I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H.R. 1276
To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for the research,
development, and demonstration activities of the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 10, 1997
Mr. CALVERT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science
A BILL
To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1998 and 1999
for the research, development, and demonstration activi-
ties of the Environmental Protection Agency, and for
other purposes.
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 ‘‘Environmental Re-
search, Development, and Demonstration Authorization
Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act, the term—
(1) ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Administrator
of the Environmental Protection Agency;
(2) ‘‘Agency’’ means the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency; and
(3) ‘‘Assistant Administrator’’ means the As-
sistant Administrator for Research and Development
of the Agency.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Administrator $595,695,500 for fiscal year
1998 and $612,876,100 for fiscal year 1999 for Science
and Technology activities, including program management
and support, in the areas specified in subsection (b).
(b) SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.—Of the
amounts authorized in subsection (a), there are authorized
to be appropriated the following:
(1) For administration and resource manage-
ment, $227,700 for fiscal year 1998 and $234,500
for fiscal year 1999.
(2) For research in the Office of Air and Radi-
ation, $65,490,700 for fiscal year 1998 and
$67,455,400 for fiscal year 1999, of which—
(A) $43,183,300 for fiscal year 1998 and
$44,478,800 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for ozone, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen
oxides research;
(B) $6,741,200 for fiscal year 1998 and
$6,943,400 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for particulate matter, visibility, and haze
research;
(C) $4,249,200 for fiscal year 1998 and
$4,376,700 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for air toxics research;
(D) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1998 and
$4,120,000 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for acid rain research;
(E) $2,389,900 for fiscal year 1998 and
$2,461,600 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for indoor environment research;
(F) $4,147,100 for fiscal year 1998 and
$4,271,500 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for radiation research; and
(G) $780,000 for fiscal year 1998 and
$803,400 for fiscal year 1999 shall be available
for the working capital fund to support the Na-
tional Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory
in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the National Air and
Radiation Environmental Laboratory in Mont-
gomery, Alabama, and the Radiation and In-
door Environments National Laboratory in Las
Vegas, Nevada.
(3) For enforcement and compliance assurance
at the National Enforcement Investigation Center,
$8,893,100 for fiscal year 1998 and $9,159,900 for
fiscal year 1999.
(4) For prevention, pesticides, and toxic sub-
stances, $3,436,000 for fiscal year 1998 and
$3,539,100 for fiscal year 1999, of which—
(A) $1,546,200 for fiscal year 1998 and
$1,592,600 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for registration activities; and
(B) $1,889,800 for fiscal year 1998 and
$1,946,500 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for reregistration activities.
(5) For the Office of Research and Develop-
ment, $515,902,200 for fiscal year 1998 and
$530,696,200 for fiscal year 1999, of which—
(A) $105,457,900 for fiscal year 1998 and
$108,621,600 for fiscal year 1999 shall be
available for ecosystem protection research;
(B) $14,138,600 for fiscal year 1998 and
$14,562,800 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for global change research;
(C) $19,871,100 for fiscal year 1998 and
$20,467,200 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for air toxics research;
(D) $75,163,100 for fiscal year 1998 and
$77,418,000 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for criteria air pollutants research, includ-
ing—
(i) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1998
and $51,500,000 for fiscal year 1999 for
particulate matter research; and
(ii) $18,700,000 for fiscal year 1998
and $19,260,000 for fiscal year 1999 for
ozone research, including study of the
transportation of ozone and ozone precur-
sors on a national scale;
(E) $39,467,600 for fiscal year 1998 and
$40,651,600 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for drinking water research;
(F) $3,344,800 for fiscal year 1998 and
$3,445,100 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for waste, site, and risk characterization
research;
(G) $5,448,900 for fiscal year 1998 and
$5,612,400 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for waste management and site remedi-
ation research;
(H) $53,626,000 for fiscal year 1998 and
$55,234,800 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for human health protection research;
(I) $15,872,900 for fiscal year 1998 and
$16,349,100 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for special environmental hazards research;
(J) $42,036,000 for fiscal year 1998 and
$43,297,100 for fiscal year 1999 shall be avail-
able for new technology and pollution preven-
tion research; and
(K) $141,482,300 for fiscal year 1998 and
$145,036,500 for fiscal year 1999 shall be
available for science quality and infrastructure
research.
