§ 5403 — Environmental Quality Policy Statement

(1) The Council shall develop an Environmental Quality Policy Statement that identifies goals and objectives for addressing the effects of agriculture on environmental quality. The policy statement shall be based upon an assessment, in accordance with paragraph (2), of the current status and level of effort, in terms of staff and funding, of programs at the Department of Agriculture to evaluate, prevent, and mitigate environmental problems that may result from agricultural production. The policy statement shall be revised at least every 5 years. (2) The assessment under paragraph (1) shall include: (A) Detailed descriptions of the roles of the involved Departmental agencies. (B) A description of current efforts to coordinate the individual activities of each of the involved departmental agencies. (C) Recommendations for precluding any undesirable duplication of efforts within the Department and among the Department and other Federal and State programs. (D) Specific recommendations for new initiatives in monitoring, research, extension, and technical assistance efforts to address present and potential environmental quality problems. (b) The Director, subject to the approval of the Council, shall prepare a plan to implement the Environmental Quality Policy Statement. The plan shall include an assessment of the activities of each departmental agency to mitigate or reduce any negative effects on environmental quality of agricultural policies, programs, and practices under their respective jurisdictions and shall describe in detail new departmental and agency-specific initiatives intended to achieve the goals and objectives of the policy statement. The plan shall be revised at least every 5 years. (c) Not later than January 31, 1992, and annually thereafter, the Council, through the Director, shall prepare and submit an annual report to the Congress, other appropriate Federal and State agencies, and the public on the progress being made toward the goals and objectives established in the Environmental Quality Policy Statement. The report shall also include— (1) a review of the environmental activities and initiatives of the Department during the preceding year; (2) specific action taken to coordinate the environmental programs of the Department with programs of other Federal agencies and related State programs; and (3) such recommendations as the Secretary considers appropriate regarding current or additional environmental protection programs, initiatives, or policies that will balance the needs of production agriculture while addressing environmental concerns. (d) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated annually not to exceed $2,000,000 to carry out this chapter.