the Deputy Administrator.