(a) Establishment; membership
The Governors of the various States may establish Regional Energy Advisory Boards for their regions with such membership as they may determine.
(b) Observers
Representatives of the Secretary, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, the Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall be entitled to participate as observers in the deliberations of any Board established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. The Federal Cochairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission or any regional commission under title V of the Public Works and Economic Development Act [42 U.S.C. 3181 et seq.] shall be entitled to participate as an observer in the deliberations of any such Board which contains one or more States which are members of such Commission.
(c) Recommendations of Board
Each Board established pursuant to subsection (a) may make such recommendations as it determines to be appropriate to programs of the Department having a direct effect on the region.
(d) Notice of reasons not to adopt recommendations
If any Regional Advisory Board makes specific recommendations pursuant to subsection (c), the Secretary shall, if such recommendations are not adopted in the implementation of the program, notify the Board in writing of his reasons for not adopting such recommendations.
References in Text
The Public Works and Economic Development Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 89–136, Aug. 26, 1965, 79 Stat. 552, as amended. Title V of the Public Works and Economic Development Act was classified generally to subchapter V (§3181 et seq.) of chapter 38 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–35, title XVIII, §1821(a)(8), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 766. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3121 of this title and Tables.
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.