Environment & Energy Congressional Round-Up | November 11 - November 15, 2024

Highlights:

The House passed the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2024 (H.R.8446), which would expand the number of critical minerals and materials eligible for clean energy tax credits. Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) leads the bill in the House, and Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced an identical bill (S.5274) in the Senate in September. 

The House Committee on Natural Resources advanced the Fishery Improvement to Streamline untimely regulatory Hurdles post Emergency Situation (FISHES) Act (H.R.5103). Reps. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) introduced the bill to expedite federal disaster relief following fishery disaster declarations. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced a similar bill (S.4262) in the Senate in May.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) introduced the Half-Century Update for Water Access and Affordability (H2O UP) Act (H.R.10150) alongside Democratic cosponsors. The H2O UP Act would amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to establish a permanent low-income drinking water assistance program within the Environmental Protection Agency. The program would also initiate data collection and reporting on water access, as well as technical assistance for community water systems.

Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Democratic cosponsors reintroduced the Renewable Energy Certainty Act (S.5320), which would extend the payback period within federal contracts for renewable energy and cogeneration projects to 30 years, increasing the economic viability and stability of clean energy investments.

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