§7784 Agreements

Summary

The Secretary may make agreements with weed management groups to pay for work that controls or removes noxious weeds. If the work is on Federal land, the Secretary must talk with the agency that manages that land. If the work is on private land, the Secretary must get the landowner’s written OK. The Secretary may use these agreements even if other Federal purchasing rules (including sections 6301 through 6309 of title 31 and similar laws) would normally apply. Funded work can include education, surveys and maps, management and monitoring, method development, and paying staff and equipment, as well as other weed-control actions. The Secretary chooses projects based on how bad the weed problem is, how likely the work will help or teach useful lessons, how complete the plan is, how much it builds national capacity, and how well it promotes cooperation between States, plus any other relevant factors. The Secretary should, as much as possible, use technical reviews by regional, State, or local experts and give priority to projects that involve State, local, or, when needed, Indian Tribe governments. At a Governor’s request, the Secretary may make a quick-response agreement if there is a clear need, the weed is a serious threat to native fish, wildlife, or their habitat, delaying would cause substantial economic harm, and the proposed response is technically doable, economically responsible, and limits harm to ecosystems and non-target species.