Executive Order 12149—Federal Regional Councils

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and statutes of the United States of America, and in order to provide a structure for interagency and intergovernmental cooperation, it is hereby ordered as follows:

1-1. Establishment of Federal Regional Councils.

1-101. There is hereby continued a Federal Regional Council for each of the ten standard Federal regions (Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-105).

1-102. Each Council shall be composed of a representative designated by the head of each of the following agencies:

(a) The Department of the Interior.

(b) The Department of Agriculture.

(c) The Department of Commerce.

(d) The Department of Labor.

(e) The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

(f) The Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(g) The Department of Transportation.

(h) The Department of Energy.

(i) The Environmental Protection Agency.

(j) The Community Services Administration.

(k) The Office of Personnel Management.

(1) The General Services Administration.

(m) ACTION.

(n) The Small Business Administration.

(o) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(p) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

(q) The Regional Action Planning Commissions.

1-103. The President shall designate one member of each Council to be Chairman. The Chairman may convene an Executive Committee to carry out specific initiatives of the Council.

1-104. Each member of each Council shall be a principal official in the region at the Administrator, Director, Secretarial Representative, or equivalent level. For the Regional Action Planning Commissions (established pursuant to Title V of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended (42 U.S.C. 3181 et seq.)) the Federal cochairman shall serve as the Council member. Representatives of the Office of Management and Budget shall participate in the deliberations of each Council.

1-105. Each member of each Council shall designate an alternate to serve whenever the regular member is unable to attend any meeting of the Council. The alternate shall be a principal official in the Region at the deputy or equivalent level, or the head of an operating unit of the agency.

1-106. When a Chairman determines that matters which significantly affect the interests of agencies which are not represented on the Council are to be considered by that Council, the Chairman shall request the regional director or other appropriate representative of the affected agency to participate in the deliberations of the Council.

1-2. Federal Regional Council Functions.

1-201. The Federal Regional Council, as the major interagency mechanism in the field, shall ensure that Federal programs are implemented in a manner which is consistent with overall Government policy, and shall be responsive to State, tribal, regional, and local government concerns.

1-202. Each Council shall develop a mechanism for sharing information about major agency decisions or actions among agencies in the field, and shall ensure a timely and consistent Federal response to State, tribal, regional, and local concerns or inquiries about such actions.

1-203. Each Council shall establish practical and appropriate liaison functions with State, tribal, regional, and local officials, and shall implement regular procedures to inform elected officials about Government policies and initiatives.

1-204. Each Council shall attempt to identify significant problems with Federal policies and actions and, if such problems cannot be resolved in the Region, refer such problems to the appropriate agencies and the Interagency Coordinating Council.

1-3. General Provisions.

1-301. The Interagency Coordinating Council, in conjunction with the Office of Management and Budget shall, consistent with the objectives and priorities established by the President, establish policy with respect to Federal Regional Council matters, provide guidance to the Councils, respond to their initiatives and seek to resolve policy issues referred to it by the Councils. The Interagency Coordinating Council shall also provide policy guidance to the Federal Cochairmen of the Regional Action Planning Commissions on intergovernmental matters pertaining to activities undertaken by the Federal Regional Councils.

1-302. The Office of Management and Budget shall provide direction for and oversight of the implementation by the Councils of Federal management improvement actions and of Federal aid reforms.

1-303. Each Agency represented on a Council shall provide, to the extent permitted by law, appropriate staff for common or joint interagency task forces as requested by the Federal Regional Council Chairman or by the Interagency Coordinating Council.

1-304. Each Council member shall be provided administrative support by the member's agency.

1-305. Administrative support required by the Council shall be-provided by the Chairman's agency.

1-306. The Federal Regional Councils are encouraged to work with Federal Executive Boards, Federal Executive Associations, River Basin Commissions, Regional Councils of Government, and other similar organizations in the Region.

1-307. Executive Order No. 11647, as amended, is revoked.

JIMMY CARTER

The White House, July 20, 1979.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:26 p.m., July 20, 1979]