Administration

(a) The funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) are available to NRCS for carrying out RCPP. Accordingly, each reference to NRCS in this part also refers to CCC funds, facilities, and authorities where applicable.

(b) No delegation in this part to lower organizational levels will preclude the Chief of NRCS from making any determinations under this part, redelegating to other organizational levels, or from reversing or modifying any determination made under this part.

(c) NRCS may use other agency-wide authorities, such as 16 U.S.C. 3842 and 31 U.S.C. 1535, to enter into agreements with other Federal or State agencies, Indian Tribes, conservation districts, units of local government, public or private organizations, and individuals to assist NRCS with implementation of the program in this part.

(d) To assist in the implementation of the program, the Chief may waive the applicability of the limitation in section 1001D of the Food Security Act of 1985 for participating producers if the Chief determines that the waiver is necessary to fulfill the objectives of the program. Section 1001D of the Food Security Act of 1985 does not apply to eligible partners.

(e) NRCS will identify in each State a program coordinator who will serve as the primary point of contact for programmatic implementation of RCPP in that State.

(f) NRCS will establish guidance to assist eligible partners with quantifying conservation benefits of RCPP implementation. Due to the diversity of natural resource issues addressed by an RCPP project and the diversity of conservation activities that a project may undertake, NRCS will work with each partner to develop project-specific outcome approach that will be included in the partnership agreement.