(1) Establishment
(A) In general
The Secretary, in consultation with the State forester or equivalent State official of each State, shall establish a State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee (hereafter referred to in this section as the State Coordinating Committee) for each such State.
(B) Composition The State Coordinating Committee shall be chaired and administered by the State forester, or equivalent State official, or the designee thereof, and shall be composed, to the extent practicable, of
(i) representatives from the Forest Service, Soil Conservation Service, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, and Extension Service;
(ii) representatives, to be appointed by the State forester or equivalent State official, representative of
(I) local government;
(II) consulting foresters;
(III) environmental organizations;
(IV) forest products industry;
(V) forest land owners;
(VI) land-trust organizations, if applicable in the State;
(VII) conservation organizations;
(VIII) the State fish and wildlife agency; and
(IX) the State Technical Committee.
(iii) any other individuals determined appropriate by the Secretary.
(C) Terms
The members of the State Coordinating Committee appointed under subparagraph (B)(ii) shall serve 3-year terms, with the initial members serving staggered terms as determined by the State forester or equivalent State official, and may be reappointed for consecutive terms.
(D) Existing committees
Existing State forestry committees may be used to complement, formulate, or replace the State Coordinating Committees to avoid duplication of efforts if such existing committees are made up of membership that is similar to that described in subparagraph (B)(ii), and if such existing committees include landowners and the general public in their memberships.
(2) Duties A State Coordinating Committee shall
(A) consult with other Department of Agriculture and State committees that address State and private forestry issues;
(B) make recommendations to the Secretary concerning the assignment of priorities and the coordination of responsibilities for the implementation of this chapter by the various Federal and State forest management agencies that take into consideration the mandates of each such agency;
(C) make recommendations to the State forester or equivalent State official concerning the development of the State-wide assessment and strategy regarding forest resource conditions under section
2101a of this title; and
(D) make recommendations to the Secretary concerning those forest lands that should be given priority for inclusion in the Forest Legacy Program established pursuant to section
2103c of this title.