Environment & Energy Congressional Round-Up | February 12 - February 16, 2024

Highlights:

In the House, the Atomic Energy Advancement Act (H.R.6544) passed out of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and is scheduled for a vote on the House floor. Introduced by Reps. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), this bill would strengthen licensing and regulatory processes for nuclear energy technologies to accelerate their deployment.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), alongside bipartisan cosponsors, introduced the Satellites Preventing Agricultural Crises and Emergencies (SPACE) Act (H.R.7362). The bill would establish agreements between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and land-grant colleges and universities to share satellite-driven wildfire data and research, effectively bolstering preparedness for worsening wildfire seasons.

Reps. Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), and Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) introduced the Securing and Understanding Our National Renewable Agriculture Yields (SUNRAY) for Energy Act (H.R.7391). The bill would require the USDA to issue guidance for farmers seeking to implement solar energy production alongside crop production on their agricultural land. EESI’s recent article on climate adaptation measures undertaken by farmers in the southwest highlights the benefits of using agricultural land to generate solar energy.

The House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to receive testimony from USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack on climate-smart initiatives within the Farm Bill, including those within its conservation programs. Sec. Vilsack also heard concerns of lawmakers seeking to ensure that farmers are not left behind in the upcoming iteration of the legislation. You can find all of EESI’s resources on the Farm Bill here.

To catch up on all of the recent environmental and energy legislation in Congress, read the PDF here.