---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 2113"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "2113"
heading: "Federal, State, and local coordination and cooperation"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/2113"
units:
  - "Chapter 41 — Cooperative Forestry Assistance"
---

# §2113. Federal, State, and local coordination and cooperation

- (a) **Forest Resource Coordinating Committee—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall establish a [committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1), to be known as the “Forest Resource Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1)” (in this section referred to as the “Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1)”), to coordinate nonindustrial private forestry activities within the Department of Agriculture and with the private sector.
  - (2) **Composition—** The Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) shall be composed of the following:
    - (A) The Chief of the Forest Service.
    - (B) The Chief of the Natural [Resources](/usc/16/410hhh–1.md?p=8) [Conservation](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) Service.
    - (C) The Director of the Farm Service Agency.
    - (D) The Director of the National [Institute](/usc/16/6703.md?p=4) of Food and Agriculture.
    - (E) Non-Federal [representatives](/usc/16/5609.md?p=13) appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) to 3 year terms, although initial appointees shall have staggered terms, including the following [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b):
      - (i) At least three [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) foresters or equivalent [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) officials from geographically diverse [regions](/usc/16/1447a.md?p=6) of the [United States](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1).
      - (ii) A [representative](/usc/16/5609.md?p=13) of a [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) fish and wildlife agency.
      - (iii) An [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) of nonindustrial private forest land.
      - (iv) A forest industry [representative](/usc/16/5609.md?p=13).
      - (v) A [conservation](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) organization [representative](/usc/16/5609.md?p=13).
      - (vi) A land-grant university or college [representative](/usc/16/5609.md?p=13).
      - (vii) A private forestry consultant.
      - (viii) A [representative](/usc/16/5609.md?p=13) from a [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) Technical [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) established under [section 3861 of this title](/usc/16/3861.md).
    - (F) Such other [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) to be appropriate.
  - (3) **Chairperson—** The Chief of the Forest Service shall serve as chairperson of the Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1).
  - (4) **Duties—** The Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) shall—
    - (A) provide direction and coordination of actions within the Department of Agriculture, and coordination with [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) agencies and the private sector, to effectively address the national priorities specified in [section 2101(c) of this title](/usc/16/2101.md?p=c), with specific focus[^1] [owners](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) of nonindustrial private forest land;
    - (B) clarify individual agency responsibilities of each agency represented on the Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) concerning the national priorities specified in [section 2101(c) of this title](/usc/16/2101.md?p=c), with specific focus on nonindustrial private forest land;
    - (C) provide advice on the allocation of [funds](/usc/16/1421h.md?p=2), including the competitive [funds](/usc/16/1421h.md?p=2) set-aside by [section 2109a of this title](/usc/16/2109a.md); and
    - (D) assist the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) in developing and reviewing the report required by [section 2101(d) of this title](/usc/16/2101.md?p=d).
  - (5) **Meeting—** The Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) shall meet annually to discuss progress in addressing the national priorities specified in [section 2101(c) of this title](/usc/16/2101.md?p=c) and issues regarding nonindustrial private forest land.
  - (6) **Compensation—**
    - (A) **Federal members—** Members of the Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) who are full-time officers or employees of the [United States](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their service on the Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1).
    - (B) **Non-Federal members—** Non-federal[^2] members of the Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) shall serve without pay, but may be reimbursed for reasonable costs incurred while performing their duties on behalf of the Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1).
- (b) **State Coordinating Committees—**
  - (1) **Establishment—**
    - (A) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1), in consultation with the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) forester or equivalent [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) official of each [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1), shall establish a [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) Forest Stewardship Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) (hereafter referred to in this section as the “[State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1)”) for each such [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1).
    - (B) **Composition—** The [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) shall be chaired and administered by the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) forester, or equivalent [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) official, or the designee thereof, and shall be composed, to the extent practicable, of—
      - (i) [representatives](/usc/16/5609.md?p=13) from the Forest Service, Soil [Conservation](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) Service, Agricultural Stabilization and [Conservation](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) Service, and National [Institute](/usc/16/6703.md?p=4) of Food and Agriculture;
