National Environmental Education Advisory Council
The National Environmental Education Advisory Council is comprised of representatives from organizations other than the federal government who provide EPA with advice on environmental education. The Council provides EPA with a better understanding of the needs of schools, universities, state departments and educational organizations.
Call for Nominations
The deadline for submitting nominations for the National Environmental Education Advisory Council (NEEAC) has passed. Nominations for the NEEAC were due on January 15, 2012. Details about the qualifications of council members and the resume submission process were provided in the Federal Register Notice, available online at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-15/pdf/2011-32182.pdf
Designated Federal Officer for the National Environmental Education Advisory Council --Javier Araujo.
NEEAC Members
Members:
EPA is currently reviewing applications submitted for membership on the National Environmental Education Advisory Council. The new members will be identified here once the selections are final.
NEEAC Charter
1. AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE. Section 9(a) of the National Environmental Education Act (the Act) (PL-101-619) (20 U.S.C. §5501et seq.) establishes the National Environmental Education Advisory Council. The purpose of the Council is to advise, consult with, and make recommendations to the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on matters relating to activities, functions, and policies of EPA under the Act.
2. SCOPE OF ACTIVITY. The Council will provide advice, consult with, and make recommendations to the Administrator of EPA through the Associate Administrator of the Office of Communications, Education, and Public Affairs (OCEPA). The Council may provide EPA with such advice and recommendations on EPA's overall implementation of the Act, including EPA's development and implementation of the section 5 environmental education and training program and the section 6 environmental education grants program. The Council may provide advice on EPA's solicitation, review, and selection processes for the training and grant programs. EPA may also request that the Council provide comments on the merits of individual proposals to operate the section 5 training program and the section 6 grant program, if determined appropriate by EPA.
Pursuant to section 9(d)(1) of the Act, the Council will produce a biennial report to Congress assessing environmental education in the U.S. Pursuant to section 8(c) of the Act, the Council will also provide EPA with nominations for recipients of the national environmental education awards.
3. MEMBERSHIP. Pursuant to section 9(b)(2) of the Act, the Council consists of 11 members appointed by the Administrator of EPA after consultation with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. The 11 members represent primary and secondary education; colleges and universities; not-for-profit organizations involved in environmental education; state departments of education and natural resources; business and industry; and senior Americans. Two members represent each category, except for senior Americans which has only one representative. Representatives of the Secretary of the U.S.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHARTER
Department of Education and the National Environmental Education Foundation serve as ex-officio members.
The Council must include representatives from the various geographic regions of the country and must include minority ethnic representation. The professional backgrounds of the members must include scientific, policy, and other appropriate disciplines. Pursuant to section 9(b)(2) of the Act, the conflict of interest provision at section 208(a) of title 18, U.S.C., shall not apply to members' participation in matters which affect the financial interests of employers which they represent as members of the Council.
The Council may form subcommittees on an ad hoc or standing basis to facilitate the conduct of Council business. The Associate Administrator for the Office of Communications, Education, and Public Affairs, with advice from the Director of the Environmental Education Division, will appoint a Council chairperson to assist in developing agendas and conducting meetings. The chairperson will serve a one year term which may be extended on a yearly basis as appropriate.
Pursuant to section 9(b)(4) of the Act, each member of the Council will hold office for a three year term, except that the terms of members first taking office expire one, two, or three years after the date of enactment of the Act (November 16, 1990) as designated at the time of appointment. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of the term.
4. COMPENSATION. Pursuant to section 9(b)(5) of the Act, Council members receive compensation and allowances while attending meetings of the Council or otherwise engaged in business of the Council. Such compensation will include a fee as well as travel and per diem expenses. The fee is determined by the Administrator, but may not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate for a GS-18 federal employee.
5. MEETINGS. EPA will convene the Council one to two times per year, subject to availability of appropriations. EPA may also convene conference calls and subcommittee meetings of the Council on a more frequent basis as determined necessary by the Director of the Environmental Education Division. A representative of the Environmental Education Division serves as the Designated Federal Officer who will be present on all conference calls and at all meetings. Each meeting will be conducted in accordance with an agenda to be approved in advance by the Designated Federal Officer, the Director of the Environmental Education Division, and the Associate Administrator of the Office of Communications, Education, and Public Affairs. Budgetary support for the Council is provided by the Office of Communications, Education, and Public Affairs. The estimated annual operating cost of the Council is approximately $62,000, which includes .4 of staff support.
6. DURATION. As provided by section 9(b)(6) of the Act, section 14(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act relating to the termination of committees shall not apply to the Council. However, the Council's charter is subject to renewal upon the expiration of each successive two-year period following the date of enactment of the Act (November 16, 1990).