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16 U.S.C. § 558c — Authorization
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
The Secretaries are authorized to recruit, train, and accept without regard to the civil service and classification laws, rules, or regulations the services of individuals without compensation as volunteers for or in aid of recreation access, trail construction or maintenance, facility construction or maintenance, educational uses (including outdoor classroom construction or maintenance), interpretive functions, visitor services, conservation measures and development, or other activities in and related to areas administered by the Secretaries. In carrying out this section, the Secretaries shall consider referrals of prospective volunteers made by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 16 U.S.C. § 558c
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Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-16/section-558c-authorization--87f4259913.md
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Source location: Title 16, Chapter 3, § 558c; chapter-003-forests-forest-service-reforestation-management.md
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The Secretaries are authorized to recruit, train, and accept without regard to the civil service and classification laws, rules, or regulations the services of individuals without compensation as volunteers for or in aid of recreation access, trail construction or maintenance, facility construction or maintenance, educational uses (including outdoor classroom construction or maintenance), interpretive functions, visitor services, conservation measures and development, or other activities in and related to areas administered by the Secretaries. In carrying out this section, the Secretaries shall consider referrals of prospective volunteers made by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
The Secretaries are authorized to provide for incidental expenses, such as transportation, uniforms, lodging, training, equipment, and subsistence.
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 16 U.S.C. § 558d
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
In this Act, the term “Secretaries” means each of—
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; and
(2) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 16 U.S.C. § 558b
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Congress finds as follows:
(1) The National Forest System features a world-class trail system with over 157,000 miles of trails that provide world-class opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, hunting, mountain bicycling, motorized vehicles, and other outdoor activities.
(2) According to the Government Accountability Office, the Forest Service is only able to maintain about one-quarter of National Forest System trails to the agency standard, and the agency faces a trail maintenance backlog of $314 million, and an additional backlog of $210 million in annual maintenance, capital improvements, and operations.
(3) The lack of maintenance on National Forest System trails threatens access to public lands, and may cause increased environmental damage, threaten public safety, and increase future maintenance costs.
(4) Federal budget limitations require solutions to National Forest System trail maintenance issues that make more efficient use of existing resources.
(5) Volunteers, partners, and outfitters and guides play an important role in maintaining National Forest System trails, and a comprehensive strategy is needed to ensure that volunteers and partners are used as effectively as possible.
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 16 U.S.C. § 583k
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) In general** Not later than 2 years after November 28, 2016, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a strategy to significantly increase the role of volunteers and partners in trail maintenance.
**(b) Required elements** The strategy required by subsection (a) shall—
(1) augment and support the capabilities of Federal employees to carry out or contribute to trail maintenance;
(2) provide meaningful opportunities for volunteers and partners to carry out trail maintenance in each region of the Forest Service;
(3) address the barriers to increased volunteerism and partnerships in trail maintenance identified by volunteers, partners, and others;
(4) prioritize increased volunteerism and partnerships in trail maintenance in those regions with the most severe trail maintenance needs, and where trail maintenance backlogs are jeopardizing access to National Forest lands; and
(5) aim to increase trail maintenance by volunteers and partners by 100 percent by the date that is 5 years after November 28, 2016.
**(c) Additional requirement** As a component of the strategy, the Secretary shall study opportunities to improve trail maintenance by addressing opportunities to use fire crews in trail maintenance activities in a manner that does not jeopardize firefighting capabilities, public safety, or resource protection. Upon a determination that trail maintenance would be advanced by use of fire crews in trail maintenance, the Secretary shall incorporate these proposals into the strategy, subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary.
**(d) Volunteer liability**
(1) **Omitted**
(2) **Additional requirement** — Not later than 2 years after November 28, 2016, the Secretary shall adopt regulations implementing this section. T
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 16 U.S.C. § 583k–2
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Page 1058
TITLE 16—CONSERVATION
§ 558b
Stat. 175; Pub. L. 103–82, title IV, § 405(d), Sept. 21, 1993,
107 Stat. 921; Pub. L. 114–245, § 4(d)(1), Nov. 28, 2016, 130
Stat. 992. Pub. L. 92–300 was subsequently amended gen-
erally by Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138
Stat. 2913, including an amendment to provide that the
Act be cited as the Volunteers in the National Forests
and Public Lands Act. Pub. L. 92–300 is shown herein,
however, as having been added by Pub. L. 118–234 with-
out reference to those intervening amendments because
of the extensive revision of Pub. L. 92–300 by Pub. L.
118–234.
PRIOR PROVISIONS
A prior section 558a, Pub. L. 92–300, § 1, May 18, 1972,
86 Stat. 147; Pub. L. 103–82, title IV, § 405(d), Sept. 21,
1993, 107 Stat. 921, authorized the Secretary of Agri-
culture to recruit, train, and accept volunteers in the
National Forests Program, prior to the general amend-
ment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of
1972 by Pub. L. 118–234.
A prior section 2 of Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86
Stat. 147, was classified to section 558b of this title,
prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in
the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
SHORT TITLE
Pub. L. 92–300, § 1, as added by Pub. L. 118–234, title
III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913, provided that: ‘‘This
Act [enacting this section and sections 558b to 558g of
this title] may be cited as the ‘Volunteers in the Na-
tional Forests and Public Lands Act’.’’
[For prior section 1 of Pub. L. 92–300, see Prior Provi-
sions note above.]
Pub. L. 92–300, § 5, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, provided
that Pub. L. 92–300, which enacted former sections 558a
to 558d of this title, could be cited as the
Source: Supplied 2024 U.S. Code historical extraction · 16 U.S.C. § 558c
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