(i) Quality in the natural resource base for sustained use;

(ii) Quality in the environment to provide attractive, convenient, and satisfying places to live, work, and play; and

(iii) Quality in the standard of living based on community improvement and adequate income.

(i) Technical and financial assistance to land users in carrying out locally adapted soil and water conservation programs primarily through soil and water conservation districts in the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Federally recognized Native American tribes, but also to communities, watershed groups, Federal and State agencies, and other cooperators. This authority includes such assistance as:

(ii) Soil Surveys, including:

(iii) Conducting and coordinating snow surveys and making water supply forecasts pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. IV of 1940 (5 U.S.C. App.);

(iv) Operating plant materials centers for the assembly and testing of plant species in conservation programs, including the use, administration, and disposition of lands under the administration of the Natural Resources Conservation Service for such purposes under title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (7 U.S.C. 1010-1011); and

(v) Providing leadership in the inventorying and monitoring of soil, water, land, and related resources of the Nation.

(i) The eleven authorized watershed projects authorized under the Flood Control Act of 1944 (Pub. L. 78-534), except for responsibilities assigned to the Forest Service;

(ii) The emergency flood control work under 33 U.S.C. 701b-1, except for responsibilities assigned to the Forest Service;

(iii) The Cooperative River Basin Surveys and Investigations Programs under 16 U.S.C. 1006, except for responsibilities assigned to the Forest Service;

(iv) The pilot watershed projects under 16 U.S.C. 590a-f, and 16 U.S.C. 1001-1009, except for responsibilities assigned to the Forest Service;

(v) The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program under 16 U.S.C. 1001-1010, including rehabilitation of water resource structural measures constructed under certain Department of Agriculture programs under 16 U.S.C. 1012, except for responsibilities assigned to the Rural Housing Service and the Forest Service.

(vi) The joint investigations and surveys with the Department of the Army under 16 U.S.C. 1009; and

(vii) The Emergency Conservation Program and the Emergency Watershed Protection Program under sections 401-405 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978, 16 U.S.C. 2201-2205, except for the provisions of sections 401 and 402, 16 U.S.C. 2201-2202, as administered by the Farm Service Agency.

(i) Identify salt source areas and determine the salt load resulting from irrigation and watershed management practices;

(ii) Conduct salinity control studies of irrigated salt source areas;

(iii) Provide technical and financial assistance in the implementation of salinity control projects including the development of salinity control plans, technical services for application, and certification of practice applications;

(iv) Develop plans for implementing measures that will reduce the salt load of the Colorado River;

(v) Develop and implement long-term monitoring and evaluation plans to measure and report progress and accomplishments in achieving program objectives; and

(vi) Enter into and administer contracts with program participants and waive cost-sharing requirements when such cost-sharing requirements would result in a failure to proceed with needed on-farm measures.

(i) Technical assistance related to the conservation of highly erodible lands and wetlands pursuant to sections 1211-1224 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3811-3824);

(ii) Technical assistance related to the Conservation Reserve Program authorized by sections 1231-1235 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3831-3835);

(iii) The Wetlands Reserve Program and the Emergency Wetlands Reserve Program authorized by sections 1237-1237F of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3837-3837f) prior to February 7, 2014, the transition authority under section 2703 of the Agricultural Act of 2014, and the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Relief from the Major, Widespread Flooding in the Midwest Act, Public Law 103-75;

(iv) The Conservation Security Program authorized by sections 1238-1238C of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3838-3838c) and the Conservation Stewardship Program authorized by sections 1240I-1240L-1 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-21 - 3839aa-25).

(v) The Farmland Protection Program authorized by sections 1238H-1238I of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3838h-3838i) prior to February 7, 2014, and the transition authority under section 2704 of the Agricultural Act of 2014;

(vi) The Farm Viability Program authorized by section 1238J of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3838j) prior to February 7, 2014, and the transition authority under section 2704 of the Agricultural Act of 2014;

(vii) The Environmental Quality Incentives Program authorized by sections 1240-1240H of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-3839aa-8), the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program authorized by section 1240H of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-9) prior to February 7, 2014, and section 2706 of the Agricultural Act of 2014;

(viii) The conservation of private grazing lands authorized by section 1240M of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3839bb);

(ix) The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program authorized by section 1240N of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3839bb-1) prior to February 7, 2014 and Section 2707 of the Agricultural Act of 2014;

(x) The program for soil erosion and sedimentation control in the Great Lakes basin authorized by section 1240P of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3839bb-3) prior to February 7, 2014, and section 2708 of the Agricultural Act of 2014;

