Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1978

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9. FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH
[As Amended through the end of the First Session of the 108th
Congress (Public Law 108–198, Dec. 31, 2003)]

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A. Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research
Act of 1978
(Public Law 95–307; Approved June 30, 1978)
AN ACT To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out forest and rangeland
renewable resources research, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That ø16
U.S.C.1641 note¿ this Act may be cited as the ‘‘Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978’’.
SEC. 2. ø16 U.S.C. 1641¿ FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:

(1) Forests and rangeland, and the resources of forests and
rangeland, are of strategic economic and ecological importance
to the United States, and the Federal Government has an important and substantial role in ensuring the continued health,
productivity, and sustainability of the forests and rangeland of
the United States.
(2) Over 75 percent of the productive commercial forest
land in the United States is privately owned, with some 60
percent owned by small nonindustrial private owners. These
10,000,000 nonindustrial private owners are critical to providing both commodity and noncommodity values to the citizens of the United States.
(3) The National Forest System manages only 17 percent
of the commercial timberland of the United States, with over
half of the standing softwoods inventory located on that land.
Dramatic changes in Federal agency policy during the early
1990’s have significantly curtailed the management of this vast
timber resource, causing abrupt shifts in the supply of timber
from public to private ownership. As a result of these shifts in
supply, some 60 percent of total wood production in the United
States is now coming from private forest land in the southern
United States.
(4) At the same time that pressures are building for the removal of even more land from commercial production, the Federal Government is significantly reducing its commitment to
productivity-related research regarding forests and rangeland,
which is critically needed by the private sector for the sustained management of remaining available timber and forage
resources for the benefit of all species.
(5) Uncertainty over the availability of the United States
timber supply, increasing regulatory burdens, and the lack of
Federal Government support for research is causing domestic
wood and paper producers to move outside the United States
to find reliable sources of wood supplies, which in turn results
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in a worsening of the United States trade balance, the loss of
employment and infrastructure investments, and an increased
risk of infestations of exotic pests and diseases from imported
wood products.
(6) Wood and paper producers in the United States are
being challenged not only by shifts in Federal Government policy, but also by international competition from tropical countries where growth rates of trees far exceed those in the United
States. Wood production per acre will need to quadruple from
1996 levels for the United States forestry sector to remain
internationally competitive on an ever decreasing forest land
base.
(7) Better and more frequent forest inventorying and analysis is necessary to identify productivity-related forestry research needs and to provide forest managers with the current
data necessary to make timely and effective management decisions.
(b) This Act shall be deemed to complement the policies and direction set forth in the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources
Planning Act of 1974.
(c) It is the purpose of this Act to authorize the Secretary to
expand research activities to encompass international forestry and
natural resource issues on a global scale.
RESEARCH AUTHORIZATION

SEC. 3. ø16 U.S.C. 1642¿ (a) The Secretary is authorized to
conduct, support, and cooperate in investigations, experiments,
tests, and other activities the Secretary deems necessary to obtain,
analyze, develop, demonstrate, and disseminate scientific information about protecting, managing, and utilizing forest and rangeland
renewable resources in rural, suburban, and urban areas. The activities conducted, supported, or cooperated in by the Secretary
under this Act shall include, but not be limited to the five major
areas of renewable resource research identified in paragraphs (1)
through (5) of this subsection.
(1) Renewable resource management research shall include, as appropriate, research activities related to managing,
reproducing, planting, and growing vegetation on forests and
rangelands for timber, forage, water, fish and wildlife, esthetics, recreation, wilderness, energy production, activities related
to energy conservation, and other purposes, including activities
for encouraging improved reforestation of forest lands from
which timber has been harvested; determining the role of forest and rangeland management in the productive use of forests
and rangelands, in diversified agriculture, and in mining,
transportation, and other industries; and developing alternatives for the management of forests and rangelands that will
make possible the most effective use of their multiple products
and services.
(2) Renewable resource environment research shall include
a appropriate, research activities related to understanding and
managing surface and subsurface water flow, preventing and
controlling erosion, and restoring damaged or disturbed soils
on forest and rangeland watersheds; maintaining and improvDecember 31, 2003

