Environment & Energy Congressional Round-Up | October 16 - October 20, 2023

Highlights:

Reps. Susie Lee (D-Nev.), Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced the Streamlining Home Installations of New Energies (SHINE) Act (H.R.5997/S.3099). The bill aims to accelerate the clean energy transition by streamlining the permitting and inspection processes for residents to install renewable energy and energy efficiency systems.

Reps. Josh Harder (D-Calif.) and Tracey Mann (R-Kans.) introduced a bill (H.R.5992) to expand insurance eligibility for farmers whose land has been impeded from cultivation due to natural disaster-induced damage, including drought. 

Reps. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.), Don Beyer (D-Va.), and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) introduced the Clean Water Act of 2023 (H.R.5983). The bill, which is supported by more than 100 House Democrats, aims to clarify the meaning of “protected water resources” under the Clean Water Act of 1972 in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Professor Steph Tai of the University of Wisconsin-Madison explained the implications of this case on The Climate Conversation. Listen to the podcast episode here.

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