42 U.S.C. § 8903 : US Code - Section 8903: Comprehensive research plan

Search 42 U.S.C. § 8903 : US Code - Section 8903: Comprehensive research plan

(a) Preparation by Task Force for ten-year program; purposes
The Task Force shall prepare a comprehensive research plan for
the ten-year program (hereafter in this subchapter referred to as
the "comprehensive plan"), setting forth a coordinated program (1)
to identify the causes and effects of acid precipitation and (2) to
identify actions to limit or ameliorate the harmful effects of acid
precipitation.
(b) Scope
The comprehensive plan shall include programs for -
(1) identifying the sources of atmospheric emissions
contributing to acid precipitation;
(2) establishing and operating a nationwide long-term
monitoring network to detect and measure levels of acid
precipitation;
(3) research in atmospheric physics and chemistry to facilitate
understanding of the processes by which atmospheric emissions are
transformed into acid precipitation;
(4) development and application of atmospheric transport models
to enable prediction of long-range transport of substances
causing acid precipitation;
(5) defining geographic areas of impact through deposition
monitoring, identification of sensitive areas, and identification
of areas at risk;
(6) broadening of impact data bases through collection of
existing data on water and soil chemistry and through temporal
trend analysis;
(7) development of dose-response functions with respect to
soils, soil organisms, aquatic and amphibious organisms, crop
plants, and forest plants;
(8) establishing and carrying out system studies with respect
to plant physiology, aquatic ecosystems, soil chemistry systems,
soil microbial systems, and forest ecosystems;
(9) economic assessments of (A) the environmental impacts
caused by acid precipitation on crops, forests, fisheries, and
recreational and aesthetic resources and structures, and (B)
alternative technologies to remedy or otherwise ameliorate the
harmful effects which may result from acid precipitation;
(10) documenting all current Federal activities related to
research on acid precipitation and ensuring that such activities
are coordinated in ways that prevent needless duplication and
waste of financial and technical resources;
(11) effecting cooperation in acid precipitation research and
development programs, ongoing and planned, with the affected and
contributing States and with other sovereign nations having a
commonality of interest;
(12) subject to subsection (f)(1) of this section, management
by the Task Force of financial resources committed to Federal
acid precipitation research and development;
(13) subject to subsection (f)(2) of this section, management
of the technical aspects of Federal acid precipitation research
and development programs, including but not limited to (A) the
planning and management of research and development programs and
projects, (B) the selection of contractors and grantees to carry
out such programs and projects, and (C) the establishment of peer
review procedures to assure the quality of research and
development programs and their products; and
(14) analyzing the information available regarding acid
precipitation in order to formulate and present periodic
recommendations to the Congress and the appropriate agencies
about actions to be taken by these bodies to alleviate acid
precipitation and its effects.
(c) Procedures applicable
The comprehensive plan -
(1) shall be submitted in draft form to the Congress, and for
public review, within six months after June 30, 1980;
(2) shall be available for public comment for a period of sixty
days after its submission in draft form under paragraph (1);
(3) shall be submitted in final form, incorporating such needed
revisions as arise from comments received during the review
period, to the President and the Congress within forty-five days
after the close of the period allowed for comments on the draft
comprehensive plan under paragraph (2); and
(4) shall constitute the basis on which requests for
authorizations and appropriations are to be made for the nine
fiscal years following the fiscal year in which the comprehensive
plan is submitted in final form under paragraph (3).
(d) Convening of Task Force
The Task Force shall convene as necessary, but no less than twice
during each fiscal year of the ten-year period covered by the
comprehensive plan.
(e) Submission of annual report to President and Congress by Task
Force
The Task Force shall submit to the President and the Congress by
January 15 of each year an annual report which shall detail the
progress of the research program under this subchapter and which
shall contain such recommendations as are developed under
subsection (b)(14) of this section.
(f) Applicability of other statutory provisions to Task Force or
plan
(1) Subsection (b)(12) of this section shall not be construed as
modifying, or as authorizing the Task Force or the comprehensive
plan to modify, any provision of an appropriation Act (or any other
provision of law relating to the use of appropriated funds) which
specifies (A) the department or agency to which funds are
appropriated, or (B) the obligations of such department or agency
with respect to the use of such funds.
(2) Subsection (b)(13) of this section shall not be construed as
modifying, or as authorizing the Task Force or the comprehensive
plan to modify, any provision of law (relating to or involving a
department or agency) which specifies (A) procurement practices for
the selection, award, or management of contracts or grants by such
department or agency, or (B) program activities, limitations,
obligations, or responsibilities of such department or agency.