1. U.S. Code
  2. title 7
  3. chapter 95
  4. subchapter II
  5. § 6611

Collapse to view only § 6611. Findings and purposes

§ 6611. Findings and purposes
(a) Findings
The Congress finds that—
(1) the economic well-being of rural America is vital to our national growth and prosperity;
(2) the economic well-being of many rural communities depends upon the goods and services that are derived from National Forest System land;
(3) the economies of many of these communities suffer from a lack of industrial and business diversity;
(4) this lack of diversity is particularly serious in communities whose economies are predominantly dependent on timber and recreation resources and where management decisions made on National Forest System land by Federal and private organizations may disrupt the supply of those resources;
(5) the Forest Service has expertise and resources that could be directed to promote modernization and economic diversification of existing industries and services based on natural resources;
(6) the Forest Service has the technical expertise to provide leadership, in cooperation with other governmental agencies and the private sector, to assist rural communities dependent upon National Forest System land resources to upgrade existing industries and diversify by developing new economic activity in non-forest-related industries; and
(7) technical assistance, training, education, and other assistance provided by the Department of Agriculture can be targeted to provide immediate help to those rural communities in greatest need.
(b) Purposes
The purposes of this subchapter are—
(1) to provide assistance to rural communities that are located in or near National Forest System land and that are economically dependent upon natural resources or are likely to be economically disadvantaged by Federal or private sector land management practices;
(2) to aid in diversifying such communities’ economic bases; and
(3) to improve the economic, social, and environmental well-being of rural America.
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2373, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4046; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title III, § 345(a)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–203.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 6611

§ 6612. DefinitionsAs used in this subchapter:
(1) The term “action team” means a rural natural resources and economic diversification action team established by the Secretary pursuant to section 6613(b) of this title.
(2) The term “economically disadvantaged” means economic hardship due to the loss of jobs or income (labor or proprietor) derived from forestry, the wood products industry, or related commercial enterprises such as recreation and tourism in the national forest.
(3) The term “rural community” means—
(A) any town, township, municipality, or other similar unit of general purpose local government, or any area represented by a not-for-profit corporation or institution organized under State or Federal law to promote broad based economic development, or unit of general purpose local government, as approved by the Secretary, that has a population of not more than 10,000 individuals, is located within a county in which at least 15 percent of the total primary and secondary labor and proprietor income is derived from forestry, wood products, and forest-related industries such as recreation, forage production, and tourism and that is located within the boundary, or within 100 miles of the boundary, of a national forest; or
(B) any county that is not contained within a Metropolitan Statistical Area as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, in which at least 15 percent of the total primary and secondary labor and proprietor income is derived from forestry, wood products, and forest-related industries such as recreation, forage production, and tourism and that is located within the boundary, or within 100 miles of the boundary, of a national forest.
(4) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2374, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4046; Pub. L. 103–115, Oct. 26, 1993, 107 Stat. 1117; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title III, § 345(b)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–203.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 6612

§ 6613. Rural natural resources and economic diversification action teams
(a) Requests for assistance
(b) Establishment
(c) Organization
(d) Cooperation
(e) Eligibility
(f) Approval
(g) “Designated rural development program” defined
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2375, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4047; Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 753(b)(1), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1131; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title III, § 345(c)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–204.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 6613

§ 6614. Action plan implementation
(a) In general
(b) Assistance
(c) Limitation
(d) Available authority
(e) Consistency with forest plans
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2376, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4048; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title III, § 345(d)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–204.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 6614

§ 6615. Training and education
(a) Programs
In furtherance of an action plan, the Secretary may use the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and other appropriate agencies of the Department of Agriculture to develop and conduct education programs that assist businesses, elected or appointed officials, and individuals in rural communities to deal with the effects of a transition from being economically disadvantaged to economic diversification. These programs may include—
(1) community economic analysis and strategic planning;
(2) methods for improving and retooling enterprises now dependent on National Forest System land resources;
(3) methods for expanding enterprises and creating new economic opportunities by emphasizing economic opportunities in other industries or services not dependent on National Forest System land resources; and
(4) assistance in the evaluation, counseling, and enhancement of vocational skills, training in basic and remedial literacy skills, assistance in job seeking skills, and training in starting or operating a business enterprise.
(b) Existing educational and training programs
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2377, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4048; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title III, § 345(e)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–204; Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7511(c)(26), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1270; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7511(c)(26), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2031.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 6615

§ 6616. Loans to economically disadvantaged rural communities
(a) In general
The Secretary, under such terms and conditions as the Secretary shall establish, may make loans to economically disadvantaged rural communities for the purposes of securing technical assistance and services to aid in the development and implementation of action plans, including planning for—
(1) improving existing facilities in the community that may generate employment or revenue;
(2) expanding existing infrastructure, facilities, and services to capitalize on opportunities to diversify economies now dependent on National Forest System land resources; and
(3) supporting the development of new industries or commercial ventures unrelated to National Forest System land resources.
(b) Interest rates
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2378, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4048; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title III, § 345(f)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–204.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 6616

§ 6617. Authorization of appropriations and spending authority
(a) Authorization of appropriationsExcept as provided in subsection (b), there are authorized to be appropriated—
(1) an amount not to exceed 5 percent of the sum of—
(A) the sums received by the Secretary from sales of timber and other products of the forests; and
(B) user fees paid in connection with the use of forest lands; and
(2) such additional sums as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.
(b) Limitation on authorization
(c) Spending authority
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2379, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4049.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 6617