[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4745 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4745

 To amend the National Environmental Education Act to redesignate the 
Act as the ``John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act'', to establish 
the John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship Program, to extend the programs 
                 under the Act, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 26, 2000

     Mr. Castle (for himself, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Deal of Georgia, Mr. 
  Greenwood, Mrs. Roukema, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. 
Holt, and Mr. Upton) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
            to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the National Environmental Education Act to redesignate the 
Act as the ``John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act'', to establish 
the John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship Program, to extend the programs 
                 under the Act, 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; REFERENCES; AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) This Act.--This Act may be cited as the ``John H. Chafee 
Environmental Education Act of 2000''.
    (b) National Environmental Education Act.--Section 1(a) of the 
National Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5501(a)) is amended by 
striking ``National Environmental Education Act'' and inserting ``John 
H. Chafee Environmental Education Act''.
    (c) Table of Contents.--Section 1(b) of the John H. Chafee 
Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5501(b)) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(b) Table of Contents.--

``Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
``Sec. 2. Findings.
``Sec. 3. Definitions.
``Sec. 4. Office of Environmental Education.
``Sec. 5. Environmental education and training program.
``Sec. 6. Environmental education grants.
``Sec. 7. John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship Program.
``Sec. 8. Environmental education awards.
``Sec. 9. Environmental Education Advisory Council and Task Force.
``Sec. 10. National Environmental Learning Foundation.
``Sec. 11. Accountability.
``Sec. 12. Authorization of appropriations.''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Section 2(a) of the John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 5502(a)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            ``(1) The most effective environmental education is fair 
        and accurate in its treatment of environmental issues and is 
        based on sound scientific principles.
            ``(2) Education and learning about the environment are 
        central to protecting the Nation's natural resources and human 
        health.
            ``(3) Environmental education develops an important base of 
        knowledge and skills that can encourage life-long learning in 
        related areas of national interest, such as mathematics, 
        science, and medicine.
            ``(4) Environmental education fosters awareness of the 
        natural and built environment, an understanding of complex 
        environmental concepts, conditions, and issues and provides all 
        learners with the skills to make an independent, informed 
        analysis of environmental issues.
            ``(5) Balanced and scientifically based environmental 
        education provides students of all ages with the resources and 
        the opportunities to explore beyond the classroom and focuses 
        learning on the interdisciplinary nature of environmental 
        issues and conditions.
            ``(6) In attempting to improve public awareness of 
        environmental issues, the Government can best assure that the 
        available information is science-based, balanced, and age-
        appropriate.''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 3 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 5502) is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (12) and inserting the following:
            ``(12) `Foundation' means the National Environmental 
        Learning Foundation established by section 10; and'';
            (2) in paragraph (13), by striking ``National Environmental 
        Education and Training Foundation.'' and inserting 
        ``Foundation;''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following paragraphs:
            ``(14) `Science Advisory Board' means the Science Advisory 
        Board of the Agency established by section 8 of the 
        Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration 
        Authorization Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 4365);
            ``(15) `sponsoring institution' means an institution of 
        higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) with a graduate 
        curriculum in environmental studies or environmental education;
            ``(16) `elementary school' has the meaning given the term 
        in section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
        of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801); and
            ``(17) `secondary school' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801).''.

SEC. 4. OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.

    Section 4 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 5503) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``balanced and 
                scientifically based'' after ``develop and support'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``balanced and 
                scientifically based'' before ``model curricula'';
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' after 
                ``State agencies,'' and by inserting ``business or 
                industry representatives,'' after ``noncommercial 
                educational broadcasting entities,'';
                    (D) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``balanced and 
                scientifically based'' before ``seminars'';
                    (E) in paragraph (6), by striking ``internship 
                and'';
                    (F) in paragraph (9), by inserting ``balanced and 
                scientifically based'' before ``training programs''; 
                and
                    (G) in paragraph (13), by inserting before the 
                period at the end the following: ``through the 
                headquarters and the regional offices of the Agency''; 
                and
            (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
    ``(c) Staff.--The Office of Environmental Education shall--
            ``(1) include a headquarters staff of not more than 10 
        full-time equivalent employees; and
            ``(2) be supported by 1 full-time equivalent employee in 
        each regional office of the Agency.
    ``(d) Activities.--The Administrator may carry out the activities 
described in subsection (b) directly or through awards of grants, 
cooperative agreements, or contacts.''.

SEC. 5. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM.

