Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 1.djvu/495

 PUBLIC LAW 107-171—MAY 13, 2002 116 STAT. 469 of higher education, and a broad range of private sector interests. "(b) PROGRAM OBJECTIVES.—In implementing the program, the Secretary shall target resources to achieve the following objectives: "(1) Investing in practices to establish, restore, protect, manage, maintain, and enhance the health and productivity of the nonindustrial private forest lands in the United States for timber, habitat for flora and fauna, soil, water, and air quality, wetlands, and riparian buffers. "(2) Ensuring that afforestation, reforestation, improvement of poorly stocked stands, timber stand improvement, practices necessary to improve seedling growth and survival, and growth enhancement practices occur where needed to enhance and sustain the long-term productivity of timber and nontimber forest resources to help meet future public demand for all forest resources and provide environmental benefits. "(3) Reducing the risks and helping restore, recover, and mitigate the damage to forests caused by fire, insects, invasive species, disease, and damaging weather. "(4) Increasing and enhancing carbon sequestration opportunities. "(5) Enhancing implementation of agroforestry practices. "(6) Maintaining and enhancing the forest landbase and leverage State and local financial and technical assistance to owners that promote the same conservation and environmental values. "(7) Preserving the aesthetic quality of nonindustrial private forest lands and providing opportunities for outdoor recreation. " (c) STATE PRIORITY PLAN. — "(1) DEVELOPMENT.— The State Forester and State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee of a State shall jointly develop and submit to the Secretary a State priority plan that is intended to promote forest management objectives in that State. "(2) REPORT. — Not later than September 30, 2006, each Deadline. State that implemented a State priority plan shall submit to the Secretary a report describing the status of all activities and practices funded under the program as of that date. " (d) OWNER ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE. — "(1) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. —To be eligible for cost-share assistance under the program, an owner of nonindustrial private forest lands shall agree— "(A) to develop and implement, in cooperation with a State forester, another State official, or a professional resources manager, a management plan that— "(i) except as provided in paragraph (2) or (3), provides for the treatment of not more than 1,000 acres of nonindustrial private forest lands; "(ii) is approved by the State forester; and "(iii) addresses site specific activities and practices; and "(B) to implement approved activities and practices in a manner consistent with the management plan for a period of not less than 10 years, unless the State forester approves a modification to the plan. '

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