20 U.S.C. § 5508 : US Code - Section 5508: Environmental Education Advisory Council and Task Force

Search 20 U.S.C. § 5508 : US Code - Section 5508: Environmental Education Advisory Council and Task Force

(a) Establishment
There is hereby established a National Environmental Education
Advisory Council and a Federal Task Force on Environmental
Education.
(b) Advisory Council; duties; members; terms of office;
compensation; termination
(1) The Advisory Council shall advise, consult with, and make
recommendations to, the Administrator on matters relating to
activities, functions, and policies of the Agency under this
chapter. With respect to such matters, the Council shall be the
exclusive advisory entity for the Administrator. The Council may
exchange information with other Advisory Councils established by
the Administrator. The Office of Environmental Education shall
provide staff support to the Council.
(2) The Advisory Council shall consist of 11 members appointed by
the Administrator after consultation with the Secretary. Two
members shall be appointed to represent primary and secondary
education (one of whom shall be a classroom teacher); two members
shall be appointed to represent colleges and universities; two
members shall be appointed to represent not-for-profit
organizations involved in environmental education; two members
shall be appointed to represent State departments of education and
natural resources; two representatives shall be appointed to
represent business and industry; and one representative shall be
appointed to represent senior Americans. A representative of the
Secretary shall serve as an ex officio member of the Advisory
Council. The conflict of interest provision at section 208(a) of
title 18 shall not apply to members' participation in particular
matters which affect the financial interests of employers which
they represent pursuant to this subsection.
(3) The Administrator shall provide that members of the Council
represent the various geographic regions of the country, has
minority representation, and that the professional backgrounds of
the members include scientific, policy, and other appropriate
disciplines.
(4) Each member of the Advisory Council shall hold office for a
term of 3 years, except that -
(A) any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to
the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was
appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term; and
(B) the terms of the members first taking office shall expire
as follows: four shall expire 3 years after November 16, 1990,
four shall expire 2 years after November 16, 1990, and three
shall expire 1 year after November 16, 1990, as designated by the
Administrator at the time of appointment.
(5) Members of the Advisory Council appointed under this section
shall, while attending meetings of the Council or otherwise engaged
in business of the Council, receive compensation and allowances at
a rate to be fixed by the Administrator, but not exceeding the
daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in effect for
grade GS-18 of the General Schedule for each day (including travel
time) during which they are engaged in the actual performance of
duties vested in the Council. While away from their homes or
regular places of business in the performance of services for the
Council, members of the Council shall be allowed travel expenses,
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as
persons employed intermittently in the Government service are
allowed expenses under section 5703(b) (!1) of title 5.
(6) Section 14(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act relating
to termination, shall not apply to the Advisory Council.
(c) Federal Task Force on Environmental Education; duties; members
(1) The Federal Task Force on Environmental Education shall
advise, consult with and make recommendations to the Administrator
on matters relating to implementation of this chapter and assure
the coordination of such implementation activities with related
activities of other Federal agencies.
(2) Membership of the Task Force shall include the -
(A) Department of Education,
(B) Department of the Interior,
(C) Department of Agriculture,
(D) the Environmental Protection Agency,
(E) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
(F) Council on Environmental Quality,
(G) Tennessee Valley Authority, and
(H) National Science Foundation.
(3) The Environmental Protection Agency shall chair the Task
Force.
(4) The Administrator may ask other Federal agencies to
participate in the meetings and activities of the Task Force where
the Administrator finds it appropriate in carrying out the
requirements of this chapter.
(d) Reports
(1) The Advisory Council shall, after providing for public review
and comment, submit to the Congress, within 24 months of November
16, 1990, and biennially thereafter, a report which shall -
(A) describe and assess the extent and quality of environmental
education in the Nation;
(B) provide a general description of the activities conducted
pursuant to this chapter and related authorities over the
previous 2-year period;
(C) summarize major obstacles to improving environmental
education (including environmental education programs relating to
national parks and wildlife refuges) and make recommendations for
addressing such obstacles;
(D) identify personnel skills, education, and training needed
to respond to current and anticipated environmental problems and
make recommendations for actions to assure sufficient educational
and training opportunities in these professions; and
(E) describe and assess the extent and quality of environmental
education programs available to senior Americans and make
recommendations thereon; describe the various Federal agency
programs to further senior environmental education; and evaluate
and make recommendations as to how such educational apparatuses
could best be coordinated with nonprofit senior organizations
across the Nation, and environmental education institutions and
organizations now in existence.
(2) The Federal Task Force on Environmental Education shall
review and comment on a draft of the report to Congress.