Renewable Resources Extension Act
PL 95-306 (H.R.11779), enacted 06/30/1978

PUBLIC LAW 95-306—JUNE 30, 1978 
92 STAT. 349 
Public Law 95-306 
95th Congress 
An Act 
June 30, 1978 
[H.R. 11779] 
Renewable 
Resources 
Extension Act of 
1978. 
16 use 1600 
note. 
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To provide for an expanded and comprehensive extension program for forest and 
rangeland renewable resources. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That this Act may-
be cited as the "Renewable Resources Extension Act of 1978". 
FINDINGS 
. 
SEC. 2. Congress finds that— 
(1) the extension program of the Department of Agriculture 
and the extension activities of each State provide useful and pro-
ductive educational programs for private forest and range land-
owners and processors and consumptive and nonconsumptive users 
of forest and rangeland renewable resources, and these educa-
tional programs complement research and assistance programs 
conducted by the Department of Agriculture; 
(2) to meet national goals, it is essential that all forest and 
rangeland renewable resources (hereinafter in this Act referred 
'*• to as "renewable resources"), including fish and wildlife, forage, 
outdoor recreation opportun^jties, timber, and water, be fully con-
sidered in designing educational programs for landowners, proc-
essors, and users; 
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(3) more efficient utilization and marketing of renewable 
resources extend available supplies of such resources, provide 
products to consumers at prices less than they w^ould ottherwise 
be, and promote reasonable returns on the investments of land-
owners, processors, and users; 
(4) trees and forests in urban areas improve the esthetic qual-
ity, reduce noise, filter impurities from the air and add oxygen to 
it, save energy by moderating temperature extremes, control wind 
and water erosion, and provide habitat for wildlife; and 
(5) trees and shrubs used as shelterbelts protect farm lands 
from wind and water erosion, promote moisture accumulation in 
the soil, and provide habitat for wildlife. 
TYPES or 
PROGRAMS; ELIGIBLE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 
SEC. 3. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter in this Act 16 USe 1672. 
referred to as the "Secretary"), under conditions the Secretary may 
prescribe and in cooperation with the State directors of cooperative 
extension service programs and eligible colleges and universities, 
shall— 
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(1) provide educational programs that enable individuals to 
recognize, analyze, and resolve problems dealing with renewable 
resources, including forest- and range-based outdoor recreation 
opportunities, trees and forests in urban areas, and trees and 
shrubs in shelterbelts; 
(2) use educational programs to disseminate the results of 
research on renewable resources; 
(3) conduct educational programs that transfer the best avail-
able technology to those involved in the management and protec-
92 STAT. 350 
PUBLIC LAW 95-306—JUNE 30, 1978 
"Eligible colleges 
and 
universities." 
tion of forests and rangelands and the processing and use of their 
associated renewable resources; 
(4) develop and implement educational programs that give 
special attention to the educational needs of small, private non-
industrial forest landowners; 
(5) develop and implement educational programs in range and 
fish and wildlife management; 
(6) assist in providing continuing education programs for pro-
fessionally trained individuals in fish and wildlife, forest, range, 
and waterehed management and related fields; 
(7) help forest and range landowners in securing technical and 
financial assistance to bring appropriate expertise to bear on their 
problems; and 
(8) help identify areas of needed research regarding renewable 
resources. 
(b) As used in this Act, the term "eligible colleges and universities" 
means colleges and universities eligible to be supported and main-
tained, in whole or in part, with funds made available under the pro-
visions of the Act of Julv 2, 1862 (12 Stat. 503-505, as amended; 7 
U.S.C. 301-305, 307, 308)', and the Act of August 30, 1890 (26 Stat. 
417-419, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 321-326,328), including Tuskegee Insti-
tute, and colleges and universities eligible for assistance under the 
Act of October 10, 1962 (76 Stat. 806-807, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 
582a, 582a-l—582a-7). 
(c) In implementing this section, all appropriate educational meth-
ods may be used, including, but not limited to, meetings, short courses, 
workshops, tours, demonstrations, publications, news releases, and 
radio and television programs. 
STATE REXEWABLE RESOURCES EXTENSION 
PROGRAMS 
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SEC. 4. (a) The State director of cooperative extension programs 
(hereinafter in this Act referred to ps the "State director") and the 
administrative heads of extension for eligible colleges and universities 
in each State shall jointly develop, by mutual agreement, a single 
comprehensive and coordinated renewable resources extension pro-
gram in which the role of each eligible college and university is well-
defined. In meeting this responsibility, the State director and the 
administrative heads of extension for eligible colleges and universities 
shall consult and seek agreement with the administrative technical 
representatives and the forestry representatives provided for by the 
Secretary in implementation of the Act of October 10, 1962 (76 Stat. 
^ 
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806-807, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 582a, 582a-l—582a-7), in the State. 
Each State's renewable resources extension program shall be submit-
ted to the Secretary annually. The National Agricultural Research 
and Extension Users Advisory Board established under section 1408 
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of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 shall review and make recom-
mendations to the Secretary pertaining to programs conducted under 
this Act. 
