I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4745
To amend the National Environmental Education Act to redesignate the
Act as the ‘‘John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act’’, to establish
the John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship Program, to extend the pro-
grams under the Act, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 26, 2000
Mr. CASTLE (for himself, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. GREEN-
WOOD, Mrs. ROUKEMA, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. WALSH, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr.
HOLT, and Mr. UPTON) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To amend the National Environmental Education Act to
redesignate the Act as the ‘‘John H. Chafee Environ-
mental Education Act’’, to establish the John H. Chafee
Memorial Fellowship Program, to extend the programs
under the Act, 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; REFERENCES; AND TABLE OF
CONTENTS.
(a) THIS ACT.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘John
H. Chafee Environmental Education Act of 2000’’.
(b) NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACT.—
Section 1(a) of the National Environmental Education Act
(20 U.S.C. 5501(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘National En-
vironmental Education Act’’ and inserting ‘‘John H.
Chafee Environmental Education Act’’.
(c) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—Section 1(b) of the John
H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C.
5501(b)) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—
‘‘Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
‘‘Sec. 2. Findings.
‘‘Sec. 3. Definitions.
‘‘Sec. 4. Office of Environmental Education.
‘‘Sec. 5. Environmental education and training program.
‘‘Sec. 6. Environmental education grants.
‘‘Sec. 7. John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship Program.
‘‘Sec. 8. Environmental education awards.
‘‘Sec. 9. Environmental Education Advisory Council and Task Force.
‘‘Sec. 10. National Environmental Learning Foundation.
‘‘Sec. 11. Accountability.
‘‘Sec. 12. Authorization of appropriations.’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Section 2(a) of the John H. Chafee Environmental
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5502(a)) is amended to read
as follows:
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
‘‘(1) The most effective environmental edu-
cation is fair and accurate in its treatment of envi-
ronmental issues and is based on sound scientific
principles.
‘‘(2) Education and learning about the environ-
ment are central to protecting the Nation’s natural
resources and human health.
‘‘(3) Environmental education develops an im-
portant base of knowledge and skills that can en-
courage life-long learning in related areas of national
interest, such as mathematics, science, and medicine.
‘‘(4) Environmental education fosters awareness
of the natural and built environment, an under-
standing of complex environmental concepts, condi-
tions, and issues and provides all learners with the
skills to make an independent, informed analysis of
environmental issues.
‘‘(5) Balanced and scientifically based environ-
mental education provides students of all ages with
the resources and the opportunities to explore be-
yond the classroom and focuses learning on the
interdisciplinary nature of environmental issues and
conditions.
‘‘(6) In attempting to improve public awareness
of environmental issues, the Government can best
assure that the available information is science-
based, balanced, and age-appropriate.’’.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
Section 3 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Edu-
cation Act (20 U.S.C. 5502) is amended—
(1) by striking paragraph (12) and inserting
the following:
‘‘(12) ‘Foundation’ means the National Envi-
ronmental Learning Foundation established by sec-
tion 10; and’’;
(2) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘National
Environmental Education and Training Founda-
tion.’’ and inserting ‘‘Foundation;’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following para-
graphs:
‘‘(14) ‘Science Advisory Board’ means the
Science Advisory Board of the Agency established by
section 8 of the Environmental Research, Develop-
ment, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978
(42 U.S.C. 4365);
‘‘(15) ‘sponsoring institution’ means an institu-
tion of higher education (as defined in section 101
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001)) with a graduate curriculum in environmental
studies or environmental education;
‘‘(16) ‘elementary school’ has the meaning
given the term in section 14101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
8801); and
‘‘(17) ‘secondary school’ has the meaning given
the term in section 14101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
8801).’’.
SEC. 4. OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.
