---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 4209"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "4209"
heading: "Prohibition on maintenance of actions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/4209"
units:
  - "Chapter 73 — Farmland Protection Policy"
---

# §4209. Prohibition on maintenance of actions


This chapter shall not be deemed to provide a basis for any action, either legal or equitable, by any [person](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) or class of [persons](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) challenging a Federal project, program, or other activity that may affect farmland: Provided, That the Governor of an affected [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) where a [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) policy or program exists to protect farmland may bring an action in the Federal district court of the district where a Federal program is proposed to enforce the requirements of [section 4202 of this title](/usc/7/4202.md) and regulations issued pursuant thereto.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–98, title XV, § 1548, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1344; Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1255(b), Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1518.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1985—Pub. L. 99–198 substituted “by any person” for “by any State, local unit of government, or any person” and inserted proviso.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective six months after Dec. 22, 1981, see section 1549 of Pub. L. 97–98, set out as a note under section 4201 of this title.