An Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out forest and rangeland renewable resources research, and for other purposes.
PL 95-307 (H.R.11778), enacted 06/30/1978

PUBLIC LAW 95-307—JUNE 30, 1978 
92 STAT. 353 
Public Law 95-307 
95th Congress 
An Act 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out forest and rangeland renew-
able resources research, and for other puri>oses. 
Be it eTiocted hy the Senate and House of Repesentatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That this Act may 
be cited as the "Forest and Eangeland Renewable Resources Research 
Act of 1978". 
PURPOSE 
SEC. 2. (a) Congress finds that scientific discoveries and technologi-
cal advances must be made and applied to support the protection, man-
agement, and utilization of the Nation's renewable resources. It is 
the purpose of this Act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture 
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "Secretary") to implement 
a comprehensive program of forest and rangeland renewable resources 
research and dissemination of the findings of such research. 
(b) This Act shall be deemed to complement the policies and direc-
tion set forth in the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 
Planning Act of 1974. 
RESEARCH 
AUTHORIZATION 
June 30, 1978 
[H.R. 11778] 
Forest and 
Rangeland 
Renewable 
Resources 
Research Act of 
1978. 
16 use 1600 
note. 
16 use 1641. 
16 use 1600 
note. 
SEC. 3. (a) The Secretary is authorized to conduct, support, and 16 USC 1642. 
cooperate in investigations, experiments, tests, and other activities the 
Secretary deems necessary to obtain, analyze, develop, demonstrate, 
and disseminate scientific information about protecting, managing, 
and utilizing forest and rangeland renewable resources m rural, sub-
urban, and urban areas. The activities conducted, supported, or coop-
erated in by the Secretary under this Act shall include, but not be 
limited to, the five major areas of renewable resource research identi-
fied in paragraphs (1) through (5) of this subsection. 
(1) Renewable resource management research shall include, as 
appropriate, research activities related to managing, reproducing, 
. 
planting, and growing vegetation on forests and rangelands for 
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timber, forage, water, fish and wildlife, esthetics, recreation, wil-
derness, and other purposes; determining the role of forest and 
rangeland management in the productive use of forests and range-
lands, in diversified agriculture, and in mining, transportation, 
and other industries; and developing alternatives for the manage-
ment of forests and rangelands that will make possible the most 
.1- 
effective use of their multiple products and services. 
(2) Renewable resource environmental research shall include, 
as appropriate, research activities related to understanding and 
managing surface and subsurface water flow, preventing and 
controlling erosion, and restoring damaged or disturbed soils on 
forest and rangeland watersheds; maintaining and improving 
wildlife and fish habitats; mana^ng vegetation to reduce air and 
water pollution, provide amenities, and for other purposes; 
and understanding, predicting, and modifying weather, climatic, 
and other environmental conditions that affect the protection and 
management of forests and rangelands. 
92 STAT. 354 
PUBLIC LAW 95-307—JUNE 30, 1978 
16 
use 
1601. 
16 
use 
1643. 
Land acquisition. 
Funds, 
availability. 
(3) Renewable resource protection research shall include, as 
appropriate, research activities related to protecting vegetation 
and other forest and rangeland resources, including threatened 
and endangered flora and fauna, as well as wood and wood prod-
ucts in storage or use, from fires, insects, diseases, noxious plants, 
animals, air pollutants, and other agents through biological, chem-
ical, and mechanical control methods and systems; and protecting 
people, natural resources, and property from fires in rural areas. 
(4) Renewable resource utilization research shall include, as 
appropriate, research activities related to harvesting, transporting, 
processing, marketing, distributing, and utilizing wood and other 
materials derived from forest and rangeland renewable resources; 
recycling and fully utilizing wood fiber; and testing forest prod-
ucts, including necessary field work associated therewith. 