    Section 5(b) of the John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 5504(b)) is amended by inserting before the first sentence the 
following: ``The environmental education and training program funded 
under this Act shall be of sufficient intensity and duration to have a 
positive and lasting impact on program participants.''.

SEC. 6. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS.

    (a) Eligible Activities.--Section 6(b) of the John H. Chafee 
Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5505(b)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as 
        paragraphs (5) through (7), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 
        paragraphs:
            ``(3) design, demonstration, or dissemination of education 
        and training programs to support the development of more 
        environmentally effective business practices and employees;
            ``(4) design, demonstration, or dissemination of projects 
        that employ the environment as an integrating context for 
        education in science, mathematics, social studies and language 
        arts;''.
    (b) Limitation on Grants.--The second sentence of section 6(i) of 
such Act is amended by striking ``$5,000'' and inserting ``$10,000''.
    (c) Lobbying Activities and Guidance Review.--Section 6 of such Act 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(j) Lobbying Activities.--A grant under this section may not be 
used to support lobbying activities (as described in the documents 
issued by the Office of Management and Budget and designated as OMB 
Circulars No. A-21 and No. A-122).
    ``(k) Guidance Review.--Before the Administrator issues any 
guidance to grant applicants, the guidance shall be reviewed and 
approved by the Science Advisory Board. Guidance to grant applications 
shall be deemed approved by the Science Advisory Board if the Science 
Advisory Board has not responded within 90 days after receipt of a 
request to review guidance.''.

SEC. 7. JOHN H. CHAFEE MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

    Section 7 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 5506) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 7. JOHN H. CHAFEE MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--There is established the John H. Chafee 
Memorial Fellowship Program for the award and administration of 5 
annual, 1-year graduate education fellowships in environmental studies, 
to be known as `John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowships'.
    ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the John H. Chafee Memorial 
Fellowship Program is to recognize outstanding scholarship in 
environmental studies and encourage independent graduate level research 
on innovative approaches to address the problems that stem from the 
natural and built environment.
    ``(c) Award.--Each John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship award--
            ``(1) shall be made available to individual candidates to 
        attend a sponsoring institution and in accordance with an 
        annual competitive selection process established under 
        subsection (f)(2); and
            ``(2) shall be in the amount of $25,000.
    ``(d) Duration.--An individual may not receive an John H. Chafee 
Memorial Fellowship award for 2 consecutive years.
    ``(e) Use of Fellowship.--Each individual awarded a John H. Chafee 
Memorial Fellowship shall focus on the study of--
            ``(1) resource management;
            ``(2) open space preservation;
            ``(3) international environmental issues, such as global 
        climate change and sustainable marine resources; or
            ``(4) any other environmental issue that a sponsoring 
        institution determines to be appropriate.
    ``(f) Administration of Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to the provisions of paragraph 
        (2), the Administrator shall establish and administer the John 
        H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship Program.
            ``(2) Selection of grant recipients.--The Advisory Council 
        established under section 9, shall--
                    ``(A) establish criteria for a competitive 
                selection process for recipients of the John H. Chafee 
                Memorial Fellowships;
                    ``(B) receive applications for the John H. Chafee 
                Memorial Fellowships;
                    ``(C) annually review applications and select 
                recipients of the John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowships; 
                and
                    ``(D) annually report the names of the award 
                recipients to the Administrator.
    ``(g) Distribution of Funds.--The amount of each John H. Chafee 
Memorial Fellowship shall be provided directly to each recipient 
selected by the Advisory Council upon receipt of certification that the 
recipient will adhere to a specific and detailed plan of study and 
research approved by the sponsoring institution.
    ``(h) Funding.--From the amounts made available under section 
11(b)(1)(C) for each fiscal year, the Administrator shall make 
available $125,000 for John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowships.
    ``(i) Fellowship Repayment Provisions.--Repayment of the award 
shall be made to the Administrator in the case of fraud or 
noncompliance as determined by the Advisory Council.''.

SEC. 8. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AWARDS.

    Section 8 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 5507) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 8. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AWARDS.