Section 4 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Edu-
cation Act (20 U.S.C. 5503) is amended—
(1) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘bal-
anced and scientifically based’’ after ‘‘develop
and support’’;
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘bal-
anced and scientifically based’’ before ‘‘model
curricula’’;
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’
after ‘‘State agencies,’’ and by inserting ‘‘busi-
ness or industry representatives,’’ after ‘‘non-
commercial educational broadcasting entities,’’;
(D) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘bal-
anced and scientifically based’’ before ‘‘semi-
nars’’;
(E) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘intern-
ship and’’;
(F) in paragraph (9), by inserting ‘‘bal-
anced and scientifically based’’ before ‘‘training
programs’’; and
(G) in paragraph (13), by inserting before
the period at the end the following: ‘‘through
the headquarters and the regional offices of the
Agency’’; and
(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the
following:
‘‘(c) STAFF.—The Office of Environmental Edu-
cation shall—
‘‘(1) include a headquarters staff of not more
than 10 full-time equivalent employees; and
‘‘(2) be supported by 1 full-time equivalent em-
ployee in each regional office of the Agency.
‘‘(d) ACTIVITIES.—The Administrator may carry out
the activities described in subsection (b) directly or
through awards of grants, cooperative agreements, or con-
tacts.’’.
SEC. 5. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING PRO-
GRAM.
Section 5(b) of the John H. Chafee Environmental
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5504(b)) is amended by insert-
ing before the first sentence the following: ‘‘The environ-
mental education and training program funded under this
Act shall be of sufficient intensity and duration to have
a positive and lasting impact on program participants.’’.
SEC. 6. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS.
(a) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Section 6(b) of the John
H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C.
5505(b)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through
(5) as paragraphs (5) through (7), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing new paragraphs:
‘‘(3) design, demonstration, or dissemination of
education and training programs to support the de-
velopment of more environmentally effective business
practices and employees;
‘‘(4) design, demonstration, or dissemination of
projects that employ the environment as an inte-
grating context for education in science, mathe-
matics, social studies and language arts;’’.
(b) LIMITATION ON GRANTS.—The second sentence
of section 6(i) of such Act is amended by striking
‘‘$5,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$10,000’’.
(c) LOBBYING
ACTIVITIES
AND
GUIDANCE
RE-
VIEW.—Section 6 of such Act is amended by adding at
the end the following:
‘‘(j) LOBBYING ACTIVITIES.—A grant under this sec-
tion may not be used to support lobbying activities (as
described in the documents issued by the Office of Man-
agement and Budget and designated as OMB Circulars
No. A–21 and No. A–122).
‘‘(k) GUIDANCE REVIEW.—Before the Administrator
issues any guidance to grant applicants, the guidance shall
be reviewed and approved by the Science Advisory Board.
Guidance to grant applications shall be deemed approved
by the Science Advisory Board if the Science Advisory
Board has not responded within 90 days after receipt of
a request to review guidance.’’.
SEC. 7. JOHN H. CHAFEE MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP PRO-
GRAM.
Section 7 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Edu-
cation Act (20 U.S.C. 5506) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘SEC. 7. JOHN H. CHAFEE MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP PRO-
GRAM.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the
John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship Program for the
award and administration of 5 annual, 1-year graduate
education fellowships in environmental studies, to be
known as ‘John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowships’.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the John H. Chafee
Memorial Fellowship Program is to recognize outstanding
scholarship in environmental studies and encourage inde-
pendent graduate level research on innovative approaches
to address the problems that stem from the natural and
built environment.
‘‘(c) AWARD.—Each John H. Chafee Memorial Fel-
lowship award—
‘‘(1) shall be made available to individual can-
didates to attend a sponsoring institution and in ac-
cordance with an annual competitive selection proc-
ess established under subsection (f)(2); and
‘‘(2) shall be in the amount of $25,000.
‘‘(d) DURATION.—An individual may not receive an
John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship award for 2 consecu-
tive years.
‘‘(e) USE OF FELLOWSHIP.—Each individual award-
ed a John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship shall focus on
the study of—
‘‘(1) resource management;
‘‘(2) open space preservation;
‘‘(3) international environmental issues, such as
global climate change and sustainable marine re-
sources; or
‘‘(4) any other environmental issue that a spon-
soring institution determines to be appropriate.
