Executive Order 11738

Providing for Administration of the Clean Air Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act With Respect to Federal Contracts, Grants, or Loans

September 10, 1973

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the provisions of the Clean Air Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1857 et seq.), particularly section 306 of that Act as added by the Clean Air Amendments of 1970 (Public Law 91-604), and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), particularly section 508 of that Act as added by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (Public Law 92-500), it is hereby ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. Policy. It is the policy of the Federal Government to improve and enhance environmental quality. In furtherance of that policy, the program prescribed in this Order is instituted to assure that each Federal agency empowered to enter into contracts for the procurement of goods, materials, or services and each Federal agency empowered to extend Federal assistance by way of grant, loan, or contract shall undertake such procurement and assistance activities in a manner that will result in effective enforcement of the Clean Air Act (hereinafter referred to as 'the Air Act') and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (hereinafter referred to as 'the Water Act').

SECTION 2. Designation of Facilities.

(a) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (hereinafter referred to as 'the Administrator') shall be responsible for the attainment of the purposes and objectives of this Order.

(b) In carrying out his responsibilities under this Order, the Administrator shall, in conformity with all applicable requirements of law, designate facilities which have given rise to a conviction for an offense under section 113(c)(1) of the Air Act or section 309

(c) of the Water Act. The Administrator shall, from time to time, publish and circulate to all Federal agencies lists of those facilities, together with the names and addresses of the persons who have been convicted of such offenses. Whenever the Administrator determines that the condition which gave rise to a conviction has been corrected, he shall promptly remove the facility and the name and address of the person concerned from the list.

SECTION 3. Contracts, Grants, or Loans.

(a) Except as provided in section 8 of this Order, no Federal agency shall enter into any contract for the procurement of goods, materials, or services which is to be performed in whole or in part in a facility then designated by the Administrator pursuant to section 2.

(b) Except as provided in section 8 of this Order, no Federal agency authorized to extend Federal assistance by way of grant, loan, or contract shall extend such assistance in any case in which it is to be used to support any activity or program involving the use of a facility then designated by the Administrator pursuant to section 2.

SECTION 4. Procurement, Grant, and Loan Regulations.

The Federal Procurement Regulations, the Armed Services Procurement Regulations, and, to the extent necessary, any supplemental or comparable regulations issued by any agency of the Executive Branch shall, following consultation with the Administrator, be amended to require, as a condition of entering into, renewing, or extending any contract for the procurement of goods, materials, or services or extending any assistance by way of grant, loan, or contract, inclusion of a provision requiring compliance with the Air Act, the Water Act, and standards issued pursuant thereto in the facilities in which the contract is to be performed, or which are involved in the activity or program to receive assistance.

SECTION 5. Rules and Regulations.

The Administrator shall issue such rules, regulations, standards, and guidelines as he may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this Order.

SECTION 6. Cooperation and Assistance.

The head of each Federal agency shall take such steps as may be necessary to insure that all officers and employees of his agency whose duties entail compliance or comparable functions with respect to contracts, grants, and loans are familiar with the provisions of this Order. In addition to any other appropriate action, such officers and employees shall report promptly any condition in a facility which may involve noncompliance with the Air Act or the Water Act or any rules, regulations, standards, or guidelines issued pursuant to this Order to the head of the agency, who shall transmit such reports to the Administrator.

SECTION 7. Enforcement.

The Administrator may recommend to the Department of Justice or other appropriate agency that legal proceedings be brought or other appropriate action be taken whenever he becomes aware of a breach of any provision required, under the amendments issued pursuant to section 4 of this Order, to be included in a contract or other agreement.

SECTION 8. Executions--Reports to Congress.

(a) Upon a determination that the paramount interest of the United States so requires--

(1) The head of a Federal Agency may exempt any contract, grant, or loan, and, following consultation with the Administrator, any class of contracts, grants or loans from the provisions of this Order. In any such case, the head of the Federal agency granting such exemption shall

(A) promptly notify the Administrator of such exemption and the justification therefore;

(B) review the necessity for each such exemption annually; and

(C) report to the Administrator annually all such exemptions in effect. Exemptions granted pursuant to this section shall be for a period not to exceed one year. Additional exemptions may be granted for periods not to exceed one year upon the making of a new determination by the head of the Federal agency concerned.

(2) The Administrator may, by rule or regulation, exempt any or all Federal agencies from any or all of the provisions of this Order with respect to any class or classes of contracts, grants, or loans, which

(A) involve less than specified dollar amounts, or

(B) have a minimal potential impact upon the environment, or

(C) involve persons who are not prime contractors or direct recipients of Federal assistance by way of contracts, grants, or loans.

(b) Federal agencies shall reconsider any exemption granted under subsection (a) whenever requested to do so by the Administrator.

(c) The Administrator shall annually notify the President and the Congress of all exemptions granted, or in effect, under this Order during the preceding year.

SECTION 9. Related Actions.

The imposition of any sanction or penalty under or pursuant to this Order shall not relieve any person of any legal duty to comply with any provisions of the Air Act or the Water Act.

SECTION 10. Applicability.

This Order shall not apply to contracts, grants, or loans involving the use of facilities located outside the United States.

SECTION 11. Uniformity.

Rules, regulations, standards, and guidelines issued pursuant to this order and section 508 of the Water Act shall, to the maximum extent feasible, be uniform with regulations issued pursuant to this order, Executive Order No. 11602 of June 29, 1971, and section 306 of the Air Act.

SECTION 12. Order Superseded.

Executive Order No. 11602 of June 29, 1971, is hereby superseded.

RICHARD NIXON
THE WHITE HOUSE,
September 10, 1973.

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