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20 The Act's History and Framework also directs the interior secretary to encourage foreign govern- ments to establish endangered species programs. Toward this end, the secretary is authorized to provide both financial and technical assistance in support of foreign fish, wildlife, and plant conservation programs.12 Finally, Section 8 gives the secretary authority to implement the Convention on Nature Protection and Wildlife Preservation in the Western Hemisphere of 1940. Prior to 1982, the secretary was only authorized to represent the United States in matters of the convention. Cooperative Agreements with States Section 6 sets out procedures for the secretary of agriculture to enter into cooperative agreements with individual states and provides funding for their implementation.13 When a state pro- gramfor endangered species conservation is determined to meet a list of criteria specified in Section 6(c), the interior secretary is required to enter into a cooperative agreement. Once an agree- ment is signed, the state is eligible for financial assistance up to 75 percent of the cost of the program or as much as 90 percent if two or more states are involved in a joint program. Habitat Acquisition Section 5 provides the interior and agriculture secretaries with the authority and funds to "carry out a program to conserve fish, wildlife, and plants, including those which are listed as endan- gered species or threatened species." Funds are made available pursuant to the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965. The 1973 act set no limits on the maximum amount that could be spent for endangered species habitat. Penalties For those who knowingly violate the act's prohibitions, criminal penalties of up to $50,000 in fines and one year in prison may be imposed. In addition the act allows civil damages to be levied up to $25,000 for each violation: Furthermore, the act contains a