Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 87.djvu/277

 87 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 93-86-AUG. 10, 1973

245

49 Stat. 163; Allotment Act, as amended. The Secretary is also authorized to utilize gg g^^^ g^g the facilities and services of the Commodity Credit Corporation in " le use 590h. discharging his functions and responsibilities under this program. The Secretary shall also utilize the technical services of the Soil Conservation Service, the Forest Service, State forestry organizations, soil and water conservation districts, and other State, and Federal agencies, as appropriate, in development and installation of approved conservation plans under this title. "SEC. 1009. (a) I n furtherance of the purposes of this title, the Sec- ^^1°^^^^^'/^ retary of Agriculture is authorized and directed to develop and carry Jlolram!'^ out a forestry incentives program to encourage the development, management, and protection of nonindustrial private forest lands. The purposes of such a program shall be to encourage landowners to apply practices which will provide for the afforestation of suitable open lands and reforestation of cutover and other nonstocked and understocked forest lands and intensive multiple-purpose management and protection of forest resources so as to provide for production of timber and related benefits. "(b) For the purposes of this section, the term 'non-industrial pri- //^"""/"^e"^**"^^^ vate forest lands' means lands capable of producing crops of industrial lands.•» wood and owned by any private individual, group, association, corporation, or other legal entity. Such term does not include private entities which regularly engage in the business of manufacturing forest products or providing public utilities services of any type, or the subsidiaries of such entities. "(c) The Secretary shall consult with the State forester or other Fe^derai asappropriate official of the respective States in the conduct of the forestry incentives program under this section, and Federal assistance shall be extended in accordance with section 1003(b) of this title. The Secretary shall for the purposes of this section distribute funds available for cost sharing among and within the States only after assessing the public benefit incident thereto, and after giving appropriate consideration to the number and acreage of commercial forest lands, number of eligible ownerships in the State, and counties to be served by such cost sharing; the potential productivity of such lands; and the need for reforestation, timber stand improvement, or other forestry investments on such land. No forest incentives contract shall be ap- umitalion. proved under this section on a tract greater than five hundred acres, unless the Secretary finds that significant public benefit will be incident to such approval. " (d) The Secretary may, if he determines that such action will contribute to the effective and equitable administration of the program established by this section, use an advertising and bid procedure in determining the lands in any area to be covered by agreements. "(e) In implementing the program under this section, the Secretary will cause it to be coordinated with other related programs in such a manner as to encourage the utilization of private agencies, firms, and individuals furnishing services and materials needed in the application of practices included in the forestry incentives improvement program. The Secretary shall periodically report to the appropriate ^o^^^esl/o ai congressional committees of the progress and conduct of the program committees. established under this section. "SEC. 1010. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated annually Appropriation. such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title. The programs, contracts, and authority authorized under this title shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for, other programs in such areas authorized by this or any other title or Act, and shall not

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