16 U.S.C. § 1721 — Congressional findings and purpose

Page 1982 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 1705 title to reflect renumbering of corresponding section of original act. 1974—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93–408 substituted ‘‘jointly establish a program’’ for ‘‘jointly establish a pilot grant program’’. 1972—Pub. L. 92–579 substituted provisions relating to pilot grant program for State projects for provisions re- lating to Secretarial reports. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1993 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 103–82 effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 123 of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as a note under section 1701 of this title. Executive Documents TERMINATION OF TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Is- lands, see note set out preceding section 1681 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions. § 1705. Repealed. Pub. L. 104–333, div. I, title VIII, § 814(d)(1)(N), Nov. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 4196 Section, Pub. L. 91–378, title I, § 105, formerly § 5, Aug. 13, 1970, 84 Stat. 796; Pub. L. 92–597, Oct. 27, 1972, 86 Stat. 1321; Pub. L. 93–408, Sept. 3, 1974, 88 Stat. 1068; renum- bered title I, § 105, and amended Pub. L. 103–82, title I, § 105(1)–(3), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 848, directed Secre- taries of the Interior and Agriculture to annually pre- pare joint report detailing activities carried out under this subchapter to President and Congress. § 1706. Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated amounts not to exceed $60,000,000 for each fiscal year, which amounts shall be made available to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the purposes of this subchapter. Notwithstanding any other provi- sion of law, funds appropriated for any fiscal year to carry out this subchapter shall remain available for obligation and expenditure until the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year for which appropriated. (Pub. L. 91–378, title I, § 106, formerly § 6, as added Pub. L. 92–597, Oct. 27, 1972, 86 Stat. 1321; amended Pub. L. 93–408, Sept. 3, 1974, 88 Stat. 1068; renumbered title I, § 106, and amended Pub. L. 103–82, title I, § 105(1)–(3), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 848.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1993—Pub. L. 103–82, § 105(2), substituted ‘‘subchapter’’ for ‘‘chapter’’ in two places. 1974—Pub. L. 93–408 substituted authorization of ap- propriation of amount not exceeding $60,000,000 for each fiscal year for authorization of appropriation of amounts not exceeding $30,000,000 for fiscal year ending June 30, 1973 and $60,000,000 for fiscal year ending June 30, 1974. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1993 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 103–82 effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 123 of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as a note under section 1701 of this title. SUBCHAPTER II—PUBLIC LANDS CORPS § 1721. Congressional findings and purpose (a) Findings The Congress finds the following: (1) Conserving or developing natural and cul- tural resources and enhancing and maintain- ing environmentally important lands and wa- ters through the use of the Nation’s young men and women in a Public Lands Corps can benefit those men and women by providing them with education and work opportunities, furthering their understanding and apprecia- tion of the natural and cultural resources, and providing a means to pay for higher education or to repay indebtedness they have incurred to obtain higher education while at the same time benefiting the Nation’s economy and its environment. (2) Many facilities and natural resources lo- cated on eligible service lands are in disrepair or degraded and in need of labor intensive re- habilitation, restoration, and enhancement work which cannot be carried out by Federal agencies at existing personnel levels. (3) Youth conservation corps have estab- lished a good record of restoring and main- taining these kinds of facilities and resources in a cost effective and efficient manner, espe- cially when they have worked in partnership arrangements with government land manage- ment agencies. (b) Purpose It is the purpose of this subchapter to— (1) perform, in a cost-effective manner, ap- propriate conservation projects on eligible service lands where such projects will not be performed by existing employees; (2) assist governments and Indian tribes in performing research and public education tasks associated with natural and cultural re- sources on eligible service lands; (3) expose young men and women to public service while furthering their understanding and appreciation of the Nation’s natural and cultural resources; (4) expand educational opportunities by re- warding individuals who participate in na- tional service with an increased ability to pur- sue higher education or job training; and (5) stimulate interest among the Nation’s young men and women in conservation careers by exposing them to conservation profes- sionals in land managing agencies. (Pub. L. 91–378, title II, § 202, as added Pub. L. 103–82, title I, § 105(6), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 848.