Financial, technical, and related assistance to States

To aid in achieving maximum effectiveness in the programs and activities conducted under this chapter, the Secretary is authorized to provide financial, technical, and related assistance to State foresters or equivalent State officials for the development of stronger and more efficient State organizations that will enable them to fulfill better their responsibilities for the protection and management of non-Federal forest lands. Assistance under this subsection may include, but will not be limited to, assistance in matters related to organization management, program planning and management, budget and fiscal accounting services, personnel training and management, information services, and recordkeeping. Assistance under this subsection may be extended only upon request by State foresters or equivalent State officials. To ensure that data regarding forest lands are available for and effectively presented in State and Federal natural resources planning, the Secretary is authorized to provide financial, technical, and related assistance to State foresters or equivalent State officials in the assembly, analysis, display, and reporting of State forest resources data, in the training of State forest resources planners, and in participating in natural resources planning at the State and Federal levels. The Secretary shall restrict assistance under this subsection to the implementation of the forestry aspects of State and Federal natural resources planning conducted under other laws. This subsection shall not be construed, in any way whatsoever, as extending, limiting, amending, repealing, or otherwise affecting any other law or authority. To ensure that new technology is introduced, new information is integrated into existing technology, and forest resources research findings are promptly made available to State forestry personnel, private forest landowners and managers, vendors, forest operators, wood proc­essors, public agencies, and individuals, the Secretary is authorized to carry out a program of technology implementation. In implementing this subsection, the Secretary is authorized to work through State foresters or equivalent State officials, and, if the State forester or equivalent State official is unable to deliver these services, the Secretary is authorized to act through appropriate United States Department of Agriculture agencies, subdivisions of States, agencies, institutions, organizations, or individuals to— There are hereby authorized to be appropriated annually such sums as may be needed to implement this section.