15 U.S.C. § 2921 — Definitions

Page 1964 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 2905 § 2905. Repealed. Pub. L. 99–272, title VI, § 6084(g), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 137 Section, Pub. L. 95–367, § 6, Sept. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 603, related to establishment and requirements of intergov- ernmental climate programs. § 2906. Annual report The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the President and the authorizing committees of the Congress, not later than March 31 of each year, a report on the activities conducted pursuant to this chapter during the preceding fiscal year, in- cluding— (a) a summary of the achievements of the Program during the previous fiscal year; (b) an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the goals and objectives of the Pro- gram; (c) a copy of the 5-year plan and any changes made in such plan; (d) a summary of the multiagency budget re- quest for the Program of section 2904(g) of this title; and (e) any recommendations for additional leg- islation which may be required to assist in achieving the purposes of this chapter. (Pub. L. 95–367, § 7, Sept. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 604; Pub. L. 97–375, title II, § 202(b), Dec. 21, 1982, 96 Stat. 1822.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1982—Pub. L. 97–375 substituted ‘‘March 31’’ for ‘‘Jan- uary 30’’. § 2907. Contract and grant authority; records and audits (a) Functions vested in any Federal officer or agency by this chapter or under the Program may be exercised through the facilities and per- sonnel of the agency involved or, to the extent provided or approved in advance in appropria- tion Acts, by other persons or entities under contracts or grant arrangements entered into by such officer or agency. (b)(1) Each person or entity to which Federal funds are made available under a contract or grant arrangement as authorized by this chapter shall keep such records as the Director of the Office shall prescribe, including records which fully disclose the amount and disposition by such person or entity of such funds, the total cost of the activities for which such funds were so made available, the amount of that portion of such cost supplied from other sources, and such other records as will facilitate an effective audit. (2) The Director of the Office and the Comp- troller General of the United States, or any of their duly authorized representatives, shall, until the expiration of 3 years after the comple- tion of the activities (referred to in paragraph (1)) of any person or entity pursuant to any con- tract or grant arrangement referred to in sub- section (a), have access for the purpose of audit and examination to any books, documents, pa- pers, and records of such person or entity which, in the judgment of the Director or the Comp- troller General, may be related or pertinent to such contract or grant arrangement. (Pub. L. 95–367, § 8, Sept. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 604.) § 2908. Authorization of appropriations In addition to any other funds otherwise au- thorized to be appropriated for the purpose of conducting climate-related programs, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter, not to exceed $50,000,000 for the fis- cal year ending September 30, 1979, not to exceed $65,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1980, and not to exceed $25,500,000 for the fis- cal year ending September 30, 1981, of which amount not less than $2,653,000 shall be made di- rectly available to the National Climate Pro- gram Office in the form of a budget item sepa- rate from the activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (Pub. L. 95–367, § 9, Sept. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 605; Pub. L. 96–547, § 1, Dec. 18, 1980, 94 Stat. 3217.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1980—Pub. L. 96–547 revised former subsec. (a) into en- tire section with additional provisions relating to fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 1981, and struck out subsec. (b) setting forth authorization of appropriations for grants. CHAPTER 56A—GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH Sec. 2921. Definitions. SUBCHAPTER I—UNITED STATES GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH PROGRAM 2931. Findings and purpose. 2932. Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences. 2933. United States Global Change Research Pro- gram. 2934. National Global Change Research Plan. 2935. Budget coordination. 2936. Scientific assessment. 2937. Omitted. 2938. Relation to other authorities. SUBCHAPTER II—INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH 2951. Findings and purposes. 2952. International discussions. 