Federal Programs and Policies
The federal programs and policies are administered by various agencies of the federal
government. These tools authorize other federal, state, and local agencies to implement
regulatory measures and policies to protect the resources that are involved in land use
and military planning. The intent of these measures and policies includes the
preservation of the quality of life and general welfare of the public and the protection of
natural resources, including land, water, and airspace.
Department of Defense Conservation Partnering
Initiative
In 2003, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) gave the DoD authority to enter
into agreements with eligible entities to address either incompatible development or
habitat protection. Eligible entities may be a state, a political subdivision of a state (e.g.,
a county, city, or soil and water conservation district), and/or a private entity with a main
purpose or goal of conserving, restoring, or preserving land and natural resources. This
authorization has been codified as 10 United States Code (USC) § 2684a (as amended in
2012), with the title Agreements to limit encroachments and other constraints on military
training, testing, and operations. This authority allows DoD services to use their
Operation and Maintenance funds and/or Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD)
Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration funds to acquire real property
interests, such as conservation easements or development rights, in order to address
current and potential encroachment or compatibility threats to an installation’s mission.
Department of Defense Readiness and Environmental Protection
Integration
To implement the authority provided by the Department of Defense Conservation
Partnering Initiative, the DoD established the Readiness and Environmental Protection
Integration (REPI) Program. The REPI program grants the military the ability to enter into
agreements with eligible entities, such as local governments, non‐governmental
organizations, and willing land owners to secure conservation easements on property in
the vicinity of, or as may be ecologically related to, a military installation or military
airspace. The REPI Program Guide for Buffer Partnerships establishes policy, assigns
responsibilities, and prescribes procedures for executing REPI partnerships.
REPI funds are used to support a variety of DoD partnerships that promote compatible/
recommended land use. By relieving encroachment pressures, the military is able to test
and train in a more effective and efficient manner. By preserving the land surrounding
military installations, habitats for plant and animal species are conserved and protected.
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Planning & Compatibility Tools