(b) The State director and the administrative heads of extension 
for eligible colleges and universities in each State shall encourage close 
cooperation between extension staffs at the county and State levels, 
and State and Federal research organizations dealing with renewable 
resources. State and Federal agencies that manage forests and range-
lands and their associated renewable resources, State and Federal agen-
cies that have responsibilities associated with the processing or use 
PUBLIC LAW 95-306—JUNE 30, 1978 
92 STAT. 351 
of renewable resources, and other agencies or organizations the State 
director and administrative heads of extension deem appropriate. 
(c) Each State renewable resources extension program shall be 
administered and coordinated by the State director, except that, in 
States having colleges eligible to receive funds under the Act of 
August 30,1890 (26 Stat. 417-419, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 321-326, 328), 
including Tuskegee Institute, the State renewable resources extension 
program shall be administered by the State director and the admin-
istrative head or heads of extension for the college or colleges eligible 
to receive such funds. 
' 
(d) In meeting the provisions of this section, each State director 
and administrative heads of extension for eligible colleges and uni-
versities shall appoint and use one or more advisory committees 
comprised of forest and range landowners, professionally trained indi-
viduals in fish and wildlife, forest, range, and watershed manage-
ment, and related fields, as appropriate, and other suitable persons. 
(e) For the purposes of this Act, the term "State" means any one "State." 
of the fifty States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the 
District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands of the United States. 
NATIONAL RENEWABLE RESOURCES EXTENSION PROORAM 
SEC. 5. (a) The Secretary shall prepare a five-year plan for imple-
menting this Act, which is to be called the "Renewable Resources 
Extension Program" and shall submit such plan to Congress no later 
than the last day of the first half of the fiscal year ending Septem-
ber 30, 1980, and the last day of the first half of each fifth fiscal year 
thereafter. The Renewable Resources Extension Program shall pro-
vide national emphasis and direction as well as guidance to State 
directors and administrative heads of extension for eligible colleges 
and universities in the development of their respective State renew-
able resources extension programs, which are to be appropriate in 
terms of the conditions, needs, and opportunities in each State. The 
Renewable Resources Extension Program shall contain, but not be 
limited to, brief outlines of general extension programs for fish and 
wildlife management (for both game and nongame species), range 
management, timber management (including brief outlines of general 
extension programs for timber utilization, timber harvesting, timber 
marketing, wood utilization, and wood products marketing), and 
watei-shed management (giving special attention to water quality pro-
tection), as well as brief outlines of general extension programs for 
recognition and enhancement of forest- and range-based outdoor rec-
reation opportunities, for planting and management of trees and for-
ests in urban areas, and for planting and management of trees and 
shrubs in shelterbelts. 
(b) In preparing the Renewable Resources Extension Program, 
the Secretary shall take into account the respective capabilities of 
private forests and rangelands for yielding renewable resources and 
the relative needs for such resources identified in the periodic Renew-
able Resource Assessment provided for in section 3 of the Forest and 
Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the peri-
odic appraisal of land and water resources provided for in section 5 
of the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977. 
(c) To provide information that will aid Congress in its oversight 
responsibilities and to provide accountability in implementing Uiis 
Act, the Secretary shall prepare an annual report, which shall be 
Plan, 
submittal to 
Congress. 
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Report to 
Congress. 
92 STAT. 352 
PUBLIC LAW 95-306—JUNE 30, 1978 
furnished to Congress at the time of submission of each annual fiscal 
budget, beginning with the annual fiscal budget for the fiscal year end-
ing September 30, 1981. The annual report shall set forth accomplish-
ments of the Eenewable Resources Extension Program, its strengths 
and weaknesses, recommendations for improvement, and costs of pro-
gram administration, each with respect to the preceding fiscal year. 
APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZATION 
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SEC. 6. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to implement 
this Act $15,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1979, 
and $15,000,000 for each of the next nine fiscal years. Generally, 
States shall be eligible for funds appropriated under this Act accord-
ing to the respective capabilities of their private forests and range-
lands for yielding renewable resources and relative needs for such 
resources identified in the periodic Renewable Resource Assessment 
provided for in section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable 
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Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the periodic appraisal of land 
and water resources provided for in section 5 of the Soil and Water 
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Resources Conservation Act of 1977. 
REGULATIONS AND COORDINATION 
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SEC. 7. The Secretary is authorized to issue such rules and regula-
tions as the Secretary deems necessary to implement the provisions 
of this Act and to coordinate this Act with title XIV of the Food and 
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Agriculture Act of 1977. 
BMrte. 
note. 
EFFECTIVE DATES 
SEC. 8. The provisions of this Act shall be effective for the period 
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beginning October 1,1978, and ending September 30,1988. 
Approved June 30, 1978. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 95-1184 (Comm. on Agriculture). 
SENATE REPORT No. 95-881 accompanying S. 3035 (Comm. on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, VoL 124 (1978): 
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May 22, considered and passed House. 
June 7, considered and passed Senate, amended,' in lieu of S. 3035. 
June 16, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 14, No. 27: 
July 1, Presidential statement.