16 U.S.C. § 1644 — Forestry and rangeland competitive re-

Page 1970 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 1643 ‘‘(10) support research on the design, establishment, and maintenance of tree and shrub plantings to regu- late the deposition of snow along roadways; and ‘‘(11) conduct sociological, demographic, and eco- nomic studies as needed to develop strategies for in- creasing the use of forestry conservation and agro- forestry practices. ‘‘(c) INFORMATION COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION.— The Secretary shall establish at the Center a program, to be known as the National Clearinghouse on Agro- forestry Conservation and Promotion to— ‘‘(1) collect, analyze, and disseminate information on agroforestry conservation technologies and prac- tices; and ‘‘(2) promote the use of such information by land- owners and those organizations associated with for- estry and tree promotion. ‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fis- cal years 2019 through 2023 to carry out this section.’’ FOREST ECOSYSTEMS AND ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION RESEARCH; CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS Pub. L. 100–521, § 2, Oct. 24, 1988, 102 Stat. 2601, pro- vided that: ‘‘Congress finds that— ‘‘(1) the health and productivity of forests in cer- tain regions of the United States are declining; ‘‘(2) there is a special concern about the decline of certain hardwood species, particularly sugar maples and oaks, in the eastern United States and the effects of atmospheric pollutants on the health and produc- tivity of these forests; ‘‘(3) declines in the productivity of certain commer- cially important Southern pine species have been measured; ‘‘(4) existing research indicates that atmospheric pollution, including ozone, acidic deposition, and heavy metals, may contribute to this decline; ‘‘(5) there is an urgent need to expand and better coordinate existing Federal, State, and private re- search, including research by private industry, to de- termine the cause of changes in the health and pro- ductivity of domestic forest ecosystems and to mon- itor and evaluate the effects of atmospheric pollut- ants on such ecosystems; and ‘‘(6) such research and monitoring should not im- pede efforts to control atmospheric pollutants.’’ § 1643. Implementation of provisions (a) Establishment and maintenance of research facilities; acquisition, expenditures, etc., for property In implementing this subchapter, the Sec- retary is authorized to establish and maintain a system of experiment stations, research labora- tories, experimental areas, and other forest and rangeland research facilities. The Secretary is authorized, with donated or appropriated funds, to acquire by lease, donation, purchase, ex- change, or otherwise, land or interests in land within the United States needed to implement this subchapter, to make necessary expenditures to examine, appraise, and survey such property, and to do all things incident to perfecting title thereto in the United States. (b) Acceptance, holding, and administration of gifts, donations, and bequests; use and in- vestment of gifts, proceeds, etc.; funding re- quirements In implementing this subchapter, the Sec- retary is authorized to accept, hold, and admin- ister gifts, donations, and bequests of money, real property, or personal property from any source not otherwise prohibited by law and to use such gifts, donations, and bequests to (1) es- tablish or operate any forest and rangeland re- search facility within the United States, or (2) perform any forest and rangeland renewable re- source research activity authorized by this sub- chapter. Such gifts, donations, and bequests, or the proceeds thereof, and money appropriated for these purposes shall be deposited in the Treasury in a special fund. At the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury may invest or reinvest any money in the fund that in the opinion of the Secretary is not needed for current operations. Such investments shall be in public debt securities with maturities suitable for the needs of the fund and bearing interest at prevailing market rates. There are hereby au- thorized to be expended from such fund such amounts as may be specified in annual appro- priation Acts, which shall remain available until expended. (c) Cooperation with international, Federal, State, and other governmental agencies, pub- lic and private agencies, etc.; funding re- quirements for contributions from coopera- tors In implementing this subchapter, the Sec- retary may cooperate with international, Fed- eral, State, and other governmental agencies, with public or private agencies, institutions, universities, and organizations, and with busi- nesses and individuals in the United States and in other countries. The Secretary may receive money and other contributions from cooperators under such conditions as the Secretary may pre- scribe. Any money contributions received under this subsection shall be credited to the applica- ble appropriation or fund to be used for the same purposes and shall remain available until ex- pended as the Secretary may direct for use in conducting research activities authorized by this subchapter and in making refunds to con- tributors. (Pub. L. 95–307, § 4(a)–(c), June 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 354, 355; Pub. L. 101–513, title VI, § 611(a)(2), for- merly § 607(a)(2), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2072, re- numbered § 611(a)(2), Pub. L. 102–574, § 2(a)(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4593.