[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1576 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1576

  To provide for the continuation of the operations of the California 
           Urban Environmental Research and Education Center.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 8, 1997

   Mr. Stark (for himself, Mr. Brown of California, Mr. Dellums, Mr. 
Filner, Mr. Matsui, Ms. Eshoo, Mrs. Tauscher, Mr. Miller of California, 
 Mr. Berman, and Mr. Torres) introduced the following bill; which was 
   referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in 
 addition to the Committee on Science, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for the continuation of the operations of the California 
           Urban Environmental Research and Education Center.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) California's rapid population growth and the lack of 
        understanding about the environmental impacts of this growth 
        have caused a number of serious present and potential barriers 
        to future economic development of California.
            (2) California has great environmental complexity and 
        diversity and a great variety of human interventions in its 
        ecosystem.
            (3) Future environmental policies for California must be 
        informed by careful cost-benefit analysis that considers the 
        serious risks, and the benefits, of environmental policy.
            (4) The California Urban Environmental Research and 
        Education Center promotes coordination of and collaboration on 
        environmentally sound economic development in California and 
        ensures that continued sustainable economic development can 
        occur.
            (5) Due to the closing of many military facilities and 
        installations in California, such Center can provide important 
        assistance to the process of converting defense resources to 
        non-defense uses.
            (6) The Center is in a position to develop model incentives 
        and remove market barriers so as to motivate greater private 
        sector involvement and investment in the solution of 
        environmental problems.

SEC. 2. CENTER.

    (a) Support.--The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency shall continue to support the development and expansion of the 
California Urban Environmental Research and Education Center.
    (b) Cooperative Agreement.--
            (1) Authority.--If the California State University, Hayward 
        consents and provides the matching funds required by paragraph 
        (2), the Administrator shall enter into a series of cooperative 
        agreements with the California State University, Hayward to 
        provide continuing support for the Center. The California State 
        University, Hayward shall work in close cooperation with the 
        other universities of the California State University system 
        (including the California State Universities at Sacramento, San 
        Jose, San Francisco, and Sonoma) in the research and policy 
        analysis performed under any such cooperative agreement.
            (2) Matching funds.--In any cooperative agreement described 
        in paragraph (1), the California State University, Hayward, 
        shall guarantee matching funds or in-kind resources equal to 20 
        percent of the funds received by the Center from the 
        Administrator. The Center and the California State University, 
        Hayward shall, to the maximum extent practicable, solicit 
        additional funds or in-kind contributions from State, local, 
        and private sector sources to increase the ability of the 
        Center to conduct applied research and education projects under 
        this Act.
            (3) Membership.--A university in the California State 
        University system or a university in California which is not a 
        university in the California State University system may become 
        a member of the Center under such guidelines and conditions as 
        are reasonable and mutually agreeable to the Center and the 
        university.
    (c) Governing Board.--
            (1) Initial appointments.--For the two-year period 
        beginning on the date of the establishment of the Center, the 
        Center shall have a Governing Board composed of the following:
                    (A) The Executive Director of the Center.
                    (B) One member appointed by the President of the 
                California State University, Hayward.
                    (C) One member appointed by the President of the 
                California State University, Sacramento.
                    (D) One member appointed by the President of the 
                California State University, San Jose.
                    (E) One member appointed by the President of the 
                California State University, San Francisco.
                    (F) One member appointed by the President of the 
                California State University, Sonoma.
            (2) Subsequent appointments.--After the two-year period 
        referred to in paragraph (1), the composition of the Governing 
        Board shall be determined by the sitting members of the 
        Governing Board, in consultation with the Presidents of each 
        university of the California State University system, except as 
        provided in subsection (d)(1).
            (3) Chair.--The Executive Director shall serve as chair of 
        the Governing Board for the first five years after the 
        establishment of the Center. Subsequently, the Governing Board 
        shall elect a chair from among its members.
            (4) Duties.--It shall be the duty of the Governing Board--
                    (A) to establish criteria for membership in the 
                Center;
                    (B) to establish criteria and requirements for the 
                contribution of matching funds or in kind contributions 
                by member universities and those applying for 
                membership in the Center;
                    (C) to establish guidelines for fair representation 
                on the Governing Board of universities that are not 
                universities of the California State University system;
                    (D) to establish how scholarships, fellowships, and 
                grants will be awarded by the Center;
                    (E) to advise the Executive Director of the Center 
                on matters pertaining to the management of the Center's 
                internal projects and administration, with respect to 
                the management of grants; and
                    (F) to perform such other duties, with respect to 
                the management of grants, as the Governing Board 
                considers necessary to carry out the functions of the 
                Center under this Act.
    (d) Executive Director; Staff.--
            (1) Executive director.--The Center shall have an Executive 
        Director who shall be appointed for a five-year term. The 
        President of the California State University, Hayward shall 
        make the initial appointment of an Executive Director for a 
        five-year term beginning on the date of the establishment of 
        the Center, and shall make an appointment for the second five-
        year term. The Governing Board shall appoint each Executive 
        Director appointed after the initial two appointments.
            (2) Budget.--The Executive Director shall annually submit 
        to the Governing Board a budget which includes projected staff 
        requirements and other projected expenses. The Governing Board 
        shall review and advise on the budget each year.
    (e) Principal Office.--(1) The principal office of the Center shall 
be located in northern California.
    (2) Before the end of the two-year period beginning on the date of 
the establishment of the Center, the Governing Board shall consider the 
establishment of a second office and conference facility to be located 
in southern California, convenient to member universities.

SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS.

    (a) In General.--The overall objective of the Center shall be to 
promote and foster sustainable economic development throughout the 
State of California, using the resources and skills of its universities 
and colleges whenever possible. The Center shall achieve such objective 
by engaging in the following functions:
            (1) To develop an ongoing program of applied environmental 
        research, education, and outreach that can be used by the 
        Federal Government, State and local governments, and the 
        private sector to ensure that future government policies to 
        encourage economic development in California are grounded on 
        sound, sustainable environmental and economic principles.
            (2) To foster public-private partnerships to find solutions 
        to the environmental problems of California and ways of 
        removing market barriers to private sector development.
            (3) To bring together researchers from the member 
        universities and colleges of the Center to focus on the most 
        important environmental problems of California related to 
        sustainable economic development, with the aim of analysis and 
        synthesis of policy implications and dissemination of policy 
        oriented research findings to managers in the public and 
        private sectors.
            (4) To support the following activities:
                    (A) The coordination and funding of research 
                activities of universities for collaborative collection 
                and evaluation of data on California's geology, 
                hydrology, soils, biology, weather and climate, natural 
                hazards, demography, infrastructure, resource use, 
                land-use patterns, land-ownership patterns, business 
                development, environmental equity, and regulatory 
                zones.
                    (B) The analysis of public policy implications of 
                economic development programs that affect the ecology 
                of California.
                    (C) The conduct of seminars and other educational 
                programs for policy makers in the Federal Government, 
                State and local governments, and the private sector on 
                the implications of the findings and conclusions 
                derived from the Center's activities. The Center shall 
                use electronic technology, such as computer networks 
                and video conferencing, to convey the cumulative 
                findings and conclusions derived from the Center's 
                activities and to foster an exchange of ideas.
                    (D) The conduct, not more than once each year, of a 
                national conference on ecology and sustainable economic 
                development for business and labor leaders to foster an 
                exchange of ideas and information.
                    (E) The provision of ready access to the Center's 
                collective expertise for policy makers in the Federal 
                Government and State and local governments, and for 
                representatives of private- and public-sector 
                organizations, through meetings, publications, special 
                reports, video, electronic mail, computer networks, and 
                other means to share up-to-date information on research 
                findings and policy development for sustainable 
                economic development.
                    (F) The minimization of duplication and waste in 
                applied research and demonstration programs within the 
                areas of the Center's expertise.
                    (G) The development of educational programs, 
                curricula, and instructional materials for colleges, 
                universities, and other educational institutions to 
                impart the knowledge and skills required to implement 
                environmentally sustainable economic development, for 
                the purpose of equipping students for jobs in the 
                public and private sectors.
                    (H) The development of bachelors and masters degree 
                programs for individuals who have lost or may lose 
                employment as a result of cutbacks in defense spending 
                to prepare such individuals for employment as 
                environmental professionals, and the development of 
                certification programs in environmental sciences and 
                studies for such individuals.
                    (I) The preparation of minority students for 
                environmental professions, including the development of 
                an enriched curriculum in the environmental sciences at 
                the baccalaureate and post-graduate levels for 
                underrepresented minority students to prepare such 
                students for careers in various environmental areas, 
                such as environmental health and the clean-up of 
                military installations and facilities.
                    (J) The development and administration of a 
                repository of information on key environmental and 