(xi) The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Program authorized by section 1240Q of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3839bb-4) prior to February 7, 2014, and section 2709 of the Agricultural Act of 2014;

(xii) The delivery of technical assistance under section 1242 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3842), including the approval of persons or entities outside of USDA to provide technical services;

(xiii) The authority for partnerships and cooperation provided by section 1243 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3843) prior to February 7, 2014, and section 2710 of the Agricultural Act of 2014; and

(xiv) The incentives for certain farmers and ranchers and Indian tribes and the protection of certain proprietary information related to natural resources conservation programs as provided by section 1244 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3844), except for responsibilities assigned to the Administrator, Farm Service Agency.

(xv) The Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services Program authorized by section 1252 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3851).

(xvi) The authority under sections 1261-1262 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3861-3862) to establish and utilize State Technical Committees.

(xvii) Those portions of the Grassland Reserve Program under sections 1238N-1238Q of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3838n-3838q) prior to February 7, 2014, and section 2705 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 that are or become the responsibility of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation.

(xiii) The authority in section 1241 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3841) to accept and use voluntary contributions of non-Federal funds in support of natural resources conservation programs under subtitle D of title XII of the Act with respect to authorities delegated to the Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

(xix) The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program authorized by sections 1265-1265D of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3865-3865d).

(xx) The Regional Conservation Partnership Program authorized by sections 1271-1271F of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3871-3871f).

(xxi) The Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program authorized by section 1240R of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3839bb-5).

(xxii) A wetlands mitigation banking program authorized by section 1222(k) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3822(k)).

(i) Sections 104(a), (b), and (c)(4) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9604(a), (b), and (c)(4)), with respect to removal and remedial actions in the event of release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant into the environment;

(ii) Sections 104(e)-(h) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9604 (e)-(h)), with respect to information gathering and access requests and orders; compliance with Federal health and safety standards and wage and labor standards applicable to covered work; and emergency procurement powers;

(iii) Section 104(i)(11) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9604(i)(11)), with respect to the reduction of exposure to significant risk to human health;

(iv) Section 104(j) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9604(j)), with respect to the acquisition of real property and interests in real property required to conduct a remedial action;

(v) The first two sentences of section 105(d) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9605(d)), with respect to petitions for preliminary assessment of a release or threatened release;

(vi) Section 105(f) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9605(f)), with respect to consideration of the availability of qualified minority firms in awarding contracts, but excluding that portion of section 105(f) of the Act pertaining to the annual report to Congress;

(vii) Section 109 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9609), with respect to the assessment of civil penalties for violations of section 122 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9622) and the granting of awards to individuals providing information;

(viii) Section 111(f) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9611(f)), with respect to the designation of officials who may obligate money in the Hazardous Substances Superfund;

(ix) Section 113(k) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9613(k)), with respect to establishing an administrative record upon which to base the selection of a response action and identifying and notifying potentially responsible parties;

(x) Section 116(a) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9616(a)), with respect to preliminary assessment and site inspection of facilities;

(xi) Section 117(a) and (c) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9617(a) and (c)), with respect to public participation in the preparation of any plan for remedial action and explanation of variances from the final remedial action plan for any remedial action or enforcement action, including any settlement or consent decree entered into;

(xii) Section 119 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9619), with respect to indemnifying response action contractors;

(xiii) Section 121 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9621), with respect to cleanup standards; and

(xiv) Section 122 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9622), with respect to settlement, but excluding section 122(b)(1) of the Act.

(i) Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments, and the Federal Facility Compliance Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.);

(ii) Federal Water Pollution Prevention and Control Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.);

(iii) Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.);

(iv) Clean Air Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.);

(v) Noise Control Act of 1972, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.);

(vi) Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended, (15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.);

(vii) Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.); and

(viii) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.).

(i) The equitable relief provisions of section 1613 (7 U.S.C. 7996); and

(ii) The tracking of benefits under section 1614 (7 U.S.C. 7997).

(i) Section 1704 (7 U.S.C. 1308-3a), authorizing waivers of the adjusted gross income limitation.

(ii) In consultation with the Administrator, Farm Service Agency, and the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Section 2707 (16 U.S.C. 1531 note), relating to wildlife management.

(iii) In coordination with the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Section 2408 (7 U.S.C. 8351 note), relating to the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program.

(iv) Section 8628, relating to the purchase of Natural Resources Conservation Service property in Riverside County, California.

(v) Section 12302, relating to the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production.