(a) Establishment; requests for advice by Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency and Congressional committees
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall establish a Science Advisory Board which shall provide such scientific advice as may be requested by the Administrator, the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the United States Senate, or the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, on Energy and Commerce, or on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives.
(b) Membership; Chairman; meetings; qualifications of members
Such Board shall be composed of at least nine members, one of whom shall be designated Chairman, and shall meet at such times and places as may be designated by the Chairman of the Board in consultation with the Administrator. Each member of the Board shall be qualified by education, training, and experience to evaluate scientific and technical information on matters referred to the Board under this section.
(c) Proposed environmental criteria document, standard, limitation, or regulation; functions respecting in conjunction with Administrator
(1) The Administrator, at the time any proposed criteria document, standard, limitation, or regulation under the Clean Air Act [
42 U.S.C.
7401 et seq.], the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [
33 U.S.C.
1251 et seq.], the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 [
42 U.S.C.
6901 et seq.], the Noise Control Act [
42 U.S.C.
4901 et seq.], the Toxic Substances Control Act [
15 U.S.C.
2601 et seq.], or the Safe Drinking Water Act [
42 U.S.C.
300f et seq.], or under any other authority of the Administrator, is provided to any other Federal agency for formal review and comment, shall make available to the Board such proposed criteria document, standard, limitation, or regulation, together with relevant scientific and technical information in the possession of the Environmental Protection Agency on which the proposed action is based.
(2) The Board may make available to the Administrator, within the time specified by the Administrator, its advice and comments on the adequacy of the scientific and technical basis of the proposed criteria document, standard, limitation, or regulation, together with any pertinent information in the Boards possession.
(d) Utilization of technical and scientific capabilities of Federal agencies and national environmental laboratories for determining adequacy of scientific and technical basis of proposed criteria document, etc.
In preparing such advice and comments, the Board shall avail itself of the technical and scientific capabilities of any Federal agency, including the Environmental Protection Agency and any national environmental laboratories.
(e) Member committees and investigative panels; establishment; chairmenship
The Board is authorized to constitute such member committees and investigative panels as the Administrator and the Board find necessary to carry out this section. Each such member committee or investigative panel shall be chaired by a member of the Board.
(f) Appointment and compensation of secretary and other personnel; compensation of members
(1) Upon the recommendation of the Board, the Administrator shall appoint a secretary, and such other employees as deemed necessary to exercise and fulfill the Boards powers and responsibilities. The compensation of all employees appointed under this paragraph shall be fixed in accordance with chapter
51 and subchapter III of chapter
53 of title
5.
(2) Members of the Board may be compensated at a rate to be fixed by the President but not in excess of the maximum rate of pay for grade GS18, as provided in the General Schedule under section
5332 of title
5.
(g) Consultation and coordination with Scientific Advisory Panel In carrying out the functions assigned by this section, the Board shall consult and coordinate its activities with the Scientific Advisory Panel established by the Administrator pursuant to section
136w (d) of title
7.