(5) Renewable resource assessment research shall include, as 
aj)propriate, research activities related to developing and applying 
scientific knowledge and technology in support of the survey and 
' 
analysis of forest and rangeland renewable resources described in 
subsection (b) of this section, 
(b) To ensure the availability of adequate data and scientific infor-
mation for development of the periodic Renewable Resource Assess-
ment provided for in section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable 
Resources Planning Act of 1974, the Secretary of Agriculture shall 
make and keep current a comprehensive survey and analysis of the 
present and prospective conditions of and requirements for renewable 
resources of the forests and rangelands of the United States and of 
the supplies of such renewable resources, including a determination 
of the present and potential productivity of the land, and of such 
other facts as may be necessary and useful in the determination of 
ways and means needed to balance the demand for and supply of 
these renewable resources, benefits, and uses in meeting the needs of 
the people of the United States. The Secretary shall conduct the survey 
and analysis under such plans as the Secretary may determine to be 
fair and equitable, and cooperate with appropriate officials of each 
State and, either through them or directly, with private or other 
entities. 
RESEARCH FACILITIES AST) 
COOPERATION" 
SKC. 4. (a) In implementing this Act, the Secretary is authorized to 
establish and maintain a system of experiment stations, research labo-
ratories, experimental areas, and other forest and rangeland research 
facilities. The Secretary is authorized, with donated or appropriated 
funds, to acquire by lease, donation, purchase, exchange, or otherwise, 
land or interests in land within the United States needed to imple-
ment this Act, to make necessary expenditures to examine, appraise, 
and survey such property, and to do all things incident to perfecting 
title thereto in the United States. 
(b) In implementing this Act, the Secretary is authorized to accept, 
hold, and administer gifts, donations, and bequests of money, real 
property, or personal property from any source not otherwise pro-
hibited by law and to use such gifts, donations, and bequests to (1) 
establish or operate any forest and rangeland research facility within 
the United States, or (2) perform any forest and rangeland renew-
able resource research activity authorized by this Act. Such gifts, 
donations, and bequests, or the proceeds thereof, and money appro-
PUBLIC LAW 95-307—JUNE 30, 1978 
92 STAT. 355 
priated for these purposes shall be deposited in the Treasury in a 
special fund. At the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of the 
Treasury may invest or reinvest any money in the fund that in the 
opinion of the Secretary is not needed for current operations. Such 
investments shall be in public debt securities with maturities suitable 
for the needs of the fund and bearing interest at prevailing market 
rates. There are hereby authorized to be expended from such fund 
such amounts as may be specified in annual appropriation Acts, which 
shall remain available until expended. 
(c) In implementing this Act, the Secretary may cooperate with 
Federal, State, and other governmental agencies, with public or pri-
vate agencies, institutions, universities, and organizations, and with 
businesses and individuals in the United States and in other countries. 
The Secretary may receive money and other contributions from coop-
erators under such conditions as the Secretary may prescribe. Any 
money contributions received under this subsection shall be credited 
to the applicable appropriation or fund to be used for the same pur-
poses and shall remain available until expended as the Secretary may 
direct for use in conducting research activities authorized by this Act 
and in making refunds to contributors. 
(d) The paragraph headed ''Forest research:" under the center 
heading "FOREST SERVICE" and the center subheading "SALARIES AND 
EXPENSES" of title I of the Department of Agriculture Appropriation 
Act, 1952 (65 Stat. 233; 16 U.S.C. 581a-l), is amended by inserting 
a period immediately after the figure "$5,108,603" and by striking all 
that follows in that paragraph. 
i 
COMPETITIVE RESEARCH GRANTS 
SEC. 5. In addition to any grants made under other laws, the Secre- 16 USC 1644. 
tary is authorized to make competitive grants that will further research 
activities authorized by this Act to Federal, State, and other govern-
mental agencies, public or private agencies, institutions, universities, 
and organizations, and businesses and individuals in the United States. 
In making these grants, the Secretary shall emphasize basic and 
applied research activities that are important to achieving the purposes 
of this Act, and shall obtain, through review by qualified scientists and 
other methods, participation in research activities by scientists 
throughout the United States who have expertise in matters related to 
forest and rangeland renewable resources. Grants under this section 
shall be made at the discretion of the Secretary under whatever condi-
tions the Secretary may prescribe, after publicly soliciting research 
proposals, allowing sufficient time for submission of the proposals, and 
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considering qualitative, quantitative, financial, administrative, and 
other factors that the Secretary deems important in judging, compar-
ing, and accepting the proposals. The Secretary may reject any or all 
proposals received under this section if the Secretary determines that it 
is in the public interest to do so. 
