Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§544i Economic development

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 2— - NATIONAL FORESTS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - SCENIC AREAS › § 544i

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Each State must create a plan for economic development projects using the Economic Opportunity Study and by consulting with counties and the Commission. After the State’s management plan is certified and the plan is sent in, the Secretary will give $5,000,000 to each State to make grants and loans that support the goals of sections 544 to 544p. States must require that grant activities be certified by the Commission as matching the goals, the management plan, and local land use rules; funds cannot move a business from one community to another or pay for program administration; and funds may only be used in counties whose land use rules the Commission and Secretary have approved under section 544f. States must send the Secretary an annual report, provide financial records on request, and recycle loan repayments into new grants and loans.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §544i

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Based on the Economic Opportunity Study and other appropriate information, each State, in consultation with the counties and the Commission, shall develop a plan for economic development projects for which grants under this section may be used in a manner consistent with sections 544 to 544p of this title.

(b)Upon certification of the management plan, and receipt of a plan referred to in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall provide $5,000,000 to each State which each State shall use to make grants and loans for economic development projects that further the purposes of sections 544 to 544p of this title.

(c)Each State making grants under this section shall require as a condition of a grant that—

(1)all activities undertaken under the grant are certified by the Commission as being consistent with the purposes of sections 544 to 544p of this title, the management plan, and land use ordinances adopted pursuant to sections 544 to 544p of this title;

(2)grants and loans are not used to relocate a business from one community to another;

(3)grants and loans are not used for program administration; and

(4)grants and loans are used only in counties which have in effect land use ordinances found consistent by the Commission and concurred on by the Secretary pursuant to section 544f of this title.

(d)Each State shall—

(1)prepare and provide the Secretary with an annual report to the Secretary on the use of the funds made available under this section;

(2)make available to the Secretary and to the Commission, upon request, all accounts, financial records, and other information related to grants and loans made available pursuant to this section; and

(3)as loans are repaid, make additional grants and loans with the money made available for obligation by such repayments.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 544i

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73