Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§1722 Definitions

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 37— - YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS AND PUBLIC LANDS CORPS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - PUBLIC LANDS CORPS › § 1722

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used for the Public Lands Corps and related programs. Appropriate conservation project means a project that protects, restores, builds, or repairs natural, cultural, historic, archaeological, recreational, or scenic resources. Corps or Public Lands Corps means the Public Lands Corps set up under section 1723(a)(1). Eligible service lands are public lands, Indian lands, and Hawaiian home lands. Hawaiian home lands are lands given that status under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 (42 Stat. 110) or under the part of Hawaii’s constitution tied to its admission as a State on March 18, 1959 (Public Law 86–3; 73 Stat. 5). Indian means a member of an Indian tribe or a “Native” as defined in section 3(b) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Indian lands include reservations, public domain allotments, former Oklahoma reservations, lands held under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and lands of dependent Indian communities. Indian tribe means a recognized tribe, band, nation, or organized group eligible for federal Indian programs. Institution of higher education is defined by section 1002 of title 20 but does not include entities in section 1001(b) or institutions outside the United States described in section 1002(a)(1)(C). Priority project covers projects on eligible lands that reduce wildfire risk, protect watersheds and rangelands, fight insect or disease damage, restore forest ecosystems for species and carbon benefits, or protect and restore marine and coastal habitats. Public lands are U.S.-owned or -managed lands and waters, excluding Indian lands. Qualified youth or conservation corps are state, local, tribal, or nonprofit programs that give full-time work and training to people aged 16–30 (or veterans 35 or younger) and build skills and citizenship. Resource assistant means a person chosen under section 1725. Secretary refers to the Secretaries of Agriculture, the Interior, or Commerce depending on the land or program. State includes the 50 States, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Veteran has the meaning in section 101 of title 38.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §1722

