Environment & Energy Congressional Round-Up | October 15 - 23, 2019 | Article

This edition of the EESI Congressional Round-Up covers October 15th through October 23rd. After returning to Washington from a two-week recess, Members of Congress introduced more than two dozen legislative proposals to address environmental and energy issues. In addition to the introduction of environmentally relevant legislation, the Senate approved three bills out of committee while the House approved five of its own.

We have highlighted a few pieces of legislation below.

Highlights

EESI’s Executive Director Daniel Bresette gave testimony to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on October 22nd, highlighting the multiple financial and environmental benefits of improving energy efficiency. Bresette noted S.1857, the Federal Energy and Water Management Performance Act, S.2137/H.R.2962, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, and S.2399, a bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to improve state loan eligibility for projects for innovative technology, as key legislation introduced this year that would advance energy efficiency goals.

EESI has made resilience a priority, and it seems that Congress is starting to as well. S.2636 would make grants to eligible entities to improve the resilience of publicly-owned treatment works to natural hazards, H.R.4732 establishes a Global Climate Change Resilience Strategy, and other bills improve the nation's resilience to climate impacts through energy efficiency incentives (S.2595) and the establishment of a government corporation to provide loans and loan guarantees for public infrastructure projects (H.R.4780).

In lockstep with the focus on resilience, Congress has introduced a series of bills advancing the planning and development of renewable energy. S.2657 would support innovation in advanced geothermal research and development, S.2660 would establish a grant program for wind energy research, and S.2668 establish a program for research, development, and demonstration of solar energy technologies.

Be sure to read through the rest of the round-up; the 116th Congress has covered a lot of ground, and the best way to keep up to date is to see the bills for yourself. EESI has curated bills most relevant to energy, environment, and climate topics. The bill list belows is drawn directly from congress.gov

Senate

Bills Introduced:

S.2595 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and update the new energy efficient home credit.

Sponsor: Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH] (Introduced 10/15/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: Senate - Finance

S.2596 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to authorize certain community water systems to enter into partnerships to improve the water systems, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (Introduced 10/15/2019) Cosponsors: (2)

Committees: Senate - Environment and Public Works

S.2597 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to make certain operational models available to the public, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] (Introduced 10/15/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: Senate - Commerce, Science, and Transportation

S.2602 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to exclude vehicles to be used solely for competition from certain provisions of the Clean Air Act, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC] (Introduced 10/16/2019)

Committees: Senate - Environment and Public Works

S.2610 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to reauthorize certain programs under the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs of the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] (Introduced 10/16/2019)

Committees: Senate - Indian Affairs

S.2636 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish a program to make grants to eligible entities to increase the resilience of publicly owned treatment works to natural hazards, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] (Introduced 10/17/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: Senate - Environment and Public Works

S.2642 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to prohibit the construction of natural gas compressor stations as part of a project that would lead to or facilitate natural gas exports.

Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (Introduced 10/17/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources

S.2657 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to support innovation in advanced geothermal research and development, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] (Introduced 10/22/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources

S.2660 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to establish a grant program for wind energy research, development, and demonstration, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] (Introduced 10/22/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources

S.2662 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to amend sections 111, 169, and 171 of the Clean Air Act to clarify when a physical change in, or change in the method of operation of, a stationary source constitutes a modification or construction, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY] (Introduced 10/22/2019) Cosponsors: (4)

Committees: Senate - Environment and Public Works

S.2666 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to promote the development of renewable energy on public land, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. McSally, Martha [R-AZ] (Introduced 10/22/2019) Cosponsors: (7)

Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources

S.2668 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A bill to establish a program for research, development, and demonstration of solar energy technologies, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ] (Introduced 10/22/2019) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources

S.Res.372 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the Federal Government should establish a national goal of conserving at least 30 percent of the land and ocean of the United States by 2030.

Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM] (Introduced 10/22/2019) Cosponsors: (9)

Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources

Bills Approved By Committee:

S.334 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

Clean Water for Rural Communities Act

Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] (Introduced 02/05/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources

S.1602 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

BEST Act, to amend the United States Energy Storage Competitiveness Act of 2007 to establish a research, development, and demonstration program for grid-scale energy storage systems, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] (Introduced 05/22/2019) Cosponsors: (18)k

Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources

S.2094 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

Enhancing State Energy Security Planning and Emergency Preparedness Act of 2019

Sponsor: Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO] (Introduced 07/11/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources

Bills Referred to Committee:

