Environment & Energy Congressional Round-Up | November 18 - November 22, 2024

Highlights:

Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) introduced the Senate version of the Farm Bill. The Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act (S.5335) includes, among other provisions, more than 100 bipartisan bills; support for beginning, underserved, and small agricultural workers; assistance for farms impacted by natural disasters; increased investment in agricultural research; and investment in and permanent authorization of conservation programs. The House Committee on Agriculture passed its version of the Farm Bill, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (H.R.8467) in May. Check out EESI’s Farm Bill in Focus briefing series to learn more about climate-smart opportunities under the Farm Bill.

The Senate passed the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023 (H.R.2950), which reauthorizes voluntary federal programming to bolster the health and resilience of coastal habitats. The bill originated in the House, where it was introduced by Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-P.R.). 

The Senate also passed the Bolstering Ecosystems Against Coastal Harm (BEACH) Act (H.R.5490). Reps. Jennifer Kiggans (R-Va.) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) introduced the bill in the House to expand on coastal conservation maps mandated by the 1982 Coastal Barrier Resources Act. Expanded maps would provide concrete data  to understand coastal communities’ and ecosystems’ climate risk and vulnerability, and boost resilience.

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources also passed the Reinvesting In Shoreline Economies and Ecosystems (RISEE) Act of 2023 (S.373), led by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and bipartisan cosponsors. The RISEE Act would redirect revenue streams from offshore energy production towards state projects that support coastal restoration and resilience. Rep. Lizze Fletcher (D-Texas) introduced the bill’s companion (H.R.913) in the House. 

The House Committee on Natural Resources advanced the Promoting Accessibility on Federal Lands Act of 2023 (H.R.5665). Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and bipartisan cosponsors introduced the bill, which will establish a comprehensive joint assessment by the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture to determine the accessibility of federally-managed trails, campsites, and outdoor recreation facilities for people with disabilities. EESI’s recent article explores other efforts by the 118th Congress to facilitate outdoor access for people with limited mobility. 

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