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ing wildlife and fish habitats; managing vegetation to reduce
air and water pollution, provide amenities, and for other purposes; and understanding, predicting, and modifying weather,
climatic and other environmental conditions that affect the
protection and management of forests and rangelands.
(3) Renewable resource protection research shall include,
as appropriate, research activities related to protecting vegetation and other forest and rangeland resources, including
threatened and endangered flora and fauna, as well as wood
and wood products in storage or use, from fires, insects, diseases, noxious plants, animals, air pollutants, and other agents
through biological, chemical, and mechanical control methods
and systems; and protecting people, natural resources, and
property from fires in rural areas.
(4) Renewable resource utilization research shall include,
as appropriate, research, marketing, distributing, and utilizing
wood and other materials derived from forest and rangeland
renewable resources; recycling and fully utilizing wood fiber;
producing and conserving energy; and testing forest products,
including necessary fieldwork associated therewith.
(5) Renewable resource assessment research shall include,
as appropriate, research activities related to developing and
applying scientific knowledge and technology in support of the
survey and analysis of forest and rangeland renewable resources described in subsection (b) of this section.
(b)(1) To ensure the availability of adequate data and scientific
information for development of the periodic Renewable Resource
Assessment provided for in section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland
Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, the Secretary of Agriculture shall make and keep current a comprehensive survey and
analysis of the present and prospective conditions of and requirements for renewable resources of the forests and rangelands of the
Untied States and of the supplies of such renewable resources, including a determination of the present and potential productivity
of the land, and of such other facts as may be necessary to balance
the demand for and supply of these renewable resources, benefits,
and uses in meeting the needs of the people of the Untied State.
The Secretary shall conduct the survey and analysis under such
plans as the Secretary may determine to be fair and equitable, and
cooperate with appropriate officials of each State and, either
through them or directly, with private or other entities.
(2) In implementing this subsection, the Secretary is authorized to develop and implement improved methods of survey and
analysis of forest inventory information, for which purposes there
are hereby authorized to be appropriated annually $10,000,000.
(c)(1) The Secretary, acting through the United States Forest
Services, shall establish not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this subsection a 10-year program (hereinafter in
this subsection referred to as the ‘‘Program’’) to—
(A) increase the frequency of forest inventories in matters
that relate to atmospheric pollution and conduct such surveys
as are necessary to monitor long-term trends in the health and
productivity of domestic forest ecosystems;
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(B) determine the scope of the decline in the health and
productivity of domestic forest ecosystems;
(C) accelerate and expand existing research efforts (including basic forest ecosystem research) to evaluate the effects of
atmospheric pollutants on forest ecosystems and their role in
the decline in domestic forest health and productivity;
(D) study the relationship between atmospheric pollution
and other climatological, chemical, physical, and biological factors that may affect the health and productivity of domestic
forest ecosystems;
(E) develop recommendations for solving or mitigating
problems related to the effects of atmospheric pollution on the
health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems;
(F) foster cooperation among Federal, State, and private
researchers and encourage the exchange of scientific information on the effects of atmosheric pollutants on forest ecosystems among the United States, Canada, European nations,
and other nations;
(G) support the long-term funding of research programs
and related efforts to determine the causes of declines in the
health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems and the
effects of atmospheric pollutants on the health and productivity
of domestic forest ecosystems; and
(H) enlarge the Eastern Hardwood Cooperative by devoting additional resources to field analysis of the response of
hardwood species to atmospheric pollution, and other factors
that may affect the health and productivity of these ecosystems.
(2) The Secretary shall establish a committee to advise the Secretary in developing and carrying out the Program, which shall be
composed of scientists with training and experience in various disciplines, including atmospheric, ecological, and biological sciences.
Such scientists shall be selected from among individuals who are
actively performing research for Federal or State agencies or for
private industries, institutions, or organizations.
(3) The Secretary shall coordinate the Program with existing
research efforts of Federal and State agencies and private industries, institutions, or organizations.
(4) The Secretary shall submit to the President and to Congress the following reports:
(A) Not less than 30 days before establishing the Program,
the Secretary shall submit an initial program report—
(i) discussing existing information about declining
health and productivity of forest ecosystems on public and
private lands in North America and Europe;
(ii) outlining the findings and status of all current research and monitoring efforts in North America and Europe on the causes and effects of atmospheric pollution on
the health and productivity of forest ecosystems;
(iii) describing the Program; and
(iv) estimating the cost of implementing the Program
for each fiscal year of its duration.
(B) Not later than January 15, 1990, and January 15 of
each year thereafter, during with the Program is in operation
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following the year in which the initial program report is submitted, the Secretary shall submit an annual report—
(i) updating information about declining health and
productivity of forest ecosystems on public and private
lands in North America and Europe;
(ii) updating the findings and status of all current research and monitoring efforts in North America and Europe on the causes and effects of atmospheric pollution on
the health and productivity of forest ecosystems, including
efforts conducted under the Programs.
(iii) recommending additional research and monitoring
efforts to be undertaken under the Program to determine
the effects of atmospheric pollution on the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems; and
(iv) recommending methods for solving or mitigating
problems stemming from the effects of atmospheric pollution on the health and productivity of domestic forest ecosystems.
(C) Not later than 10 years after the date on which the initial program report is submitted, the Secretary shall submit a
final report—
(i) reviewing existing information about declining
health and productivity of forest ecosystems on public and
private lands in North America and Europe;
(ii) reviewing the nature and findings of all research
and monitoring efforts conducted under the Program and
any other relevant research and monitoring efforts related
to the effects of atmospheric pollution on forest ecosystem;
and
(iii) making final recommendations for solving or mitigating problems stemming from the effects of atmospheric
pollution on the health and productivity of domestic forest
ecosystems.
(d) HIGH PRIORITY FORESTRY AND RANGELAND RESEARCH AND
EDUCATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may conduct, support, and
cooperate in forestry and rangeland research and education
that is of the highest priority to the United States and to users
of public and private forest land and rangeland in the United
States.
(2) PRIORITIES.—The research and education priorities include the following:
(A) The biology of forest organisms and rangeland organisms.
(B) Functional characteristics and cost-effective management of forest and rangeland ecosystems.
(C) Interactions between humans and forests and
rangeland.
(D) Wood and forage as a raw material.
(E) International trade, competition, and cooperation.
(3) NORTHEASTERN STATES RESEARCH COOPERATIVE.—At
the request of the Governor of the State of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, or Vermont, the Secretary may cooperate
with the northeastern States of New Hampshire, New York,
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Maine, and Vermont, land-grant colleges and universities of
those States, natural resources and forestry schools of those
States, other Federal agencies, and other interested persons in
those States to coordinate and improve ecological and economic
research relating to agricultural research, extension, and education, including—
(A) research on ecosystem health, forest management,
product development, economics, and related fields;
(B) research to assist those States and landowners in
those States to achieve sustainable forest management;
(C) technology transfer to the wood products industry
of technologies that promote efficient processing, pollution
prevention, and energy conservation;
(D) dissemination of existing and new information to
landowners, public and private resource managers, State
forest citizen advisory committees, and the general public
through professional associations, publications, and other
information clearinghouse activities; and
(E) analysis of strategies for the protection of areas of
outstanding ecological significance or high biological diversity, and strategies for the provision of important recreational opportunities and traditional uses, including
strategies for areas identified through State land conservation planning processes.’’.
(e) FOREST INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS.—
(1) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—In compliance with other applicable provisions of law, the Secretary shall establish a program
to inventory and analyze, in a timely manner, public and private forests and their resources in the United States.
(2) ANNUAL STATE INVENTORY.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than the end of each full
fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of this
subsection, the Secretary shall prepare for each State, in
cooperation with the State forester for the State, an inventory of forests and their resources in the State.
(B) SAMPLE PLOTS.—For purposes of preparing the inventory for a State, the Secretary shall measure annually
20 percent of all sample plots that are included in the inventory program for that State.
(C) COMPILATION OF INVENTORY.—On completion of
the inventory for a year, the Secretary shall make available to the public a compilation of all data collected for
that year from measurements of sample plots as well as
any analysis made of the samples.
(3) 5-YEAR REPORTS.—Not more often than every 5 full fiscal years after the date of enactment of this subsection, the
Secretary shall prepare, publish, and make available to the
public a report, prepared in cooperation with State foresters,
that—
(A) contains a description of each State inventory of
forests and their resources, incorporating all sample plot
measurements conducted during the 5 years covered by
the report;
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(B) displays and analyzes on a nationwide basis the
results of the annual reports required by paragraph (2);
and
(C) contains an analysis of forest health conditions
and trends over the previous 2 decades, with an emphasis
on such conditions and trends during the period subsequent to the immediately preceding report under this paragraph.
(4) NATIONAL STANDARDS AND DEFINITIONS.—To ensure
uniform and consistent data collection for all forest land that
is publicly or privately owned and for each State, the Secretary
shall develop, in consultation with State foresters and Federal
land management agencies not under the jurisdiction of the
Secretary, and publish national standards and definitions to be
applied in inventorying and analyzing forests and their resources under this subsection. The standards shall include a
core set of variables to be measured on all sample plots under
paragraph (2) and a standard set of tables to be included in the
reports under paragraph (3).
(5) PROTECTION FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS.—The Secretary shall obtain authorization from property owners prior to
collecting data from sample plots located on private property
pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3).
(6) STRATEGIC PLAN.—Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress a strategic plan to implement and
carry out this subsection, including the annual updates required by paragraph (2) and the reports required by paragraph
(3), that shall describe in detail—
(A) the financial resources required to implement and
carry out this subsection, including the identification of
any resources required in excess of the amounts provided
for forest inventorying and analysis in recent appropriations Acts;
(B) the personnel necessary to implement and carry
out this subsection, including any personnel in addition to
personnel currently performing inventorying and analysis
functions;
(C) the organization and procedures necessary to implement and carry out this subsection, including proposed
coordination with Federal land management agencies and
State foresters;
(D) the schedules for annual sample plot measurements in each State inventory required by paragraph (2)
within the first 5-year interval after the date of enactment
of this subsection;
(E) the core set of variables to be measured in each
sample plot under paragraph (2) and the standard set of
tables to be used in each State and national report under
paragraph (3); and
(F) the process for employing, in coordination with the
Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the National
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nologies to carry out this subsection, and the subsequent
use of the technologies.
RESEARCH FACILITIES AND COOPERATION