    ``(a) President's Environmental Education Youth Achievement 
Awards.--The Administrator shall establish a recognition program for 
the granting and administration of awards, to be known as the 
`President's Environmental Education Youth Achievement Awards', to 
young people in grades 6 through 12 to recognize outstanding projects 
that promote local environmental awareness. Priority consideration 
shall be given to projects that demonstrate the use of service or 
experiential learning.
    ``(b) President's Environmental Education Teacher Achievement 
Awards.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Chairman of the Council on 
        Environmental Quality (referred to in this section as `the 
        Chairman'), on behalf of the President, shall establish a 
        program for the granting and administration of awards to 
        recognize and reward--
                    ``(A) teachers in elementary and secondary schools 
                who demonstrate excellence in providing a balanced, 
                scientifically based, and age-appropriate environmental 
                education through innovative approaches, such as 
                service or experiential learning; and
                    ``(B) the local educational agencies that employ 
                such teachers.
            ``(2) Eligibility.--One teacher, and the local educational 
        agency employing the teacher, from each State, the District of 
        Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, shall be 
        eligible to be selected for an award under this subsection.
            ``(3) Cash awards.--
                    ``(A) The Chairman is authorized to provide a cash 
                award of up to $2,500 to each teacher selected to 
                receive an award pursuant to this subsection, which 
                shall be used to further the recipient's professional 
                development in environmental education.
                    ``(B)(i) The Chairman is also authorized to provide 
                a cash award of up to $2,500 to the local educational 
                agency employing any teacher selected to receive an 
                award pursuant to this subsection, which shall be used 
                to fund environmental educational activities and 
                programs.
                    ``(ii) Such awards shall not be used for 
                construction costs, general expenses, salaries, 
                bonuses, or other administrative expenses.
    ``(c) President's Environmental Education Business Achievement 
Awards.--The Administrator shall establish a recognition program for 
the granting and administration of awards, to be known as the 
`President's Environmental Education Business Achievement Awards', to 
recognize outstanding achievements by a business or industry in 
improving business environmental performance through training and 
education programs.''.

SEC. 9. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL AND TASK FORCE.

    Section 9 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 5508) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting after the second 
        sentence the following: ``The Advisory Council shall select the 
        recipients of the John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowships in 
        accordance with the provisions of section 7.'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (2) and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(2) Membership.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Administrator, after 
                consultation with the Secretary, shall appoint not more 
                than a total of 11 members to the Advisory Council.
                    ``(B) Representative of the national environmental 
                learning foundation.--The Administrator shall appoint 
                to the Advisory Council a representative of the 
                National Environmental Learning Foundation.
                    ``(C) Representatives of sectors.--
                            ``(i) Additional representatives.--To the 
                        maximum extent practicable, the Administrator 
                        shall appoint not more than 10 additional 
                        members to the Advisory Council to represent 
                        each of the following sectors:
                                    ``(I) Elementary and secondary 
                                schools;
                                    ``(II) Colleges and universities;
                                    ``(III) Not-for-profit 
                                organizations involved in environmental 
                                education;
                                    ``(IV) State departments of 
                                education and natural resources;
                                    ``(V) Business and industry; and
                                    ``(VI) Senior Americans.
                            ``(ii) Sector representatives.--The 
                        Administrator shall ensure that each sector 
                        referred to in clause (i) is represented by at 
                        least 1 member to the Advisory Council.
                    ``(D) Representative of the secretary.--A 
                representative of the Secretary shall serve as an ex 
                officio member of the Advisory Council.
                    ``(E) Conflict of interest.--The conflict of 
                interest provision at section 208(a) of title 18, 
                United States Code, shall not apply to members' 
                participation in particular matters which affect the 
                financial interests of employers which they represent 
                pursuant to this subsection.'';
            (3) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (2) and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(2) Federal participation.--Membership on the Task Force 
        shall be open to representatives of any Federal agency actively 
        involved in environmental education.''; and
            (4) in subsection (d), by striking ``(d)(1)'' and all that 
        follows through ``(2) The'' and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Meetings and Reports.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Advisory Council shall--
                    ``(A) hold annual meetings to select the recipients 
                of the John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowships;
                    ``(B) hold biennial meetings on timely issues 
                regarding environmental education, which meetings may 
                be combined with the meeting specified in subparagraph 
                (A); and
                    ``(C) issue a report describing the proceedings of 
                each biennial meeting and recommendations resulting 
                from the meeting.
            ``(2) Review and comment on draft reports.--The''.

SEC. 10. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING FOUNDATION.

