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Cross-Cutting Issues
Cross-Cutting Issues Law Office
Associate General Counsel:
Carol Ann Siciliano
The Cross-Cutting Issues Law Office provides legal advice under the numerous federal statutes, Executive Orders, and policies that affect all of EPA’s programs, including the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and Indian law. The Office also provides a focal point for international environmental legal expertise and advice. Finally, the Office handles legal issues arising in connection with the Agency’s scientific functions.
The Cross-Cutting Issues Law Office has three practice groups: Communities and Ecosystems; International Environmental Law; and Regulatory Issues.
- Communities and Ecosystems: The Communities and Ecosystems Practice Group provides legal advice to EPA offices on the following matters: federal Indian law, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, Environmental Justice, 5th Amendment takings of private property, and historic preservation.
- International Environmental Law: The International Environmental Law Practice Group provides legal counsel to all programs and offices of the Agency with respect to international law, institutions, and procedures. In particular, it provides legal counsel on international environmental law; on trade, investment, and the environment; on the implementation of international obligations at the domestic level; and on issues involving transboundary pollution. It represents EPA in international dispute settlement; in negotiations to draft and implement international agreements, protocols, and other instruments; and in interagency processes to resolve international legal issues related to the environment. It conducts legal capacity building activities with other countries regarding their environmental regulatory systems and provides legal counsel on cooperative and technical assistance to other countries.
- Regulatory Issues: The Regulatory Issues Practice Group provides counsel on all administrative law matters relating to development of rules and guidance, as well as changes in interpretation; cross-cutting issues relating to judicial review (including final agency action, standing, ripeness,and standard of review); the Congressional Review Act; the Federal Advisory Committee Act; the Paperwork Reduction Act; the Regulatory Flexibility Act, including small business issues; the Information Quality Act; many Executive Orders, including interagency review; the Federal Docket Managing System; and legal issues associated with electronic reporting, collaboration & innovation.
Some of the areas for which the Cross-Cutting Issues Law Office has responsibility:
COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW Endangered Species Cooperation with China on Environmental Law Environmental Justice Domestic Implementation of International Obligations Historic Preservation Extraterritorial applicability of laws Indian Law/Tribal Issues Global Climate Change – International issues Property Takings Law International Cooperation and Technical Assistance International Environmental Treaties and Agreements REGULATORY ISSUES International Law, Institutions, Procedures Administrative Law International Legal Capacity Building Children's Health Protection Trade and Environment CongressionalReview Act Transboundary Pollution Federal Advisory Committee Act U.S. - Canada Environmental Issues Paperwork Reduction Act U.S. - Mexico Environmental Issues Regulatory Flexibility Act Rulemaking Procedures OTHER CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES Web 2.0 Enforcement Equal Access to Justice Act fees Science issues
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Statutes for which the Cross-Cutting Issues Law Office has responsibility:
- Administrative Procedure Act
- Clean Air Act Section 309
- Congressional Review Act
- Endangered Species Act (PDF, 47 pp, 13K)
- Equal Access to Justice Act
- 5 U.S.C. §504 (Costs and fees of parties)
- 28 U.S.C. §2412 (Costs and fees)
- Federal Advisory Committee Act
- National Environmental Policy Act (PDF, 9 pp, 40K)
- National Historic Preservation Act (PDF, 46 pp, 125K)
- National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act Section 12(d) (PDF, 10 pp, 40.5K)
- Paperwork Reduction Act
- Regulatory Flexibility Act (PDF, 12 pp, 28.7K)
- Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (PDF, 29 pp, 99.3K)
- Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, FY2001, Section 515 (Information Quality) (codified at 44 U.S.C. §3516 note)
- Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (PDF, 25 pp, 142.6K)
Executive Orders / Presidential Memos for which the Cross-Cutting Issues Law Office has responsibility:
- EO 12630 Governmental Actions and Interference With Constitutionally Protected Property Rights (Takings)
- EO 12866 Regulatory Planning and Review (PDF, 10 pp, 36K)
- EO 12898 Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations (PDF, 5 pp, 19.7K)
- EO 12988 Civil Justice Reform (PDF, 8 pp, 77.5K)
- EO 13045 Protection of Children From Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks (PDF, 6 pp, 69.4K)
- EO 13101 Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition (PDF, 11 pp, 95K)
- EO13123 Greening the Government Through Efficient Energy Management (PDF, 12 pp, 102.7K)
- EO 13132 Federalism (PDF, 5 pp, 71.7K)
- EO 13134 Developing and Promoting Biobased Products and Bioenergy (PDF, 6 pp, 70.6K)
- EO13148 Greening the Government Through Leadership in Environmental Management (PDF, 14 pp, 253.8K)
- EO 13149 Greening the Government Through Federal Fleet and Transportation Efficiency (PDF, 14 pp, 253.8K)
- EO 13175 Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments (PDF, 4 pp, 138K)
- EO 13211 Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use (PDF, 2 pp, 24.7K)
- EO 13212 Actions to Expedite Energy-Related Projects (PDF, 2 pp, 24.6K)
- EO 13272 Proper Consideration of Small Entities in Agency Rulemaking (PDF, 2 pp, 26.3K)
- Presidential Memorandum on Plain Language in Government Writing
- Presidential Memorandum on Government-to-Government Relations with Native American Tribal Governments