The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized, and on such conditions as he deems wise, to stipulate and agree with any State or group of States to cooperate in the organization and maintenance of a system of fire protection on any private or State forest lands within such State or States and situated upon the watershed of a navigable river. No such stipulation or agreement shall be made with any State which has not provided by law for a system of forest-fire protection. In no case shall the amount expended in any State exceed in any fiscal year the amount appropriated by that State for the same purpose during the same fiscal year.
(Mar. 1, 1911, ch. 186, §2,
Fiscal year transition period of July 1, 1976, through Sept. 30, 1976, deemed fiscal year for purposes of this section relating to matching requirements, see section 202(1) of