I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 5305
To enhance the services provided by the Environmental Protection Agency
to small communities that are attempting to comply with national, State,
and local environmental regulations.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 26, 2000
Ms. SLAUGHTER (for herself and Mr. BOEHLERT) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
A BILL
To enhance the services provided by the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency to small communities that are attempting
to comply with national, State, and local environmental
regulations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community Assistance
Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that—
(1) small communities are concerned about im-
proving the environmental quality of their sur-
roundings;
(2) many small communities are uncertain of
the specific requirements of environmental regula-
tions;
(3) the involvement of small communities in the
development of Federal environmental regulations
often occurs late, if at all, in the rulemaking process;
(4) small communities are often underrep-
resented in processes used to review regulations pro-
posed by the Environmental Protection Agency;
(5) the limited scientific, technical, and profes-
sional capacity of many small communities makes
understanding regulatory requirements very difficult;
(6) specific provisions in certain environmental
laws pose compliance problems for small commu-
nities; and
(7) the Small Town Environmental Planning
Task Force, established by section 109 of the Fed-
eral Facility Compliance Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C.
6908) to examine the relationship between the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency and small commu-
nities, recommends additional efforts to improve the
services offered by the Environmental Protection
Agency to small communities.
SEC. 3. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to foster a healthy environ-
ment in which people in small communities may enjoy a
sustainable and continually improving quality of life.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency.
(2) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The term ‘‘advi-
sory committee’’ means the small community advi-
sory committee established under section 5.
(3) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Agency’’ means the
Environmental Protection Agency.
(4) SMALL
COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘small
community’’ means a county, parish, borough, or in-
corporated or unincorporated municipality with a
population of fewer than 7,500 persons.
SEC. 5. SMALL COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator shall es-
tablish a small community advisory committee or reconsti-
tute an existing small community advisory committee.
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The advisory committee shall be
composed of representatives of—
(1) small communities and unincorporated
areas of the United States, including at least 1 small
community member from each of the 10 Agency re-
gions;
(2) Federal and State governmental agencies;
and
(3) public interest groups.
(c) DUTIES.—The advisory committee shall—
(1) identify means to improve the working rela-
tionship between the Agency and small communities;
(2) serve as a mechanism for involving small
communities as early as practicable in the process of
developing environmental regulations, guidance, and
policies;
(3) provide periodic reports to Congress on the
Agency’s success in meeting the needs of small com-
munities; and
(4) provide such other assistance to the Admin-
istrator as the Administrator considers appropriate.
SEC. 6. REGULATORY REVIEW PLAN.
The Administrator shall develop and implement a
plan to increase the involvement of small communities in
the regulatory review processes conducted under chapter
6 of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the
‘‘Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980’’), the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Public
Law 104–121; 5 U.S.C. 601 note), and title II of the Un-
funded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.).
SEC. 7. REGIONAL OUTREACH TO SMALL COMMUNITIES.
(a) SMALL TOWN OMBUDSMAN OFFICE.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—To complement work on
small communities at Agency headquarters, each re-
gional office of the Agency shall establish and staff
a Small Town Ombudsman Office.
(2) DUTIES.—The primary responsibility of
each regional Small Town Ombudsman Office shall
be to serve as—
(A) an advocate for small communities;
and
(B) a facilitator for addressing small com-
munity concerns and programs.
(3) RESOURCES.—Using funds that are other-
wise available to the Agency, the Administrator shall
provide the regional Small Town Ombudsman Of-
fices with such human and capital resources as are
sufficient for the offices to carry out their functions
in a timely and efficient manner.
(b) CONSULTATION PROCESS.—Each regional Small
Town Ombudsman Office shall establish a regular, on-
going consultation process with small communities in the
region, such as by use of a focus group, stakeholder net-
work, or advisory board, to—
(1) serve as a mechanism for involving small
communities in the process of implementing, cre-
ating, and informing the public about environmental
regulations, guidance, and policies; and
(2) provide such other assistance as the re-
gional office considers appropriate.
SEC. 8. SURVEY OF SMALL COMMUNITIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Every 5 years, the Small Town
Ombudsman Office shall—
(1) conduct a survey of small communities; and
(2) publish the results of the survey.
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the survey shall be
to provide information to the Agency and others for use
in regulatory planning, development, and outreach.
(c) INFORMATION.—The survey shall collect informa-
tion on—
(1) information sources used by small commu-
nities to learn of and implement environmental regu-
lations;
(2) the presence of facilities and activities af-
fecting environmental quality in small communities;
(3) the financial instruments used by small
communities to fund the costs of environmentally re-
lated services;
(4) persons in small communities that may be
contacted for information on environmental compli-
ance;
(5) specific topic areas of regulation particu-
larly relevant to small communities;
(6) innovative examples of how small commu-
nities have complied with national, State, and local
environmental regulations in order to protect envi-
ronmental and public health; and
(7) any other topic that the Administrator con-
siders appropriate.
SEC. 9. GUIDE FOR SMALL COMMUNITIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall
produce and distribute to small communities a guide to
Federal environmental requirements for small commu-
nities.
(b) CONTENTS.—The guide shall—
(1) describe all mandated environmental re-
quirements applicable to small communities; and
(2) provide Federal, regional, and State con-
tacts for all such environmental requirements.
(c) UPDATING.—Not less frequently than annually,
the Administrator shall—
(1) review and update any parts of the guide
that pertain to requirements that have changed; and
(2) distribute guide amendments to small com-
munities.
SEC. 10. FEEDBACK PLAN.
The Administrator shall develop and implement a
plan for periodically obtaining feedback from small com-
munities on the effectiveness of the Agency in—
(1) involving small communities in regulatory
development and implementation; and
(2) reaching out to small communities to pro-
vide educational and other assistance.
SEC. 11. NO IMPOSITION OF COSTS ON SMALL COMMU-
NITIES.
The Administrator shall not impose on any small
community any cost incurred in carrying out this Act.
SEC. 12. REPORT.
Not later than the date that is 2 years after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit
to Congress a report describing the regulatory review plan
developed under section 6, the feedback plan developed
under section 10, and other activities conducted in car-
rying out this Act.
SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this Act $5,000,000.
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