SEC. 4. ø16 U.S.C. 1643¿ (a) In implementing this Act, the Secretary is authorized to establish and maintain a system of experiment stations, research laboratories, experimental area, and other
forest and rangeland research facilities. The Secretary is authorized, with donated or appropriated funds, to acquire by lease, donation, purchase, exchange, or otherwise, land or interests in land
within the United States needed to implement this Act, 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) In implementing this Act, the Secretary is authorized to accept, hold, and administer 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) establish or operate any forest and rangeland research facility
within the United States, or (2) perform any forest and rangeland
renewable resource research activity authorized by this Act. 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 authorized to be expended from
such fund such amounts as may be specified in annual appropriation Acts, which shall remain available until expended.
(c) In implementing this Act, the Secretary may cooperate with
international, Federal, State, and other governmental agencies,
with public or private agencies, institutions, universities, and organizations, and with businesses 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 prescribe. Any money contributions received under this
subsection shall be credited to the applicable or fund to be used for
the same purposes and shall remain available until expended as
the Secretary may direct for use in conducting research activities
authorized by this Act and in making refunds to contributors.
(d) The paragraph headed ‘‘Forest research:’’ under the center
heading ‘‘Forest Service’’ and the center subheading ‘‘SALARIES AND
EXPENSES’’ of title I of the Department of Agriculture Appropriation
Act, 1952 (65 Stat. 233; 16 U.S.C. 581a–1), is amended by inserting
a period immediately after the figure ‘‘$5,108,603’’ and by striking
all that follows in that paragraph.
SEC. 5. ø16 U.S.C. 1644¿ FORESTRY AND RANGELAND COMPETITIVE RESEARCH GRANTS.
(a) COMPETITIVE GRANT AUTHORITY.—In addition to any grants

