§ 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.