Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 104 Part 5.djvu/212

 104 STAT. 3534 PUBLIC LAW 101-624—NOV. 28, 1990 Intergovernmental relations. Cooperative agreements. "(2) encourage owners of private residences and commercial properties to maintain trees and expand forest cover on their properties; "(3) provide education programs and technical assistance to State and local organizations (including community associations and schools) in maintaining forested lands and individual trees in urban and community settings and identifying appropriate tree species and sites for expanding forest cover; "(4) provide assistance through competitive matching grants awarded to local units of government, approved organizations that meet the requirements of section 501(c)(3) of the Interngd Revenue Code of 1986, or other local community tree volunteer groups, for urban and community forestry projects; "(5) implement a tree planting program to complement urban and community tree maintenance and open space programs and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, conserve energy, and improve air quality in addition to providing other environmental benefits; "(6) promote the establishment of demonstration projects in selected urban and community settings to illustrate the benefits of maintaining and creating forest cover and trees; "(7) enhance the technical skills and understanding of sound tree maintenance and arboricultural practices including practices involving the cultivation of trees, shrubs and complementary ground covers, of individuals involved in the planning, development, and maintenance of urban and community forests and trees; and "(8) expand existing research and educational efforts intended to improve understanding of— "(A) tree growth and maintenance, tree physiology and morphology, species adaptations, and forest ecology, "(B) the value of integrating trees and ground covers, "(C) the economic, environmental, social, and psychological benefits of trees and forest cover in urban and community environments, and "(D) the role of urban trees in conserving energy and mitigating the urban heat island. "(c) GENERAL AUTHORITY. — The Secretary is authorized to provide financial, technical, and related assistance to State foresters or equivalent State officials for the purpose of encouraging States to provide information and technical assistance to units of local government and others that will encourage cooperative efforts to plsm urban forestry programs and to plant, protect, and maintain, and utilize wood from, trees in open spaces, greenbelts, roadside screens, parks, woodlands, curb areas, and residential developments in urban areas. In providing such assistance, the Secretary is authorized to cooperate with interested members of the public, including nonprofit private organizations. The Secretary is also authorized to cooperate directly with units of local government and others in implementing this section whenever the Secretary and the affected State forester or equivalent State official agree that direct cooperation would better achieve the purposes of this section. "(d) PROGRAM OF EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. —The Secretary, in cooperation with State foresters and State extension directors or equivalent State officials and interested members of the public, including nonprofit private organizations, shall implement a

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