THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE
Division on Earth and Life Studies
Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology
Committee on Review of EPA’s Use of Title 42 Special Hiring Authority
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Congressional Briefing
Wednesday, March 6, 2024 – 2:00 p.m.
via Zoom
on
Enhancing EPA Science Capability for a Complex Future:
Recommendations for Use of Title 42 Special Hiring Authority
To aid in the selection and hiring of premier scientists and engineers, in 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) first sought the ability to directly recruit world-renowned scientists and engineers from academia, private industry, and other government agencies under Title 42, Section 209, of the U.S. Code. Title 42 authorizes federal agencies to appoint highly qualified scientists and engineers outside of standard civil service positions. Congress reauthorizes the EPA Title 42 authority in 5-year increments.
Requested by Congress in P.L. 117-103, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, this new report, from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reviews past and current EPA use of Title 42 hiring authority and how the program might be improved. The report finds that EPA has used its limited Title 42 authority effectively since 2006 and that Title 42 authority has enabled the hiring of effective scientific leadership and improved the scientific capability and capacity to support the Agency mission. Furthermore, it finds that Title 42 can help the agency in addressing future environmental complexities. In continuing to enhance its scientific workforce and maintain a position at the forefront of evolving scientific knowledge, EPA would benefit from Congressional approval for permanent Title 42 authority.
This briefing was for members of Congress and congressional staff only. The report was publicly released on March 7, 2024 and can be found, in its entirety, on the Web site of the National Academies Press.