§ 2151p. Environmental and natural resources

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(a)Congressional statement of findings The Congress finds that if current trends in the degradation of natural resources in developing countries continue, they will severely undermine the best efforts to meet basic human needs, to achieve sustained economic growth, and to prevent international tension and conflict. The Congress also finds that the world faces enormous, urgent, and complex problems, with respect to natural resources, which require new forms of cooperation between the United States and developing countries to prevent such problems from becoming unmanageable. It is, therefore, in the economic and security interest of the United States to provide leadership both in thoroughly reassessing policies relating to natural resources and the environment, and in cooperating extensively with developing countries in order to achieve environmentally sound development.

(b)Assistance authority and emphasis In order to address the serious problems described in subsection (a), the President is authorized to furnish assistance under subchapter I of this chapter for developing and strengthening the capacity of developing countries to protect and manage their environment and natural resources. Special efforts shall be made to maintain and where possible to restore the land, vegetation, water, wildlife, and other resources upon which depend economic growth and human well-being, especially of the poor.

(c)Implementation considerations applicable to programs and projects

(1)The President, in implementing programs and projects under this part and part X of this subchapter, shall take fully into account the impact of such programs and projects upon the environment and natural resources of developing countries. Subject to such procedures as the President considers appropriate, the President shall require all agencies and officials responsible for programs or projects under this part and part X of this subchapter—

(A)to prepare and take fully into account an environmental impact statement for any program or project under this part and part X of this subchapter significantly affecting the environment of the global commons outside the jurisdiction of any country, the environment of the United States, or other aspects of the environment which the President may specify; and

(B)to prepare and take fully into account an environmental assessment of any proposed program or project under this part and part X of this subchapter significantly affecting the environment of any foreign country.

Such agencies and officials should, where appropriate, use local technical resources in preparing environmental impact statements and environmental assessments pursuant to this subsection.

(2)The President may establish exceptions from the requirements of this subsection for emergency conditions and for cases in which compliance with those requirements would be seriously detrimental to the foreign policy interests of the United States.

(Pub. L. 87–195, pt. I, § 117, formerly § 118, as added Pub. L. 95–88, title I, § 113(a), Aug. 3, 1977, 91 Stat. 537; amended Pub. L. 95–424, title I, § 110, Oct. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 948; Pub. L. 96–53, title I, § 122, Aug. 14, 1979, 93 Stat. 366; Pub. L. 97–113, title III, § 307, Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1533; renumbered § 117 and amended Pub. L. 99–529, title III, § 301(1), (2), Oct. 24, 1986, 100 Stat. 3014; Pub. L. 101–513, title V, § 562(d)(4), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2031.)