    (a) Change in Name.--Section 10 of the John H. Chafee Environmental 
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5509) is amended--
            (1) by striking the section heading and inserting the 
        following:

``SEC. 10. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING FOUNDATION.'';

            (2) in the first sentence of subsection (a)(1)(A), by 
        striking ``National Environmental Education and Training 
        Foundation'' and inserting ``National Environmental Learning 
        Foundation''; and
            (3) in subsection (b)(2)(B), by striking ``Education and 
        Labor'' and all that follows through ``Representatives'' and 
        inserting the following: ``Committee on Education and the 
        Workforce, and the Committee on Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives''.
    (b) Number of Directors.--Section 10(b)(1)(A) of the John H. Chafee 
Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5509(b)(1)(A)) is amended in the 
first sentence by striking ``13'' and inserting ``19''.
    (c) Acknowledgment of Donors.--Paragraph (3) of section 10(d) of 
the John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5509(d)(3)) 
is amended to read as follows:
            ``(3) Acknowledgment of donors.--The Foundation may 
        acknowledge receipt of donations by means of a listing of the 
        names of donors, which may include the use of a logo, 
        letterhead, or other commercial symbol, in materials 
        distributed by the Foundation, except that no acknowledgment 
        (including the use of a logo, letterhead, or other commercial 
        symbol of a gift from a for-profit company) shall appear in any 
        educational material presented to students or distributed to 
        schools.''.
    (d) Administrative Services and Support.--Section 10(e) of the John 
H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5509(e)) is repealed.
    (e) Redesignation.--Section 10 of the John H. Chafee Environmental 
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5509) is amended by redesignating subsections 
(f) through (j) as (e) through (k), respectively.

SEC. 11. ACCOUNTABILITY.

    Section 11 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 5510) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 11. ACCOUNTABILITY.

    ``(a) Quality Indicators.--The Administrator shall establish 
indicators of program quality for programs and activities funded under 
this Act (other than fellowship awards funded under section 7).
    ``(b) Minimum Indicators.--Such indicators of program quality, at a 
minimum, shall--
            ``(1) enhance understanding of the natural and built 
        environment;
            ``(2) foster a better appreciation of the interdisciplinary 
        nature of environmental issues and conditions;
            ``(3) increase achievement in related areas of national 
        interest, such as mathematics and science; and
            ``(4) include such other indicators as the Administrator 
        may develop.
    ``(c) Benchmarks.--Each local educational agency, college or 
university, institution of higher education, State educational agency, 
environmental agency, not-for-profit organization, or noncommercial 
educational broadcasting entity receiving a grant or entering into a 
contract or cooperative agreement under this Act (other than fellowship 
awards under section 7) shall establish objective, rigorous, and 
quantifiable benchmarks of performance on the indicators of program 
quality under subsection (b).
    ``(d) Report.--Each recipient receiving funds under this Act, other 
than fellowship recipients under section 7, shall report annually to 
the Administrator regarding progress made in meeting the benchmarks 
established in subsection (c). The Administrator shall disseminate such 
information widely to the public through electronic and other means.''.

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    The John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5510) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Environmental Protection Agency to carry out this Act not more than 
$8,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2006.
    ``(b) Limitations.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), of the amounts 
        made available under subsection (a) for each fiscal year--
                    ``(A) not more than 20 percent may be used for the 
                activities of the Office of Environmental Education 
                established under section 4;
                    ``(B) not more than 25 percent may be used for the 
                operation of the environmental education and training 
                program under section 5;
                    ``(C) not less than 43 percent shall be used for 
                environmental education grants under section 6, of 
                which $125,000 shall be used to fund the John H. Chafee 
                Memorial Fellowship awards under section 7;
                    ``(D) 2 percent shall be used for the teachers 
                awards under section 8(b); and
                    ``(E) 10 percent shall be used for the activities 
                of the Foundation under section 10.
            ``(2) Administrative expenses.--Of the amounts made 
        available under paragraph (1)(A) for each fiscal year, not more 
        than 5 percent may be used for administrative expenses of the 
        Office of Environmental Education.
    ``(c) Expense Report.--As soon as practicable after the end of each 
fiscal year, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report 
describing in detail the activities for which funds appropriated for 
the fiscal year were expended.
    ``(d) Matching Funds.--Funds appropriated pursuant to this section 
may be made available to the National Environmental Learning Foundation 
to match partially or wholly the amount or value of contributions 
(whether in currency, services, or property) made to the Foundation by 
private persons and State and local governments if the Administrator 
determines that such funds will be used to carry out the statutory 
purposes of the Foundation in a manner consistent with the goals, 
objectives, and programs of this Act.''.
                                 <all>