§ 7142. Use

• (a) A participating county, including any applicable agencies of the participating county, shall use county funds, in accordance with this subchapter, only—
  • (1) to carry out activities under the Firewise Communities program to provide to homeowners in fire-sensitive ecosystems education on, and assistance with implementing, techniques in home siting, home construction, and home landscaping that can increase the protection of people and property from wildfires;
  • (2) to reimburse the participating county for search and rescue and other emergency services, including firefighting and law enforcement patrols, that are—
    • (A) performed on Federal land after the date on which the use was approved under subsection (b); and
    • (B) paid for by the participating county;
  • (3) to cover training costs and equipment purchases directly related to the emergency services described in paragraph (2);
  • (4) to develop and carry out community wildfire protection plans in coordination with the appropriate Secretary concerned; and
  • (5) to provide or expand access to—
    • (A) broadband telecommunications services at local schools; or
    • (B) the technology and connectivity necessary for students to use a digital learning tool at or outside of a local school campus.
• (b) A participating county shall use county funds for a use described in subsection (a) only after a 45-day public comment period, at the beginning of which the participating county shall—
  • (1) publish in any publications of local record a proposal that describes the proposed use of the county funds; and
  • (2) submit the proposal to any resource advisory committee established under section 7125 of this title for the participating county.