USDA-NRCS in Pennsylvania Announces Sign-Up for Conservation Easement Programs

HARRISBURG, PA, Sept. 30, 2024 — Denise Coleman, State Conservationist for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Pennsylvania announced today the new fiscal year 2025 sign-up periods for conservation easement programs, including the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). 

This year NRCS is announcing both National and Statewide application opportunities. This means applicants have a greater opportunity than ever to utilize federal funds to protect land through conservation easements. 

NRCS statewide signup cutoff periods for ACEP and RCPP Easements are November 1, 2024, January 1, 2025, and March 1, 2025.

NRCS National signup cutoff periods for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ACEP are October 4, 2024 and December 20, 2024. 

PA NRCS accepts applications for easements anytime. Applications accepted before the signup deadlines will be considered for both the Statewide and National IRA funding. 

“ACEP and RCPP conservation easement purchase programs are an effective tool for landowners and partners to conserve, restore and protect our nation’s wetlands, productive agricultural lands and grasslands,” said Coleman. “NRCS is honored to be trusted by our customers to help them make long term conservation goals a reality while protecting our nation’s stewardship goals at the same time.”

ACEP-WRE applications are accepted directly from landowners on eligible lands. These easements are used to restore and enhance wetlands and improve habitat. Eligible lands have a history of crop production, contain hydric soils, and can be restored to natural wetland conditions. Contact your local NRCS office to learn more about submitting an application for ACEP WRE. 

ACEP-ALE and RCPP easement applications are accepted from eligible entities only.  Eligible entities are state and local partner organizations that apply to NRCS on behalf of landowners to acquire a conservation easement on eligible agricultural land and forest land. NRCS does not accept applications for ACEP-ALE and RCPP directly from landowners. 

Agricultural easement applications are coordinated through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) Bureau of Land Preservation, the local county land preservation boards, Lancaster Farmland Trust, and the Land Conservancy of Adams County. Forest easement applications are taken by partnering land conservancies, such as Berks Nature, Clearwater Conservancy, the Lebanon Valley Conservancy, and Manada Conservancy.

More Information

To participate in USDA conservation easement programs, applicants should be farm or forest landowners and must meet USDA eligibility criteria. To take advantage of NRCS technical assistance and expertise or federally funded conservation on your farm or land, please contact your local USDA NRCS Field Office (found at http://offices.usda.gov), or visit our website at www.nrcs.usda.gov/PA for program information.