Attn. Leps-listers: NIE Bill to be introduced

[Pavulaan at aol.com]

I received the following report from the Rhode Island Natural History Survey,
dated 97-10-08.  I'm sure most of you are thoroughly familiar with it, but
for those who are not, this is INTERESTING reading, especially in light of
all the complaints about the way federal regulations are made.  (I actually
saw the word "peer review" in there somewhere!)
  
<< >    PROGRESS REPORT
 >
 >October 8, 1997
 >NIE BILL TO BE INTRODUCED
 >CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE
 >
 >Congressmen Jim Saxton (R-NJ) and Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) have sent a
 >letter to all of their colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives
 >inviting them to cosponsor legislation, The Sound Science for the
 >Environment Act, which would authorize and direct the National Science
 >Foundation to establish a National Institute for the Environment (NIE).
 >They intend to introduce the bill in a matter of days!
 >
 >The NIE would be similar to that long envisioned in the NIE proposal with
 >support for:
 >
 >--  Knowledge Assessment
 >--  Extramural Research
 >--  Information Services
 >--  Education and Training.
 >
 >The NIE would be governed by an 18 member board of scientists and users of
 >scientific information, including one member of the National Science Board.
 >
 >The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources of the National Science
 >and Technology Council would serve as an interagency advisory committee to
 >ensure coordination across the federal government.
 >
 >The legislation would authorize NSF to receive funds from Congressional
 >appropriations, other federal agencies, States, and private institutions.
 >It would prohibit NSF funds from being transferred to NIE. Thus, the bill
 >will effectively ensure that money for the NIE would not come out of NSF.
 >
 >The bill directs that NSF award a 5-year contract to manage the NIE to a
 >non-profit institution.
 >
 >A bill summary follows.
 >
 >PLEASE CALL YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE RIGHT AWAY AND ASK THEM TO
 >COSPONSOR THE "SOUND SCIENCE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT" ACT, to be introduced by
 >Rep. Saxton and Rep. Abercrombie.  The capitol switch board number is
 >202-224-3121.
 >
 >Letters can be sent to:
 >The Honorable _________________
 >U.S. House of Representatives
 >Washington, DC 20515
 >
 > OUTLINE of  the Sound Science for the Environment Act
 > to ESTABLISH the NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
 >
 >This outline describes legislation to create a National Institute for the
 >Environment (NIE), with the mission to improve the scientific basis for
 >decision-making on environmental issues, &  for other purposes.
 >
 >Section 1.  Short title: the "Sound Science for the Environment Act."
 >
 >Section 2.  Findings: The Congress finds the following:
 >
 >--  A healthy environment is essential to an enhanced quality of life, a
 >competitive economy, & national security.
 >
 >--  The United States lacks an effective mechanism for providing &
 >communicating a comprehensive, objective & credible scientific
 >understanding of environmental issues in a timely manner to policy-makers &
 >the public.
 >
 >--  An appropriate understanding of the diverse scientific issues that
 >underlie the environmental problems facing the United States is essential
 >to finding environmentally & economically sound solutions to these
problems.
 >
 >--  To be useful, this  understanding requires the integration of ongoing
 >assessments of the state of scientific knowledge with credible
 >problem-focused research, the communication of scientific information, &
 >the appropriate education & training of environmental scientists,
 >engineers, & other professionals.
 >
 >--  These scientific activities are best carried out through  a neutral,
 >institution without regulatory responsibilities, where the public & private
 >organizations and individuals can establish a shared understanding of the
 >state of scientific knowledge on environmental issues, & support research,
 >education, and information exchange to expand and spread the state of
 >knowledge.
 >
 >--  A National Institute for the Environment will allow the Nation to more
 >effectively use science to improve environmental decisionmaking, thereby
 >reducing costs and saving lives.
 >
 >Section 3.  Purpose: Create an institute to improve the scientific basis
 >for decision-making on environmental issues by integrating the functions of