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For purposes of this subchapter:
(1)The term “appropriate conservation project” means any project for the conservation, restoration, construction or rehabilitation of natural, cultural, historic, archaeological, recreational, or scenic resources.
(2)The terms “Corps” and “Public Lands Corps” mean the Public Lands Corps established by section 1723(a)(1) of this title.
(3)The term “eligible service lands” means public lands, Indian lands, and Hawaiian home lands.
(4)The term “Hawaiian home lands” means all lands given the status of Hawaiian home lands under section 204 of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920 (42 Stat. 110), or under the corresponding provision of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii adopted under section 4 of the Act entitled “An Act to provide for the admission of the State of Hawaii into the Union”, approved March 18, 1959 (Public Law 86–3; 73 Stat. 5).
(5)The term “Indian” means a person who—
(A)is a member of an Indian tribe; or
(B)is a “Native”, as defined in section 3(b) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602(b)).
(6)The term “Indian lands” means—
(A)any Indian reservation;
(B)any public domain Indian allotments;
(C)any former Indian reservation in the State of Oklahoma;
(D)any land held by incorporated Native groups, regional corporations, and village corporations under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act [43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.]; and
(E)any land held by dependent Indian communities within the borders of the United States whether within the original or subsequently acquired territory thereof, and whether within or without the limits of a State.
(7)The term “Indian tribe” means an Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Native village, Regional Corporation, or Village Corporation, as defined in subsection (c), (g), or (j), respectively, of section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602(c), (g), or (j)), that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States under Federal law to Indians because of their status as Indians.
(8)(A)The term “institution of higher education” has the meaning given the term in section 1002 of title 20.
(B)The term “institution of higher education” does not include—
(i)an institution described in section 1001(b) of title 20; or
(ii)an institution outside the United States, as described in section 1002(a)(1)(C) of title 20.
(9)The term “priority project” means an appropriate conservation project conducted on eligible service lands to further 1 or more of the purposes of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) and other conservation and restoration initiatives, as follows:
(A)To reduce wildfire risk to a community, municipal water supply, or other at-risk Federal land.
(B)To protect a watershed or address a threat to forest and rangeland health, including catastrophic wildfire.
(C)To address the impact of insect or disease infestations or other damaging agents on forest and rangeland health.
(D)To protect, restore, or enhance forest ecosystem components to—
(i)promote the recovery of threatened or endangered species;
(ii)improve biological diversity; or
(iii)enhance productivity and carbon sequestration.
(E)To protect, restore, or enhance marine, estuarine, riverine, and coastal habitat ecosystem components—
(i)to promote the recovery of threatened species, endangered species, and managed fisheries;
(ii)to restore fisheries, protected resources, and habitats impacted by oil and chemical spills and natural disasters; or
(iii)to enhance the resilience of coastal ecosystems, communities, and economies through habitat conservation.
(10)The term “public lands” means any lands or waters (or interest therein) owned or administered by the United States, except that such term does not include any Indian lands.
(11)The term “qualified youth or conservation corps” means any program established by a State or local government, by the governing body of any Indian tribe, or by a nonprofit organization that—
(A)is capable of offering meaningful, full-time, productive work for individuals between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger in a natural or cultural resource setting;
(B)gives participants a mix of work experience, basic and life skills, education, training, and support services; and
(C)provides participants with the opportunity to develop citizenship values and skills through service to their community and the United States.
(12)The term “resource assistant” means a resource assistant selected under section 1725 of this title.
(13)The term “Secretary” means—
(A)with respect to National Forest System land, the Secretary of Agriculture;
(B)with respect to Indian lands, Hawaiian home lands, or land administered by the Department of the Interior, the Secretary of the Interior; and
(C)with respect to the National Marine Sanctuary System, coral reefs, and other coastal, estuarine, and marine habitats, and other land and facilities administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Secretary of Commerce.
(14)The term “State” means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(15)The term “veteran” has the meaning given the term in section 101 of title 38.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, referred to in par. (4), is act July 9, 1921, ch. 42, 42 Stat. 108. section 204 of that Act was classified to section 698 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions, and was omitted from the Code. section 4 of Public Law 86–3, referred to in par. (4), is set out as a note preceding section 491 of Title 48. The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, referred to in par. (6)(D), is Pub. L. 92–203, Dec. 18, 1971, 85 Stat. 688, which is classified generally to chapter 33 (§ 1601 et seq.) of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1601 of Title 43 and Tables. The Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, referred to in par. (9), is Pub. L. 108–148, Dec. 3, 2003, 117 Stat. 1887, which is classified principally to chapter 84 (§ 6501 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 6501 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

2019—Par. (2). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(1), substituted “by section 1723(a)(1)” for “under section 1723”. Par. (8). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(3), added par. (8). Former par. (8) redesignated (9). Par. (9). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(2), (4)(A), redesignated par. (8) as (9) and substituted “and other conservation and restoration initiatives, as follows” for “, as follows” in introductory provisions. Former par. (9) redesignated (10). Par. (9)(E). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(4)(B), added subpar. (E). Par. (10). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(2), redesignated par. (9) as (10). Former par. (10) redesignated (11). Par. (11). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(2), redesignated par. (10) as (11). Former par. (11) redesignated (12). Par. (11)(A). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(5), substituted “individuals between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger” for “individuals between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive,”. Par. (12). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(2), redesignated par. (11) as (12). Former par. (12) redesignated (13). Par. (13). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(2), redesignated par. (12) as (13). Former par. (13) redesignated (14). Par. (13)(C). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(6), added subpar. (C). Par. (14). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(2), redesignated par. (13) as (14). Par. (15). Pub. L. 116–9, § 9003(a)(7), added par. (15). 2016—Par. (10)(A). Pub. L. 114–289 substituted “30” for “25”. 2005—Pars. (8) to (13). Pub. L. 109–154 added pars. (8) and (12) and redesignated former pars. (8) to (11) as pars. (9) to (11) and (13), respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 123 of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1993 Amendment note under section 1701 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 1722

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73