Executive Order 11667—Establishing the President's Advisory Committee on the Environmental Merit Awards Program

On October 31, 1971, I announced the establishment of the President's Environmental Merit Awards Program. The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Commissioner of Education sent letters to high school principals inviting them to participate in this program by establishing local tripartite committees to supervise and direct local Environmental Merit Awards Programs, and to make awards to individual students or groups of students for significant environmental accomplishments by them. These committees were to be composed of students, faculty and interested members of the community.

Today, more than 2,500 high schools, including schools in each of the 50 States, are actively involved in this program.

In view of this encouraging response, I have concluded that I should establish a national committee to advise me of ways in which this program can be further expanded and enhanced and of other ways in which the environmental accomplishments of individuals and groups may be appropriately recognized.

Now, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. (a) There is hereby established the President's Advisory Committee on the Environmental Merit Awards Program. The Committee shall be composed of a Chairman, to be designated by the President, and such members as the President may, from time to time, appoint.

(b) The Committee shall advise the President and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on ways in which the Environmental Merit Awards Program can be expanded and enhanced. The Committee shall select individuals or groups of individuals who deserve special recognition for their local environmental accomplishments and confer appropriate Environmental Merit Awards upon them on behalf of the President. The Committee shall perform such other related functions as the President may, from time to time, specify.

SEC. 2. No member of the Committee shall receive compensation from the United States by reason of service as a member of the Committee but such members may be allowed such travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as may be authorized by law.

SEC. 3. The Environmental Protection Agency shall provide, to the extent permitted by law, administrative support for the Committee and the Environmental Merit Awards Program.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House,

April 19, 1972