H.R.335 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2019

Sponsor: Rep. Mast, Brian J. [R-FL-18] (Introduced 01/08/2019) Cosponsors: (4)

Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology; Natural Resources | Senate - Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Committee Reports: H. Rept. 116-202

Latest Action: Senate - 10/15/2019 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (All Actions)

House

Bills Introduced:

H.R.4636 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To authorize the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development to prioritize and advance efforts to improve waste management systems and prevent and reduce plastic waste and marine debris, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] (Introduced 10/11/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House - Foreign Affairs

H.R.4656 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to seek to enter an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on the science of background ozone in the United States and to provide research recommendations to better understand background ozone contributions to ground-level ozone, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. McAdams, Ben [D-UT-4] (Introduced 10/11/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology

H.R.4657 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to consider greenhouse gas emissions related to natural gas pipelines, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (Introduced 10/11/2019) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.4659 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to establish an Aging Infrastructure Account, to amend the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 to provide additional funds under that Act, to establish a review of flood control rule curves pilot project within the Bureau of Reclamation, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] (Introduced 10/11/2019)

Committees: House - Natural Resources; Transportation and Infrastructure

H.R.4679

To require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Congress a report examining efforts by the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt United States fishery management for the impacts of climate change, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Cunningham, Joe [D-SC-1] (Introduced 10/15/2019) Cosponsors: (3)

Committees: House - Natural Resource

H.R.4700 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize pipeline safety programs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Upton, Fred [R-MI-6] (Introduced 10/16/2019) Cosponsors: (15)

Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure; Energy and Commerce

H.R.4732 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To establish a Global Climate Change Resilience Strategy, to authorize the admission of climate-displaced persons, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (Introduced 10/17/2019) Cosponsors: (3)

Committees: House - Foreign Affairs; Judiciary; Energy and Commerce

H.R.4723 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To require the identification of salmon conservation areas, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] (Introduced 10/17/2019) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House - Natural Resources; Agriculture; Foreign Affairs

H.R.4735 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit for certain facilities that remediate and reclaim coal refuse sites in the United States by producing electricity from coal refuse.

Sponsor: Rep. Meuser, Daniel [R-PA-9] (Introduced 10/18/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House - Ways and Means

H.R.4737 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security to research and evaluate existing Federal research regarding approaches to mitigate climate change on homeland security to identify areas for further research within the Department, research and develop approaches to mitigate the consequences of climate change on homeland security, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9] (Introduced 10/18/2019) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House - Homeland Security

H.R.4741 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To provide that the Federal Communications Commission and communications service providers regulated by the Commission under the Communications Act of 1934 shall not be subject to certain provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic Preservation Act with respect to the construction, rebuilding, or hardening of communications facilities following a major disaster or an emergency declared by the President, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Olson, Pete [R-TX-22] (Introduced 10/18/2019) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources

H.R.4752 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To accept land into trust for the benefit of the Prairie Island Indian Community as compensation to the Tribe for Tribal lands that have been rendered dangerous by the use and storage of highly toxic nuclear materials, some of which also have been inundated by flood waters, to release the United States from related claims, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2] (Introduced 10/18/2019) Cosponsors: (2)

Committees: House - Natural Resources

H.R.4759 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To increase emergency and disaster relief response, build safer communities, strengthen Second Amendment rights, streamline administrative reviews, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Hern, Kevin [R-OK-1] (Introduced 10/18/2019) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure

H.R.4780 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

To establish a Government corporation to provide loans and loan guarantees for infrastructure projects, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24] (Introduced 10/22/2019) Cosponsors: (0)

Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure

Bills Approved By Committee:

H.R.1014 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

Offshore Wind for Territories Act, to establish offshore wind lease sale requirements, to provide dedicated funding for coral reef conservation, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large] (Introduced 02/06/2019) Cosponsors: (4)

Committees: House - Natural Resources

H.R.1314 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act Amendments of 2019, to reauthorize the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large] (Introduced 02/19/2019) Cosponsors: (4)

Committees: House - Natural Resources; Science, Space, and Technology

H.R.1568 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

Scientific Assistance for Very Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales Act of 2019

Sponsor: Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (Introduced 03/06/2019) Cosponsors: (53)

Committees: House - Natural Resources; Budget

H.R.1225 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act

Sponsor: Rep. Bishop, Rob [R-UT-1] (Introduced 02/14/2019) Cosponsors: (329)

Committees: House - Natural Resources; Education and Labor

H.R.2114 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

Enhancing State Energy Security Planning and Emergency Preparedness Act of 2019