Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-110
§2113a Good Neighbor Authority
Title 16 › CHAPTER 41 — COOPERATIVE FORESTRY ASSISTANCE › § 2113a
Summary
Lets state what it does: The Secretary can make "good neighbor" agreements with a Governor or a county so those partners can do forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration work on Federal, non‑Federal, or tribal land. The agreements must be made public. The Secretary keeps any required National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) decisions and must approve the forest treatment plans and tree‑marking guides used on Federal land. Some usual timber‑sale rules do not apply under these agreements. Money from timber sold under a good neighbor deal stays with the Governor, tribe, or county to pay for restoration under the deal, and leftover money can be used for other similar projects or certain recreation work. That money rule ends October 1, 2028. Building paved roads or public buildings is generally not allowed, with a narrow exception for road work needed for a project that must be decommissioned within 3 years and follow the travel plan. Payments from a county to the Secretary under a project are not counted as receipts from the Federal lands agency. Definitions (one line each): Authorized restoration services — restoration and related work on forests, rangelands, and watersheds. County — the county’s top executive official (or a compact official for multiple counties). Federal land — National Forest, public land, National Park, or National Wildlife Refuge land, excluding wilderness, congressionally protected no‑cut areas, and wilderness study areas. Forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration services — treating pests, reducing hazardous fuels, and other work to improve ecosystem health (not major road or public building construction). Good neighbor agreement — a cooperative contract between the Secretary and a Governor or county to do the work. Governor — the State or tribal executive official. Indian tribe — as defined in federal law. National Forest System road and Road — as defined by federal travel rules. Secretary — Secretary of Agriculture for National Forests and Secretary of the Interior for Bureau of Land Management land.
Full Legal Text
Title 16, §2113a
Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Definitions
In this section: (1) Authorized restoration services
(2)County
The term “county” means—
(A)the appropriate executive official of an affected county; or
(B)in any case in which multiple counties are affected, the appropriate executive official of a compact of the affected counties.
(3)Federal land (4) Forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration services
(A)In general
The term “Federal land” means land that is—
(i)National Forest System land; or
(ii)public land (as defined in section 1702 of title 43); or
(iii)National Park System land; or
(iv)National Wildlife Refuge Land.
(B)Exclusions
The term “Federal land” does not include—
(i)a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System;
(ii)Federal land on which the removal of vegetation is prohibited or restricted by Act of Congress or Presidential proclamation (including the applicable implementation plan); or
(iii)a wilderness study area.
(5)Good neighbor agreement
The term “good neighbor agreement” means a cooperative agreement or contract (including a sole source contract) entered into between the Secretary and a Governor or county, as applicable, to carry out authorized restoration services under this section.
(6)Governor (7) Indian tribe
The term “Governor” means the Governor or any other appropriate executive official of an affected State or Indian tribe or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(8)National Forest System road
The term “National Forest System road” has the meaning given the term in section 212.1 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on March 23, 2018).
(9)Road
The term “road” has the meaning given the term in section 212.1 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on February 7, 2014).
(10)Secretary
The term “Secretary” means—
(A)the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to National Forest System land; and
(B)the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to Bureau of Land Management land.
(b)Good neighbor agreements
(1)Good neighbor agreements
(A)In general
The Secretary may enter into a good neighbor agreement with a Governor or county to carry out authorized restoration services in accordance with this section.
(B)Public availability
The Secretary shall make each good neighbor agreement available to the public.
(2)Timber sales
(A)In general
Subsections (d) and (g) of section 472a of this title shall not apply to services performed under a good neighbor agreement.
(B)Approval of silviculture prescriptions and marking guides
The Secretary shall provide or approve all silviculture prescriptions and marking guides to be applied on Federal land in all timber sale projects conducted under this section.
(C)Treatment of revenue
(i)In general
Funds received from the sale of timber by a Governor, Indian Tribe, or county under a good neighbor agreement shall be retained and used by the Governor, Indian Tribe, or county, as applicable—
(I)to carry out authorized restoration services on under the good neighbor agreement; and
(II)if there are funds remaining after carrying out clause (i), to carry out—
(aa)authorized restoration services under other good neighbor agreements; or
(bb)authorized recreation services under the Good Neighbor Authority for Recreation Act.
(ii)Termination of effectiveness
The authority provided under this subparagraph terminates effective October 1, 2028.
(3)Retention of NEPA responsibilities
Any decision required to be made under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) with respect to any authorized restoration services to be provided under this section on Federal land shall not be delegated to a Governor or county.
