Sec. 7. Public Lands Service Corps program
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Section 204 of the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 ( 16 U.S.C. 1723 ), as amended by section 3, is amended— by redesignating subsections (c), (d), (e), and
(f)as subsections (d), (f), (g), and (h), respectively; by striking subsections
(a)and
(b)and inserting the following new subsections: There is established in the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Commerce a Public Lands Service Corps. The Secretary of the Interior shall establish a department-level office to coordinate the Corps activities within the Department of the Interior. The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish within the Forest Service an office to coordinate the Corps activities within that agency. The Secretary of Commerce shall establish within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration an office to coordinate the Corps activities within that agency. The Secretary shall designate a Public Lands Service Corps coordinator for each agency under the jurisdiction of the Secretary that administers Corps activities. The Secretary of the Interior shall establish an Indian Youth Service Corps liaison that will— provide outreach to Indian tribes about opportunities for establishing Corps and Indian Youth Service Corps programs; and coordinate with the Tribal Liaison of the Corporation for National Service to identify and establish Corps and Indian Youth Service Corps opportunities for Indian youth. The Secretary may enroll in the Corps individuals who are— hired by an agency under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to perform work authorized under this Act; or members of a qualified youth or conservation corps with which the Secretary has entered into a cooperative agreement to perform work authorized under this Act. The Secretary may also enroll in the Corps resource assistants and consulting interns in accordance with section 206(a). To be eligible for enrollment as a Corps participant, an individual shall— be between the ages of 15 and 25, inclusive; or in the case of a military veteran, be not older than 35; and satisfy the requirements of section 137(a)(5) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12591(a)(5) ). Each Corps participant may be enrolled in the Corps for a term of up to 2 years of service, which may be served over a period that exceeds 2 calendar years. An individual may be enrolled as a Corps participant without regard to the civil service and classification laws, rules, or regulations of the United States. The Secretary may establish a preference for the enrollment as Corps participants individuals who are economically, physically, or educationally disadvantaged. The Secretary may establish a preference for enrollment of Corps participants who are individuals who live in that State or region. ; in subsection (d), as redesignated by paragraph (1)— in paragraph (1)— by striking contracts and ; and by striking subsection
(d)and inserting subsection
(f); and by striking paragraph
(2)and inserting the following new paragraphs: The Secretary shall carry out, or enter into cooperative agreements to provide, a program to attract eligible youth to the Corps by publicizing Corps opportunities through high schools, colleges, employment centers, electronic media, and other appropriate institutions and means. In entering into cooperative agreements under paragraph
(1)or awarding competitive grants to Indian tribes or tribally authorized organizations under section 207, the Secretary may give preference to qualified youth or conservation corps that are located in specific areas where a substantial portion of members are economically, physically, or educationally disadvantaged. ; by inserting after subsection (d), as redesignated by paragraph (1), the following new subsection: For purposes of training, the Secretary shall take into account training already received by Corps participants enrolled from qualified youth or conservation corps. ; in subsection (f), as redesignated by paragraph (1)— in paragraph (1)— in the heading, by striking and inserting In general .— ; Use of Corps; projects .— by striking The Secretary may utilize the Corps or any qualified youth or conservation corps to carry out and inserting the following: The Secretary may use the Corps to carry out, with appropriate supervision and training, ; by striking on public lands and inserting on on eligible service lands ; and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: Appropriate natural and cultural resources conservation projects carried out under this section may include— protecting, restoring, or enhancing ecosystem components to promote species recovery, improve biological diversity, enhance productivity and carbon sequestration, and enhance adaptability and resilience of eligible service lands and resources to climate change and other natural and human disturbances; promoting the health of eligible service lands, including— protecting and restoring watersheds and forest, grassland, riparian, estuarine, marine, or other habitat; reducing the risk of uncharacteristically severe wildfire and mitigating damage from insects, disease, and disasters; controlling erosion; controlling and removing invasive, noxious, or nonnative species; and restoring native species; collecting biological, archaeological, and other scientific data, including climatological information, species populations and movement, habitat status, and other information; assisting in historical and cultural research, museum curatorial work, oral history projects, documentary photography, and activities that support the creation of public works of art related to eligible service lands; and constructing, repairing, rehabilitating, and maintaining roads, trails, campgrounds and other visitor facilities, employee housing, cultural and historic sites and structures, and other facilities that further the purposes of this Act. ; by redesignating paragraphs
(2)and
(3)as paragraphs
(4)and (5), respectively; and by inserting after paragraph
(1)the following new paragraphs: The Secretary may— enter into or amend an existing cooperative agreement with a cooperating association, educational institution, friends group, or similar nonprofit partner organization for the purpose of providing training and work experience to Corps participants in areas such as sales, office work, accounting, and management, provided that the work experience directly relates to the conservation and management of eligible service lands; and allow Corps participants to help promote visitor safety and enjoyment of eligible service lands, and assist in the gathering of visitor use data. The Secretary may permit Corps participants to provide interpretation or education services for the public under the direct and immediate supervision of an agency employee— to provide orientation and information services to visitors; to assist agency employees in the delivery of interpretive or educational programs where audience size, environmental conditions, safety, or other factors make such assistance desirable; to present programs that relate the personal experience of the Corps participants for the purpose of promoting public awareness of the Corps, the role of the Corps in public land management agencies, and the availability of the Corps to potential participants; and to create nonpersonal interpretive products, such as website content, Junior Ranger program books, printed handouts, and audiovisual programs. ; in subsection (g), as redesignated by paragraph (1)— in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking those projects which and inserting priority projects and other projects that ; and by striking paragraph
(2)and inserting the following new paragraph: will instill in Corps participants a work ethic and a sense of public service; ; and by adding at the end the following new subsections: The Secretary may allow volunteers from other programs administered or designated by the Secretary to participate as volunteers in projects carried out under this section. The requirements of section 189D(b) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12645g(b) ) shall apply to each individual age 18 or older seeking— to become a Corps participant; to receive funds authorized under this Act; or to supervise or otherwise have regular contact with Corps participants in activities authorized under this Act. If any of paragraphs
(1)through
(4)of section 189D(c) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12645g(c) ) apply to an individual described in paragraph (1), that individual shall not be eligible for the position or activity described in paragraph (1), unless the Secretary provides an exemption for good cause. .
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