§7784 Agreements

Summary

The Secretary can make agreements with weed-management groups to pay for work that controls or removes noxious weeds. If the work will happen on Federal land, the Secretary must talk with the federal agency in charge of that land. If the work is on private or non‑Federal land, the Secretary must get the landowner’s written permission. These agreements can be made even if normal federal buying rules would otherwise apply. Funded work can include education, surveys and maps, management and monitoring, developing better methods, and paying for staff and equipment, plus other control actions. The Secretary picks projects based on how bad the weed problem is, the chance the work will solve or teach how to solve it, how complete the approach is, whether it boosts national capacity, whether it helps states work together, and other relevant factors. The Secretary should use expert technical reviews and, when possible, give priority to projects that involve State, local, and Tribal governments. At a Governor’s request, the Secretary may fund a fast response if there is a clear need, the weed threatens native fish or wildlife, delaying would cause big economic harm, and the response is feasible, cost‑responsible, and limits harm to ecosystems and non‑target species.