(a) The Environmental Quality Board, subject to the provisions for receipt of prior comment from the Seasonal Farm Labor Committee established in subsection (b), shall adopt, amend and repeal such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or appropriate to assure safe or healthful employment and places of employment, to provide safe, healthful and sanitary seasonal farm labor camps, including standards for housing, sanitation, food facilities, fire protection and safety, and to establish criteria for carrying out the functions of the Department of Environmental Resources under this act. The Seasonal Farm Labor Committee shall submit comments on existing rules and regulations to the secretary and the Environmental Quality Board.

(b) There is hereby established in the Department of Environmental Resources a Seasonal Farm Labor Committee consisting of the Secretary of Environmental Resources or his designee, who shall be chairman, the Secretary of Agriculture or his designee, the Secretary of Labor and Industry or his designee, the Secretary of Health or his designee and six persons appointed by the Governor for terms of four years, three of whom shall be selected from lists submitted by employer organizations and shall be employers of seasonal farm laborers or persons with experience in using seasonal farm labor for agricultural purposes, and three of whom shall be representatives of Statewide organizations or agencies actively engaged in the welfare of seasonal farm workers. Of the members first appointed, one shall serve one year, one shall serve two years, two shall serve three years and two shall serve four years. The public members shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in performing their duties under this section.

(c) The Environmental Quality Board shall have no power to adopt rules or regulations for seasonal farm labor or seasonal farm labor camps until receipt of written comments on the proposed rules or regulations from the Seasonal Farm Labor Committee, or until 60 days have expired from the date when such rules and regulations were submitted by the secretary to the committee for their comments. Existing rules and regulations shall continue until modified, superseded or repealed by the Environmental Quality Board under this section.