made under other laws, the Secretary is authorized to make competitive grants that will further research activities authorized by
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this Act to Federal, State, and other governmental agencies, public
or private agencies, institutions, universities, and organizations,
and businesses and individuals in the United States. In making
these grants, the Secretary shall emphasize basic and applied research activities that are important to achieving the purposes of
this Act, and shall obtain, through review by qualified scientists
and other methods, participation in research activities by scientists
throughout the United States who have expertise in matters related to forest and rangeland renewable resources. Grants under
this section shall be made at the discretion of the Secretary under
whatever conditions the Secretary may prescribe, after publicly soliciting research proposals, allowing sufficient time for submission
of the proposals, and considering qualitative, quantitative, financial, administrative, and other factors that the Secretary deems important in judging, comparing, and accepting the proposals. The
Secretary may reject any or all proposals received under this section if the Secretary determines that it is in the public interest to
do so.
(b) EMPHASIS ON CERTAIN HIGH PRIORITY FORESTRY RESEARCH.—The Secretary may use up to 5 percent of the amounts
made available for research under section 3 to make competitive
grants regarding forestry research in the high priority research
areas identified under section 3(d).
(c) EMPHASIS ON CERTAIN HIGH PRIORITY RANGELAND RESEARCH.—The Secretary may use up to 5 percent of the amounts
made available for research under section 3 to make competitive
grants regarding rangeland research in the high priority research
areas identified under section 3(d).
(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 collaborative 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 partnership or cooperative research
effort and involves several interested research partners.
GENERAL RESEARCH PROVISIONS

