NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACT 1 AN ACT to promote environmental education, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS. (a) TITLE.-This Act may be cited as the "National Environmental Education Act”. (20 U.S.C. 5501 note) (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS. Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents. Sec. 2. Findings and policy. Sec. 3. Definitions. Sec. 4. Office of Environmental Education. Sec. 5. Environmental education and training program. Sec. 6. Environmental education grants. Sec. 7. Environmental internships and fellowships. Sec. 8. Environmental education awards. Sec. 9. Environmental Education Advisory Council and Task Force. SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND POLICY. (a) FINDINGS.-The Congress finds that (1) Threats to human health and environmental quality are increasingly complex, involving a wide range of conventional and toxic contaminants in the air and water and on the land. (2) There is growing evidence of international environmental problems, such as global warming, ocean pollution, and declines in species diversity, and that these problems pose serious threats to human health and the environment on a global scale. (3) Environmental problems represent as significant a threat to the quality of life and the economic vitality of urban areas as they do the natural balance of rural areas. (4) Effective response to complex environmental problems requires understanding of the natural and built environment, awareness of environmental problems and their origins (including those in urban areas), and the skills to solve these problems. (5) Development of effective solutions to environmental problems and effective implementation of environmental programs requires a well educated and trained, professional work force. 1 Public Law 101-619. (6) Current Federal efforts to inform and educate the public concerning the natural and built environment and environmental problems are not adequate. (7) Existing Federal support for development and training of professionals in environmental fields is not sufficient. (8) The Federal Government, acting through the Environmental Protection Agency, should work with local education institutions, State education agencies, not-for-profit educational and environmental organizations, noncommercial educational broadcasting entities, and private sector interests to support development of curricula, special projects, and other activities, to increase understanding of the natural and built environment and to improve awareness of environmental problems. (9) The Federal Government, acting through the coordinated efforts of its agencies and with the leadership of the Environmental Protection Agency, should work with local education institutions, State education agencies, not-for-profit educational and environmental organizations, noncommercial educational broadcasting entities, and private sector interests to develop programs to provide increased emphasis and financial resources for the purpose of attracting students into environmental engineering and assisting them in pursuing the programs to complete the advanced technical education required to provide effective problem solving capabilities for complex environmental issues. (10) Federal natural resource agencies such as the United States Forest Service have a wide range of environmental expertise and a long history of cooperation with educational institutions and technology transfer that can assist in furthering the purposes of the Act. (b) POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States to establish and support a program of education on the environment, for students and personnel working with students, through activities in schools, institutions of higher education, and related educational activities, and to encourage postsecondary students to pursue careers related to the environment. (20 U.S.C. 5501) SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this Act, the term— (1) "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (2) "Agency" means the United States Environmental Protection Agency; (3) "Federal agency" or "agency of the United States" means any department, agency or other instrumentality of the Federal Government, any independent agency or establishment of the Federal Government including any Government corporation; (4) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Education; (5) "local educational agency" means any education agency as defined in section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 3381) and shall include any tribal education agency; (6) "not-for-profit" organization means an organization, association, or institution described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, which is exempt from taxation pursuant to the provisions of section 501(a) of such Code; (7) "noncommercial education broadcasting entities" means any noncommercial educational broadcasting station (and/or its legal nonprofit affiliates) as defined and licensed by the Federal Communications Commission; (8) "tribal education agency" means a school or community college which is controlled by an Indian tribe, band, or nation, including any Alaska Native village, which is recognized as eligible for special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians and which is not administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs; (9) "Federal natural resource management agencies" means the United States Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service; (10) "environmental engineering" means the discipline within engineering and science concerned with the development and application of scientific and technical solutions to protecting the aquatic and atmospheric environment, including, but not limited to, all phases of water resources planning, water supply, water treatment, air pollution characterization and control, remediation of hazardous substances, environmental transport of contaminants in surface and ground water and atmosphere, and methods for assessment and control of pollution; (11) "environmental education" and "environmental education and training" mean educational activities and training activities involving elementary, secondary, and postsecondary students, as such terms are defined in the State in which they reside, and environmental education personnel, but does not include technical training activities directed toward environmental management professionals or