‘‘(f) ADMINISTRATION OF GRANTS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the provisions of
paragraph (2), the Administrator shall establish and
administer the John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship
Program.
‘‘(2) SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.—The
Advisory Council established under section 9, shall—
‘‘(A) establish criteria for a competitive se-
lection process for recipients of the John H.
Chafee Memorial Fellowships;
‘‘(B) receive applications for the John H.
Chafee Memorial Fellowships;
‘‘(C) annually review applications and se-
lect recipients of the John H. Chafee Memorial
Fellowships; and
‘‘(D) annually report the names of the
award recipients to the Administrator.
‘‘(g) DISTRIBUTION
OF FUNDS.—The amount of
each John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship shall be pro-
vided directly to each recipient selected by the Advisory
Council upon receipt of certification that the recipient will
adhere to a specific and detailed plan of study and re-
search approved by the sponsoring institution.
‘‘(h) FUNDING.—From the amounts made available
under section 11(b)(1)(C) for each fiscal year, the Admin-
istrator shall make available $125,000 for John H. Chafee
Memorial Fellowships.
‘‘(i) FELLOWSHIP REPAYMENT PROVISIONS.—Re-
payment of the award shall be made to the Administrator
in the case of fraud or noncompliance as determined by
the Advisory Council.’’.
SEC. 8. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AWARDS.
Section 8 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Edu-
cation Act (20 U.S.C. 5507) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘SEC. 8. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AWARDS.
‘‘(a) PRESIDENT’S
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION
YOUTH
ACHIEVEMENT
AWARDS.—The Administrator
shall establish a recognition program for the granting and
administration of awards, to be known as the ‘President’s
Environmental Education Youth Achievement Awards’, to
young people in grades 6 through 12 to recognize out-
standing projects that promote local environmental aware-
ness. Priority consideration shall be given to projects that
demonstrate the use of service or experiential learning.
‘‘(b) PRESIDENT’S
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION
TEACHER ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Chairman of the
Council on Environmental Quality (referred to in
this section as ‘the Chairman’), on behalf of the
President, shall establish a program for the granting
and administration of awards to recognize and
reward—
‘‘(A) teachers in elementary and secondary
schools who demonstrate excellence in providing
a balanced, scientifically based, and age-appro-
priate environmental education through innova-
tive approaches, such as service or experiential
learning; and
‘‘(B) the local educational agencies that
employ such teachers.
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY.—One teacher, and the local
educational agency employing the teacher, from each
State, the District of Columbia, and the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, shall be eligible to be selected
for an award under this subsection.
‘‘(3) CASH AWARDS.—
‘‘(A) The Chairman is authorized to pro-
vide a cash award of up to $2,500 to each
teacher selected to receive an award pursuant
to this subsection, which shall be used to fur-
ther the recipient’s professional development in
environmental education.
‘‘(B)(i) The Chairman is also authorized to
provide a cash award of up to $2,500 to the
local educational agency employing any teacher
selected to receive an award pursuant to this
subsection, which shall be used to fund environ-
mental educational activities and programs.
‘‘(ii) Such awards shall not be used for
construction costs, general expenses, salaries,
bonuses, or other administrative expenses.
‘‘(c) PRESIDENT’S
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION
BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS.—The Administrator
shall establish a recognition program for the granting and
administration of awards, to be known as the ‘President’s
Environmental Education Business Achievement Awards’,
to recognize outstanding achievements by a business or in-
dustry in improving business environmental performance
through training and education programs.’’.
SEC. 9. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL
AND TASK FORCE.
