§3431. Grants program
(a) Formulation and implementation; purpose
The Secretary of Agriculture (hereafter referred to in this subchapter as the "Secretary") may formulate and implement a program for furthering the conservation of soil, water, and related resources through annual grants to local units of government through State soil conservation agencies. Such grants shall be for noncapital expenditures in furtherance of local and State conservation objectives specified in section 3433 of this title.
(b) Technical and financial assistance programs augmented
Such grants shall be made to augment rather than to replace other technical and financial assistance programs of the Department of Agriculture.
(c) Eligibility
A local unit of government may be eligible for a grant under subsection (a) of this section if it-
(1) has in effect a current long-range program which the State soil conservation agency determines is adequate to meet local and State laws and objectives;
(2) has in effect a current annual work plan which is consistent with the long-range program in paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
(3) certifies to the Secretary or the Secretary's designee at the State level that it has arranged for equal matching funds or in-kind services to the local unit from regional, State, local, or private sources.
(d) Amount of matching funds for national objectives in program or plan
Whenever the Secretary determines that a component of the long-range program or annual work plan involves primarily a national rather than a local or State objective, the State or local matching funds required for the national component of the long-range program or annual plan need not exceed 25 per centum of the total funds required to accomplish the national objective. The Secretary, by regulation, shall define those objectives which are national in scope.
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Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 3432 of this title.