(6) For the Drinking Water Technical Support
Center, $1,738,800 for fiscal year 1998 and
$1,791,000 for fiscal year 1999.
(c) ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATIONS.—There are au-
thorized to be appropriated to the Administrator—
(1) 
for 
oil 
pollution 
related 
research,
$1,017,200 for fiscal year 1998 and $1,047,700 for
fiscal year 1999;
(2) for research related to leaking underground
storage tanks, $693,600 for fiscal year 1998 and
$714,400 for fiscal year 1999; and
(3) for research related to the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liabil-
ity Act of 1980, $39,755,900 for fiscal year 1998
and $40,948,600 for fiscal year 1999.
(d) LIMITATIONS.—(1) No funds are authorized to
be appropriated by this Act for—
(A) the Environmental Technology Initiative;
(B) the Climate Change Action Plan; or
(C) Indoor Air Research.
(2) Other than amounts awarded through a competi-
tive process, no funds are authorized to be appropriated
by this Act for—
(A) the North Dakota Center for Air Toxic
Metals Research;
(B) the American Water Works Association Re-
search Foundation;
(C) the Association of California Water Agen-
cies;
(D) the Water Environmental Research Foun-
dation;
(E) the Experimental Program to Stimulate
Cooperative Research (EPSCoR);
(F) Oil Spill Restoration at the Louisiana Envi-
ronmental Research Center;
(G) the Mine Waste Technology Program;
(H) Livestock and Agriculture Pollution Abate-
ment;
(I) Resource and Agriculture Policy Develop-
ment;
(J) San Joaquin Valley PM–10 Study;
(K) the Mickey Leland National Urban Air
Toxics Research Center;
(L) the Gulf Coast Hazardous Substances Re-
search Center;
(M) the Salinity of the Salton Sea Study at the
University of Redlands;
(N) the Clean Air Status and Trends Network
(CASNET) monitoring station in New England;
(O) the National Decentralized Water Re-
sources Capacity Project;
(P) the Lung Disease Study by the National
Jewish Center;
(Q) the Lower Mississippi River Cancer Study;
or
(R) the Northern Iowa Small Business Pollu-
tion Prevention Center.
SEC. 4. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH REVIEW.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall assign to
the Assistant Administrator the duties of—
(1) developing a strategic plan for scientific and
technical research activities throughout the Agency;
(2) integrating that strategic plan into ongoing
Agency planning activities; and
(3) reviewing all Agency research to ensure the
research—
(A) is of high quality; and
(B) does not duplicate any other research
being conducted by the Agency.
(b) REPORT.—The Assistant Administrator shall
transmit annually to the Administrator and to the Com-
mittee on Science of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Sen-
ate a report detailing—
(1) all Agency research the Assistant Adminis-
trator finds is not of sufficiently high quality; and
(2) all Agency research the Assistant Adminis-
trator finds duplicates other Agency research.
SEC. 5. GRADUATE STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS.
In carrying out the graduate student fellowship pro-
gram for which funds are authorized to be appropriated
by this Act, the Administrator shall ensure that any fel-
lowship award to a student selected after the date of the
enactment of this Act is used only to support scientific
research that would further missions of the Office of Re-
search and Development in fields in which there exists or
is projected to exist a shortage in the number of scientists.
SEC. 6. SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD.
(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Science Advisory Board
shall submit to Congress and to the Administrator an an-
nual report that contains the views of the Science Advisory
Board on proposed research programs as described in the
President’s budget for research, development, and dem-
onstration activities at the Environmental Protection
Agency. Such report shall be submitted to Congress as
soon as practicable after the submission of the President’s
budget to Congress. The Administrator shall cooperate
with the Director of the Science Advisory Board, particu-
larly with respect to the timely provision of budget infor-
mation to the Science Advisory Board, to allow the Science
Advisory Board to carry out its duties under this sub-
section.
