§7784 Agreements

Summary

The Secretary can make agreements with weed management groups to help control or remove noxious weeds. If the work will be on Federal land, the Secretary must talk with the federal agency in charge of that land. If the work is on private or other non-Federal land, the Secretary must get the landowner’s written permission. The Secretary may enter into these agreements even if sections 6301 through 6309 of title 31 or other Federal procurement laws would normally apply. Agreements can pay for things like education, mapping, monitoring, methods development, management work, and the cost of people and equipment, plus other weed-control activities. The Secretary chooses projects based on the severity of the problem, likelihood of success or learning, how complete the approach is, whether it builds national capacity, whether it helps States work together, and other relevant factors. The Secretary should use technical reviews from regional, State, or local experts and give priority to projects that involve State, local, and tribal representatives. At a Governor’s request, the Secretary may enter a rapid-response agreement if there is a clear need; the weed threatens native fish, wildlife, or habitat as the Secretary finds; delaying would cause substantial economic harm as the Secretary finds; and the response is (A) technically doable, (B) economically responsible, and (C) keeps harm to ecosystems and non-target species to a minimum.