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1990—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–513, which directed amendment of ‘‘the first section of’’ this subsection by inserting ‘‘international,’’ before ‘‘Federal’’, was exe- cuted by making the insertion in the first sentence of this subsection to reflect the probable intent of Con- gress. § 1644. Forestry and rangeland competitive re- search grants (a) Competitive grant authority In addition to any grants made under other laws, the Secretary is authorized to make com- petitive grants that will further research activi- ties authorized by this subchapter to Federal, State, and other governmental agencies, public or private agencies, institutions, universities, and organizations, and businesses and individ- uals in the United States. In making these grants, the Secretary shall emphasize basic and applied research activities that are important to Page 1971 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 1645 achieving the purposes of this subchapter, and shall obtain, through review by qualified sci- entists and other methods, participation in re- search activities by scientists throughout the United States who have expertise in matters re- lated to forest and rangeland renewable re- sources. Grants under this section shall be made at the discretion of the Secretary under what- ever conditions the Secretary may prescribe, after publicly soliciting research proposals, al- lowing sufficient time for submission of the pro- posals, and considering qualitative, quan- titative, financial, administrative, and other factors that the Secretary deems important in judging, comparing, and accepting the pro- posals. The Secretary may reject any or all pro- posals received under this section if the Sec- retary determines that it is in the public inter- est to do so. (b) Emphasis on certain high priority forestry re- search The Secretary may use up to 5 percent of the amounts made available for research under sec- tion 1642 of this title to make competitive grants regarding forestry research in the high priority research areas identified under section 1642(d) of this title. (c) Emphasis on certain high priority rangeland research The Secretary may use up to 5 percent of the amounts made available for research under sec- tion 1642 of this title to make competitive grants regarding rangeland research in the high priority research areas identified under section 1642(d) of this title. (d) Priorities In making grants under subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary shall give priority to research proposals under which— (1) the proposed research will be collabo- rative research organized through a center of scientific excellence; (2) the applicant agrees to provide matching funds (in the form of direct funding or in-kind support) in an amount equal to not less than 50 percent of the grant amount; and (3) the proposed research will be conducted as part of an existing private and public part- nership or cooperative research effort and in- volves several interested research partners. (Pub. L. 95–307, § 5, June 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 355; Pub. L. 105–185, title II, § 253(d), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 561.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1998—Pub. L. 105–185 substituted section catchline for former section catchline, designated existing provi- sions as subsec. (a) and inserted heading, and added subsecs. (b) to (d). § 1645. General provisions (a) Availability of funds to cooperators and grantees The Secretary may make funds available to cooperators and grantees under this subchapter without regard to the provisions of section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31, which prohibits ad- vances of public money. (b) Coordination of cooperative aid and grants with other aid and grant authorities To avoid duplication, the Secretary shall co- ordinate cooperative aid and grants under this subchapter with cooperative aid and grants the Secretary makes under any other authority. (c) Dissemination of knowledge and technology developed from research activities; coopera- tion with specified entities The Secretary shall use the authorities and means available to the Secretary to disseminate the knowledge and technology developed from research activities conducted under or supported by this subchapter. In meeting this responsi- bility, the Secretary shall cooperate, as the Sec- retary deems appropriate, with the entities identified in subsection (d)(3) of this section and with others. (d) Additional implementative authorities In implementing this subchapter, the Sec- retary, as the Secretary deems appropriate and practical, shall— (1) use, and encourage cooperators and grantees to use, the best available scientific skills from a variety of disciplines within and outside the fields of agriculture and forestry; (2) seek, and encourage cooperators and grantees to seek, a proper mixture of short- term and long-term research and a proper mix- ture of basic and applied research; (3) avoid unnecessary duplication and co- ordinate activities under this section among agencies of the Department of Agriculture and with other affected Federal departments and agencies, State agricultural experiment sta- tions, State extension services, State foresters or equivalent State officials, forestry schools, and private research organizations; and (4) encourage the development, employment, retention, and exchange of qualified scientists and other specialists through postgraduate, postdoctoral, and other training, national and international exchange of scientists, and other incentives and programs to improve the qual- ity of forest and rangeland renewable re- sources research. (e) Construction of statutory provisions This subchapter shall be construed as supplementing all other laws relating to the De- partment of Agriculture and shall not be con- strued as limiting or repealing any existing law or authority of the Secretary except as specifi- cally cited in this subchapter. (f) Definitions For the purposes of this subchapter, the terms ‘‘United States’’ and ‘‘State’’ shall include each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Trust Ter- ritory of the Pacific Islands, and the territories and possessions of the United States. (Pub. L. 95–307, § 6, June 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 355.)