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 123 of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as an Effective Date of 1993 Amend- ment note under section 1701 of this title. SHORT TITLE For short title of title II of Pub. L. 91–378, as added by Pub. L. 103–82, title I, § 105(6), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 848, as the ‘‘Public Lands Corps Act of 1993’’, see Short Title note set out under section 1701 of this title. Page 1983 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 1722 § 1722. Definitions For purposes of this subchapter: (1) Appropriate conservation project The term ‘‘appropriate conservation project’’ means any project for the conserva- tion, restoration, construction or rehabilita- tion of natural, cultural, historic, archae- ological, recreational, or scenic resources. (2) Corps and Public Lands Corps The terms ‘‘Corps’’ and ‘‘Public Lands Corps’’ mean the Public Lands Corps estab- lished by section 1723(a)(1) of this title. (3) Eligible service lands The term ‘‘eligible service lands’’ means public lands, Indian lands, and Hawaiian home lands. (4) Hawaiian home lands The term ‘‘Hawaiian home lands’’ means all lands given the status of Hawaiian home lands under section 204 of the Hawaiian Homes Com- mission Act, 1920 (42 Stat. 110), or under the corresponding provision of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii adopted under section 4 of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the ad- mission of the State of Hawaii into the Union’’, approved March 18, 1959 (Public Law 86–3; 73 Stat. 5). (5) Indian The term ‘‘Indian’’ means a person who— (A) is a member of an Indian tribe; or (B) is a ‘‘Native’’, as defined in section 3(b) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602(b)). (6) Indian lands The term ‘‘Indian lands’’ means— (A) any Indian reservation; (B) any public domain Indian allotments; (C) any former Indian reservation in the State of Oklahoma; (D) any land held by incorporated Native groups, regional corporations, and village corporations under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act [43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.]; and (E) any land held by dependent Indian communities within the borders of the United States whether within the original or subsequently acquired territory thereof, and whether within or without the limits of a State. (7) Indian tribe The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ means an Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Native village, Regional Corporation, or Village Corporation, as defined in subsection (c), (g), or (j), respec- tively, of section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602(c), (g), or (j)), that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States under Federal law to Indians be- cause of their status as Indians. (8) Institution of higher education (A) In general The term ‘‘institution of higher edu- cation’’ has the meaning given the term in section 1002 of title 20. (B) Exclusion The term ‘‘institution of higher edu- cation’’ does not include— (i) an institution described in section 1001(b) of title 20; or (ii) an institution outside the United States, as described in section 1002(a)(1)(C) of title 20. (9) Priority project The term ‘‘priority project’’ means an appro- priate conservation project conducted on eligi- ble service lands to further 1 or more of the purposes of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) and other conservation and restoration initiatives, as follows: (A) To reduce wildfire risk to a commu- nity, municipal water supply, or other at- risk Federal land. (B) To protect a watershed or address a threat to forest and rangeland health, in- cluding catastrophic wildfire. (C) To address the impact of insect or dis- ease infestations or other damaging agents on forest and rangeland health. (D) To protect, restore, or enhance forest ecosystem components to— (i) promote the recovery of threatened or endangered species; (ii) improve biological diversity; or (iii) enhance productivity and carbon se- questration. (E) To protect, restore, or enhance marine, estuarine, riverine, and coastal habitat eco- system components— (i) to promote the recovery of threatened species, endangered species, and managed fisheries; (ii) to restore fisheries, protected re- sources, and habitats impacted by oil and chemical spills and natural disasters; or (iii) to enhance the resilience of coastal ecosystems, communities, and economies through habitat conservation. (10) Public lands The term ‘‘public lands’’ means any lands or waters (or interest therein) owned or adminis- tered by the United States, except that such term does not include any Indian lands. (11) Qualified youth or conservation corps The term ‘‘qualified youth or conservation corps’’ means any program established by a State or local government, by the governing body of any Indian tribe, or by a nonprofit or- ganization that— (A) is capable of offering meaningful, full- time, productive work for individuals be- tween the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or vet- erans age 35 or younger in a natural or cul- tural resource setting; (B) gives participants a mix of work expe- rience, basic and life skills, education, train- ing, and support services; and (C) provides participants with the oppor- tunity to develop citizenship values and skills through service to their community and the United States.