|
U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 1601. Renewable Resource Assessment
(a) Preparation by Secretary of Agriculture; time of preparation,
updating and contents
In recognition of the vital importance of America's renewable
resources of the forest, range, and other associated lands to the
Nation's social and economic well-being, and of the necessity for a
long term perspective in planning and undertaking related national
renewable resource programs administered by the Forest Service, the
Secretary of Agriculture shall prepare a Renewable Resource
Assessment (hereinafter called the "Assessment"). The Assessment
shall be prepared not later than December 31, 1975, and shall be
updated during 1979 and each tenth year thereafter, and shall
include but not be limited to -
(1) an analysis of present and anticipated uses, demand for,
and supply of the renewable resources, with consideration of the
international resource situation, and an emphasis of pertinent
supply and demand and price relationship trends;
(2) an inventory, based on information developed by the Forest
Service and other Federal agencies, of present and potential
renewable resources, and an evaluation of opportunities for
improving their yield of tangible and intangible goods and
services, together with estimates of investment costs and direct
and indirect returns to the Federal Government;
(3) a description of Forest Service programs and
responsibilities in research, cooperative programs and management
of the National Forest System, their interrelationships, and the
relationship of these programs and responsibilities to public and
private activities;
(4) a discussion of important policy considerations, laws,
regulations, and other factors expected to influence and affect
significantly the use, ownership, and management of forest,
range, and other associated lands; and (!1)
(5) an analysis of the potential effects of global climate
change on the condition of renewable resources on the forests and
rangelands of the United States; and
(6) an analysis of the rural and urban forestry opportunities
to mitigate the buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide and reduce
the risk of global climate change,(!2)
(b) Omitted
(c) Contents of Assessments
The Secretary shall report in the 1979 and subsequent Assessments
on:
(1) the additional fiber potential in the National Forest
System including, but not restricted to, forest mortality,
growth, salvage potential, potential increased forest products
sales, economic constraints, alternate markets, contract
considerations, and other multiple use considerations;
(2) the potential for increased utilization of forest and wood
product wastes in the National Forest System and on other lands,
and of urban wood wastes and wood product recycling, including
recommendations to the Congress for actions which would lead to
increased utilization of material now being wasted both in the
forests and in manufactured products; and
(3) the milling and other wood fiber product fabrication
facilities and their location in the United States, noting the
public and private forested areas that supply such facilities,
assessing the degree of utilization into product form of
harvested trees by such facilities, and setting forth the
technology appropriate to facilities to improve utilization
either individually or in aggregate the units of harvested trees
and to reduce wasted wood fibers. The Secretary shall set forth a
program to encourage the adoption by these facilities of these
technologies for improving wood fiber utilization.
(d) (!3) Public involvement; consultation with governmental
departments and agencies
In developing the reports required under subsection (c) of this
section, the Secretary shall provide opportunity for public
involvement and shall consult with other interested governmental
departments and agencies.
(d) (!3) Congressional policy of multiple use sustained yield
management; examination and certification of lands; estimate of
appropriations necessary for reforestation and other treatment;
budget requirements; authorization of appropriations
(1) It is the policy of the Congress that all forested lands in
the National Forest System shall be maintained in appropriate
forest cover with species of trees, degree of stocking, rate of
growth, and conditions of stand designed to secure the maximum
benefits of multiple use sustained yield management in accordance
with land management plans. Accordingly, the Secretary is directed
to identify and report to the Congress annually at the time of
submission of the President's budget together with the annual
report provided for under section 1606(c) of this title, beginning
with submission of the President's budget for fiscal year 1978, the
amount and location by forests and States and by productivity
class, where practicable, of all lands in the National Forest
System where objectives of land management plans indicate the need
to reforest areas that have been cut-over or otherwise denuded or
deforested, and all lands with stands of trees that are not growing
at their best potential rate of growth. All national forest lands
treated from year to year shall be examined after the first and
third growing seasons and certified by the Secretary in the report
provided for under this subsection as to stocking rate, growth rate
in relation to potential and other pertinent measures. Any lands
not certified as satisfactory shall be returned to the backlog and
scheduled for prompt treatment. The level and types of treatment
shall be those which secure the most effective mix of multiple use
benefits.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1607 of this title,
the Secretary shall annually for eight years following October 22,
1976, transmit to the Congress in the manner provided in this
subsection an estimate of the sums necessary to be appropriated, in
addition to the funds available from other sources, to replant and
otherwise treat an acreage equal to the acreage to be cut over that
year, plus a sufficient portion of the backlog of lands found to be
in need of treatment to eliminate the backlog within the eight-year
period. After such eight-year period, the Secretary shall transmit
annually to the Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to
replant and otherwise treat all lands being cut over and maintain
planned timber production on all other forested lands in the
National Forest System so as to prevent the development of a
backlog of needed work larger than the needed work at the beginning
of the fiscal year. The Secretary's estimate of sums necessary, in
addition to the sums available under other authorities, for
accomplishment of the reforestation and other treatment of National
Forest System lands under this section shall be provided annually
for inclusion in the President's budget and shall also be
transmitted to the Speaker of the House and the President of the
Senate together with the annual report provided for under section
1606(c) of this title at the time of submission of the President's
budget to the Congress beginning with the budget for fiscal year
1978. The sums estimated as necessary for reforestation and other
treatment shall include moneys needed to secure seed, grow
seedlings, prepare sites, plant trees, thin, remove deleterious
growth and underbrush, build fence to exclude livestock and adverse
wildlife from regeneration areas and otherwise establish and
improve growing forests to secure planned production of trees and
other multiple use values.
(3) Effective for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 1977, and
each fiscal year thereafter, there is hereby authorized to be
appropriated for the purpose of reforesting and treating lands in
the National Forest System $200,000,000 annually to meet
requirements of this subsection (d). All sums appropriated for the
purposes of this subsection shall be available until expended.
(e) Report on herbicides and pesticides
The Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Congress on
the amounts, types, and uses of herbicides and pesticides used in
the National Forest System, including the beneficial or adverse
effects of such uses.
|
|