16 U.S.C. § 6704

Current through P.L. 118-78 (published on www.congress.gov on 07/30/2024)

Section 6704 - Establishment of Institutes

(a) In general

The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall-

(1) not later than 180 days after October 5, 2004, establish Institutes to promote the use of adaptive ecosystem management to reduce the risk of wildfires, and restore the health of forest and woodland ecosystems, in the interior West; and

(2) provide assistance to the Institutes to promote the use of collaborative processes and adaptive ecosystem management in accordance with paragraph (1).

(b) Location

(1) Existing Institutes

The Secretary may designate an institute in existence on October 5, 2004, to serve as an Institute established under this chapter.

(2) States

Of the Institutes established under this chapter, the Secretary shall establish 1 Institute in each of-

(A) the State of Arizona, to be located at Northern Arizona University;

(B) the State of New Mexico, to be located at New Mexico Highlands University, while engaging the full resources of the consortium of universities represented in the Institute of Natural Resource Analysis and Management (INRAM); and

(C) the State of Colorado.

(c) Duties

Each Institute shall-

(1) develop, conduct research on, transfer, promote, and monitor restoration-based hazardous fuel reduction treatments to reduce the risk of severe wildfires and improve the health of dry forest and woodland ecosystems in the interior West;

(2) synthesize and adapt scientific findings from conventional research to implement restoration-based hazardous fuel reduction treatments on a landscape scale using an adaptive ecosystem management framework;

(3) translate for and transfer to affected entities any scientific and interdisciplinary knowledge about restoration-based hazardous fuel reduction treatments;

(4) assist affected entities with the design of adaptive management approaches (including monitoring) for the implementation of restoration-based hazardous fuel reduction treatments; and

(5) provide peer-reviewed annual reports.

(d) Qualifications

Each Institute shall-

(1) develop and demonstrate capabilities in the natural, physical, social, and policy sciences; and

(2) explicitly integrate those disciplines in the performance of the duties listed in subsection (c).

(e) Cooperation

Each Institute may cooperate with-

(1) researchers and cooperative extension programs at colleges, community colleges, and universities in the States of Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado that have a demonstrated capability to conduct research described in subsection (c); and

(2) other organizations and entities in the interior West (such as the Western Governors' Association).

(f) Annual work plans

As a condition of the receipt of funds made available under this chapter, for each fiscal year, each Institute shall develop in consultation with the Secretary, for review by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, an annual work plan that includes assurances, satisfactory to the Secretaries, that the proposed work of the Institute will serve the informational needs of affected entities.

(g) Establishment of additional Institutes

If after 2 years after October 5, 2004, the Secretary finds that the Institute model established at the locations named in subsection (b)(2) would be constructive for other interior West States, the Secretary may establish 1 institute in each of those States.

16 U.S.C. § 6704

Pub. L. 108-317, §5, Oct. 5, 2004, 118 Stat. 1207.

Institute: The term "Institute" means an Institute established under section 6704(a) of this title.
Secretaries: The term "Secretaries" means-(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; and(B) the Secretary of the Interior.
Secretary: The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
adaptive ecosystem management: The term "adaptive ecosystem management" means a natural resource management process under which planning, implementation, monitoring, research, evaluation, and incorporation of new knowledge are combined into a management approach that-(i) is based on scientific findings and the needs of society;(ii) treats management actions as experiments;(iii) acknowledges the complexity of these systems and scientific uncertainty; and(iv) uses the resulting new knowledge to modify future management methods and policy.
affected entities: The term "affected entities" includes-(A) land managers;(B) stakeholders;(C) concerned citizens; and(D) the States of the interior West, including political subdivisions of the States.
interior West: The term "interior West" means the States of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.
restoration: The term "restoration" means a process undertaken to move an ecosystem or habitat toward-(A) a sustainable structure of the ecosystem or habitat; or(B) a condition that supports a natural complement of species, natural function, or ecological process (such as a low-intensity fire).