---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6908"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6908"
heading: "Small town environmental planning"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6908"
units:
  - "Chapter 82 — Solid Waste Disposal"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §6908. Small town environmental planning

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection Agency (hereafter referred to as the “[Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1)”) shall establish a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) to assist small communities in planning and financing environmental [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4). The [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) shall be known as the “[Small Town](#f) Environmental Planning [Program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4)”.
- (b) **Small Town Environmental Planning Task Force—**
  - (1) The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall establish a [Small Town](#f) Environmental Planning [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) which shall be composed of [representatives](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=5) of [small towns](#f) from different areas of the [United States](/usc/42/403.md?p=k), Federal and [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) governmental agencies, and public interest groups. The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall terminate the [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) not later than 2 years after the establishment of the [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3).
  - (2) The [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall—
    - (A) identify regulations developed pursuant to Federal environmental laws which pose significant compliance problems for [small towns](#f);
    - (B) identify means to improve the working relationship between the Environmental Protection Agency (hereafter referred to as the Agency) and [small towns](#f);
    - (C) review proposed regulations for the protection of the environmental and public health and suggest revisions that could improve the ability of [small towns](#f) to comply with such regulations;
    - (D) identify means to promote regionalization of environmental [treatment](/usc/42/6903.md?p=34) systems and infrastructure serving [small towns](#f) to improve the economic condition of such systems and infrastructure; and
    - (E) provide such other assistance to the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) as the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) deems appropriate.
- (c) **Identification of environmental requirements—**
  - (1) Not later than 6 months after October 6, 1992, the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall publish a list of requirements under Federal environmental and public health statutes (and the regulations developed pursuant to such statutes) applicable to [small towns](#f). Not less than annually, the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall make such additions and deletions to and from the list as the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) deems appropriate.
  - (2) The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall, as part of the [Small Town](#f) Environmental Planning [Program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) under this section, implement a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) to notify small communities of the regulations identified under [paragraph (1)](#c-1) and of future regulations and requirements through methods that the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) determines to be effective to provide information to the greatest number of small communities, including any of the following:
    - (A) Newspapers and other periodicals.
    - (B) Other news media.
    - (C) Trade, municipal, and other associations that the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) determines to be appropriate.
    - (D) Direct mail.
- (d) **Small Town Ombudsman—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall establish and staff an [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of the [Small Town](#f) [Ombudsman](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=2). The [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) shall provide assistance to [small towns](#f) in connection with the [Small Town](#f) Environmental Planning [Program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) and other business with the Agency. Each regional [office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) shall identify a [small town](#f) contact. The [Small Town](#f) [Ombudsman](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=2) and the regional contacts also may assist larger communities, but only if first priority is given to providing assistance to [small towns](#f).
- (e) **Multi-media permits—**
  - (1) The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall conduct a study of establishing a multi-media permitting [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for [small towns](#f). Such evaluation shall include an analysis of—
    - (A) environmental benefits and liabilities of a multi-media permitting [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4);
    - (B) the potential of using such a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) to coordinate a [small town](#f)’s environmental and public health activities; and
    - (C) the legal barriers, if any, to the establishment of such a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
  - (2) Within 3 years after October 6, 1992, the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall report to Congress on the results of the evaluation performed in accordance with [paragraph (1)](#e-1). Included in this report shall be a description of the activities conducted pursuant to [subsections (a) through (d)](#a..d).
- (f) **“Small town” defined—** For purposes of this section, the term “small town” means an incorporated or unincorporated community (as defined by the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1)) with a population of less than 2,500 individuals.
- (g) **Authorization—** There is authorized to be appropriated the sum of $500,000 to implement this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–386, title I, § 109, Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1515.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Federal Facility Compliance Act of 1992, and not as part of the Solid Waste Disposal Act which comprises this chapter.