The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced an investment of about $138 million in Climate-Smart Easements through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).
The funding, from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, is the largest climate investment in history. The selected ACEP projects are part of a broad investment in climate-smart agriculture and forestry.
Carrie Lindig, NRCS Easement Program Division Director, explains how the Southeast can be an important part of these investments.
NRCS has selected projects addressing these priorities, which include projects in Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
NRCS offered Inflation Reduction Act funding in both of ACEP’s components: Agricultural Land Easements and Wetland Reserve Easements. For Inflation Reduction Act funding, NRCS prioritized land that will most reduce, capture, avoid or sequester carbon dioxide, methane or nitrous oxide emissions.
To learn more about ACEP and other conservation programs, contact NRCS at your local USDA Service Center.