GENERAL RESEARCH PROVISIONS 
SEC. 6. (a) The Secretary may make funds available to cooperators 16 USC 1645. 
and grantees under this Act without regard to the provisions of section 
3648 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 529), which prohibits advances 
of public money. 
92 STAT. 356 
PUBLIC LAW 95-307—JUNE 30, 1978 
(b) To avoid duplication, the Secretary shall coordinate cooperative 
aid and grants under this Act with cooperative aid and grants the 
Secretary makes under any other authority. 
(c) The Secretary shall use the authorities and means available to 
the Secretary to disseminate the knowledge and technology developed 
from research activities conducted under or supported by this Act. In 
meeting this responsibility, the Secretary shall cooperate, as the Sec-
retary deems appropriate, with the entities identified in subsection 
(d) (3) of this section and with others. 
(d) In implementing this Act, the Secretary, as the Secretary deems 
appropriate and practical, shall— 
(1) use, and encourage cooperators and grantees to use, the best 
available scientific skills from a variety of disciplines within and 
outside the fields of agriculture and forestry; 
(2) seek, and encourage cooperators and grantees to seek, a 
proper mixture of short-term and long-term research and a proper 
mixture of basic and applied research; 
(3) avoid unnecessary duplication and coordinate activities 
under this section among agencies of the Department of Agricul-
ture and with other affected Federal departments and agencies, 
State agricultural experiment stations. State extension services, 
State foresters or equivalent State officials, forestry schools, and 
private research organizations; and 
(4) encourage the development, employment, retention, and 
exchange of qualified scientists and other specialists through 
postgraduate, postdoctoral, and other training, national and 
international exchange of scientists, and other incentives and pro-
grams to improve the quality of forest and rangeland renewable 
. 
, . , 
resources research. 
(e) This Act shall be construed as supplementing all other laws 
relating to the Department of Agriculture and shall not be construed 
as limiting or repealing any existing law or authority of the Secretary 
except as specifically cited in this Act. 
Definitions. 
(f) For the purposes of this Act, the terms "United States" and 
"State" shall include each of the several States, the District of Colum-
bia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Eico, the Virgin Islands of the 
United States, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the territories and pos-
sessions of the United States. 
16 use 1646. 
RESEARCH APPROPRIATIONS 
AUTHORIZATION 
SEC. 7. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated annually 
such sums as may be needed to implement this Act. Funds appropriated 
under this Act shall remain available until expended. 
REPEAL OF MC SWEENEY-MC NARY ACT,' REGULATIONS AND 
COORDINATION ; APPROPRIATIONS 
16 use 1647. 
SEC. 8. (a) The Act of May 22, 1928, known as the McSweeney-
McNary Act (45 Stat. 699-702, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 581, 581a, 
-{..; I-j f 
581b-581i), is hereby repealed. 
(b) Contracts and cooperative and other agreements under the 
McSweeney-McNary Act shall remain in effect until revoked or 
amended by their own terms or under other provisions of law. 
PUBLIC LAW 95-307—JUNE 30, 1978 
92 STAT. 357 
(c) The Secretary is authorized to issue such rules and regulations 
as the Secretary deems necessary to implement the provisions of this 
Act and to coordinate this Act with title XIV of the Food and 
Agriculture Act of 1977. 
(d) Funds appropriated under the authority of the McSweeney-
McNary Act shall be available for expenditure for the programs 
authorized under this Act. 
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'•'•'. w >.»:•'.VI•»}.-. ••v.-.;- / 
E F F E C T I V E 
D A T E 
! , ' ' . -
SEC. 9. The provisions of this Act shall become effective October 1, 
1978. 
Approved June 30, 1978. 
Rules and 
regulations. 
7 u s e 3101 note. 
16 u s e 581, 
581a, 
581b-581i. 
16 u s e 1641 
note. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 95-1179 (eomm. on Agriculture). 
SENATE REPORT No. 95-880 accompanying S. 3034 (eomm. on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry). 
eONGRESSIONAL REeORD, Vol. 124 (1978): 
May 22, considered and passed House. 
June 7, considered and passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 3034. 
June 16, House concurred in Senate amendmentb. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOeUMENTS, Vol. 14, No. 27: 
July 1, Presidential statement.