Voluntary Environmental Self-Evaluation Act

Summary

Voluntary Environmental Self-Evaluation Act - Provides that information contained in, and testimony relating to, voluntary environmental self-evaluations shall not be admissible evidence or subject to discovery in Federal or State administrative or judicial proceedings under Federal environmental laws. Authorizes waivers of such privilege by the entity concerned. Permits persons seeking disclosure of such information, in cases where an entity invokes the nondisclosure privilege, to request an administrative law judge or the court, as appropriate, to convene an in camera proceeding to determine applicability of the privilege. Makes the privilege inapplicable in civil proceedings if an administrative law judge or the court determines that: (1) the document or testimony indicates non-compliance with an environmental law by such entity and the entity failed to achieve compliance within a reasonable time period; (2) such entity is asserting the privilege for a fraudulent purpose; or (3) the report was prepared for purposes of avoiding disclosure of information required for a pending or imminent investigative, administrative, or judicial proceeding of which the entity had knowledge. Provides for appeals of such determinations. Makes the nondisclosure privilege inapplicable in criminal proceedings brought by Federal or State agencies if the court makes any of the determinations described above for civil proceedings. Authorizes seizures of reports believed to constitute evidence of criminal offenses but limits use of the information to review by such agencies until the court determines it subject to disclosure. Provides immunity from Federal or State prosecution to entities making voluntary disclosures of violations of environmental laws as a result of making self-evaluations or using environmental management systems and makes such disclosures inadmissible in courts or administrative proceedings if the entity: (1) meets certain conditions regarding promptness of disclosure, efforts to achieve compliance, and availability of information; and (2) is not disclosing information for fraudulent purposes or to avoid penalties. Makes immunity inapplicable if the violation concerned is part of a pattern of significant violations that has occurred within the past three years in cases where the senior management had knowledge and failed to take corrective action.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 12 June 1997

   Introduced

   Referred to House Judiciary

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 12 June 1997

   Introduced

   Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 12 June 1997

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 12 June 1997

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

5. 17 June 1997

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.

   Source: Committee

6. 18 June 1997

   Committee

   Executive Comment Requested from Interior.

   Source: Committee

7. 18 June 1997

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.

   Source: Committee

8. 20 June 1997

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law.

   Source: Committee

9. 26 June 1997

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in House · 12 June 1997 · Download file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 12 June 1997

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 12 June 1997

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 12 June 1997

  Open at official source

  Leesvertaling

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  Vertaal naarNL · DutchDE · GermanFR · FrenchES · SpanishIT · ItalianPL · PolishPT · PortugueseSV · SwedishDA · DanishFI · FinnishEL · GreekCS · CzechHU · HungarianRO · RomanianBG · BulgarianHR · CroatianSK · SlovakSL · SlovenianLT · LithuanianLV · LatvianET · EstonianGA · IrishMT · Maltese

  Vertaal document

  Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Sponsors

• Rep. Hefley, Joel [R-CO-5] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Hyde, Henry J. [R-IL-6] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Paul, Ron [R-TX-14] · R · Cosponsor
• · hspw00 · Standing
• · hsju00 · Standing
• · hsif00 · Standing
• · hsag00 · Standing
• · hsii00 · Standing

Related records

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