
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC4372]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
              CHAPTER 56--ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
 
Sec. 4372. Office of Environmental Quality


(a) Establishment; Director; Deputy Director

    There is established in the Executive Office of the President an 
office to be known as the Office of Environmental Quality (hereafter in 
this chapter referred to as the ``Office''). The Chairman of the Council 
on Environmental Quality established by Public Law 91-190 shall be the 
Director of the Office. There shall be in the Office a Deputy Director 
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 shall be fixed by the 
President at a rate not in excess of the annual rate of compensation 
payable to the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

(c) Employment of personnel, experts, and consultants; compensation

    The Director is authorized to employ such officers and employees 
(including experts and consultants) as may be necessary to enable the 
Office 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, governing 
appointments in the competitive service, and pay such specialists and 
experts without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter 
III of chapter 53 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.

(d) Duties and functions of Director

    In carrying out his functions the Director shall assist and advise 
the President on policies and programs of the Federal Government 
affecting environmental quality by--
        (1) providing the professional and administrative staff and 
    support for the Council 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, programs, 
    policies, and activities of the Federal Government, and those 
    specific major projects designated by the President which do not 
    require individual project authorization 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 and other 
    resources;
        (4) promoting the advancement of scientific knowledge of the 
    effects of actions and technology on the environment and encourage 
    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 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 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 is authorized to contract with public or private 
agencies, institutions, and organizations and with individuals without 
regard to section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31 and section 5 of title 41 
in carrying out his functions.

(Pub. L. 91-224, title II, Sec. 203, Apr. 3, 1970, 84 Stat. 114; 1970 
Reorg. Plan No. 2, Sec. 102, eff. July 1, 1970, 35 F.R. 7959, 84 Stat. 
2085.)

                       References in Text

    Public Law 91-190, referred to in subsecs. (a), (c), and (d), is 
Pub. L. 91-190, Jan. 1, 1970, 83 Stat. 852, as amended, known as the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, which is classified generally 
to chapter 55 (Sec. 4321 et seq.) of this title. For complete 
classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out 
under section 4321 of this title and Tables.
    The provisions of title 5, governing appointments in the competitive 
service, referred to in subsec. (c), are classified to section 3301 et 
seq. of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
    The General Schedule, referred to in subsec. (c), is set out under 
section 5332 of Title 5.

                          Codification

    In subsec. (e), ``section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31'' substituted 
for reference to section 3648 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 529) on 
authority of Pub. L. 97-258, Sec. 4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, 
the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance.

                          Transfer of Functions

    Functions vested by law (including reorganization plan) in Bureau of 
the Budget or Director of Bureau of the Budget transferred to President 
by section 101 of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1970, eff. July 1, 1970, 35 F.R. 
7959, 84 Stat. 2085, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government 
Organization and Employees. Section 102 of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1970, 
redesignated Bureau of the Budget as Office of Management and Budget.


         References in Other Laws to GS-16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

    References in laws to the rates of pay for GS-16, 17, or 18, or to 
maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered 
references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, 
Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, 
Sec. 101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101-509, set out in a note under section 5376 
of Title 5.
