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H.R. 6378: Air and Health Quality Empowerment Zone Designation Act of 2012

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H.R. 6378: Air and Health Quality Empowerment Zone Designation Act of 2012

112th Congress · introduced 2012-09-12 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2012-09-12 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-11] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Air and Health Quality Empowerment Zone Designation Act of 2012

Plain summary

Air and Health Quality Empowerment Zone Designation Act of 2012 - Allows the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate an area as an air and health quality empowerment zone if the air pollution control district or other local governmental entity (area entity) authorized to regulate air quality for the area nominates the area for such designation, including by submitting a strategic plan designed to address air quality challenges, achieve attainment of air quality standards, and improve the health of the population in the area. Requires a designated area to meet the following criteria: (1) it has been designated as being in extreme nonattainment of the national ambient air quality standard for ozone and in nonattainment of the national ambient air quality standard for PM2.5 (particulate matter diameter); (2) it had nitrogen oxide emissions from farm equipment or emissions of volatile organic compounds from farming in excess of specified limits; (3) it meets or exceeds the national average per capita incidence of asthma; (4) it experiences unemployment rates higher than the national average; and (5) the area entity will provide matching contributions of federal funds toward the activities to be carried out under the strategic plan, which may be in cash or in-kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services. Makes the effective period of area designation the shorter of 10 years or the period ending with revocation by the Administrator. Authorizes grants to an area entity on behalf of each air and health quality empowerment zone for the purpose of carrying out the strategic plan submitted under this Act. Requires a report to Congress on the impact of this Act.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Air and Health Quality Empowerment Zone Designation Act of 2012

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-11] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jim Costa (D-CA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-hr6378 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112