§ 4502a. — Tropical forestry research and assistance.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC4502a]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 65--INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY COOPERATION
Sec. 4502a. Tropical forestry research and assistance
(a) Assistance
To promote sound management and conservation of tropical forests of
the United States and to promote the development and transfer of
technical, managerial, educational, and administrative skills to
managers of tropical forests within or outside the United States, the
Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to provide assistance through the
Forest Service to eligible entities in States with tropical forests to--
(1) develop, promote, and demonstrate sustainable harvesting of
native woods and other forest products on a sustainable yield basis
in balance with natural resource conservation;
(2) promote habitat preservation and species protection or
recovery;
(3) protect indigenous plant and animal species and essential
watersheds from non-native animals, plants, and pathogens;
(4) establish biological control agents for non-native species
that threaten natural ecosystems;
(5) establish a monitoring system in tropical forests to
identify baseline conditions and determine detrimental changes or
improvements over time;
(6) detect and appraise stresses affecting tropical forests
caused by insect infestations, diseases, pollution, fire, and non-
native animal and plant species, and by the influence of people;
(7) determine the causes of changes that are detected through
experimentation, intensive monitoring, and data collection at
affected tropical forest sites; and
(8) engage in research, demonstration, education, training, and
outreach that furthers the objectives of this subsection.
(b) Form of assistance
Assistance provided to eligible entities under this section may be
in the form of grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements.
(c) Definitions
As used in this section:
(1) Eligible entity
The term ``eligible entity'' means a State forester or
equivalent State official, State, political subdivision of a State,
Federal agency, private organization, corporation, or other private
person.
(2) State
The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States, Guam, American
Samoa, the Republic of Palau (until the Compact of Free Association
enters into effect), Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(Pub. L. 102-574, Sec. 3, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4596.)
References in Text
For Oct. 1, 1994, as the date the Compact of Free Association with
the Republic of Palau enters into effect, referred to in subsec. (c)(2),
see Proc. No. 6726, Sept. 27, 1994, 59 F.R. 49777, set out as a note
under section 1931 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.
Codification
Section was enacted as part of the Hawaii Tropical Forest Recovery
Act, and not as part of the International Forestry Cooperation Act of
1990 which comprises this chapter.
Authorization of Appropriations
Section 5 of Pub. L. 102-574 provided that: ``There are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out sections 3
and 4 [enacting this section and provisions set out as a note under
4503a of this title].''
