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December 7, 2020
From November 10 to December 3, activity resumed in Congress as the House and Senate together introduced a total of 37 bills and resolutions related to environmental and energy topics. Of these, 11 were in the Senate and 26 in the House. The Senate also held four committee hearings on environmental and energy issues, while the House held one. Finally, the Senate passed four bills.
Highlights
Many bills introduced in this period focused on public lands. For example, S.4950 aims to improve the process for awarding Department of Agriculture grants to jurisdictions within counties in which the majority of land is federally owned, and H.R.8849 aims to facilitate land exchanges between the state of California and the federal government. Several other bills focused on oceans and water resources: all four bills which passed the Senate were within this issue area. Among them was S.4462, or the FLOODS Act, which would create a national integrated flood information system within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Bills of note in other issue areas during this period include S.4887, which would eliminate subsidies from fossil fuel production, and H.R.8769, which would support the market for Sustainable Aviation Fuels, a lower-carbon aircraft fuel.
Senate
Bills referred to committee
S.4950 - A bill to improve the process for awarding grants under certain programs of the Department of Agriculture to certain counties in which the majority of land is owned or managed by the Federal Government and to other units of local government and Tribal governments in those counties, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV] (Introduced 12/02/2020)
Committees: Senate - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
S.4951 - A bill to improve the process for awarding grants under certain programs of the Department of Transportation to certain counties in which the majority of land is owned or managed by the Federal Government and to other units of local government and Tribal governments in those counties, and for other purposes.
Committees: Senate - Commerce, Science, and Transportation
S.4931 - A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program to reduce the risk of wildfires caused by power lines, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (Introduced 12/01/2020)
Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources
S.4934 - A bill to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a study on mercury vapor released from synthetic flooring made using phenylmercuric acetate, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (Introduced 12/01/2020)
Committees: Senate - Environment and Public Works
S.4938 - A bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain river segments in the York River watershed in the State of Maine as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME] (Introduced 12/01/2020)
S.4926 - A bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain streams in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem and Smith River system in the State of Montana as components of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] (Introduced 11/30/2020)
S.4905 - A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Chisholm National Historic Trail and the Western National Historic Trail, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS] (Introduced 11/18/2020)
S.4897 - A bill to reestablish United States global leadership in nuclear energy, revitalize domestic nuclear energy supply chain infrastructure, support the licensing of advanced nuclear technologies, and improve the regulation of nuclear energy, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY] (Introduced 11/16/2020)
S.4882 - A bill to amend title 54, United States Code, to limit the authority to reserve water rights in designating a national monument.
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] (Introduced 11/10/2020)
S.4887 - A bill to eliminate certain subsidies for fossil-fuel production.
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (Introduced 11/10/2020)
Committees: Senate - Finance
S.4890 - A bill to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide for consultation with State, Tribal, and local governments, the consideration of State, Tribal, and local concerns, and the approval of post-shutdown decommissioning activities reports by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bills passed
S.4462 - FLOODS Act
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] (Introduced 08/06/2020)
S.2981 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Amendments Act of 2020
Sponsor: Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK] (Introduced 12/04/2019)
S.1342 - Great Lakes Environmental Sensitivity Index Act of 2019
Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] (Introduced 05/07/2019)
S.1069 - Digital Coast Act
Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (Introduced 04/09/2019)
Committee hearings
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND FOOD SUPPLY (12/2)
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded a hearing to examine agricultural research and securing the United States food supply, after receiving testimony from Amy France, National Sorghum Producers, Marienthal, Kansas; Dan Glickman, The Aspen Institute, Washington, D.C.; Stephen Higgs, Kansas State University Biosecurity Research Institute, Manhattan; and Steven Rosenzweig, General Mills, Golden Valley, Minnesota.
BUSINESS MEETING (12/2)
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: S. 4897, to reestablish United States global leadership in nuclear energy, revitalize domestic nuclear energy supply chain infrastructure, support the licensing of advanced nuclear technologies, and improve the regulation of nuclear energy, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and General Services Administration resolutions.
BUSINESS MEETING (11/19)
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably reported the nominations of Allison Clements, of Ohio, and Mark C. Christie, of Virginia, both to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
PUBLIC LANDS, FORESTS, AND MINING LEGISLATION (11/19)
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining concluded a hearing to examine H.R. 823 and S. 241, bills to provide for the designation of certain wilderness areas, recreation management areas, and conservation areas in the State of Colorado, S. 1695, to amend the Wilderness Act to allow local Federal officials to determine the manner in which nonmotorized uses may be permitted in wilderness areas, S. 2804, to promote conservation, improve public land management, and provide for sensible development in Pershing County, Nevada, S. 2875, to amend the Smith River National Recreation Area Act to include certain additions to the Smith River National Recreation Area, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain wild rivers in the State of Oregon, S. 3492, to transfer administrative jurisdiction over certain Bureau of Land Management land from the Secretary of the Interior to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for use as a national cemetery, S. 4215, to designate and adjust certain lands in the State of Utah as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, S. 4569, to modify the boundary of the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in the State of Arizona, S. 4599, to withdraw certain Federal land in the Pecos Watershed area of the State of New Mexico from mineral entry, S. 4603, to promote the use of forest restoration residue harvested on National Forest System land for renewable energy, S. 4616, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer certain National Forest System land to the State of South Dakota, S. 4625, to direct the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to encourage and expand the use of prescribed fire on land managed by the Department of the Interior or the Forest Service, with an emphasis on units of the National Forest System in the western United States, S. 4696, to provide for the continuation of higher education through the conveyance to the University of Alaska of certain public land in the State of Alaska, and S. 4889, to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to increase the dividend exclusion, to exclude certain payments to Alaska Native elders for determining eligibility for certain programs, to provide that Village Corporations shall not be required to convey land in trust to the State of Alaska for the establishment of Municipal Corporations, and to provide for the recognition of certain Alaska Native communities and the settlement of certain claims under that Act, to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain interests in land in the State of Alaska, after receiving testimony from Chris French, Deputy Chief, Forest System, National Forest Service, Department of Agriculture; Michael Nedd, Deputy Director, Operations, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior; Art Babbott, Coconino County, Flagstaff, Arizona; and Susan Jane M. Brown, Western Environmental Law Center, Eugene, Oregon.
