Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 104 Part 5.djvu/221

 PUBLIC LAW 101-624-NOV. 28, 1990 104 STAT. 3543 Subtitle B—Research and Education CHAPTER 1—GENERAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS ^ SEC. 1231. MCINTIRE-STENNIS RESEARCH PROGRAM. 16 USC 582a It is the sense of Congress to reaffirm the importance of Public Law 87-788 (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.) commonly known as the Mclntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act. SEC. 1232. COMPETITIVE FORESTRY, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND 16 USC 582a-8. ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS PROGRAM. (a) ESTABLISHMENT.— The Secretary of Agriculture (hereafter referred to in this section as the "Secretary") shall establish a competitive forestry, natural resources, and environmental grant program to award grants for the conduct of research as described in subsection (c), (b) EuGiBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an entity shall— (1) be a State agricultural experiment station, a college or university, a research institution or organization, a Federal agency, a private organization, or a corporation that has a demonstrable capacity to conduct forestry, natural resources, and environmental research as determined by the Secretary; and (2) prepare and submit to the Secretary, an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary shall require, including the proposed use of the amounts that may be received under a grant. (c) USE. —In awarding the initial grants under subsection (a) the Secretary shall give priority to applicants who will use such grants for research concerning— (1) the biology of forest organisms, including physiology, genetic mechanisms, and biotechnology; (2) ecosystem function and management, including forest ecot system research, biodiversity, forest productivity, pest management, water resources, and alternative silvicultural systems; (3) wood as a raw materieil, including forest products and harvesting; (4) human forest interactions, including outdoor recreation, public policy formulation, economics, sociology, and administrative behavior; (5) international trade, competition, and cooperation related to forest products; (6) alternative native crops, products, and services that can be produced from renewable natural resources associated with privately held forest lands; (7) viable economic production and marketing systems for alternative natural resource products and services; (8) economic and environmental benefits of various conservation practices on forest Isinds; (9) genetic tree improvement; and (10) market expgmsion. (d) FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT. — (1) AUTHORITY.— Grants made under this section may be used to update research facilities and equipment available to facili-

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