Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 117.djvu/1923

 117 STAT. 1904

PUBLIC LAW 108–148—DEC. 3, 2003 ‘‘(C) to provide technical guidance to land managers and policymakers for water quality protection through forest management; ‘‘(D) to complement State and local efforts to protect water quality and provide enhanced opportunities for consultation and cooperation among Federal and State agencies charged with responsibility for water and watershed management; and ‘‘(E) to provide enhanced forest resource data and support for improved implementation and monitoring of State forestry best-management practices. ‘‘(3) IMPLEMENTATION.—In the case of a participating State, the program of technical assistance shall be implemented by State foresters or equivalent State officials. ‘‘(d) WATERSHED FORESTRY COST-SHARE PROGRAM.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a watershed forestry cost-share program— ‘‘(A) which shall be— ‘‘(i) administered by the Forest Service; and ‘‘(ii) implemented by State foresters or equivalent State officials in participating States; and ‘‘(B) under which funds or other support provided to participating States shall be made available for State forestry best-management practices programs and watershed forestry projects. ‘‘(2) WATERSHED FORESTRY PROJECTS.—The State forester, an equivalent State official of a participating State, or a Cooperative Extension official at a land grant college or university or 1890 institution, in coordination with the State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee established under section 19(b) (or an equivalent committee) for that State, shall make awards to communities, nonprofit groups, and owners of nonindustrial private forest land under the program for watershed forestry projects described in paragraph (3). ‘‘(3) PROJECT ELEMENTS AND OBJECTIVES.—A watershed forestry project shall accomplish critical forest stewardship, watershed protection, and restoration needs within a State by demonstrating the value of trees and forests to watershed health and condition through— ‘‘(A) the use of trees as solutions to water quality problems in urban and rural areas; ‘‘(B) community-based planning, involvement, and action through State, local, and nonprofit partnerships; ‘‘(C) application of and dissemination of monitoring information on forestry best-management practices relating to watershed forestry; ‘‘(D) watershed-scale forest management activities and conservation planning; and ‘‘(E)(i) the restoration of wetland (as defined by the States) and stream-side forests; and ‘‘(ii) the establishment of riparian vegetative buffers. ‘‘(4) COST-SHARING.— ‘‘(A) FEDERAL SHARE.— ‘‘(i) FUNDS UNDER THIS SUBSECTION.—Funds provided under this subsection for a watershed forestry project may not exceed 75 percent of the cost of the project.

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