SEC. 6. ø16 U.S.C. 1645¿ (a) The Secretary may make funds
available to cooperators and grantees under this Act without regard to the provisions of section 3648 of the Revised Statutes (31
U.S.C. 529), which prohibits advances of public money.
(b) To avoid duplication, the Secretary shall coordinate cooperative aid and grants under this Act with cooperative aid and grants
the Secretary makes under any other authority.
(c) 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 Act. In meeting this responsibility, the Secretary shall cooperate, as the Secretary deems appropriate, with the entities identified
in subsection (d)(3) of this section and with others.
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(d) In implementing this Act, the Secretary, 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 mixture of basic and applied research;
(3) avoid unnecessary duplication and coordinate activities
under this section among agencies of the Department of Agriculture and with other affected Federal departments and agencies, State agricultural experiment stations, 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 quality of forest and
rangeland renewable resources research.
(e) This act shall be construed as supplementing all other laws
relating to the Department of Agriculture and shall not be construed as limiting or repealing any existing law or authority of the
Secretary except as specifically cited in this Act.
(f) For the purposes of this Act, 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 Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the territories
and possessions of the United States.
RESEARCH APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZATION

SEC. 7. ø16 U.S.C. 1646¿ There are hereby authorized to be appropriated annually such sums as may be needed to implement this
Act. Funds appropriated under this Act shall remain available
until expended.
REPEAL OF MCSWENNEY-MCNARY ACT; REGULATIONS AND
COORDINATION; APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. 8. ø16 U.S.C. 1647¿ (a) The Act of May 22, 1928, known
as the McSweeney-McNary Act (45 Stat. 699–702, as amended; 16
U.S.C. 581, 581a, 581b–581i), is hereby repealed.
(b) Contracts and cooperative and other agreements under the
McSweeney-McNary Act shall remain in effect until revoked or
amended by their own terms or under other provisions of law.
(c) The Secretary is authorized to issue such rules and regulations as the Secretary deems necessary to implement the provisions
of this Act and to coordinate this Act with title XIV of the Food and
Agriculture Act of 1977.
(d) Funds appropriated under the authority of the McSweeneyMcNary Act shall be available for expenditure for the programs authorized under this Act.
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SEC. 9. ø16 U.S.C. 1648¿ RECYCLING RESEARCH.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

