The Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977 (RCA) directed the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to assess the country's nonfederal soil and water resources and to develop a program to conserve these and related natural resources. During this process, the USDA prepared and circulated for public comment a draft appraisal, draft program report, environmental impact statement, and summary document. Presented in this report is an analysis of the more than 65,000 responses received during the 60-day public review period in regard to these four publications. Topics addressed include status and condition of soil and water resources, conservation objectives, alternative conservation strategies, the USDA and its current programs, and related resource conservation issues. Incorporated into the text are comments from the USDA-RCA public opinion survey conducted by Louis Harris and Associates. (WB)