Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 92 Part 2.djvu/1252

 92 STAT. 2532

Cooperative projects with Mexico. 7 USC 178e.

7 USC 178f.

7 USC 178g. Grants.

PUBLIC LAW 95-592—NOV. 4, 1978 (d) evaluating the commercial marketability of Parthenium and rubber derived from other hydrocarbon-containing plants; (e) further refining present extraction and manufacturing technologies and future extraction and manufacturing technologies, including technologies which utilize solar energy; and (f) developing pertinent material and records on manufacturing of natural rubber which shall be available to other Federal and State agencies and private persons who are interested in or involved in natural rubber development, or manufacture. SEC. 7. The Secretaries, in consultation with the Secretary of State, are authorized and encouraged to enter into cooperative projects with the Government of Mexico in order to accomplish appropriate aspects of the research and development provided for in this Act. Such cooperative projects should include, but not be limited to, projects to determine the economic feasibility of latex extraction and processing. SEC. 8. The Secretaries are authorized to accept financial or other assistance from any State or public agency to aid in carrying out the provisions of this Act and to enter into contracts with respect to such assistance and to enter into agreements with any State or public agency for the purpose of demonstrating, transferring, or applying results of research or methods of economic development relating to native latex. SEC. 9. In carrying out the provisions of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to— (a) make grants to States, education institutions, scientific organizations, and Indian tribes as defined in the Indian SelfDetermination and Education Assistance Act (Public Law 93-638, 25 U.S.C. 450), and enter into contracts with such institutions and organizations and with industrial or engineering firms; (b) acquire the services of biologists, agronomists, foresters, geneticists, chemists, engineers, economists, and other personnel by contract or otherwise; (c) utilize the facilities of Federal and State scientific laboratories; (d) establish and operate necessary facilities and plantations to carry out the continuous research, testing, development, and programing necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act; (e) acquire secret processes, technical data, inventions, patent applications, patents, licenses, land and interest in land (including water rights), facilities, and other property or rights by purchase, license, lease, or donation; (f) assemble and maintain pertinent and current literature and publications, patents and licenses, land and interests in land; (g) cause onsite inspections to be made of promising projects, domestic or foreign, and, in the case of projects located in the United States, cooperate and participate in their development when the Secretary determines that the purpose of this Act will be served thereby; (h) foster and participate in regional, national, and international conferences relating to native latex culture; (i) coordinate, correlate, and publish information with a view to advancing the development of native latex technology; and (j) cooperate with other Federal departments and agencies, with State and local departments, agencies, and instrumentalities, and with interested persons, firms, institutions, and organizations.

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