Section 9 of the John H. Chafee Environmental Edu-
cation Act (20 U.S.C. 5508) is amended—
(1) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting after the
second sentence the following: ‘‘The Advisory Coun-
cil shall select the recipients of the John H. Chafee
Memorial Fellowships in accordance with the provi-
sions of section 7.’’;
(2) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (2)
and inserting the following:
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator,
after consultation with the Secretary, shall ap-
point not more than a total of 11 members to
the Advisory Council.
‘‘(B) REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
LEARNING
FOUNDATION.—
The Administrator shall appoint to the Advisory
Council a representative of the National Envi-
ronmental Learning Foundation.
‘‘(C) REPRESENTATIVES OF SECTORS.—
‘‘(i) 
ADDITIONAL
REPRESENTA-
TIVES.—To the maximum extent prac-
ticable, the Administrator shall appoint not
more than 10 additional members to the
Advisory Council to represent each of the
following sectors:
‘‘(I) Elementary and secondary
schools;
‘‘(II) Colleges and universities;
‘‘(III) 
Not-for-profit 
organiza-
tions involved in environmental edu-
cation;
‘‘(IV) State departments of edu-
cation and natural resources;
‘‘(V) Business and industry; and
‘‘(VI) Senior Americans.
‘‘(ii) SECTOR
REPRESENTATIVES.—
The Administrator shall ensure that each
sector referred to in clause (i) is rep-
resented by at least 1 member to the Advi-
sory Council.
‘‘(D) REPRESENTATIVE
OF
THE
SEC-
RETARY.—A representative of the Secretary
shall serve as an ex officio member of the Advi-
sory Council.
‘‘(E) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—The con-
flict of interest provision at section 208(a) of
title 18, United States Code, shall not apply to
members’ participation in particular matters
which affect the financial interests of employers
which they represent pursuant to this sub-
section.’’;
(3) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (2)
and inserting the following:
‘‘(2) FEDERAL
PARTICIPATION.—Membership
on the Task Force shall be open to representatives
of any Federal agency actively involved in environ-
mental education.’’; and
(4) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘(d)(1)’’ and
all that follows through ‘‘(2) The’’ and inserting the
following:
‘‘(d) MEETINGS AND REPORTS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Advisory Council
shall—
‘‘(A) hold annual meetings to select the re-
cipients of the John H. Chafee Memorial Fel-
lowships;
‘‘(B) hold biennial meetings on timely
issues 
regarding 
environmental 
education,
which meetings may be combined with the
meeting specified in subparagraph (A); and
‘‘(C) issue a report describing the pro-
ceedings of each biennial meeting and rec-
ommendations resulting from the meeting.
‘‘(2) REVIEW
AND
COMMENT
ON
DRAFT
RE-
PORTS.—The’’.
SEC. 10. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING FOUNDA-
TION.
(a) CHANGE IN NAME.—Section 10 of the John H.
Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5509)
is amended—
(1) by striking the section heading and insert-
ing the following:
‘‘SEC. 10. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING FOUNDA-
TION.’’;
(2) in the first sentence of subsection (a)(1)(A),
by striking ‘‘National Environmental Education and
Training Foundation’’ and inserting ‘‘National Envi-
ronmental Learning Foundation’’; and
(3) in subsection (b)(2)(B), by striking ‘‘Edu-
cation and Labor’’ and all that follows through
‘‘Representatives’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘Committee on Education and the Workforce, and
the Committee on Commerce of the House of Rep-
resentatives’’.
(b) NUMBER OF DIRECTORS.—Section 10(b)(1)(A)
of the John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act (20
U.S.C. 5509(b)(1)(A)) is amended in the first sentence by
striking ‘‘13’’ and inserting ‘‘19’’.
(c) ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF DONORS.—Paragraph (3)
of section 10(d) of the John H. Chafee Environmental
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5509(d)(3)) is amended to read
as follows:
‘‘(3) ACKNOWLEDGMENT
OF
DONORS.—The
Foundation may acknowledge receipt of donations by
means of a listing of the names of donors, which
may include the use of a logo, letterhead, or other
commercial symbol, in materials distributed by the
Foundation, except that no acknowledgment (includ-
ing the use of a logo, letterhead, or other commercial
symbol of a gift from a for-profit company) shall ap-
pear in any educational material presented to stu-
dents or distributed to schools.’’.
