16 U.S. Code § 670h - Comprehensive plans for conservation and rehabilitation programs

(a) Development of plans

(1) The Secretary of the Interior shall develop, in consultation with the State agencies, a comprehensive plan for conservation and rehabilitation programs to be implemented on public land under his jurisdiction and the Secretary of Agriculture shall do the same in connection with public land under his jurisdiction.

(2) The Secretary of the Interior shall develop, with the prior written approval of the Atomic Energy Commission, a comprehensive plan for conservation and rehabilitation programs to be implemented on public land under the jurisdiction of the Chairman and develop, with the prior written approval of the Administrator, a comprehensive plan for such programs to be implemented on public land under the jurisdiction of the Administrator. Each such plan shall be developed after the Secretary of the Interior makes, with the prior written approval of the Chairman or the Administrator, as the case may be, and in consultation with the State agencies, necessary studies and surveys of the land concerned to determine where conservation and rehabilitation programs are most needed.

(b) Consistency with overall land use and management plans; hunting, trapping, and fishing

Each comprehensive plan developed pursuant to this section shall be consistent with any overall land use and management plans for the lands involved. In any case in which hunting, trapping, or fishing (or any combination thereof) of resident fish and wildlife is to be permitted on public land under a comprehensive plan, such hunting, trapping, and fishing shall be conducted in accordance with applicable laws and regulations of the State in which such land is located.

(c) Cooperative agreements by State agencies for implementation of programs

(1) Each State agency may enter into a cooperative agreement with—

(A) the Secretary of the Interior with respect to those conservation and rehabilitation programs to be implemented under this subchapter within the State on public land which is under his jurisdiction;

(B) the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to those conservation and rehabilitation programs to be implemented under this subchapter within the State on public land which is under his jurisdiction; and

(C) the Secretary of the Interior and the Chairman or the Administrator, as the case may be, with respect to those conservation and rehabilitation programs to be implemented under this subchapter within the State on public land under the jurisdiction of the Chairman or the Administrator; except that before entering into any cooperative agreement which affects public land under the jurisdiction of the Chairman, the Secretary of the Interior shall obtain the prior written approval of the Atomic Energy Commission and before entering into any cooperative agreement which affects public lands under the jurisdiction of the Administrator, the Secretary of the Interior shall obtain the prior written approval of the Administrator.

Conservation and rehabilitation programs developed and implemented pursuant to this subchapter shall be deemed as supplemental to wildlife, fish, and game-related programs conducted by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to other provisions of law. Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed as limiting the authority of the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, as the case may be, to manage the national forests or other public lands for wildlife and fish and other purposes in accordance with the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960 (74 Stat. 215; 16 U.S.C. 528–531) or other applicable authority.

(2) Any conservation and rehabilitation program included within a cooperative agreement entered into under this subsection may be modified in a manner mutually agreeable to the State agency and the Secretary concerned (and the Chairman or the Administrator, as the case may be, if public land under his jurisdiction is involved). Before modifying any cooperative agreement which affects public land under the jurisdiction of the Chairman, the Secretary of the Interior shall obtain the prior written approval of the Atomic Energy Commission and before modifying any cooperative agreement which affects public land under the jurisdiction of the Administrator, the Secretary of the Interior shall obtain the prior written approval of the Administrator.

(3) Each cooperative agreement entered into under this subsection shall—

(A) specify those areas of public land within the State on which conservation and rehabilitation programs will be implemented;

(B) provide for fish and wildlife habitat improvements or modifications, or both;

(C) provide for range rehabilitation where necessary for support of wildlife;

(D) provide adequate protection for fish and wildlife officially classified as threatened or endangered pursuant to section 1533 of this title or considered to be threatened, rare, or endangered by the State agency;

(E) require the control of off-road vehicle traffic;

(F) if the issuance of public land area management stamps is agreed to pursuant to section 670i(a) of this title—

(i) contain such terms and conditions as are required under section 670i(b) of this title;

(ii) require the maintenance of accurate records and the filing of annual reports by the State agency to the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, or both, as the case may be, setting forth the amount and disposition of the fees collected for such stamps; and

(iii) authorize the Secretary concerned and the Comptroller General of the United States, or their authorized representatives, to have access to such records for purposes of audit and examination; and

(G) contain such other terms and conditions as the Secretary concerned and the State agency deem necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.

A cooperative agreement may also provide for arrangements under which the Secretary concerned may authorize officers and employees of the State agency to enforce, or to assist in the enforcement of, section 670j(a) of this title.

(4) Except where limited under a comprehensive plan or pursuant to cooperative agreement, hunting, fishing, and trapping shall be permitted with respect to resident fish and wildlife in accordance with applicable laws and regulations of the State in which such land is located on public land which is the subject of a conservation and rehabilitation program implemented under this subchapter.

(5) The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, as the case may be, shall prescribe such regulations as are deemed necessary to control, in a manner consistent with the applicable comprehensive plan and cooperative agreement, the public use of public land which is the subject of any conservation and rehabilitation program implemented by him under this subchapter.

(d) State agency agreements not cooperative agreements under other provisions

Agreements entered into by State agencies under the authority of this section shall not be deemed to be, or treated as, cooperative agreements to which chapter 63 of title 31 applies.

(Pub. L. 86–797, title II, § 202, as added Pub. L. 93–452, § 2, Oct. 18, 1974, 88 Stat. 1369; amended Pub. L. 97–396, § 4, Dec. 31, 1982, 96 Stat. 2005; Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title III, § 312(b)(8), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1354.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), is Pub. L. 86–517, June 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 215, which is classified generally to sections 528 to 531 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 528 of this title and Tables.

Codification

In subsec. (d), “chapter 63 of title 31” substituted for “the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 (41 U.S.C. 501 et seq.)” on authority of Pub. L. 97–258, § 4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance.

Amendments

2011—Pub. L. 112–81 inserted section catchline and headings for subsecs. (a) to (d).

1982—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–396 added subsec. (d).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

Atomic Energy Commission abolished and functions transferred by sections 5814 and 5841 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. See, also, Transfer of Functions notes set out under those sections.