2953. Global Change Research Information Office. SUBCHAPTER III—GROWTH DECISION AID 2961. Study and decision aid. § 2921. Definitions As used in this chapter, the term— (1) ‘‘Committee’’ means the Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences established under section 2932 of this title; (2) ‘‘Council’’ means the Federal Coordi- nating Council on Science, Engineering, and Technology; (3) ‘‘global change’’ means changes in the global environment (including alterations in climate, land productivity, oceans or other water resources, atmospheric chemistry, and ecological systems) that may alter the capac- ity of the Earth to sustain life; (4) ‘‘global change research’’ means study, monitoring, assessment, prediction, and infor- mation management activities to describe and understand— Page 1965 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 2932 1 So in original. Probably should be ‘‘relevant’’. (A) the interactive physical, chemical, and biological processes that regulate the total Earth system; (B) the unique environment that the Earth provides for life; (C) changes that are occurring in the Earth system; and (D) the manner in which such system, en- vironment, and changes are influenced by human actions; (5) ‘‘Plan’’ means the National Global Change Research Plan developed under section 2934 of this title, or any revision thereof; and (6) ‘‘Program’’ means the United States Global Change Research Program established under section 2933 of this title. (Pub. L. 101–606, § 2, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3096.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SHORT TITLE Pub. L. 101–606, § 1, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3096, pro- vided that: ‘‘This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Global Change Research Act of 1990’.’’ Pub. L. 101–606, title II, § 201, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3102, provided that: ‘‘This title [enacting subchapter II of this chapter] may be cited as the ‘International Co- operation in Global Change Research Act of 1990’.’’ SUBCHAPTER I—UNITED STATES GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH PROGRAM § 2931. Findings and purpose (a) Findings The Congress makes the following findings: (1) Industrial, agricultural, and other human activities, coupled with an expanding world population, are contributing to processes of global change that may significantly alter the Earth habitat within a few human genera- tions. (2) Such human-induced changes, in conjunc- tion with natural fluctuations, may lead to significant global warming and thus alter world climate patterns and increase global sea levels. Over the next century, these con- sequences could adversely affect world agricul- tural and marine production, coastal habit- ability, biological diversity, human health, and global economic and social well-being. (3) The release of chlorofluorocarbons and other stratospheric ozone-depleting substances is rapidly reducing the ability of the atmos- phere to screen out harmful ultraviolet radi- ation, which could adversely affect human health and ecological systems. (4) Development of effective policies to abate, mitigate, and cope with global change will rely on greatly improved scientific under- standing of global environmental processes and on our ability to distinguish human-in- duced from natural global change. (5) New developments in interdisciplinary Earth sciences, global observing systems, and computing technology make possible signifi- cant advances in the scientific understanding and prediction of these global changes and their effects. (6) Although significant Federal global change research efforts are underway, an ef- fective Federal research program will require efficient interagency coordination, and coordi- nation with the research activities of State, private, and international entities. (b) Purpose The purpose of this subchapter is to provide for development and coordination of a com- prehensive and integrated United States re- search program which will assist the Nation and the world to understand, assess, predict, and re- spond to human-induced and natural processes of global change. (Pub. L. 101–606, title I, § 101, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3096.) § 2932. Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences (a) Establishment The President, through the Council, shall es- tablish a Committee on Earth and Environ- mental Sciences. The Committee shall carry out Council functions under section 6651 of title 42 relating to global change research, for the pur- pose of increasing the overall effectiveness and productivity of Federal global change research efforts. (b) Membership The Committee shall consist of at least one representative from— (1) the National Science Foundation; (2) the National Aeronautics and Space Ad- ministration; (3) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Department of Com- merce; (4) the Environmental Protection Agency; (5) the Department of Energy; (6) the Department of State; (7) the Department of Defense; (8) the Department of the Interior; (9) the Department of Agriculture; (10) the Department of Transportation; (11) the Office of Management and Budget; (12) the Office of Science and Technology Policy; (13) the Council on Environmental Quality; (14) the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health; and (15) such other agencies and departments of the United States as the President or the Chairman of the Council considers appro- priate. Such representatives shall be high ranking offi- cials of their agency or department, wherever possible the head of the portion of that agency or department that is most revelant 1 to the pur- pose of the subchapter described in section 2931(b) of this title. (c) Chairperson The Chairman of the Council, in consultation with the Committee, biennially shall select one of the Committee members to serve as Chair- person. The Chairperson shall be knowledgeable and experienced with regard to the administra-