Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§6912 Authorities of Administrator

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 82— - SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - OFFICE OF SOLID WASTE; AUTHORITIES OF THE ADMINISTRATOR › § 6912

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Administrator can make rules, after talking with federal, state, and regional officials, to carry out these duties. The Administrator can work with other federal agencies on research about solid and hazardous waste; give technical and financial help to states or regional agencies for waste planning and hazardous waste programs; consult with scientists, businesses, farmers, workers, and consumer and environmental groups; and use other federal agencies’ information, facilities, and staff (including the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Bureau of the Census) and reimburse them. The Administrator may let the Secretary of Transportation handle inspections or enforcement for hazardous waste transport when that avoids duplication. Rules must be reviewed and updated at least every three years. The Administrator and designated EPA staff may start criminal investigations under the law and send results to the Attorney General for prosecution.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §6912

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

(a)In carrying out this chapter, the Administrator is authorized to—
(1)prescribe, in consultation with Federal, State, and regional authorities, such regulations as are necessary to carry out his functions under this chapter;
(2)consult with or exchange information with other Federal agencies undertaking research, development, demonstration projects, studies, or investigations relating to solid waste;
(3)provide technical and financial assistance to States or regional agencies in the development and implementation of solid waste plans and hazardous waste management programs;
(4)consult with representatives of science, industry, agriculture, labor, environmental protection and consumer organizations, and other groups, as he deems advisable;
(5)utilize the information, facilities, personnel and other resources of Federal agencies, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Bureau of the Census, on a reimbursable basis, to perform research and analyses and conduct studies and investigations related to resource recovery and conservation and to otherwise carry out the Administrator’s functions under this chapter; and
(6)to delegate to the Secretary of Transportation the performance of any inspection or enforcement function under this chapter relating to the transportation of hazardous waste where such delegation would avoid unnecessary duplication of activity and would carry out the objectives of this chapter and of chapter 51 of title 49.
(b)Each regulation promulgated under this chapter shall be reviewed and, where necessary, revised not less frequently than every three years.
(c)In carrying out the provisions of this chapter, the Administrator, and duly-designated agents and employees of the Environmental Protection Agency, are authorized to initiate and conduct investigations under the criminal provisions of this chapter, and to refer the results of these investigations to the Attorney General for prosecution in appropriate cases.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification In subsec. (a)(6), “chapter 51 of title 49” substituted for “the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act [49 App. U.S.C. 1801 et seq.]” on authority of Pub. L. 103–272, § 6(b), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1378, the first section of which enacted subtitles II, III, and V to X of Title 49, Transportation.

Amendments

1988—Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 100–418 substituted “National Institute of Standards and Technology” for “National Bureau of Standards”. 1984—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98–616 added subsec. (c). 1980—Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 96–482 added par. (6).

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of certain

Enforcement

functions of Administrator or other official of Environmental Protection Agency under this chapter to Federal Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, and subsequent transfer to Secretary of Energy, then to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects, see note set out under section 6903 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 6912

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73