Title 20EducationRelease 119-73

§5502 Definitions

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 65— - NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION › § 5502

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines the key words used in this chapter so readers know what each term means. "Administrator" means the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. "Agency" means the United States Environmental Protection Agency. "Federal agency" or "agency of the United States" means any part of the federal government, such as departments, agencies, independent agencies, or government corporations. "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Education. "Local educational agency" means an education agency and includes tribal education agencies. "Not-for-profit organization" means an organization that is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. "Noncommercial education broadcasting entities" means noncommercial educational broadcast stations or their nonprofit affiliates licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. "Tribal education agency" means a school or community college run by an Indian tribe, band, or nation (including Alaska Native villages) that is eligible for federal Indian programs and not administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. "Federal natural resource management agencies" means the United States Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service. "Environmental engineering" means the engineering field that creates technical solutions to protect water and air, including water planning and supply, water treatment, air pollution control, cleanup of hazardous substances, and tracking and controlling contaminants. "Environmental education" and "environmental education and training" mean education and training for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary students and for environmental education staff, but do not include technical training for environmental management professionals or activities mainly supporting noneducational research and development. "Foundation" means the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation. "Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of that Foundation.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §5502

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For the purposes of this chapter, the term—
(1)“Administrator” means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
(2)“Agency” means the United States Environmental Protection Agency;
(3)“Federal agency” or “agency of the United States” means any department, agency or other instrumentality of the Federal Government, any independent agency or establishment of the Federal Government including any Government corporation;
(4)“Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department of Education;
(5)“local educational agency” means any education agency as defined in section 7801 of this title and shall include any tribal education agency;
(6)“not-for-profit” organization 11 So in original. Probably should be “ ‘not-for-profit organization’ ”. means an organization, association, or institution described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26, which is exempt from taxation pursuant to the provisions of section 501(a) of title 26;
(7)“noncommercial education broadcasting entities” means any noncommercial educational broadcasting station (and/or its legal nonprofit affiliates) as defined and licensed by the Federal Communications Commission;
(8)“tribal education agency” means a school or community college which is controlled by an Indian tribe, band, or nation, including any Alaska Native village, which is recognized as eligible for special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians and which is not administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
(9)“Federal natural resource management agencies” means the United States Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service;
(10)“environmental engineering” means the discipline within engineering and science concerned with the development and application of scientific and technical solutions to protecting the aquatic and atmospheric environment, including, but not limited to, all phases of water resources planning, water supply, water treatment, air pollution characterization and control, remediation of hazardous substances, environmental transport of contaminants in surface and ground water and atmosphere, and methods for assessment and control of pollution;
(11)“environmental education” and “environmental education and training” mean educational activities and training activities involving elementary, secondary, and postsecondary students, as such terms are defined in the State in which they reside, and environmental education personnel, but does not include technical training activities directed toward environmental management professionals or activities primarily directed toward the support of noneducational research and development;
(12)“Foundation” means the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation established pursuant to section 5509 of this title; and
(13)“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2015—Par. (5). Pub. L. 114–95 made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to section 7801 of this title. 2002—Par. (5). Pub. L. 107–110 substituted “7801” for “8801”. 1994—Par. (5). Pub. L. 103–382 substituted “local educational agency” for “local education agency” and reference to section 8801 of this title for reference to section 198 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2015 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2002 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 107–110 effective Jan. 8, 2002, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 107–110, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 6301 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 5502

Title 20Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73