16 U.S.C. § 558c — Authorization

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 ‘‘Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972’’, prior to the gen- eral amendment of Pub. L. 92–300 by Pub. L. 118–234. REFERENCE TO VOLUNTEERS IN THE NATIONAL FORESTS ACT OF 1972 Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 342, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2914, provided that: ‘‘Any reference to the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the United States shall be deemed to be a reference to the Volun- teers in the National Forests and Public Land[s] Act [see Short Title note above].’’ § 558b. Definition of Secretaries 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. (Pub. L. 92–300, § 3, as added Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This Act, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, as amended generally by Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913, known as the Volunteers in the National Forests and Public Lands Act, which enacted sections 558a to 558g of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 558a of this title and Tables. PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 558b, Pub. L. 92–300, § 2, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, authorized the Secretary to provide for in- cidental expenses to program volunteers, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. A prior section 3 of Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, was classified to section 558c of this title, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. § 558c. Authorization The Secretaries are authorized to recruit, train, and accept without regard to the civil service and classification laws, rules, or regula- tions the services of individuals without com- pensation as volunteers for or in aid of recre- ation access, trail construction or maintenance, facility construction or maintenance, edu- cational uses (including outdoor classroom con- struction or maintenance), interpretive func- tions, visitor services, conservation measures and development, or other activities in and re- lated 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 Com- munity Service. (Pub. L. 92–300, § 4, as added Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 558c, Pub. L. 92–300, § 3, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147; Pub. L. 101–286, title II, § 204(a), May 9, 1990, 104 Stat. 175; Pub. L. 114–245, § 4(d)(1), Nov. 28, 2016, 130 Stat. 992, related to employment status of volunteers, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. A prior section 4 of Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, was classified to section 558d of this title, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. § 558d. Incidental expenses The Secretaries are authorized to provide for incidental expenses, such as transportation, uni- forms, lodging, training, equipment, and subsist- ence. (Pub. L. 92–300, § 5, as added Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 558d, Pub. L. 92–300, § 4, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147; Pub. L. 95–289, § 1, June 5, 1978, 92 Stat. 289, authorized appropriations for former sections 558a to 558d of this title, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. A prior section 5 of Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, was set out as a Short Title note under sec- tion 558a of this title, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. § 558e. Consideration as Federal employee (a) Except as otherwise provided in this sec- tion, a volunteer shall not be deemed a Federal employee and shall not be subject to the provi- sions of law relating to Federal employment, in- cluding those relating to hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment compensa- tion, and Federal employee benefits.