§ 2113. Federal, State, and local coordination and cooperation

(a) Forest Resource Coordinating Committee

(1) Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a committee, to be known as the “Forest Resource Coordinating Committee” (in this section referred to as the “Coordinating Committee”), to coordinate nonindustrial private forestry activities within the Department of Agriculture and with the private sector.

(2) Composition

The Coordinating Committee shall be composed of the following:

(A) The Chief of the Forest Service.

(B) The Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

(D) The Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

(E) Non-Federal representatives appointed by the Secretary to 3 year terms, although initial appointees shall have staggered terms, including the following persons:

(i) At least three State foresters or equivalent State officials from geographically diverse regions of the United States.

(ii) A representative of a State fish and wildlife agency.

(iii) An owner of nonindustrial private forest land.

(iv) A forest industry representative.

(v) A conservation organization representative.

(vi) A land-grant university or college representative.

(vii) A private forestry consultant.

(viii) A representative from a State Technical Committee established under section 3861 of this title.

(F) Such other persons as determined by the Secretary to be appropriate.

(3) Chairperson

The Chief of the Forest Service shall serve as chairperson of the Coordinating Committee.

(4) Duties

The Coordinating Committee shall—

(A) provide direction and coordination of actions within the Department of Agriculture, and coordination with State agencies and the private sector, to effectively address the national priorities specified in section 2101 (c) of this title, with specific focus ^[1] owners of nonindustrial private forest land;

(B) clarify individual agency responsibilities of each agency represented on the Coordinating Committee concerning the national priorities specified in section 2101 (c) of this title, with specific focus on nonindustrial private forest land;

(C) provide advice on the allocation of funds, including the competitive funds set-aside by sections 2109a and 2109b of this title; and

(D) assist the Secretary in developing and reviewing the report required by section 2101 (d) of this title.

(5) Meeting

The Coordinating Committee shall meet annually to discuss progress in addressing the national priorities specified in section 2101 (c) of this title and issues regarding nonindustrial private forest land.

(6) Compensation

(A) Federal members

Members of the Coordinating Committee who are full-time officers or employees of the United States shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their service on the Coordinating Committee.

(B) Non-Federal members

Non-federal ^[2] members of the Coordinating Committee shall serve without pay, but may be reimbursed for reasonable costs incurred while performing their duties on behalf of the Coordinating Committee.

(b) State Coordinating Committees

(1) Establishment

(A) In general

The Secretary, in consultation with the State forester or equivalent State official of each State, shall establish a State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee (hereafter referred to in this section as the “State Coordinating Committee”) for each such State.

(B) Composition

The State Coordinating Committee shall be chaired and administered by the State forester, or equivalent State official, or the designee thereof, and shall be composed, to the extent practicable, of—

(i) representatives from the Forest Service, Soil Conservation Service, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, and National Institute of Food and Agriculture;

(ii) representatives, to be appointed by the State forester or equivalent State official, representative of—

(I) local government;

(II) consulting foresters;

(III) environmental organizations;

(IV) forest products industry;

(V) forest land owners;

(VI) land-trust organizations, if applicable in the State;

(VII) conservation organizations;

(VIII) the State fish and wildlife agency; and

(IX) the State Technical Committee.

(iii) any other individuals determined appropriate by the Secretary.

The members of the State Coordinating Committee appointed under subparagraph (B)(ii) shall serve 3-year terms, with the initial members serving staggered terms as determined by the State forester or equivalent State official, and may be reappointed for consecutive terms.

(D) Existing committees

Existing State forestry committees may be used to complement, formulate, or replace the State Coordinating Committees to avoid duplication of efforts if such existing committees are made up of membership that is similar to that described in subparagraph (B)(ii), and if such existing committees include landowners and the general public in their memberships.

(2) Duties

A State Coordinating Committee shall—

(A) consult with other Department of Agriculture and State committees that address State and private forestry issues;

(B) make recommendations to the Secretary concerning the assignment of priorities and the coordination of responsibilities for the implementation of this chapter by the various Federal and State forest management agencies that take into consideration the mandates of each such agency;

(C) make recommendations to the State forester or equivalent State official concerning the development of the State-wide assessment and strategy regarding forest resource conditions under section 2101a of this title; and

(D) make recommendations to the Secretary concerning those forest lands that should be given priority for inclusion in the Forest Legacy Program established pursuant to section 2103c of this title.

(3) Termination

The State Coordinating Committees shall not terminate.

(4) Rule of construction

Nothing in this section shall be construed to compel action by any State official.

[1] So in original. The word “on” probably should appear after “focus”.

[2] So in original. Probably should be “Non-Federal”.

U.S. Code

§ 2113. Federal, State, and local coordination and cooperation