Environment & Energy Congressional Round-Up | October 30 - November 3, 2023

Highlights:

The House passed the Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2024 (H.R.4821). Sponsored by Rep. Michael Simpson (R-Idaho), it is the seventh of twelve appropriations bills that must pass both chambers to avoid a government shutdown on November 17. 

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and four cosponsors reintroduced the Offshore Wind Jobs and Opportunity Act (S.3226). The bill would establish an offshore wind career training grant program, in line with the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030. EESI’s Offshore Wind Energy briefing highlighted employment opportunities across offshore wind planning, development, construction, installation, operations, and maintenance.

Rep. John Rutherford (R-Fla.) reintroduced the Preserving Recreation, Oceans, Tourism, Environment, and Coastal Towns (PROTECT) Florida Act (H.R.6212). The bipartisan bill aims to establish a moratorium on oil and gas leasing and exploration off of Florida’s coasts until 2032. 

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works concluded a hearing on the emerging science of extreme event attribution, or climate attribution, which identifies and studies the direct links between climate change and severe weather events.

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