(b) EVALUATION.—The Science Advisory Board shall
conduct periodic evaluations of selected areas of the cur-
rent and planned research, development, and demonstra-
tion activities of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The areas of evaluation shall be selected by the Science
Advisory Board in consultation with the Administrator,
the Office of Research and Development, other Agency
programs, and appropriate committees of the Congress.
Reports containing the Science Advisory Board’s evalua-
tions and recommendations shall be filed with such com-
mittees and the Administrator. The Administrator shall
provide to such committees a written response to the
Science Advisory Board’s evaluation and recommendations
within 60 days after the Science Advisory Board’s report
has been submitted.
(c) REVIEW OF CERTAIN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.—
The Science Advisory Board shall annually review the re-
search activities of the Environmental Protection Agency
and shall include the results of such review in the annual
report required by subsection (a).
(d) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—The Administrator
shall submit to the Congress any report required by law
to be submitted to the Administrator by the Science Advi-
sory Board. The Administrator shall make any such sub-
mission not later than 60 days after the Administrator
receives the report from the Science Advisory Board.
(e) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be ap-
propriated to the Administrator $2,418,300 for fiscal year
1998 and $2,490,800 for fiscal year 1999 for activities
of the Science Advisory Board.
SEC. 7. LIMITATIONS.
(a) PROHIBITION OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES.—None
of the funds authorized by this Act shall be available for
any activity whose purpose is to influence legislation pend-
ing before the Congress, except that this subsection shall
not prevent officers or employees of the United States or
of its departments or agencies from communicating to
Members of Congress on the request of any Member or
to Congress, through the proper channels, requests for leg-
islation or appropriations which they deem necessary for
the efficient conduct of the public business.
(b) LIMITATION
ON
APPROPRIATIONS.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, no sums are author-
ized to be appropriated for fiscal years 1998 and 1999
for the activities for which sums are authorized by this
Act, unless such sums are specifically authorized to be ap-
propriated by this Act.
(c) ELIGIBILITY FOR AWARDS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall ex-
clude from consideration for grant agreements made
by the Agency after fiscal year 1997 any person who
received funds, other than those described in para-
graph (2), appropriated for a fiscal year after fiscal
year 1997, under a grant agreement from any Fed-
eral funding source for a project that was not sub-
jected to a competitive, merit-based award process.
Any exclusion from consideration pursuant to this
subsection shall be effective for a period of 5 years
after the person receives such Federal funds.
(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not
apply to the receipt of Federal funds by a person
due to the membership of that person in a class
specified by law for which assistance is awarded to
members of the class according to a formula pro-
vided by law.
(3) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this sub-
section, the term ‘‘grant agreement’’ means a legal
instrument whose principal purpose is to transfer a
thing of value to the recipient to carry out a public
purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a
law of the United States, and does not include the
acquisition (by purchase, lease, or barter) of prop-
erty or services for the direct benefit or use of the
United States Government.
SEC. 8. NOTICE.
(a) NOTICE OF REPROGRAMMING.—If any funds au-
thorized by this Act are subject to a reprogramming action
that requires notice to be provided to the Appropriations
Committees of the House of Representatives and the Sen-
ate, notice of such action shall concurrently be provided
to the Committees on Science, Commerce, and Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of
the Senate.
(b) NOTICE
OF REORGANIZATION.—The Adminis-
trator shall provide notice to the Committees on Science,
Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Ap-
propriations of the House of Representatives, and the
Committees on Environment and Public Works and Ap-
propriations of the Senate, not later than 15 days before
any major reorganization of any program, project, or ac-
tivity of the Agency.
SEC. 9. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM.
With the year 2000 fast approaching, it is the sense
of Congress that the Environmental Protection Agency
should—
(1) give high priority to correcting all 2-digit
date-related problems in its computer systems to en-
sure that those systems continue to operate effec-
tively in the year 2000 and beyond;
(2) assess immediately the extent of the risk to
the operations of the Environmental Protection
Agency posed by the problems referred to in para-
graph (1), and plan and budget for achieving Year
2000 compliance for all of its mission-critical sys-
tems; and
(3) develop contingency plans for those systems
that the Environmental Protection Agency is unable
to correct in time.
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