(1) the United States is amassing vast amounts of solid
wastes, which is presenting an increasing problem for municipalities in locating suitable disposal sites;
(2) a large proportion of these wastes consists of paper and
other wood wastes;
(3) less than one-third of these paper and wood wastes are
recycled;
(4) additional recycling would result in reduced solid waste
landfill disposal and would contribute to a reduced rate of removal of standing timber from forest lands; and
(5) additional research is needed to develop technological
advances to address barriers to increased recycling of paper
and wood wastes and utilization of products consisting of recycled materials.
(b) RECYCLING RESEARCH PROGRAM.—The Secretary is authorized to conduct, support, and cooperate in an expanded wood fiber
recycling research program, including the acquisition of necessary
equipment. The Secretary shall seek to ensure that the program includes the cooperation and support of private industry and that
program goals include the application of such research to industry
and consumer needs.
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In addition to any
other funds made available to implement section 3 of this Act, for
the 5-year period beginning on October 1, 1990, there are authorized to be appropriated annually $10,000,000 to implement this
section.
SEC. 10. ø16 U.S.C. 1649¿ FORESTRY STUDENT GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a program,

to be known as the ‘‘Forestry Student Grant Program’’ (hereafter
referred to in this section as the ‘‘Program’’), to provide assistance
to expand the professional education of forestry, natural resources,
and environmental scientists.
(b) STUDENT GRANTS.—Under the Program the Secretary shall
provide assistance for the establishment of a competitive grant fellowship program to assist graduate, and undergraduate minority
and female, students attending institutions having programs in forestry and natural resources.
(c) ELIGIBILITY.—The Secretary shall ensure that students concentrating in the following studies shall be eligible for assistance
under subsection (b):
(1) Forestry.
(2) Biology and forest organisms.
(3) Ecosystem function and management.
(4) Human-forest interaction.
(5) International trade, competition, and cooperation.
(6) Wood as a raw material.
(7) Economics and policy.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this
section.
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B. Hardwood Technology Transfer and Applied Research
(Section 332 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations
Act, 2000, as enacted into law by section 1000(a)(3) of Public Law 106–113 (113
Stat. 1501A–197)).

SEC. 332. ø16 U.S.C. 1650¿ HARDWOOD TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
APPLIED RESEARCH. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter the ‘‘Secretary’’) is hereby and hereafter authorized to conduct
technology transfer and development, training, dissemination of information and applied research in the management, processing and
utilization of the hardwood forest resource. This authority is in addition to any other authorities which may be available to the Secretary including, but not limited to, the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978, as amended (16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.), and the
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Act of 1978, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1600–1614).
(b) In carrying out this authority, the Secretary may enter into
grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements with public and private agencies, organizations, corporations, institutions and individuals. The Secretary may accept gifts and donations pursuant to the
Act of October 10, 1978 (7 U.S.C. 2269) including gifts and donations from a donor that conducts business with any agency of the
Department of Agriculture or is regulated by the Secretary of Agriculture.
(c) The Secretary is hereby and hereafter authorized to operate
and utilize the assets of the Wood Education and Resource Center
(previously named the Robert C. Byrd Hardwood Technology Center in West Virginia) as part of a newly formed ‘‘Institute of Hardwood Technology Transfer and Applied Research’’ (hereinafter the
‘‘Institute’’). The Institute, in addition to the Wood Education and
Resource Center, will consist of a Director, technology transfer specialists from State and Private Forestry, the Forestry Sciences Laboratory in Princeton, West Virginia, and any other organizational
unit of the Department of Agriculture as the Secretary deems appropriate. The overall management of the Institute will be the responsibility of the Forest Service, State and Private Forestry.
(d) The Secretary is hereby and hereafter authorized to generate revenue using the authorities provided herein. Any revenue
received as part of the operation of the Institute shall be deposited
into a special fund in the Treasury of the United States, known as
the ‘‘Hardwood Technology Transfer and Applied Research Fund’’,
which shall be available to the Secretary until expended, without
further appropriation, in furtherance of the purposes of this section, including upkeep, management, and operation of the Institute
and the payment of salaries and expenses.
(e) There are hereby and hereafter authorized to be appropriated such sums as necessary to carry out the provisions of this
section.
AND

December 31, 2003