§ 2113. — Federal, State, and local coordination and cooperation.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC2113]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 41--COOPERATIVE FORESTRY ASSISTANCE
Sec. 2113. Federal, State, and local coordination and
cooperation
(a) Department of Agriculture Coordinating Committee
(1) Establishment
The Secretary shall establish an intradepartmental committee, to
be known as the ``Forest Resource Coordinating Committee''
(hereafter referred to in this section as the ``Coordinating
Committee''), to coordinate forestry activities.
(2) Composition
The Coordinating Committee shall be composed of representatives,
appointed by the Secretary, from the Agricultural Research Service,
Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, Extension
Service, Forest Service, and Soil Conservation Service.
(3) Chairperson
The Secretary shall designate the Chief of the Forest Service as
chairperson.
(4) Duties
The Coordinating Committee shall--
(A) provide assistance in directing and coordinating actions
of the Department of Agriculture that relate to educational,
technical, and financial assistance concerning forest land to
private landowners;
(B) clarify individual agency responsibilities concerning
forest land of each agency represented on the Committee; and
(C) advise the Secretary of intradepartmental differences
regarding the implementation of this chapter, and any other Act
related to the authority of the Secretary concerning non-Federal
forest lands.
(b) State Coordinating Committees
(1) Establishment
(A) In general
The Secretary, in consultation with the State forester or
equivalent State official of each State, shall establish a State
Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee (hereafter referred to
in this section as the ``State Coordinating Committee'') for
each such State.
(B) Composition
The State Coordinating Committee shall be chaired and
administered by the State forester, or equivalent State
official, or the designee thereof, and shall be composed, to the
extent practicable, of--
(i) representatives from the Forest Service, Soil
Conservation Service, Agricultural Stabilization and
Conservation Service, and Extension Service;
(ii) representatives, to be appointed by the State
forester or equivalent State official, representative of--
(I) local government;
(II) consulting foresters;
(III) environmental organizations;
(IV) forest products industry;
(V) forest land owners;
(VI) land-trust organizations, if applicable in the
State;
(VII) conservation organizations; and
(VIII) the State fish and wildlife agency; and
(iii) any other individuals determined appropriate by
the Secretary.
(C) Terms
The members of the State Coordinating Committee appointed
under subparagraph (B)(ii) shall serve 3-year terms, with the
initial members serving staggered terms as determined by the
State forester or equivalent State official, and may be
reappointed for consecutive terms.
(D) Existing committees
Existing State forestry committees may be used to
complement, formulate, or replace the State Coordinating
Committees to avoid duplication of efforts if such existing
committees are made up of membership that is similar to that
described in subparagraph (B)(ii), and if such existing
committees include landowners and the general public in their
memberships.
(2) Duties
A State Coordinating Committee shall--
(A) consult with other Department of Agriculture and State
committees that address State and private forestry issues;
(B) make recommendations to the Secretary concerning the
assignment of priorities and the coordination of
responsibilities for the implementation of this chapter by the
various Federal and State forest management agencies that take
into consideration the mandates of each such agency;
(C) make recommendations to the State forester or equivalent
State official concerning the development of a Forest
Stewardship Plan under paragraph (3); and
(D) make recommendations to the Secretary concerning those
forest lands that should be given priority for inclusion in the
Forest Legacy Program established pursuant to section 2103c of
this title.
(3) Forest Stewardship Plan
The State forester or equivalent State official of each State,
in consultation with the State Coordinating Committee of such State,
shall develop a Forest Stewardship Plan that shall--
(A) provide baseline data on the forest resources of the
State;
(B) outline threats to the forest resources of the State;
(C) describe economic and environmental opportunities that
are linked with the forest resources of the State;
(D) address management problems, opportunities, and
objectives associated with intermingled Federal, State, and
private land ownership patterns within the State; and
(E) make planning recommendations for Federal, State, and
local implementation of this chapter.
(4) Other plans
Other State forest management plans may be used as the basis for
or in lieu of establishing a plan for the State under paragraph (3)
if such plans fully conform to the objectives of this section.
(5) Termination
The State Coordinating Committees shall not terminate.
(6) Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed to compel action by
any State official.
(Pub. L. 95-313, Sec. 19, as added Pub. L. 101-624, title XII,
Sec. 1222, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3540.)
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 2103, 2103c of this title.
