I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3611
To establish the California Urban Environmental Research and Education
Center.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 21, 1993
Mr. STARK (for himself, Mr. DELLUMS, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. HORN, Mr. MATSUI,
Mr. LANTOS, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. HAMBURG, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. MILLER
of California, Mr. FAZIO, Mr. GALLEGLY, and Mr. MINETA) introduced
the following bill; which was referred jointly to the Committees on
Science, Space, and Technology and Education and Labor
A BILL
To establish the California Urban Environmental Research
and Education Center.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) California rapid population growth and the
lack of understanding about the environmental im-
pacts of this growth have caused a number of seri-
ous present and potential barriers to future eco-
nomic development of California.
(2) California has great environmental complex-
ity and diversity and a great variety of human inter-
ventions in its ecosystem.
(3) Future environmental policies for California
must be informed by careful cost-benefit analysis
that considers the serious risks, and the benefits, of
environmental policy.
(4) The establishment of a California Urban
Environmental Research and Education Center
would promote environmentally sound economic de-
velopment in California and ensure that continued
sustainable economic development can occur.
(5) Due to the closing of many military facili-
ties and installations in California, such a Center
can provide important assistance to the process of
converting defense resources to non-defense uses.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator of the En-
vironmental Protection Agency shall establish the Califor-
nia Urban Environmental Research and Training Center.
(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—
(1) AUTHORITY.—If the California State Uni-
versity, Hayward consents to the agreement and
provides the matching funds required by paragraph
(2), the Administrator shall enter into a cooperative
agreement with the California State University,
Hayward to establish the Center. The California
State University, Hayward shall work in close co-
operation with other universities of the California
State University system (including the California
State Universities at Sacramento, San Jose, San
Francisco, and Sonoma) in the research and policy
analysis performed under any such cooperative
agreement.
(2) MATCHING FUNDS.—In order to receive the
cooperative agreement described in paragraph (1),
the California State University, Hayward, shall
guarantee matching funds or in-kind resources equal
to 20 percent of the funds received from the Center.
The Center and the California State University,
Hayward shall, to the maximum extent practicable,
solicit additional funds or in-kind contributions from
State, local, and private sources to increase the abil-
ity of the Center to conduct research and education
projects under this Act.
(3) MEMBERSHIP.—A university in the Califor-
nia State University system or a university in Cali-
fornia which is not a university in the California
State University system may become a member of
the Center under such guidelines and conditions as
are reasonable and mutually agreeable to the Center
and the university.
(c) GOVERNING BOARD.—
(1) INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—For the two-year
period beginning on the date of the establishment of
the Center, the Center shall have a Governing Board
composed of the following:
(A) The Executive Director of the Center.
(B) One member appointed by the Presi-
dent of the California State University, Hay-
ward.
(C) One member appointed by the Presi-
dent of the California State University, Sac-
ramento.
(D) One member appointed by the Presi-
dent of the California State University, San
Jose.
(E) One member appointed by the Presi-
dent of the California State University, San
Francisco.
(F) One member appointed by the Presi-
dent 
of 
the 
California 
State 
University,
Sonoma.
(2) SUBSEQUENT
APPOINTMENTS.—After the
two-year period referred to in paragraph (1), the
composition of the Governing Board shall be deter-
mined by the sitting members of the Governing
Board, in consultation with the Presidents of each
university of the California State University system.
(3) DUTIES.—It shall be the duty of the Gov-
erning Board—
(A) to establish criteria for membership in
the Center;
(B) to establish criteria and requirements
for the contribution of Matching funds or in
kind contributions by member universities and
those applying for membership in the Center;
(C) to establish guidelines for fair rep-
resentation on the Governing Board of univer-
sities that are not universities of the California
State University system;
(D) to establish how scholarships, fellow-
ships, and grants will be awarded by the Cen-
ter; and
(E) to perform such other duties as the
Governing Board considers necessary to carry
out the functions of the Center under this Act.
(d) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; STAFF.—
(1) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The Center shall
have an Executive Director who shall be appointed
(1) To develop an ongoing program of environ-
mental research, education, and outreach that can
be used by the Federal Government, State and local
governments, and the private sector to ensure that
future government policies to encourage economic
development in California are grounded on sound,
sustainable environmental and economic principles.
(2) To foster public-private partnerships to find
solutions to the environmental problems of Califor-
nia.
(3) To bring together researchers from the
members of the Center to focus on the most impor-
tant environmental problems of California related to
sustainable economic development, with the aim of
analysis and synthesis of policy implications and dis-
semination of research findings.
(4) To support the following activities:
(A) The coordination and funding of re-
search activities of universities for collaborative
collection and evaluation of data on Californias
geology, hydrology, soils, biology, weather and
climate, natural hazards, demography, infra-
structure, resource use, land-use patterns, land-
ownership patterns, business development, envi-
ronmental equity, and regulatory zones.
(B) The analysis of public policy implica-
tions of economic development programs that
affect the ecology of California.
