§7601. Administration

(a) Regulations; delegation of powers and duties; regional officers and employees

(1) The Administrator is authorized to prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out his functions under this chapter. The Administrator may delegate to any officer or employee of the Environmental Protection Agency such of his powers and duties under this chapter, except the making of regulations subject to section 7607(d) of this title, as he may deem necessary or expedient.

(2) Not later than one year after August 7, 1977, the Administrator shall promulgate regulations establishing general applicable procedures and policies for regional officers and employees (including the Regional Administrator) to follow in carrying out a delegation under paragraph (1), if any. Such regulations shall be designed-

(A) to assure fairness and uniformity in the criteria, procedures, and policies applied by the various regions in implementing and enforcing the chapter;

(B) to assure at least an adequate quality audit of each State's performance and adherence to the requirements of this chapter in implementing and enforcing the chapter, particularly in the review of new sources and in enforcement of the chapter; and

(C) to provide a mechanism for identifying and standardizing inconsistent or varying criteria, procedures, and policies being employed by such officers and employees in implementing and enforcing the chapter.

(b) Detail of Environmental Protection Agency personnel to air pollution control agencies

Upon the request of an air pollution control agency, personnel of the Environmental Protection Agency may be detailed to such agency for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter.

(c) Payments under grants; installments; advances or reimbursements

Payments under grants made under this chapter may be made in installments, and in advance or by way of reimbursement, as may be determined by the Administrator.

(d) Tribal authority

(1) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (2), the Administrator-

(A) is authorized to treat Indian tribes as States under this chapter, except for purposes of the requirement that makes available for application by each State no less than one-half of 1 percent of annual appropriations under section 7405 of this title; and

(B) may provide any such Indian tribe grant and contract assistance to carry out functions provided by this chapter.

(2) The Administrator shall promulgate regulations within 18 months after November 15, 1990, specifying those provisions of this chapter for which it is appropriate to treat Indian tribes as States. Such treatment shall be authorized only if-

(A) the Indian tribe has a governing body carrying out substantial governmental duties and powers;

(B) the functions to be exercised by the Indian tribe pertain to the management and protection of air resources within the exterior boundaries of the reservation or other areas within the tribe's jurisdiction; and

(C) the Indian tribe is reasonably expected to be capable, in the judgment of the Administrator, of carrying out the functions to be exercised in a manner consistent with the terms and purposes of this chapter and all applicable regulations.

(3) The Administrator may promulgate regulations which establish the elements of tribal implementation plans and procedures for approval or disapproval of tribal implementation plans and portions thereof.

(4) In any case in which the Administrator determines that the treatment of Indian tribes as identical to States is inappropriate or administratively infeasible, the Administrator may provide, by regulation, other means by which the Administrator will directly administer such provisions so as to achieve the appropriate purpose.

(5) Until such time as the Administrator promulgates regulations pursuant to this subsection, the Administrator may continue to provide financial assistance to eligible Indian tribes under section 7405 of this title.

(July 14, 1955, ch. 360, title III, §301, formerly §8, as added Pub. L. 88–206, §1, Dec. 17, 1963, 77 Stat. 400 , renumbered Pub. L. 89–272, title I, §101(4), Oct. 20, 1965, 79 Stat. 992 ; amended Pub. L. 90–148, §2, Nov. 21, 1967, 81 Stat. 504 ; Pub. L. 91–604, §§3(b)(2), 15(c)(2), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1677 , 1713; Pub. L. 95–95, title III, §305(e), Aug. 7, 1977, 91 Stat. 776 ; Pub. L. 101–549, title I, §§107(d), 108(i), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2464 , 2467.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 1857g of this title.

Amendments

1990-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 101–549, §108(i), inserted "subject to section 7607(d) of this title" after "regulations".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–549, §107(d), added subsec. (d).

1977-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–95 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

1970-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91–604, §15(c)(2), substituted "Administrator" for "Secretary" and "Environmental Protection Agency" for "Department of Health, Education, and Welfare".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91–604, §3(b)(2), substituted "Environmental Protection Agency" for "Public Health Service" and struck out provisions covering the payment of salaries and allowances.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 91–604, §15(c)(2), substituted "Administrator" for "Secretary".

1967-Pub. L. 90–148 reenacted section without change.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1977 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–95 effective Aug. 7, 1977, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 406(d) of Pub. L. 95–95, set out as a note under section 7401 of this title.

Modification or Rescission of Rules, Regulations, Orders, Determinations, Contracts, Certifications, Authorizations, Delegations, and Other Actions

All rules, regulations, orders, determinations, contracts, certifications, authorizations, delegations, or other actions duly issued, made, or taken by or pursuant to act July 14, 1955, the Clean Air Act, as in effect immediately prior to the date of enactment of Pub. L. 95–95 [Aug. 7, 1977] to continue in full force and effect until modified or rescinded in accordance with act July 14, 1955, as amended by Pub. L. 95–95 [this chapter], see section 406(b) of Pub. L. 95–95, set out as an Effective Date of 1977 Amendment note under section 7401 of this title.

Disadvantaged Business Concerns; Use of Quotas Prohibited

Pub. L. 101–549, title X, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2708 , provided that:

"SEC. 1001. DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS CONCERNS.

"(a) In General.-In providing for any research relating to the requirements of the amendments made by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 [Pub. L. 101–549, see Tables for classification] which uses funds of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall, to the extent practicable, require that not less than 10 percent of total Federal funding for such research will be made available to disadvantaged business concerns.

"(b) Definition.-

"(1)(A) For purposes of subsection (a), the term 'disadvantaged business concern' means a concern-

"(i) which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals or, in the case of a publicly traded company, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals; and

"(ii) the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by such individuals.

"(B)(i) A for-profit business concern is presumed to be a disadvantaged business concern for purposes of subsection (a) if it is at least 51 percent owned by, or in the case of a concern which is a publicly traded company at least 51 percent of the stock of the company is owned by, one or more individuals who are members of the following groups:

"(I) Black Americans.

"(II) Hispanic Americans.

"(III) Native Americans.

"(IV) Asian Americans.

"(V) Women.

"(VI) Disabled Americans.

"(ii) The presumption established by clause (i) may be rebutted with respect to a particular business concern if it is reasonably established that the individual or individuals referred to in that clause with respect to that business concern are not experiencing impediments to establishing or developing such concern as a result of the individual's identification as a member of a group specified in that clause.

"(C) The following institutions are presumed to be disadvantaged business concerns for purposes of subsection (a):

"(i) Historically black colleges and universities, and colleges and universities having a student body in which 40 percent of the students are Hispanic.

"(ii) Minority institutions (as that term is defined by the Secretary of Education pursuant to the General Education Provision Act (20 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.)).

"(iii) Private and voluntary organizations controlled by individuals who are socially and economically disadvantaged.

"(D) A joint venture may be considered to be a disadvantaged business concern under subsection (a), notwithstanding the size of such joint venture, if-

"(i) a party to the joint venture is a disadvantaged business concern; and

"(ii) that party owns at least 51 percent of the joint venture.

A person who is not an economically disadvantaged individual or a disadvantaged business concern, as a party to a joint venture, may not be a party to more than 2 awarded contracts in a fiscal year solely by reason of this subparagraph.

"(E) Nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit any member of a racial or ethnic group that is not listed in subparagraph (B)(i) from establishing that they have been impeded in establishing or developing a business concern as a result of racial or ethnic discrimination.

"Sec. 1002. Use of Quotas Prohibited.-Nothing in this title shall permit or require the use of quotas or a requirement that has the effect of a quota in determining eligibility under section 1001."