 >knowledge assessment, research, information services, education & training,
 >provide national leadership in environment science and research, and
 >facilitate the sharing of public and private resources to enhance
 >understanding and communication of scientific knowledge about the
environment.
 >
 >Section 4. Establishment: Authorizes and directs the National Science
 >Foundation to establish a National  Institute for the Environment with a
 >mission to improve the scientific basis for decisionmaking on environmental
 >issues.  Directs that management of the Institute be awarded competitively.
 >
 >Section 5. Duties & Functions: Sets the duties of the Institute to:
 >
 >1.  Initiate, facilitate, &  where appropriate perform assessments of the
 >current state of  knowledge of environmental issues & their implications;
 >
 >2.  Award competitively peer-reviewed grants & where appropriate,
 >contracts,  for extramural scientific research;
 >
 >3.  Establish a National Library for the Environment as a universally
 >accessible, easy to use, electronic, state-of-the-art information system
 >for scientists, decisionmakers, & the public;
 >
 >4.  Sponsor education & training of environmental scientists &
 >professionals & improve public environmental literacy.
 >
 >Section 6.  Governing board: Establishes a Governing Board composed of 18
 >members appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, which shall
 >establish goals, priorities, & policies of the Institute, & will include
 >approximately equal numbers of scientists & users of scientific information
 >on the environment.  Ensures diverse composition including representation
 >of States, academic institutions, business, labor, environmental groups,
 >other citizens groups, women & minority groups.  Ensures geographic
 >diversity. Provides for 6-year terms of office in order to provide
 >stability.  Designates one member of the National Science Board to serve on
 >the Governing Board.
 >
 >Section 7.  Management and Staff: Provides for a Director, Assistant
 >Directors, & staff.  Directs that the Institute be operated by a non-profit
 >organization under contract with NSF.
 >
 >Section 8.  Relation with National Science Board.  Directs the National
 >Science Board to recommend names for the Governing Board and to approve
 >selection of the Director.
 >
 >Section 9.  Cooperation with Agencies: The Institute may acquire any
 >unclassified data & non-proprietary knowledge possessed by Federal
 >agencies.  The Institute shall cooperate with the agencies to ensure that
 >the information & products of the Institute are useful & accessible to the
 >agencies.
 >
 >Section 10.  Interagency Advisory Committee: Directs the Committee on
 >Environment and Natural Resources of the National Science and Technology
 >Council or an equivalent body to serve as an interagency advisory
 >committee, to ensure that the efforts of the Institute &  Federal agencies
 >are complementary.
 >
 >Section 11.  Grants, contracts, & other authorities: Provides the Institute
 >with the same authority as NSF to enter into financial arrangements,
 >including competitively awarded grants, loans, cooperative agreements, &
 >contracts to institutions, teams, & centers, after rigorous peer-review.
 >States that scientists, engineers, & other researchers should be able to
 >receive funding regardless of whether they are from government or private
 >sector institutions.  Allows the Institute to receive funds from  Federal
 >agencies, states,  & private sector institutions to carry out particular
 >projects & activities, subject to guidelines established by the Board.
 >Directs that funds provided not be used to reduce amounts available to the
 >Institute from appropriations.
 >
 >Section 12. Authorization of appropriations. Authorizes such sums as may be
 >necessary to NSF to be transferred to the Institute.  Prohibits funds of
 >NSF from being transferred
 >
 >Section 13.  Definitions.
 >
 >--  Environmental sciences- the full range of fields of study including
 >biological, physical, chemical, geological, & social sciences, engineering,
 >& humanities, relevant to the understanding of environmental problems
 >--  Scientist- practitioner of science relevant to the environment
 >--  Decisionmakers- elected or appointed officials of Federal, State,
 >tribal, & local governments & similar individuals in the private sector.
 >
  >>

If you have any opinions or interest in this matter at all, like the report
says, contact your representative, now.

Harry Pavulaan