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. SEC. 2375. [7 U.S.C. 6613] RURAL FORESTRY AND ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION ACTION TEAMS. (a) REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE.-Economically disadvantaged rural communities may request assistance from the Secretary in identifying opportunities that will promote economic improvement and diversification and revitalization. (b) ESTABLISHMENT.-Upon request, the Secretary may establish rural forestry and economic diversification action teams to prepare an action plan to provide technical assistance to economically disadvantaged communities. The action plan shall identify opportunities to promote economic diversification and enhance local economies now dependent upon national forest resources. The action team may also identify opportunities to use value-added products and services derived from national forest resources. (c) ORGANIZATION.-The Secretary shall design and organize any action team established pursuant to subsection (b) to meet the unique needs of the requesting rural community. Each action team shall be directed by an employee of the Forest Service and may include personnel from other agencies within the Department of Agriculture, from other Federal and State departments and agencies, and from the private sector. (d) COOPERATION.-In preparing action plans, the Secretary may cooperate with State and local governments, universities, private companies, individuals, and nonprofit organizations for procurement of services determined necessary or desirable. (e) ELIGIBILITY.-The Secretary shall ensure that no substan a grant for technical assistance to an economically disadvantaged community under this chapter and a grant for assistance under a designated rural development program during any continuous fiveyear period. (f) APPROVAL.-After reviewing requests under this section for financial and economic feasibility and viability, the Secretary shall approve and implement in accordance with section 2376 those action plans that will achieve the purposes of this chapter. (g) DEFINITION OF DESIGNATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. In this section, the term "designated rural development program" means a program carried out under section 304(b), 306(a), or 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1924(b), 1926(a), and 1932(e)) for which funds are available at any time during the fiscal year. SEC. 2376. [7 U.S.C. 6614] ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION. (a) IN GENERAL.-Action plans shall be implemented, insofar as practicable, to upgrade existing industries to use forest resources more efficiently and to expand the economic base of rural communities so as to alleviate or reduce their dependence on national forest resources. (b) ASSISTANCE. To implement action plans, the Secretary may make grants and enter into cooperative agreements and contracts to provide necessary technical and related assistance. Such grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts may be with the affected rural community, State and local governments, universities, corporations, and other persons. (c) LIMITATION.-The Federal contribution to the overall implementation of an action plan shall not exceed 80 percent of the total cost of the plan, including administrative and other costs. In calculating the Federal contribution, the Secretary shall take into account the fair market value of equipment, personnel, and services provided. (d) AVAILABLE AUTHORITY.-The Secretary may use the Secretary's authority under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.) and other Federal, State, and local governmental authorities in implementing action plans. (e) CONSISTENCY WITH FOREST PLANS.-The implementation of action plans shall be consistent with land and resource management plans. SEC. 2377. [7 U.S.C. 6615] TRAINING AND EDUCATION. (a) PROGRAMS.-In furtherance of an action plan, the Secretary may use the Extension Service 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 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 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.-Insofar as practicable, the Secretary shall use existing Federal, State, and private education resources in carrying out these programs. SEC. 2378. [7 U.S.C. 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 resources; and (3) supporting the development of new industries or commercial ventures unrelated to national forest resources. (b) INTEREST RATES.-The interest rates on a loan made pursuant to this section shall be as determined by the Secretary, but not in excess of the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with remaining periods to maturity comparable to the maturity of such loan, plus not to exceed 1 percent, as determined by the Secretary, and rounded to the nearest one-eighth of 1 percent. SEC. 2379. [7 U.S.C. 6617] AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS AND SPENDING AUTHORITY. (a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.-Except 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 chapter. (b) LIMITATION ON AUTHORIZATION.-Subsection (a) shall not in any way affect payments to the States pursuant to chapter 192 of the Act of May 23, 1908 (16 U.S.C. 500). (c) SPENDING AUTHORITY.-Any spending authority (as defined in section 401 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974) provided in this chapter shall be effective for any fiscal year only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts. |