Environment & Energy Congressional Round-Up | July 17 - July 21, 2023

Highlights:

Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced two pieces of legislation aimed at expanding and strengthening the agricultural workforce. S.2341 reauthorizes training and outreach for both new and socially disadvantaged farmers, while S.2340 helps connect underserved farmers with access to land, markets, capital, and technical assistance. The bill’s House companion (H.R.3955), introduced last month, has bipartisan support. Both Senate bills are slated for inclusion in the 2023 Farm Bill.

In the House, Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) introduced the Saving Hazardous and Declining Environments (SHADE) Act (H.R.4817). The bill, which has 35 cosponsors, would establish a grant program under the Department of Housing and Urban Development to plant trees in redlined, overburdened, and underserved communities. EESI’s recent briefing, The Future of Forestry in the Farm Bill, highlighted the public health benefits of increased tree coverage in urban and redlined communities, particularly in the face of extreme heat.

Reps. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.), and Marc Veasey (D-Texas) introduced the Facilitating America's Siting of Transmission and Electric Reliability (FASTER) Act (H.R.4689) in the House. The bill would expedite review and permitting processes for some electric transmission facilities, with the ultimate goal of strengthening the energy grid and increasing access to affordable, readily accessible electricity. The bill’s Senate companion (S.1804) was introduced last month by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). At last week’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO, panelists discussed grid resilience as a vital component of national security.

The M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act (S.776), introduced by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), passed out of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and onto the Senate floor. The bill protects segments of the Gila River system by adding them to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Check out EESI’s article on the importance of “Wild and Scenic Rivers” designations to both ecosystems and riparian communities.

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