Responsibilities of the Office include developing and supporting programs to improve understanding of the natural and developed environment, and the relationships between humans and their environment; supporting the dissemination of educational materials; developing and supporting training programs and environmental education seminars; managing a Federal grant program; and administering an environmental internship and fellowship program. The Office is required to develop and support environmental programs in consultation with other Federal natural resource management agencies, including the Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Act requires the Education Office Advisory Council to submit a report to Congress by November 16, 1992, regarding obstacles to improving environmental education programs, including those relating to national parks and wildlife refuges.
A similar program authorized in 1975 (P.L. 91-516; 84 Stat. 1312) was repealed by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981.