---
kind: "range"
citation: "42 U.S.C. §§ 4371–4374"
title: "42"
from: "4371"
to: "4374"
count: 4
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/4371..4374"
---

# §4371. Congressional findings, declarations, and purposes

- (a) The Congress finds—
  - (1) that man has caused changes in the environment;
  - (2) that many of these changes may affect the relationship between man and his environment; and
  - (3) that population increases and urban concentration contribute directly to pollution and the degradation of our environment.
- (b)
  - (1) The Congress declares that there is a national policy for the environment which provides for the enhancement of environmental quality. This policy is evidenced by statutes heretofore enacted relating to the prevention, abatement, and control of environmental pollution, water and land resources, transportation, and economic and regional development.
  - (2) The primary responsibility for implementing this policy rests with [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and [local government](/usc/42/8401a.md).
  - (3) The Federal Government encourages and supports implementation of this policy through appropriate regional organizations established under existing law.
- (c) The purposes of this chapter are—
  - (1) to assure that each Federal department and agency conducting or supporting public works activities which affect the environment shall implement the policies established under existing law; and
  - (2) to authorize an [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of Environmental Quality, which, notwithstanding any other provision of law, shall provide the professional and administrative staff for the [Council](/usc/42/300f.md?p=9) on Environmental Quality established by Public Law 91–190.

# §4372. Office of Environmental Quality

- (a) **Establishment; Director; Deputy Director—** There is established in the Executive [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of the President an [office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) to be known as the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of Environmental Quality (hereafter in this chapter referred to as the “[Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1)”). The Chairman of the [Council](/usc/42/300f.md?p=9) on Environmental Quality established by Public Law 91–190 shall be the [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1). There shall be in the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) a Deputy [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
- (b) **Compensation of Deputy Director—** The compensation of the Deputy [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) shall be fixed by the President at a rate not in excess of the annual rate of compensation payable to the Deputy [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of Management and Budget.
- (c) **Employment of personnel, experts, and consultants; compensation—** The [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) is authorized to employ such officers and [employees](/usc/42/1320a–7h.md?p=e-7) (including experts and consultants) as may be necessary to enable the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) to carry out its functions under this chapter and Public Law 91–190, except that he may employ no more than ten specialists and other experts without regard to the provisions of [title 5](/usc/5.md), governing appointments in the competitive service, and pay such specialists and experts without regard to the provisions of [chapter 51](/usc/42/ch51.md) and subchapter III of [chapter 53](/usc/42/ch53.md) of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, but no such specialist or expert shall be paid at a rate in excess of the maximum rate for GS–18 of the General Schedule under [section 5332 of title 5](/usc/5/5332.md).
- (d) **Duties and functions of Director—** In carrying out his functions the [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) shall assist and advise the President on policies and [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) of the Federal Government affecting environmental quality by—
  - (1) providing the professional and administrative staff and support for the [Council](/usc/42/300f.md?p=9) on Environmental Quality established by Public Law 91–190;
  - (2) assisting the Federal agencies and departments in appraising the effectiveness of existing and proposed [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4), [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), policies, and activities of the Federal Government, and those specific major [projects](/usc/42/11360.md?p=20) designated by the President which do not require individual [project](/usc/42/11360.md?p=20) [authorization](/usc/42/4370m.md?p=3) by Congress, which affect environmental quality;
  - (3) reviewing the adequacy of existing systems for monitoring and predicting environmental changes in order to achieve effective coverage and efficient use of research [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4) and other resources;
  - (4) promoting the advancement of scientific knowledge of the effects of actions and technology on the environment and encourage[^1] the development of the means to prevent or reduce adverse effects that endanger the health and well-being of man;
  - (5) assisting in coordinating among the Federal departments and agencies those [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) and activities which affect, protect, and improve environmental quality;
  - (6) assisting the Federal departments and agencies in the development and interrelationship of environmental quality criteria and [standards](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7) established through the Federal Government;
  - (7) collecting, collating, analyzing, and interpreting data and information on environmental quality, ecological research, and evaluation.
- (e) **Authority of Director to contract—** The [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) is authorized to contract with public or private agencies, institutions, and organizations and with individuals without regard to section [3324(a)](/usc/31/3324.md?p=a) and [(b)](/usc/31/3324.md?p=b) of title 31 and [section 6101 of title 41](/usc/41/6101.md) in carrying out his functions.

# §4373. Referral of Environmental Quality Reports to standing committees having jurisdiction


Each Environmental Quality Report required by Public Law 91–190 shall, upon transmittal to Congress, be referred to each standing committee having jurisdiction over any part of the subject matter of the Report.


# §4374. Authorization of appropriations


There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the operations of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of Environmental Quality and the [Council](/usc/42/300f.md?p=9) on Environmental Quality not to exceed the following sums for the following fiscal years which sums are in addition to those contained in Public Law 91–190:

- (a) $2,126,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1979.
- (b) $3,000,000 for each of the fiscal years ending September 30, 1980, and September 30, 1981.
- (c) $44,000 for the fiscal years ending September 30, 1982, 1983, and 1984.
- (d) $480,000 for each of the fiscal years ending September 30, 1985 and September 30, 1986.