---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 3871"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "3871"
heading: "Establishment and purposes"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/3871"
units:
  - "Chapter 58 — Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation and Reserve Program"
  - "Subchapter VIII — Regional Conservation Partnership Program"
---

# §3871. Establishment and purposes

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-21) shall establish a regional conservation partnership [program](/usc/16/3865a.md?p=6) to implement [eligible activities](/usc/16/3871a.md?p=2) on [eligible land](/usc/16/3865a.md?p=4) through—
  - (1) [partnership agreements](/usc/16/3871a.md?p=5), including [partnership agreements](/usc/16/3871a.md?p=5) funded through alternative funding arrangements or grant agreements under [section 3871c(d) of this title](/usc/16/3871c.md?p=d), with [eligible partners](/usc/16/3871a.md?p=4); and
  - (2) [program contracts](/usc/16/3871a.md?p=7-A) with producers.
- (b) **Purposes—** The purposes of the [program](/usc/16/3865a.md?p=6) are as follows:
  - (1) To carry out [eligible activities](/usc/16/3871a.md?p=2) to accomplish purposes and functions similar to those of the following [programs](/usc/16/3865a.md?p=6), as in effect on the day before February 7, 2014:
    - (A) The agricultural water enhancement [program](/usc/16/3865a.md?p=6) established under [section 3839aa–9](/usc/16/3839aa–9.md)[^1] of this title.
    - (B) The Chesapeake Bay watershed [program](/usc/16/3865a.md?p=6) established under [section 3839bb–4](/usc/16/3839bb–4.md)[^1] of this title.
    - (C) The cooperative conservation partnership initiative established under [section 3843](/usc/16/3843.md)[^1] of this title.
    - (D) The Great Lakes basin [program](/usc/16/3865a.md?p=6) for soil erosion and sediment control established under [section 3839bb–3](/usc/16/3839bb–3.md)[^1] of this title.
  - (2) To further the conservation, protection, restoration, and sustainable use of soil, water (including sources of drinking water and groundwater), wildlife, agricultural land, and related natural resources on [eligible land](/usc/16/3865a.md?p=4) on a regional or watershed scale.
  - (3) To encourage [eligible partners](/usc/16/3871a.md?p=4) to cooperate with producers in—
    - (A) meeting or avoiding the need for national, [State](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-24), and local natural resource regulatory requirements related to production on [eligible land](/usc/16/3865a.md?p=4), including through alignment of partnership [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) with other national, [State](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-24), and local agencies and [programs](/usc/16/3865a.md?p=6) addressing similar natural resource or environmental concerns; and
    - (B) implementing [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) that will result in the adoption, installation, and maintenance of [eligible activities](/usc/16/3871a.md?p=2) that affect multiple agricultural or nonindustrial private forest operations on a local, regional, [State](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-24), or multistate basis.
  - (4) To encourage the flexible and streamlined delivery of conservation assistance to producers through [partnership agreements](/usc/16/3871a.md?p=5).
  - (5) To engage producers and [eligible partners](/usc/16/3871a.md?p=4) in conservation [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) to achieve greater conservation outcomes and benefits for producers than would otherwise be achieved.

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1271, as added Pub. L. 113–79, title II, § 2401, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 744; amended Pub. L. 115–334, title II, § 2701, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4592.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Sections 3839aa–9, 3839bb–3, 3839bb–4, and 3843 of this title, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), were repealed by Pub. L. 113–79, title II, §§ 2706(a), 2708, 2709(a), 2710(a), Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 768, 770.

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2701(1)(A), inserted “, including partnership agreements funded through alternative funding arrangements or grant agreements under section 3871c(d) of this title,” after “partnership agreements”.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2701(1)(B), substituted “program contracts with producers” for “contracts with producers”.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2701(2)(A), substituted “To carry out eligible activities” for “To use covered programs” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2701(2)(B), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “To further the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of soil, water, wildlife, and related natural resources on eligible land on a regional or watershed scale.”

Subsec. (b)(3)(A). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2701(2)(C)(i), inserted “, including through alignment of partnership projects with other national, State, and local agencies and programs addressing similar natural resource or environmental concerns” after “production on eligible land”.

Subsec. (b)(3)(B). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2701(2)(C)(ii), substituted “adoption, installation, and maintenance” for “installation and maintenance”.

Subsec. (b)(4), (5). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2701(2)(D), added pars. (4) and (5).