42 U.S.C. § 4368: Grants to qualified citizens…

Summary

Authorizes $3,000,000 for the Environmental Protection Agency to give grants to qualified citizens groups in states and regions. The grants are to help groups take part in planning how science, technology, and social change will affect their area's environment and quality of life, and to set goals and ways to improve things. A qualified citizens group is a nonprofit with an area focus, not single-issue, and with a record of work on goals, research, and protecting natural or cultural resources. The Governor (with the state legislature) must certify groups. Grants may be renewed yearly if the Governor recertifies and the group sends an annual progress report, notes any goal changes, and describes next year’s activities. Grants can cover up to 75% of a project and cannot exceed $50,000 per group per year. Funds cannot be used for lobbying or lawsuits.

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