activities primarily directed toward the support of noneducational research and development; (12) "Foundation" means the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation established pursuant to section 10 of this Act; and (13) "Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation. (20 U.S.C. 5502) SEC. 4. OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. (a) The Administrator shall establish an Office of Environmental Education within the Environmental Protection Agency. (b) The Office of Environmental Education shall (1) develop and support programs and related efforts, in consultation and coordination with other Federal agencies, to improve understanding of the natural and built environment, and the relationships between humans and their environment, including the global aspects of environmental problems; (2) support development and the widest possible dissemination of model curricula, educational materials, and training programs for elementary and secondary students and other interested groups, including senior Americans; (3) develop and disseminate, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, not-for-profit educational and environmental organizations, State agencies, and noncommercial educational broadcasting entities, environmental education publications and audio/visual and other media materials; (4) develop and support environmental education seminars, training programs, teleconferences, and workshops for environmental education professionals, as provided for in section 5 of this Act; (5) manage Federal grant assistance provided to local education agencies, institutions of higher education, other not-forprofit organizations, and noncommercial education broadcasting entities, under section 6 of this Act; (6) administer the environmental internship and fellowship programs provided for in section 7 of this Act; (7) administer the environmental awards program provided for in section 8 of this Act; (8) provide staff support to the Advisory Council and Task Force provided for in section 9 of this Act; (9) assess, in coordination with other Federal agencies, the demand for professional skills and training needed to respond to current and anticipated environmental problems and cooperate with appropriate institutions, organizations, and agencies to develop training programs, curricula, and continuing education programs for teachers, school administrators, and related professionals; (10) assure the coordination of Federal statutes and programs administered by the Agency relating to environmental education, consistent with the provisions and purposes of those programs, and work to reduce duplication or inconsistencies within these programs; (11) work with the Department of Education, the Federal Interagency Committee on Education, and with other Federal agencies, including Federal natural resource management agencies, to assure the effective coordination of programs related to environmental education, including environmental education programs relating to national parks, national forests, and wildlife refuges; (12) provide information on environmental education and training programs to local education agencies, State education and natural resource agencies, and others; and (13) otherwise provide for the implementation of this Act. (c) The Office of Environmental Education shall— (1) be directed by a Director who shall be a member of the Senior Executive Service; (2) include a headquarters staff of not less than six and not more than ten full-time equivalent employees; and (3) be supported by one full-time equivalent employee in each Agency regional office. (20 U.S.C. 5503) SEC. 5. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM. (a) There is hereby established an Environmental Education and Training Program. The purpose of the program shall be to train educational professionals in the development and delivery of environmental education and training programs and studies. (b) The functions and activities of the program shall include, at a minimum (1) classroom training in environmental education and studies including environmental sciences and theory, educational methods and practices, environmental career or occupational education, and topical environmental issues and problems; (2) demonstration of the design and conduct of environmental field studies and assessments; (3) development of environmental education programs and curriculum, including programs and curriculum to meet the needs of diverse ethnic and cultural groups; (4) sponsorship and management of international exchanges of teachers and other educational professionals between the United States, Canada, and Mexico involved in environmental programs and issues; (5) maintenance or support of a library of environmental education materials, information, literature, and technologies, with electronic as well as hard copy accessibility; (6) evaluation and dissemination of environmental education materials, training methods, and related programs; (7) sponsorship of conferences, seminars, and related forums for the advancement and development of environmental education and training curricula and materials, including international conferences, seminars, and forums; (8) supporting effective partnerships and networks and the use of distant learning technologies; and (9) such other activities as the Administrator determines to be consistent with the policies of this Act.Special emphasis should be placed on developing environmental education programs, workshops, and training tools that are portable and can be broadly disseminated. (c)(1) The Administrator shall make a grant on an annual basis to an institution of higher education or other institution which is a not-for-profit institution (or consortia of such institutions) to operate the environmental education and training program required by this section. (2) Any institution of higher education or other institution (or consortia of such institutions) which is a not-for-profit organization and is interested in receiving a grant under this section may submit to the Administrator an application in such form and containing such information as the Administrator may require. (3) The Administrator shall award grants under this section on the basis of (A) the capability to develop environmental education and training programs; (B) the capability to deliver training to a range of participants and in a range of settings; (C) the expertise of the staff in a range of appropriate disciplines; |