      - (ii) [representatives](/usc/16/5609.md?p=13), to be appointed by the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) forester or equivalent [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) official, [representative](/usc/16/5609.md?p=13) of—
        - (I) local government;
        - (II) consulting foresters;
        - (III) environmental organizations;
        - (IV) forest products industry;
        - (V) forest land [owners](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4);
        - (VI) land-[trust](/usc/16/450ss–1.md?p=4) organizations, if applicable in the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1);
        - (VII) [conservation](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) organizations;
        - (VIII) the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) fish and wildlife agency; and
        - (IX) the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) Technical [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1).
      - (iii) any other individuals determined appropriate by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1).
    - (C) **Terms—** The members of the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) appointed under [subparagraph (B)(ii)](#b-1-B-ii) shall serve 3-year terms, with the initial members serving staggered terms as determined by the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) forester or equivalent [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) official, and may be reappointed for consecutive terms.
    - (D) **Existing committees—** Existing [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) forestry [committees](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) may be used to complement, formulate, or replace the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) Coordinating [Committees](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) to avoid duplication of efforts if such existing [committees](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) are made up of membership that is similar to that described in [subparagraph (B)(ii)](#b-1-B-ii), and if such existing [committees](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) include landowners and the general public in their memberships.
  - (2) **Duties—** A [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) Coordinating [Committee](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) shall—
    - (A) consult with other Department of Agriculture and [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) [committees](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) that address [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) and private forestry issues;
    - (B) make recommendations to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) concerning the assignment of priorities and the coordination of responsibilities for the implementation of this chapter by the various Federal and [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) forest management agencies that take into consideration the mandates of each such agency;
    - (C) make recommendations to the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) forester or equivalent [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) official concerning the development of the [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1)-wide assessment and [strategy](/usc/16/583k–1.md?p=7) regarding forest resource conditions under [section 2101a of this title](/usc/16/2101a.md); and
    - (D) make recommendations to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) concerning those [forest lands](/usc/16/544.md?p=f) that should be given priority for inclusion in the Forest Legacy [Program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) established pursuant to [section 2103c of this title](/usc/16/2103c.md).
  - (3) **Termination—** The [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) Coordinating [Committees](/usc/16/941b.md?p=1) shall not terminate.
  - (4) **Rule of construction—** Nothing in this section shall be construed to compel action by any [State](/usc/16/2109.md?p=d-1) official.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. The word “on” probably should appear after “focus”.
[^2]: So in original. Probably should be “Non-Federal”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 95–313, § 19, as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XII, § 1222, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3540; amended Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7511(c)(37), title VIII, §§ 8005, 8006, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1271, 1284, 1285; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7511(c)(37), title VIII, §§ 8005, 8006, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2032, 2045–2047; Pub. L. 115–334, title VIII, § 8102(b)(2), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4839.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a)(4)(C). Pub. L. 115–334 substituted “section 2109a” for “sections 2109a and 2109b”.

2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–246, § 8005, added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec (a) which related to: in par. (1) establishment of a Forest Resource Coordinating Committee; in par. (2) composition of the Committee; in par. (3) designation of a chairperson; and in par. (4) duties of the Committee.

Subsec. (b)(1)(B)(i). Pub. L. 110–246, § 7511(c)(37), substituted “National Institute of Food and Agriculture” for “Extension Service”.

Subsec. (b)(1)(B)(ii)(IX). Pub. L. 110–246, § 8006(1), added subcl. (IX).

Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 110–246, § 8006(2), substituted “the State-wide assessment and strategy regarding forest resource conditions under section 2101a of this title” for “a Forest Stewardship Plan under paragraph (3)”.

Subsec. (b)(3) to (6). Pub. L. 110–246, § 8006(3), (4), redesignated pars. (5) and (6) as (3) and (4), respectively, and struck out former pars. (3) and (4) which related to development of a Forest Stewardship Plan and authorized the use of other plans if they fully conformed to section objectives.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Amendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.

Amendment by section 7511(c)(37) of Pub. L. 110–246 effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 7511(c) of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 1522 of Title 7, Agriculture.