1. U.S. Code
  2. title 7
  3. chapter 85
  4. § 5401

Collapse to view only § 5401. Establishment of Agricultural Council on Environmental Quality

§ 5401. Establishment of Agricultural Council on Environmental Quality
(a) Establishment
(b) Membership
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, § 1471, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3619.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 5401

§ 5402. Office of Agricultural Environmental Quality
(a) Establishment
(b) Director
(c) Staff
(1) Appointments
(2) Liaisons
(3) Additional staff
(d) Duties of Director
(1) In general
(2) Additional duties
The Director shall also be responsible for—
(A) recommending to the Council environmental protection goals and specific programs, initiatives, and policies that will balance the needs of production agriculture with environmental concerns;
(B) providing advice to the Council on the development, implementation, and review of activities of agencies of the Department to ensure consistency with the Department’s environmental protection goals;
(C) coordinating environmental policy within the Department through the program managers, and between the Department and other Federal agencies, regional authorities, State and local governments, land-grant and other colleges and universities, and nonprofit and commercial organizations, regarding programs and actions relating to environmental quality;
(D) serving as a coordinator for the Department’s data, information, programs, and initiatives dealing with environmental quality;
(E) developing the plans and reports required as specified by this chapter; and
(F) providing such staff as may be necessary to support the activities of the Council.
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, § 1472, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3619.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 5402

§ 5403. Environmental Quality Policy Statement
(a) Environmental Quality Policy Statement, implementation plan, and annual report
(1) Policy statement
(2) Assessment
The assessment under paragraph (1) shall include:
(A) Detailed descriptions of the roles of the involved Departmental agencies.
(B) A description of current efforts to coordinate the individual activities of each of the involved departmental agencies.
(C) Recommendations for precluding any undesirable duplication of efforts within the Department and among the Department and other Federal and State programs.
(D) Specific recommendations for new initiatives in monitoring, research, extension, and technical assistance efforts to address present and potential environmental quality problems.
The assessment may incorporate existing documents and planning processes within the Department.
(b) Implementation plan
(c) Annual environmental quality report
Not later than January 31, 1992, and annually thereafter, the Council, through the Director, shall prepare and submit an annual report to the Congress, other appropriate Federal and State agencies, and the public on the progress being made toward the goals and objectives established in the Environmental Quality Policy Statement. The report shall also include—
(1) a review of the environmental activities and initiatives of the Department during the preceding year;
(2) specific action taken to coordinate the environmental programs of the Department with programs of other Federal agencies and related State programs; and
(3) such recommendations as the Secretary considers appropriate regarding current or additional environmental protection programs, initiatives, or policies that will balance the needs of production agriculture while addressing environmental concerns.
(d) Authorization of appropriations
(Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, § 1473, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3620; Pub. L. 102–237, title II, § 201(d), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1847.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 5403

§ 5404. Good Neighbor Environmental Board
(a) Establishment
(b) Purpose
(c) Membership
The Board shall be composed of—
(1) representatives from the United States Government, including a representative from the Department of Agriculture and representatives from other appropriate agencies;
(2) representatives from the governments of the States of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas; and
(3) representatives from private organizations, including community development, academic, health, environmental, and other nongovernmental entities with experience and expertise on environmental and infrastructure problems along the southwest border.
(d) Annual reports to President and Congress
(1) In general
The Board shall submit to the President and the Congress of the United States an annual report on—
(A) the environmental and infrastructure projects referred to in subsection (a) that have been implemented, and
(B) the need for the implementation of additional environmental and infrastructure projects.
(2) Transmission of copies to Board members
The Board shall—
(A) transmit to each member of the Board a copy of any report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) at least 14 days before its submission, and
(B) allow each member of the Board to have 14 days within which to prepare and submit supplemental views with respect to the recommendations of the Board for inclusion in such report.
(Pub. L. 102–532, § 6, Oct. 27, 1992, 106 Stat. 3513.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 5404

§ 5405. Agricultural air quality research oversight
(a) Findings
Congress finds that—
(1) various studies have alleged that agriculture is a source of PM–10 emissions;
(2) many of these studies have often been based on erroneous data;
(3) Federal research activities are currently being conducted by the Department of Agriculture to determine the true extent to which agricultural activities contribute to air pollution and to determine cost-effective ways in which the agricultural industry can reduce any pollution that exists; and
(4) any Federal policy recommendations that may be issued by any Federal agency to address air pollution problems related to agriculture or any other industrial activity should be based on sound scientific findings that are subject to adequate peer review and should take into account economic feasibility.
(b) Purpose
(c) Oversight coordination
(1) Intergovernmental cooperation
(2) Correct data
(d) Task force
(1) Establishment
(2) Composition
(3) Duties
(Pub. L. 104–127, title III, § 391, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1025.)

CITE AS: 7 USC 5405