Environmental Policy and Conflict Resolution Act of 1997

Summary: Environmental Policy and Conflict Resolution Act of 1997 - Amends the Morris K.  Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act of 1992 to include on the Board of Trustees of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation the chairperson of the President's Council on Environmental Quality. 
Revises the purposes and authority of the Foundation to include establishment of the United States Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution to assist the Government in implementing environmental assessment provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. 
Establishes the Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund in the Treasury for the establishment and operation of the Institute. 
Establishes procedures for use by a Federal agency of the Foundation and the Institute to provide assessment, mediation, or related services in connection with a dispute or conflict related to the environment, public lands, or natural resources. 
Authorizes appropriations to the Fund for capitalization and operation costs.

FUND.

    (a) Redesignation.--Sections 10 and 11 of the Morris K. Udall 
Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native 
American Public Policy Act of 1992 (20 U.S.C. 5608, 5609) are 
redesignated as sections 12 and 13 of that Act, respectively.
    (b) Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund.--The Morris K. Udall 
Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native 
American Public Policy Act of 1992 (20 U.S.C. 5601 et seq.) (as amended 
by subsection (a)) is amended by inserting after section 9 the 
following:

``SEC. 10. ENVIRONMENTAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION FUND.

    ``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the 
United States an Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund to be 
administered by the Foundation. The Fund shall consist of amounts 
appropriated to the Fund under section 13(b) and amounts paid into the 
Fund under section 11.
    ``(b) Expenditures.--The Foundation shall expend from the Fund such 
sums as the Board determines are necessary to establish and operate the 
Institute, including such amounts as are necessary for salaries, 
administration, the provision of mediation and other services, and such 
other expenses as the Board determines are necessary.
    ``(c) Distinction From Trust Fund.--The Fund shall be maintained 
separately from the Trust Fund established under section 8.
    ``(d) Investment of Amounts.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall 
        invest such portion of the Fund as is not, in the judgment of 
        the Secretary, required to meet current withdrawals.
            ``(2) Interest-bearing obligations.--Investments may be 
        made only in interest-bearing obligations of the United States.
            ``(3) Acquisition of obligations.--For the purpose of 
        investments under paragraph (1), obligations may be acquired--
                    ``(A) on original issue at the issue price; or
                    ``(B) by purchase of outstanding obligations at the 
                market price.
            ``(4) Sale of obligations.--Any obligation acquired by the 
        Fund may be sold by the Secretary of the Treasury at the market 
        price.
            ``(5) Credits to fund.--The interest on, and the proceeds 
        from the sale or redemption of, any obligations held in the 
        Fund shall be credited to and form a part of the Fund.''.

SEC. 7. USE OF THE INSTITUTE BY A FEDERAL AGENCY.

    The Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National 
Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act of 1992 (20 U.S.C. 
5601 et seq.) (as amended by section 6) is amended by inserting after 
section 10 the following:

``SEC. 11. USE OF THE INSTITUTE BY A FEDERAL AGENCY.

    ``(a) Authorization.--A Federal agency may use the Foundation and 
the Institute to provide assessment, mediation, or other related 
services in connection with a dispute or conflict related to the 
environment, public lands, or natural resources.
    ``(b) Payment.--
            ``(1) In general.--A Federal agency may enter into a 
        contract and expend funds to obtain the services of the 
        Institute.
            ``(2) Payment into environmental dispute resolution fund.--
        A payment from an executive agency on a contract entered into 
        under paragraph (1) shall be paid into the Environmental 
        Dispute Resolution Fund established under section 10.
    ``(c) Notification and Concurrence.--
            ``(1) Notification.--An agency or instrumentality of the 
        Federal Government shall notify the chairperson of the 
        President's Council on Environmental Quality when using the 
        Foundation or the Institute to provide the services described 
        in subsection (a).
            ``(2) Notification descriptions.--A notification under 
        paragraph (1) shall include a written description of--
                    ``(A) the issues and parties involved;
                    ``(B) prior efforts, if any, undertaken by the 
                agency to resolve or address the issue or issues; and
                    ``(C) other relevant information.
            ``(3) Concurrence.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In a case that involves a 
                dispute or conflict between 2 or more agencies or 
                instrumentalities of the Federal Government (including 
                branches or divisions of a single agency or 
                instrumentality), an agency or instrumentality of the 
                Federal Government shall obtain the concurrence of the 
                chairperson of the President's Council on Environmental 
                Quality before using the Foundation or Institute to 
                provide the services described in subsection (a).
                    ``(B) Indication of concurrence or 
                nonconcurrence.--The chairperson of the President's 
                Council on Environmental Quality shall indicate 
                concurrence or nonconcurrence under subparagraph (A) 
                not later than 20 days after receiving notice of the 
                dispute or conflict.''.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 13 of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and 
Excellence in National Environmental and Native American Public Policy 
Act of 1992 (as redesignated by section 6(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``There are authorized to be appropriated 
        to the Fund'' and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Trust Fund.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Trust Fund''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund 
established under section 10--
            ``(1) $4,250,000 for fiscal year 1998, of which--
                    ``(A) $3,000,000 shall be for capitalization; and
                    ``(B) $1,250,000 shall be for operation costs; and
            ``(2) $1,250,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2002 
        for operation costs.''.

SEC. 9. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) The second sentence of section 8(a) of the Morris K. Udall 
Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native 
American Public Policy Act of 1992 (20 U.S.C. 5606) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``fund'' and inserting ``Trust Fund''; and
            (2) by striking ``section 11'' and inserting ``section 
        13(a)''.
    (b) Sections 7(a)(6), 8(b), and 9(a) of the Morris K. Udall 
Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native 
American Public Policy Act of 1992 (20 U.S.C. 5605(a)(6), 5606(b), 
5607(a)) are each amended by striking ``Fund'' and inserting ``Trust 
Fund'' each place it appears.

            Passed the Senate October 9, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                    GARY SISCO,

                                                             Secretary.