§ 1465.22 Conservation practice operation and maintenance.

(a) The contract will incorporate the O&M agreement that addresses the operation and maintenance of the conservation practices applied under the contract. (b) NRCS expects the participant to operate and maintain each conservation practice installed under the contract for its intended purpose for the conservation practice lifespan as specified in the O&M agreement. (c) NRCS may periodically inspect the conservation practice(s) during the contract duration to ensure that operation and maintenance requirements are being carried out, and that the conservation practice is fulfilling its intended objectives. (d) Conservation practices installed before the contract execution, but included in the contract to obtain the environmental benefits agreed upon, must be operated and maintained as specified in the contract and O&M agreement. (e) If NRCS finds during the contract that a participant is not operating and maintaining practices in an appropriate manner, NRCS may terminate and request a refund of payments made for that conservation practice under the contract. (f) In the event a conservation practice fails through no fault of the participant, the State Conservationist may issue payments to re-establish the conservation practice, at the rates established in accordance with § 1465.23, provided such payments do not exceed the payment limitation requirements as set forth in § 1465.23.