Week of February 12, 2001
To read the River Policy Update online, visit American Rivers'
Online Newsroom at:
www.americanrivers.org/template2.asp?cat=7&page=7&idfilter=0
Click on "River Policy Update."
In this week's update:
* Energy Policy
* Budget
* Agriculture
* Superfund
* Appropriations
* Organizational Meetings
* In the News
* Action Alerts
* Jobs
The energy policy bill Senate Republican hoped to introduce this week will be delayed until after the President's Day recess. The principal author, Senate Energy Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK), said the bill was delayed in order to allow more time for the Joint Committee on Taxation to evaluated the net effect it would have on annual spending and revenue. The energy package focuses on reducing crude oil imports by 50% by 2010 and increasing domestic energy production. One way the bill offers to increase domestic energy production is to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as other federal lands. Utilities/Energy Policy
Several California lawmakers introduced HR 238, which would allow the Secretary of Energy to force interim comprehensive cost-of-service rate caps on a regional basis if necessary. The subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality will hold a hearing to discuss the California's energy situation as well as states where electricity restructuring appears to be off to a better start in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas.
This week the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold an oversight hearing on the California power crisis. This will be the first of many hearing addressing energy policy and electricity deregulation. Last week, California Governor Gray Davis signed two executive orders to help the state organize for the summer peak- demand power session. The first order advances production of new generation capacity with the intention that 5,000 megawatts of new power would be available by July 2001. The second order rescinds emissions limits to keep old power plants running during the crisis.
The subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality is scheduled for Thursday, February 15 at 10 a.m. in Rayburn House Office Building 2322.
President Bush has yet to send his FY'02 budget proposal to Capitol Hill. Lawmakers are already questioning whether President Bush will make the April 15 budget resolution deadline. Although the April 15 deadline is rarely met, some fear that the administration's unusually slow transition and Bush's focus on tax cuts rather than budget issues will delay the submittal of the budget even more. The Administration insists it will send a budget proposal to Congress in late February. Two environment issue related tax bills have already floated on the Hill. These bills include an energy-efficiency plan from Senator Bob Smith (R-NH) and a renewable-energy tax credit bill from Senator Harry Reid (D-NV). For more details on Senator Smith's bill, see February 5 River Policy Update.
On February 14, the House Agriculture Committee will hold the first of many hearings on the reauthorization of the Farm Bill. Committee Chairman Larry Combest (R-TX) scheduled these hearings in order to get specific recommendation for agriculture policy including budgetary implications from commodity and farmer organizations. On February 14, the committee will focus on the state of the farm economy and the economic impact of federal policy on agriculture. On February 15, the committee will hear testimony from and recommendations from farm and commodity groups, specifically examining the cotton commodity program.
The hearing on Wednesday, February 14 is scheduled shortly after 10 a.m. in Longworth House Office Building 1300.
The hearing on Thursday, February 15 is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in Longworth House Office Building 1300.
Republican leaders on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will reintroduce legislation meant to expand cleanups of small contaminated industrial sites. The same legislation was introduced in the last Congress had 67 cosponsors but nevertheless was defeated when Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) blocked floor consideration on S. 2700. Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), chairman of the Superfund, Waste Control and Risk Assessment Subcommittee and Bob Smith (R-NH), chairman of Senate Environment and Public Works Committee are the primary cosponsors of the bill.
Several House Appropriations subcommittees have determined FY'02 hearings schedule for funding needs for programs within their jurisdictions. For a list of scheduled hearings visit:
Interior and related agencies:
http://www.house.gov/appropriations/hear02in.htm
Labor-HHS-Education:
http://www.house.gov/appropriations/hear021h.htm
VA-HUD-Independent Agencies:
http://www.house.gov/appropriations/hear02va.htm
House committees with jurisdiction over environment, energy and natural resource issues have scheduled their organizational meetings for the 107th Congress. During these organizational meetings, the committees will adopt committee rules and subcommittee jurisdictions.
Agriculture: Wednesday, February 14 at 10 a.m. in Longworth House Office Building 1300, following the Farm Bill hearing.
Energy and Commerce: Wednesday, February 14 at 10 a.m. in Rayburn House Office Building 2123.
Resources: Wednesday, February 14 at 10:30 a.m. in Longworth House Office Building 1324.
Science: Wednesday, February 14 at 2 p.m. in Rayburn House Office Building 2318.
Ways and Means: Schedule to meet sometime this week. The subcommittee on trade is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, February 14 at 10 a.m. in Longworth House Office Building 1129.
Water Resources
Last week, a coalition of 24 national and local conservation groups
urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reconsider their decision
to delay changes in the flow of Missouri River until 2003, arguing
that delaying the change of river flows would bring wildlife species
like the piping plover and pallid sturgeon even closer to
extinction. The coalition recommends the Corps reduce summer water
flow releases from Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota and increase
spring dam releases. The increase of water flow would supply more
habitat for wildlife and encourage the reproduction of endangered
species. In the last Congress, a rider to the energy and water
funding bill led to a veto and was subsequently dropped by Senator
Bond.
Follow the latest American Rivers' Action Alerts and Press Releases!
Take action to help save America's rivers. Visit
www.americanrivers.org/takeaction today.
American Rivers currently has a number of job openings. See our employment page for the following opportunities:
Contact Jamie Mierau, Assistant to the Vice President for
Conservation, at 202-347-7550.
Legislative information taken from sources including: Congressional
Green Sheets, Environment and Energy Daily, and Green Sheets Express.
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