{"data":{"id":"us/7-cfr-636.9","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"7 CFR 636.9","heading":"Cost-share agreements.","body":"(a) To apply for WHIP cost-share assistance, a person, tribe, or legal entity must submit an application for participation at a USDA Service Center to an NRCS representative.\n(b) A WHIP cost-share agreement will:\n(1) Incorporate the WHIP plan of operations;\n(2) Be for a time period agreed to by the participant and NRCS, with a minimum duration of one year after the completion of conservation activities identified in the WHIP plan of operations and a maximum of 10 years, except for agreements entered into under paragraph (c) of this section;\n(3) Include all provisions as required by law or statute;\n(4) Include any participant reporting and recordkeeping requirements to determine compliance with the cost-share agreement and program;\n(5) Be signed by the participant;\n(6) Specify payment limits described in § 636.7(f) including any additional payment limitation associated with determinations made under § 636.7(g);\n(7) Include an O\u0026M agreement that describes the O\u0026M for each conservation activity and the agency expectation that WHIP-funded conservation activities will be operated and maintained for their expected lifespan; and\n(8) Include any other provision determined necessary or appropriate by the NRCS representative.\n(c) Notwithstanding any limitation of this part, NRCS may enter into a long-term cost-share agreement that:\n(1) Is for a term of at least 15 years;\n(2) Protects and restores essential plant or animal habitat, as determined by NRCS; and\n(3) Provides cost-share payments of no more than 90 percent of the cost of implementing the WHIP plan of operations to develop fish and wildlife habitat.","path":["Title 7—Agriculture","Subtitle B—Regulations of the Department of Agriculture","CHAPTER VI—NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE","SUBCHAPTER D—LONG TERM CONTRACTING","PART 636—WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-7.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:24:01Z","sha256":"eff1cfb229e463ec1d3e4461a119e1c58f0068486ca043830056321eec20c37e","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/7-cfr-636.8","next":"us/7-cfr-636.10"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}