54 U.S.C. § 200103 — Authority of Secretary to carry out certain functions and activities

(a) In General. To carry out this chapter, the Secretary may do the things listed in the rest of this section. (b) Inventory and Evaluation. The Secretary may build and keep updating a running inventory and evaluation of the nation's outdoor recreation needs and resources. (c) Classification System. The Secretary may create a system for classifying outdoor recreation resources, to help manage and use them effectively. (d) Technical Assistance and Advice. The Secretary may give technical help and advice to, and work with, states, local governments, and private groups — including nonprofits — on outdoor recreation matters. (e) Interstate and Regional Cooperation. The Secretary may encourage states and regions to work together on planning, acquiring, and developing outdoor recreation resources. (f) Research, Information, and Education Programs and Activities. The Secretary may: (1) sponsor, take part in, or help fund research on outdoor recreation, either directly or through contracts or cooperative agreements — and may pay for this without following the usual rules in title 31 that limit advance payments, whenever the Secretary decides that's in the public interest; (2) run studies and gather information about outdoor recreation, directly or through contracts, and share that information without following a specific title 39 rule; and (3) work with schools and others to help set up education programs and to get the public to use and benefit from outdoor recreation. (g) Cooperation and Coordination with Federal Agencies. (1) The Secretary may cooperate with and give technical help to other federal agencies, and can get information, data, reports, advice, and help from them that's needed to carry out this chapter's purposes. The Secretary may also work to coordinate federal plans and activities related to outdoor recreation generally. (2) Funding. Any agency that gives advice or help this way can spend its own money to do so, and the agencies involved can agree on whether one reimburses the other. (h) Donations. The Secretary may accept and use donations — money, property, personal services, or facilities — to carry out this chapter's purposes.