(4)Receipts
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any payment made by a county to the Secretary under a project conducted under a good neighbor agreement shall not be considered to be monies received from National Forest System, Bureau of Land Management, National Park System, or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service land, as applicable.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Good Neighbor Authority for Recreation Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(C)(i)(II)(bb), probably means section 351 of Pub. L. 118–234, which is classified to section 8571 of this title and defines “authorized recreation services”. section 351 of Pub. L. 118–234 contains the heading “Good neighbor authority for recreation”, but no
Short Title
was enacted. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), is Pub. L. 91–190, Jan. 1, 1970, 83 Stat. 852, which is classified generally to chapter 55 (§ 4321 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 4321 of Title 42 and Tables. Codification Pub. L. 118–42, § 443, which directed amendment of section 8206 of the “Agriculture Act of 2014”, was executed to this section, which is section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Section was enacted as part of the Agricultural Act of 2014, and not as part of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 which comprises this chapter.
Amendments
2025—Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 118–234 amended subpar. (C) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (C) related to treatment of revenue received from sale of timber by a Governor of a State under a good neighbor agreement, and such authority terminated Oct. 1, 2024. 2024—Subsec. (a)(3)(A)(iii), (iv). Pub. L. 118–42, § 443(1), added cls. (iii) and (iv). See Codification note above. Subsec. (a)(4)(B)(i). Pub. L. 118–42, § 443(2), (3), in introductory provisions, substituted a comma for “or” before “Bureau of Land Management” and inserted “, National Park Service, or National Wildlife Refuge” after “Bureau of Land Management”. See Codification note above. Subsec. (b)(2)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 118–42, § 443(4), substituted “2024” for “2023”. See Codification note above. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 118–42, § 443(5), (6), substituted a comma for “land or” before “Bureau of Land Management” and inserted “, National Park System, or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service” after “Bureau of Land Management”. See Codification note above. 2022—Subsec. (a)(4)(B)(i). Pub. L. 117–328 inserted “or Bureau of Land Management managed” after “National Forest System” in introductory provisions. 2018—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(a)(1), substituted “land, non-Federal land, and land owned by an Indian tribe” for “land and non-Federal land”. Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(1)(A), inserted “or county, as applicable,” after “Governor”. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(1)(C), added par. (2). Former par. (2) redesignated (3). Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(1)(B), redesignated par. (2) as (3). Former par. (3) redesignated (4). Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i). Pub. L. 115–141, § 212(1), substituted “areas, other than the re
Construction
, repair, or restoration of a National Forest System road that is—” and subcls. (I) and (II) for “areas; or”. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(1)(B), redesignated par. (3) as (4). Former par. (4) redesignated (5). Subsec. (a)(4)(B)(i)(II). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8704(b)(1), made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to
March 23, 2018. Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(1)(B), (D), redesignated par. (4) as (5) and inserted “or county, as applicable,” after “Governor”. Former par. (5) redesignated (6). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(a)(2), inserted “or Indian tribe” after “affected State”. Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(1)(B), redesignated par. (5) as (6). Former par. (6) redesignated (7). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(a)(4), which directed amendment of subsec. (a) by adding par. (6) after par. (5) “(as so redesignated)”, was executed by making the addition after par. (5), relating to the definition of “Governor”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(a)(3), redesignated par. (6) as (7). Pub. L. 115–141, § 212(3), added par. (6). Former par. (6) redesignated (7). Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(1)(B), redesignated par. (6) as (7). Former par. (7) redesignated (8). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(a)(3), redesignated par. (6) as (7). Former par. (7) redesignated (8). Pub. L. 115–141, § 212(2), redesignated par. (6) as (7). Former par. (7) redesignated (8). Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8704(b)(2), made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to
March 23, 2018. Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(1)(B), redesignated par. (7) as (8). Former par. (8) redesignated (9). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(a)(3), redesignated par. (7) as (8). Former par. (8) redesignated (9). Pub. L. 115–141, § 212(2), redesignated par. (7) as (8). Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(1)(B), redesignated par. (8) as (9). Former par. (9) redesignated (10). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(a)(3), redesignated par. (8) as (9). Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(1)(B), redesignated par. (9) as (10). Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(2)(A), inserted “or county” after “Governor”. Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(2)(B), substituted “good neighbor agreement” for “cooperative agreement or contract entered into under subsection (a)”. Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(c), added subpar. (C). Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(2)(C), inserted “or county” after “Governor”. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 115–334, § 8624(b)(2)(D), added par. (4).
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 2113a
Title 16, Conservation
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110