§4368 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

Sets aside $3,000,000 for the EPA to give grants to qualified citizens groups in States and regions. Grants pay for groups to study how scientific, technological, and social changes affect an area's environment and quality of life, and to set goals and plans to improve them. Qualified citizens group: a nonprofit, area-focused group (not single-issue) with prior work on goal-setting and protecting natural and cultural resources. Groups must be certified by the Governor after consulting the State legislature and must show they can use the funds and represent a broad base. After first approval, the EPA can renew grants each year if the Governor recertifies and the group files one annual report covering progress, any changes in objectives, and a one-year plan. Grants may cover up to 75% of project costs and no group may receive more than $50,000 in any one year. Funds may not be used for lobbying or litigation.

Title 42, §4368

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(1)There is authorized to be appropriated to the Environmental Protection Agency, for grants to qualified citizens groups in States and regions, $3,000,000.

(2)Grants under this section may be made for the purpose of supporting and encouraging participation by qualified citizens groups in determining how scientific, technological, and social trends and changes affect the future environment and quality of life of an area, and for setting goals and identifying measures for improvement.

(3)The term “qualified citizens group” shall mean a nonprofit organization of citizens having an area based focus, which is not single-issue oriented and which can demonstrate a prior record of interest and involvement in goal-setting and research concerned with improving the quality of life, including plans to identify, protect and enhance significant natural and cultural resources and the environment.

(4)A citizens group shall be eligible for assistance only if certified by the Governor in consultation with the State legislature as a bonafide organization entitled to receive Federal assistance to pursue the aims of this program. The group shall further demonstrate its capacity to employ usefully the funds for the purposes of this program and its broad-based representative nature.

(5)After an initial application for assistance under this section has been approved, the Administrator may make grants on an annual basis, on condition that the Governor recertify the group and that the applicant submits to the Administrator annually—

(A)an evaluation of the progress made during the previous year in meeting the objectives for which the grant was made;

(B)a description of any changes in the objectives of the activities; and

(C)a description of the proposed activities for the succeeding one year period.

(6)A grant made under this program shall not exceed 75 per centum of the estimated cost of the project or program for which the grant is made, and no group shall receive more than $50,000 in any one year.

(7)No financial assistance provided under this section shall be used to support lobbying or litigation by any recipient group.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This section, referred to in par. (5), means section 3 of Pub. L. 95–477, in its entirety, subsec. (d) of which enacted this section, subsecs. (a) and (b) of which were not classified to the Code, and subsec. (c) of which is set out as a note under section 4366 of this title. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1979, and not as part of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 which comprises this chapter.

§4368 Grants to qualified citizens groups

Summary

Title 42, §4368

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Citations & Metadata