                related economic development issues that can be readily 
                accessed by private- and public-sector entities, 
                including imposition, if necessary, of a fee for users 
                of the repository to cover the cost of its operation.
            (5) To work closely with other university research centers 
        for which funds have been provided by the Environmental 
        Protection Agency to help establish a National Environmental 
        Outreach Program to assist the Federal Government, State and 
        local governments, and the private sector in programs and 
        projects designed to promote environmentally sound economic 
        development.
            (6) To work closely with Federally-funded research centers, 
        such as the Lawrence-Livermore National Research Laboratory, to 
        foster the transfer and application of environmental technology 
        to the private sector.
            (7) To help incubate or expand small, environmentally 
        related businesses where market barriers exist to such 
        incubation or expansion.
            (8) To assist small businesses in meeting environmental 
        regulations by providing short courses and conferences and to 
        develop methods and models by which small businesses may 
        finance ``green'' investment where private-sector funds are 
        otherwise not generally available.
            (9) To work closely, as requested, with public-sector 
        officials, private-sector businesses, and individuals seeking 
        alternative uses for military installations and facilities that 
        have been or are about to be closed to assist in planning the 
        environmental aspects of the conversion and clean-up of the 
        installations and facilities, and to help with the economic 
        development aspects of the closing of the installations and 
        facilities.
            (10) During its first year, to develop a plan, in 
        conjunction with other universities to extend the activities of 
        the Center throughout the State within 3 years. The plan shall 
        pay particular attention to the need for environmentally sound 
        conversion and economic use of military installations and 
        facilities throughout the State.
    (b) Scholarships, Fellowships, and Grants.--
            (1) Scholarships.--The Center may provide for the award of 
        undergraduate scholarships for individuals studying in 
        environmental fields at universities that are members of the 
        Center. Individuals who have lost or may lose employment as a 
        result of the closing of a military installation or facility in 
        the State of California shall have preference over other 
        individuals in the award of scholarships under this paragraph.
            (2) Fellowships.--The Center may provide for the award of 
        graduate assistantships and fellowships at the Center to 
        encourage study in fields related to sustainable economic 
        development. Preference shall be given to those who have been 
        or are about to be laid off as a result of military base 
        closings in California.
            (3) Research grants.--The Center may award research grants 
        to faculty at universities and colleges, both public and 
        private, to encourage research critical to the achievement of 
        the functions described in subsection (a).

SEC. 4. REPORT.

    The Center shall annually submit to the Administrator a report on 
the activities of the Center and on any changing budget needs. The 
Center shall include in the first report submitted under this 
subsection a statement of any additional funds that may be required to 
extend the activities of the Center throughout the State.

SEC. 5. GIFTS AND DONATIONS.

    The Center may receive funds and other property donated, 
bequeathed, or devised to the Center with or without a condition of 
restriction, for the purpose of furthering the activities of the 
Center. All funds donated, bequeathed, or devised to the Center shall 
be retained in a separate account. Each annual report submitted 
pursuant to section 4 shall include an accounting of the funds and 
property donated, bequeathed, or devised to the Center during the year 
covered by the annual report.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) The term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
        the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) The term ``Center'' means the California Urban 
        Environmental Research and Education Center established 
        pursuant to section 2.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Administrator for provision to the Center to carry out this Act 
$4,500,000 for fiscal year 1998 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of fiscal years 1999 through 2002.
    (b) Availability.--Funds appropriated pursuant to the authority of 
subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.
    (c) Matching Funds.--In addition to amounts provided as described 
in section 2(b)(2), the Center shall make a good faith effort to match 
the amount of funds appropriated pursuant to this section with funding 
from State and local governments and the private sector.
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