(d) ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
AND SUPPORT.—
Section 10(e) of the John H. Chafee Environmental Edu-
cation Act (20 U.S.C. 5509(e)) is repealed.
(e) REDESIGNATION.—Section 10 of the John H.
Chafee Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5509)
is amended by redesignating subsections (f) through (j)
as (e) through (k), respectively.
SEC. 11. ACCOUNTABILITY.
Section 11 of the John H. Chafee Environmental
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5510) is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘SEC. 11. ACCOUNTABILITY.
‘‘(a) QUALITY
INDICATORS.—The Administrator
shall establish indicators of program quality for programs
and activities funded under this Act (other than fellowship
awards funded under section 7).
‘‘(b) MINIMUM INDICATORS.—Such indicators of pro-
gram quality, at a minimum, shall—
‘‘(1) enhance understanding of the natural and
built environment;
‘‘(2) foster a better appreciation of the inter-
disciplinary nature of environmental issues and con-
ditions;
‘‘(3) increase achievement in related areas of
national interest, such as mathematics and science;
and
‘‘(4) include such other indicators as the Ad-
ministrator may develop.
‘‘(c) BENCHMARKS.—Each local educational agency,
college or university, institution of higher education, State
educational agency, environmental agency, not-for-profit
organization, or noncommercial educational broadcasting
entity receiving a grant or entering into a contract or co-
operative agreement under this Act (other than fellowship
awards under section 7) shall establish objective, rigorous,
and quantifiable benchmarks of performance on the indi-
cators of program quality under subsection (b).
‘‘(d) REPORT.—Each recipient receiving funds under
this Act, other than fellowship recipients under section 7,
shall report annually to the Administrator regarding
progress made in meeting the benchmarks established in
subsection (c). The Administrator shall disseminate such
information widely to the public through electronic and
other means.’’.
SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
The John H. Chafee Environmental Education Act
(20 U.S.C. 5510) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
‘‘SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be ap-
propriated to the Environmental Protection Agency to
carry out this Act not more than $8,000,000 for fiscal
year 2001 and such sums as may be necessary for each
of the fiscal years 2002 through 2006.
‘‘(b) LIMITATIONS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2),
of the amounts made available under subsection (a)
for each fiscal year—
‘‘(A) not more than 20 percent may be
used for the activities of the Office of Environ-
mental Education established under section 4;
‘‘(B) not more than 25 percent may be
used for the operation of the environmental
education and training program under section
5;
‘‘(C) not less than 43 percent shall be used
for environmental education grants under sec-
tion 6, of which $125,000 shall be used to fund
the John H. Chafee Memorial Fellowship
awards under section 7;
‘‘(D) 2 percent shall be used for the teach-
ers awards under section 8(b); and
‘‘(E) 10 percent shall be used for the ac-
tivities of the Foundation under section 10.
‘‘(2) 
ADMINISTRATIVE
EXPENSES.—Of 
the
amounts made available under paragraph (1)(A) for
each fiscal year, not more than 5 percent may be
used for administrative expenses of the Office of En-
vironmental Education.
‘‘(c) EXPENSE REPORT.—As soon as practicable
after the end of each fiscal year, the Administrator shall
submit to Congress a report describing in detail the activi-
ties for which funds appropriated for the fiscal year were
expended.
‘‘(d) MATCHING FUNDS.—Funds appropriated pur-
suant to this section may be made available to the Na-
tional Environmental Learning Foundation to match par-
tially or wholly the amount or value of contributions
(whether in currency, services, or property) made to the
Foundation by private persons and State and local govern-
ments if the Administrator determines that such funds will
be used to carry out the statutory purposes of the Founda-
tion in a manner consistent with the goals, objectives, and
programs of this Act.’’.
Æ