Indian forest land assistance account

(a) At the request of a tribe's authorized representatives, the Secretary may establish tribal-specific forest land assistance accounts within the trust fund system.

(b) Deposits shall be credited either to forest transportation or to general forest land management accounts.

(c) Deposits into the accounts may include:

(1) Funds from non-federal sources related to activities on or for the Indian forest land of such tribe's reservation;

(2) Donations or contributions;

(3) Unobligated forestry appropriations for the tribe;

(4) User fees; and

(5) Funds transferred under Federal interagency agreements if otherwise authorized by law.

(d) For purposes of § 163.35(c)(3) of this part; unobligated forestry appropriations shall consist of balances that remain unobligated at the end of the fiscal year(s) for which funds are appropriated for the benefit of an Indian tribe.

(e) Funds in the Indian forest land assistance account plus any interest or other income earned shall remain available until expended and shall not be available to otherwise offset Federal appropriations for the management of Indian forest land.

(f) Funds in the forest land assistance account shall be used only for forest land management activities on the reservation for which the account is established.

(g) Funds in a tribe's forest land assistance account shall be expended in accordance with a plan approved by the tribe and the Secretary.

(h) The Secretary may, where circumstances warrant, at the request of the tribe, or upon the Secretary's own volition, conduct audits of the forest land assistance accounts and shall provide the audit results of to the tribe(s).