Government : U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes regulation to give landowners clarity

To help provide consistency, clarity and transparency to landowners, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing new regulations that support landowners' property rights while ensuring conservation of natural resources in the prairie pothole region of the United States through the effective use of easements. The proposed rule formalizes the existing process the agency uses to work collaboratively with landowners on farmland management recommendations where the Service owns conservation easements. It provides assurances for landowners who wish to install drain-tile systems near protected wetlands and also ensures that if landowners follow Service-provided setback distances for their drain-tile system installation, they will not be legally responsible if the wetland is drained by the system, as long as the system has not been modified, enhanced or replaced. The regulations would apply to wetland easements in the prairie pothole region of the United States in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Conservation easements in the prairie pothole region protect wetlands that are critical feeding and breeding habitat for migratory waterfowl and other bird populations. The region, including portions of Canada, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, is known as the "duck factory" because it is where more than 50% of North America's upland nesting ducks hatch. The conservation easements help ensure these charismatic and ecologically important species continue to thrive. Conservation easements are a valuable tool for landowners in the United States. These voluntary contracts allow for landowners to be compensated for certain property rights to conserve habitat value while, in most instances, retaining their ability to generate revenue on their working lands. Easements on private land also add significant conservation value to the National Wildlife Refuge System. Landowners who have wetland easements with the Service often seek clarity and certainty before investing in expensive drain-tile systems. The Service is committed to strengthening positive relationships with private landowners who steward these conservation easements and their habitat values and continues to work to improve the easement program's clarity and transparency. ### The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information about our work and the people who make it happen, visit https://www.fws.gov/ or connect with us via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr