§3473. Agreement on Border Environment Cooperation Commission

(a) Border Environment Cooperation Commission

(1) Membership

The United States is authorized to participate in the Border Environment Cooperation Commission in accordance with the Border Environment Cooperation Agreement.

(2) Contributions to the Commission budget

There are authorized to be appropriated to the President (or such agency as the President may designate) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and each fiscal year thereafter for United States contributions to the budget of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission pursuant to section 7 of Article III of Chapter I of the Border Environment Cooperation Agreement. Funds authorized to be appropriated for such contributions by this paragraph are in addition to any funds otherwise available for such contributions. Funds authorized to be appropriated by this paragraph are authorized to be made available until expended.

(b) Civil actions involving Commission

For the purpose of any civil action which may be brought within the United States by or against the Border Environment Cooperation Commission in accordance with the Border Environment Cooperation Agreement (including an action brought to enforce an arbitral award against the Commission), the Commission shall be deemed to be an inhabitant of the Federal judicial district in which its principal office within the United States, or its agent appointed for the purpose of accepting service or notice of service, is located. Any such action to which the Commission is a party shall be deemed to arise under the laws of the United States, and the district courts of the United States (including the courts enumerated in section 460 of title 28) shall have original jurisdiction of any such action. When the Commission is a defendant in any action in a State court, it may at any time before trial remove the action into the appropriate district court of the United States by following the procedure for removal provided in section 1446 of title 28.

(c) Definitions

As used in this section-

(1) the term "Border Environment Cooperation Agreement" means the November 1993 Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Mexican States Concerning the Establishment of a Border Environment Cooperation Commission and a North American Development Bank;

(2) the terms "Border Environment Cooperation Commission" and "Commission" mean the commission established pursuant to Chapter I of the Border Environment Cooperation Agreement; and

(3) the term "United States" means the United States, its territories and possessions, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

( Pub. L. 103–182, title V, §533, Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2164 ; Pub. L. 116–113, title VI, §601, Jan. 29, 2020, 134 Stat. 78 ; Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title VI, §601(a)(1), (2), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2149 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2020-Pub. L. 116–260, §601(a)(1), (2), provided that section 601 of Pub. L. 116–113 does not apply to this section and revived the provisions of this section as if such section 601 had not been enacted. See below.

Pub. L. 116–113, §601, which repealed this section effective on the date the USMCA entered into force (July 1, 2020), was made inapplicable to this section by section 601(a)(1), (2) of Pub. L. 116–260.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2020 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 116–260 effective July 1, 2020, see section 601(h) of div. O of Pub. L. 116–260, set out as a note under section 81c of this title.

Executive Documents

Ex. Ord. No. 12916. Implementation of Border Environment Cooperation Commission and North American Development Bank

Ex. Ord. No. 12916, May 13, 1994, 59 F.R. 25779, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 13380, June 17, 2005, 70 F.R. 35509, provided:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, Public Law 103–182; 107 Stat. 2057 ("NAFTA Implementation Act") [see Tables for classification], and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. The Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Mexican States Concerning the Establishment of a Border Environment Cooperation Commission and a North American Development Bank, as amended by the Protocol of Amendment done at Washington and Mexico City, November 25 and 26, 2002 ("Agreement") shall be implemented consistent with United States policy for the protection of human, animal or plant life or health, and the environment. The Agreement shall also be implemented to advance sustainable development, pollution prevention, environmental justice, ecosystem protection, and biodiversity preservation and in a manner that promotes transparency and public participation in accordance with the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Agreement.

Sec. 2. (a) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall be members of the Board of Directors of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission and the North American Development Bank ("Board") as provided in clauses (1), (3), and (5) of article II in chapter III of the Agreement.

(b) Appointments to the Board under clauses (7) and (9) of article II in chapter III of the Agreement shall be made by the President. Individuals so appointed shall serve at the pleasure of the President.

(c) The Secretary of the Treasury is selected to be the Chairperson of the Board during any period in which the United States is to select the Chairperson under article III in chapter III of the Agreement.

