Environment & Energy Congressional Round-Up | June 24 - June 28, 2024

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July 3, 2024

Highlights: 

The House Committee on Natural Resources advanced the Accelerating Appraisals and Conservation Efforts Act (H.R.5443) to the House floor for consideration. Reps. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) and David Joyce (R-Ohio) penned the bill, which would reduce the red tape hindering land sales and exchanges between private lands and federal public lands, ultimately paving the way for conservation efforts. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining took up their own version of the bill for debate in May.

The House Committee on Natural Resources also passed the Water Monitoring and Tracking Essential Resources (WATER) Data Improvement Act (H.R.5770), introduced by Reps. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), and Dina Titus (D-Nev.). The bill would support water scarcity and monitoring programs under the U.S. Geological Survey. 

Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and bipartisan cosponsors introduced the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (H.R.8812), a legislative package that reauthorizes flood control, ecosystem restoration, and other water resources projects under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers every two years. The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works passed its version of the bill in May. 

Reps. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) and Don Beyer (D-Va.) introduced the Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act (H.R.8836). The bill would codify the Wildlife Movement and Migration Corridor Grant Program, establish the State and Tribal Migration Research Program, and direct the U.S. Geological Survey to provide technical assistance to states for mapping wildlife migration, among other initiatives. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced a companion bill in the Senate. Check out EESI’s article, Making Space for Migratory Mammals on the Move, for other federal and state actions supporting mammal migration.

 

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