House
H.R.8843 - To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to increase the number of acres authorized for enrollment in the conservation reserve program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7] (Introduced 12/03/2020)
Committees: House - Agriculture
H.R.8848 - To convey certain Federal land in California to Twentynine Palms, California.
Sponsor: Rep. Cook, Paul [R-CA-8] (Introduced 12/03/2020)
Committees: House - Natural Resources
H.R.8849 - To facilitate land exchanges in California between the California State Lands Commission and the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes.
H.R.8850 - To convey certain Federal land in California to Apple Valley, California.
H.R.8858 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and allow an elective payment of the tax credit for carbon oxide sequestration.
Sponsor: Rep. McKinley, David B. [R-WV-1] (Introduced 12/03/2020)
Committees: House - Ways and Means
H.R.8863 - To prohibit the further extension or establishment of national monuments in Utah except by express authorization of Congress.
Sponsor: Rep. Stewart, Chris [R-UT-2] (Introduced 12/03/2020)
H.R.8865 - To improve the process for awarding grants under certain programs of the Department of Transportation to certain counties in which the majority of land is owned or managed by the Federal Government and to other units of local government and Tribal governments in those counties, and for other purposes.
Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure
H.R.8866 - To improve the process for awarding grants under certain programs of the Department of Agriculture to certain counties in which the majority of land is owned or managed by the Federal Government and to other units of local government and Tribal governments in those counties, and for other purposes.
Committees: House - Agriculture; Energy and Commerce; Financial Services
H.R.8842 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to limit the charitable deduction for certain qualified conservation contributions.
Sponsor: Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5] (Introduced 12/02/2020)
H.Res.1247 - Expressing the need for the Federal Government to establish a National Biodiversity Strategy for protecting biodiversity for current and future generations.
Sponsor: Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (Introduced 12/02/2020)
H.R.8807 - To establish a grant program to map optimal locations for electric vehicle charging stations and the derived demand for electricity, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1] (Introduced 11/24/2020)
Committees: House - Energy and Commerce
H.R.8810 - To establish a national program to identify and reduce losses from landslide hazards, to establish a national 3D Elevation Program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (Introduced 11/24/2020)
Committees: House - Natural Resources; Science, Space, and Technology
H.R.8795 - To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a climate impact management plan for the conservation of certain marine mammal species, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (Introduced 11/20/2020)
H.R.8806 - To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for an investment option under the Thrift Savings Plan that does not include investment in any fossil fuel companies.
Sponsor: Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-13] (Introduced 11/20/2020)
Committees: House - Oversight and Reform; Energy and Commerce; Education and Labor
H.R.8784 - To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the United States Agency for International Development to accept or purchase used property for planning and implementation of wind energy programs under that Act.
Sponsor: Rep. Curtis, John R. [R-UT-3] (Introduced 11/19/2020)
Committees: House - Foreign Affairs
H.R.8790 - To extend the wildfire and hurricane indemnity program to cover certain crop losses in calendar year 2020, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5] (Introduced 11/19/2020)
H.R.8769 - To support the sustainable aviation fuel market, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (Introduced 11/18/2020)
Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Transportation and Infrastructure; Armed Services; Science, Space, and Technology; Ways and Means
H.R.8771 - To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Chisholm National Historic Trail and the Western National Historic Trail, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Estes, Ron [R-KS-4] (Introduced 11/18/2020)
H.R.8775 - To require the Secretary of the Interior to take certain measures with respect to protecting the Salton Sea, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] (Introduced 11/18/2020)
Committees: House - Natural Resources; Energy and Commerce
H.R.8759 - To approve certain advanced biofuel registrations, to require the consideration of certain advanced biofuel pathways, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Bustos, Cheri [D-IL-17] (Introduced 11/17/2020)
H.R.8760 - To require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue an annual report to the Congress projecting and accounting for the economic costs directly and indirectly caused by the impacts of climate change, and to require the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board to establish a Federal Advisory Panel on the Economics of Climate Change, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] (Introduced 11/17/2020)
Committees: House - Oversight and Reform; Financial Services
H.R.8761 - To reduce premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program for certain properties, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Gianforte, Greg [R-MT-At Large] (Introduced 11/17/2020)
Committees: House - Financial Services
H.R.8738 - To withdraw certain Federal land in the San Bernardino National Forest in California from location, entry, and patent under mining laws, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Cook, Paul [R-CA-8] (Introduced 11/12/2020)
H.R.8739 - To withdraw certain Federal land in the San Bernardino National Forest in California from location, entry, and patent under mining laws, and for other purposes.
H.R.8743 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make certain energy tax credits fully refundable and to delay the tax credit phase down, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49] (Introduced 11/12/2020)
H.R.8746 - To establish a Restore Employment in Natural and Environmental Work Conservation Corps in the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1] (Introduced 11/12/2020)
Committees: House - Natural Resources; Agriculture; Energy and Commerce; Transportation and Infrastructure
H.R.8750 - To direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish a National Coastal Data Information System, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (Introduced 11/12/2020)
OCEAN CLIMATE ACTION: SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS (11/17)
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``Ocean Climate Action: Solutions to the Climate Crisis''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
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