§ 5402. — Office of Agricultural Environmental Quality.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC5402]
TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
CHAPTER 85--ADMINISTRATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
Sec. 5402. Office of Agricultural Environmental Quality
(a) Establishment
The Secretary shall establish an Office of Agricultural
Environmental Quality in the Department of Agriculture (hereafter in
this chapter referred to as the ``Office'').
(b) Director
The Office shall be administered by a director who shall be
appointed by the Secretary. The Director shall be an individual who has
demonstrated technical expertise and experience in agricultural and
environmental matters.
(c) Staff
(1) Appointments
The Director may appoint such employees as may be necessary to
assist the Director in carrying out this section. Such employees
shall include individuals who have professional expertise in matters
related to environmental quality, including (but not limited to)
agricultural production, water quality, wetland, wildlife
conservation, soil conservation, and agricultural chemical usage.
(2) Liaisons
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the
Secretary of the Interior shall detail to the Office upon request of
the Secretary, on a reimbursable basis, at least one employee,
respectively, with expertise in matters related to agriculture and
environmental quality. Such detailed employees shall serve as a
liaison for their respective agencies with the Department of
Agriculture to assist the Director in carrying out the provisions of
this section. The term of the detail shall not exceed 3 years.
(3) Additional staff
Upon request of the Secretary, the head of any Federal agency is
authorized to detail, on a reimbursable basis, employees of such
agency to the Office to assist the Director.
(d) Duties of Director
(1) In general
The Director shall assist the Council in developing a
departmental and agency-specific environmental quality policy
statement and implementation plan and an annual agricultural
environmental quality report, as specified in section 5403 of this
title. The Director shall coordinate and monitor the activities of
the Department regarding initiatives and programs related to
environmental quality and the interpretation of departmental
policies affecting environmental quality. The Director shall serve
as a member of the Council and as its Executive Director.
(2) Additional duties
The Director shall also be responsible for--
(A) recommending to the Council environmental protection
goals and specific programs, initiatives, and policies that will
balance the needs of production agriculture with environmental
concerns;
(B) providing advice to the Council on the development,
implementation, and review of activities of agencies of the
Department to ensure consistency with the Department's
environmental protection goals;
(C) coordinating environmental policy within the Department
through the program managers, and between the Department and
other Federal agencies, regional authorities, State and local
governments, land-grant and other colleges and universities, and
nonprofit and commercial organizations, regarding programs and
actions relating to environmental quality;
(D) serving as a coordinator for the Department's data,
information, programs, and initiatives dealing with
environmental quality;
(E) developing the plans and reports required as specified
by this chapter; and
(F) providing such staff as may be necessary to support the
activities of the Council.
(Pub. L. 101-624, title XIV, Sec. 1472, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3619.)
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 5401, 5506 of this title.