(C) The conduct of seminars and other
educational programs for policy makers in the
Federal Government, State and local govern-
ments, and the private sector on the implica-
tions of the findings and conclusions derived
from the Center’s activities. The Center shall
use electronic technology, such as computer net-
works and video conferencing, to convey the cu-
mulative findings and conclusions derived from
the Center’s activities and to foster an exchange
of ideas.
(D) The conduct, not more than once each
year, of a national conference on ecology and
sustainable economic development for business
and labor leaders to foster an exchange of ideas
and information.
(E) The provision of ready access to the
Center’s collective expertise for policy makers in
the Federal Government and State and local
governments, and for representatives of private-
and public-sector organizations, through meet-
ings, publications, special reports, video, elec-
tronic mail, computer networks, and other
means to share up-to-date information on re-
search findings and policy development for sus-
tainable economic development.
(F) The development of educational pro-
grams, curricula, and instructional materials for
colleges, universities, and other educational in-
stitutions to impart the knowledge and skills re-
quired to implement environmentally sustain-
able economic development.
(G) The development of bachelors and
masters degree programs for individuals who
have lost or may lose employment as a result of
cutbacks in defense spending to prepare such
individuals for employment as environmental
professionals, and the development of certifi-
cation programs in environmental sciences and
studies for such individuals.
(H) The preparation of minority students
for environmental professions, including the de-
velopment of an enriched curriculum in the en-
vironmental sciences at the baccalaureate and
post-graduate levels for underrepresented mi-
nority students to prepare such students for ca-
reers in various environmental areas, such as
environmental health and the clean-up of mili-
tary installations and facilities.
(I) The development and administration of
a national repository of information on key en-
vironmental and related economic development
issues that can be readily accessed by private-
and public-sector entities, including the imposi-
tion, if necessary, of a fee for users of the re-
pository to cover the cost of its operation.
(5) To work closely with other university re-
search centers for which funds have been provided
by the Environmental Protection Agency to help es-
tablish a National Environmental Outreach Program
to assist the Federal Government, State and local
governments, and the private sector in programs and
projects designed to promote environmentally sound
economic development.
(6) To work closely with Federally-funded re-
search centers, such as the Lawrence-Livermore Na-
tional Research Laboratory, to foster the transfer
and application of environmental technology to the
private sector.
(7) To assist small businesses in meeting envi-
ronmental regulations by providing short courses
and conferences and to develop methods and models
by which small businesses may finance ‘‘green’’ in-
vestment where private-sector funds are otherwise
not generally available.
(8) To work closely, as requested, with public-
sector officials, private-sector businesses, and indi-
viduals seeking alternative uses for military installa-
tions and facilities that have been or are about to be
closed to assist in planning the environmental as-
pects of the conversion and clean-up of the installa-
tions and facilities.
(9) During its first year, to develop a plan, in
conjunction with other universities to extend the ac-
tivities of the Center throughout the State within
two years. The plan shall pay particular attention to
the need for environmentally sound conversion and
economic use of military installations and facilities
throughout the State.
(b) SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS.—
(1) SCHOLARSHIPS.—The Center may provide
for the award of undergraduate scholarships for in-
dividuals studying in environmental fields at univer-
sities that are members of the Center. Individuals
who have lost or may lose employment as a result
of the closing of a military installation or facility in
the State of California shall have a preference over
other individuals in the award of scholarships under
this paragraph.
(2) FELLOWSHIPS.—The Center may provide
for the award of graduate assistantships and fellow-
ships at the Center to encourage study in fields re-
lated to sustainable economic development and the
award of research grants to faculty to encourage re-
search critical to fulfillment of the activities and
aims of the Center.
SEC. 4. REPORT.
The Center shall annually submit to the Adminis-
trator a report on the activities of the Center and on any
changing budget needs. The Center shall include in the
first report submitted under this subsection a statement
of any additional funds that may be required to extend
the activities of the Center throughout the State.
SEC. 5. GIFTS AND DONATIONS.
The Center may receive funds and other property do-
nated, bequeathed, or devised to the Center with or with-
out a condition of restriction, for the purpose of furthering
the activities of the Center. All funds donated, bequeathed,
or devised to the Center shall be retained in a separate
account. Each annual report submitted pursuant to sec-
tion 4 shall include an accounting of the funds and prop-
erty donated, bequeathed, or devised to the Center during
the year covered by the annual report.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad-
ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) The term ‘‘Center’’ means the California
Urban Environmental Research and Education Cen-
ter established pursuant to section 2.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act $2,500,000 for fiscal year
1995 and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal
years 1996 through 1999.
(b) AVAILABILITY.—Funds appropriated pursuant to
the authority of subsection (a) shall remain available until
expended.
(c) MATCHING FUNDS.—The Center shall make a
good faith effort to match the amount of funds appro-
priated pursuant to this section with funding from State
and local governments and the private sector.
Æ