(d) Except with respect to functions assigned by section 4, 5, 6, or 7 of this order, the Secretary of the Treasury shall coordinate with the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, such other agencies and officers as may be appropriate, and the individuals appointed under subsection 2(b) as may be appropriate, the development of the policies and positions of the United States with respect to matters coming before the Board.

Sec. 3. For purposes of loans, guarantees, or grants endorsed by the United States for community adjustment and investment, the members of the Board listed in subsections 2(a) and (b) shall be instructed by the Secretary of the Treasury in accordance with procedures established by the Community Adjustment and Investment Program Finance Committee established pursuant to section 7 of this order.

Sec. 4. The functions vested in the President by section 543(a)(1) of the NAFTA Implementation Act [22 U.S.C. 290m–2(a)(1)] are delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury.

Sec. 5. The functions vested in the President by section 543(a)(2) and (3) of the NAFTA Implementation Act are delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury, who shall exercise such functions in accordance with the recommendations of the Community Adjustment and Investment Program Finance Committee established pursuant to section 7 of this order.

Sec. 6. The functions vested in the President by section 543(a)(5) and section 543(d) of the NAFTA Implementation Act are delegated to the Community Adjustment and Investment Program Finance Committee established pursuant to section 7 of this order, which shall exercise such functions in consultation with the Community Adjustment and Investment Program Advisory Committee ("Advisory Committee") established pursuant to section 543(b) of the NAFTA Implementation Act.

Sec. 7. (a) There is hereby established a Community Adjustment and Investment Program Finance Committee ("Finance Committee").

(b) The Finance Committee shall be composed of representatives from the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Small Business Administration, and any other Federal agencies selected by the Chair of the Finance Committee to assist in carrying out the community adjustment and investment program pursuant to section 543(a)(3) of the NAFTA Implementation Act [22 U.S.C. 290m–2(a)(3)].

(c) The Department of the Treasury representative shall serve as Chair of the Finance Committee. The Chair shall be responsible for presiding over the meetings of the Finance Committee, ensuring that the views of all other members are taken into account, coordinating with other appropriate United States Government agencies in carrying out the community adjustment and investment program, and requesting meetings of the Advisory Committee pursuant to section 543(b)(4)(C) of the NAFTA Implementation Act.

Sec. 8. Any advice or conclusions of reviews provided to the President by the Advisory Committee pursuant to section 543(b)(3) of the NAFTA Implementation Act [22 U.S.C. 290m–2(b)(3)] shall be provided through the Finance Committee.

Sec. 9. Any summaries of public comments or conclusions of investigations and audits provided to the President by the ombudsman pursuant to section 543(c)(1) of the NAFTA Implementation Act shall be provided through the Finance Committee.

Sec. 10. The authority of the President under section 6 of Public Law 102–532; 7 U.S.C. 5404, to establish an advisory board to be known as the Good Neighbor Environmental Board is delegated to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Sec. 11. This order is intended only to improve the internal management of the executive branch and is not intended to, and does not, create any right to administrative or judicial review, or any other right or benefit or trust responsibility, substantive or procedural, enforceable by a party against the United States, its agencies or instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any other person.

Extension of Term of Good Neighbor Environmental Board

Term of Good Neighbor Environmental Board extended until Sept. 30, 2025, by Ex. Ord. No. 14109, Sept. 29, 2023, 88 F.R. 68447, set out as a note under section 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Previous extensions of term of Good Neighbor Environmental Board were contained in the following prior Executive Orders:

Ex. Ord. No. 14048, Sept. 30, 2021, 86 F.R. 55465, extended term until Sept. 30, 2023.

Ex. Ord. No. 13889, Sept. 27, 2019, 84 F.R. 52743, extended term until Sept. 30, 2021.

Ex. Ord. No. 13811, Sept. 29, 2017, 82 F.R. 46363, extended term until Sept. 30, 2019.

Ex. Ord. No. 13708, Sept. 30, 2015, 80 F.R. 60271, extended term until Sept. 30, 2017.