The Secretary of the Interior shall encourage and assist the States to consider, in formulating and carrying out their comprehensive statewide outdoor recreation plans and proposals for financing assistance for State and local projects submitted pursuant to chapter 2003 of title 54),[1] needs and opportunities for establishing State and local wild, scenic and recreational river areas.

Wherever appropriate in furtherance of this chapter, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior are authorized and encouraged to utilize the following:

(1) The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, or the head of any other Federal agency, shall assist, advise, and cooperate with States or their political subdivisions, landowners, private organizations, or individuals to plan, protect, and manage river resources. Such assistance, advice, and cooperation may be through written agreements or otherwise. This authority applies within or outside a federally administered area and applies to rivers which are components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System and to other rivers. Any agreement under this subsection may include provisions for limited financial or other assistance to encourage participation in the acquisition, protection, and management of river resources.

Wherever appropriate in furtherance of this chapter, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior are authorized and encouraged to utilize the following:

(A) For activities on federally owned land, section 102301 of title 54 and the Volunteers in the Forest Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 558a–558d).

(B) For activities on all other lands, section 6 [2] of chapter 2003 of title 54 (relating to the development of statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plans).

(3) For purposes of this subsection, the appropriate Secretary or the head of any Federal agency may utilize and make available Federal facilities, equipment, tools and technical assistance to volunteers and volunteer organizations, subject to such limitations and restrictions as the appropriate Secretary or the head of any Federal agency deems necessary or desirable.

(4) No permit or other authorization provided for under provision of any other Federal law shall be conditioned on the existence of any agreement provided for in this section.

(Pub. L. 90–542, § 11, Oct. 2, 1968, 82 Stat. 916; Pub. L. 99–590, title V, § 508, Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3337; Pub. L. 113–287, § 5(d)(31), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3267.)