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Executive Order 12761—Establishment of the President's Environment and Conservation Challenge Awards

May 21, 1991

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to establish, in accordance with the goals and purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended et seq.), the Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970, as amended et seq.), and the National Environmental Education Act, Public Law 101-619, 104 Stat. 3325 (1990), an awards program to raise environmental awareness and to recognize outstanding achievements in the United States and in its territories in the areas of conservation and environmental protection by both the public and private sectors, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment. The President's Environment and Conservation Challenge Awards program is established for the purposes of recognizing outstanding environmental achievements by U.S. citizens, enterprises, or programs; providing an incentive for environmental accomplishment; promoting cooperative partnerships between diverse groups working together to achieve common environmental goals; and identifying successful environmental programs that can be replicated.

Sec. 2. Administration. (a) The Council on Environmental Quality, with the assistance of the President's Commission on Environmental Quality, shall organize, manage, and administer the awards program, including the development of selection criteria, the nomination of eligible individuals to receive the award, and the selection of award recipients.

(b) Any expenses of the program shall be paid from funds available for the expenses of the Council on Environmental Quality.

Sec. 3. Awards. (a) Up to three awards in each of the following four categories shall be made annually to eligible individuals, organizations, groups, or entities:

(i) Quality Environmental Management Awards (incorporation of environmental concerns into management decisions and practices);

(ii) Partnership Awards (successful coalition building efforts);

(iii) Innovation Awards (innovative technology programs, products, or processes); and

(iv) Education and Communication Awards (education and information programs contributing to the development of an ethic fostering conservation and environmental protection).

(b) Presidential citations shall be given to eligible program finalists who demonstrate notable or unique achievements, but who are not selected to receive awards.

Sec. 4. Eligibility. Only residents of the United States and organizations, groups, or entities doing business in the United States are eligible to receive an award under this program. An award under this program shall be given only for achievements in the United States or its territories. Organizations, groups, or entities may be profit or nonprofit, public or private entities.

Sec. 5. Information System. The Council on Environmental Quality shall establish and maintain a data bank with information about award nominees to catalogue and publicize model conservation or environmental protection programs which could be replicated.

George Bush

The White House,

May 21, 1991.

George Bush, Executive Order 12761—Establishment of the President's Environment and Conservation Challenge Awards Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/268921

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