To read the River Policy Update online, visit American Rivers' Online Newsroom at www.americanrivers.org/policyupdates/default.htm and click on "River Policy Update." For additional information on any bill, visit Thomas at http://thomas.loc.gov. Week of March 19, 2001 IN THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: * Budget * Energy Policy * Water Resources * Status of Major Legislation * Congressional Calendar * Take Action * Jobs BUDGET This week the House Budget Committee plans to move forward with the FY'02 budget process. A markup of the FY'02 budget resolutions draft is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday. The Committee is expected to support Bush's plan to cap the increase in federal discretionary spending for fiscal year 2002 at 4 percent, roughly the rate of inflation. Some members of both parties agree that the 4 percent goal is unrealistic. For more details on the budget, see the March 5 River Policy Update. Hearing tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, March 21 in Cannon House Office Building 210. ENERGY POLICY Energy Trends On Tuesday, March 20, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to discuss "U.S. energy trends." Testimony was expected to address high natural gas prices, dependence on foreign oil, issues related to the production of oil and gas on federal lands, fuel economy standards, and other energy matters. At the hearing, Energy Committee Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AL) planned to argue in favor of the energy package he introduced in February. Murkowski is waiting to get the go ahead from the Bush Administration to start a big push for his energy package. The special White House energy task force headed by Vice President Cheney is expected to release its assessment of national energy policy by mid-April. Last week, Energy Committee Ranking Member Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) was expected to introduce a comprehensive bill of his own but the bill's release was delayed for unexplained reasons. Bingaman's bill aims to tackle the nation's energy needs from both the demand and supply sides. Utilities This week the House Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee will hold two hearings to assess the California energy situation and discuss possible state and federal solutions to the electricity crunch. The testimony is expected to focus on the causes of the California power market disruptions, possible bankruptcy among California investor- owner utilities, and the anticipated supply problem this summer. Much of the focus will be alleged price gouging by independent power generators. Last week Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA) sent a letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft demanding a full-scale investigation into the pricing practices of power generators and pipeline operators in the West. Several other Representatives recently have called for a variety of federal investigations into charges that generators may have charged utilities inflated rates during a recent spate of Stage 3 emergency power alerts. Hearings scheduled for Tuesday, March 20 at 2 p.m. and Thursday, March 22 in Rayburn House Office Building. CO2 Emissions Reversal Last week President Bush reversed course on plans to regulate carbon dioxide emissions. Bush argued that limiting CO2 would be unwise in the face of the California energy crunch. Representative Ed Markey (D-MA) and many other Democrats wonder how much of an influence backroom lobbying by the coal industry and the electric utility industry had on the administration's decision. Public Lands This week the House Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee will hold another hearing to examine the latest oil and gas resource estimates for the nation, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The subcommittee will focus on federal and offshore lands and the potential for oil and gas development. Potential oil and gas development in ANWR also will be discussed. The USGS began its assessment of oil and gas resources in 1995. Democrats like Subcommittee Ranking Member Ron Kind (D-WI) feel as though opening ANWR and other federal lands is not a solution to the problem, but rather a more supply at any costs. Kind advocates a comprehensive approach that involves conservation and wise use of our natural resources. Hearing is scheduled for Thursday, March 22 at 2 p.m. in Longworth House Office Building 1334. Air Pollution The Senate Environment Subcommittee on Clean Air, Wetlands, and Private Property will hold its first oversight hearing of the 107th Congress on harmonizing the Clean Air Act with the nation's energy policy. The hearing will focus on clean air issues dealing with electric utility emissions like the multi-pollutant bills that are being proposed to reduce power plant emissions, and is likely to discuss President Bush's decision last week to reverse his campaign pledge on regulating CO2 emissions. Hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 21 at 9 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building 406. Energy Security The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing in the coming weeks to discuss a report released last month that predicts growth of more than 50 percent in worldwide energy demand by 2020, with increasing use of fossil fuels. The three-volume report released in February was prepared by the Center for Strategic and International Studies beginning in mid-1998. Hearing scheduled for Wednesday, March 21 at 9:30 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building 106. WATER RESOURCES Klamath Basin Project Review On Wednesday, March 21, a Senate Energy panel plans to looks at how a mounting water shortage in the Northwest will affect the Klamath Basin Project in California and Oregon. The looming problems associated with the water shortage are two fold; the lack of water negatively affects distribution to farmers, aquatic life, and other interests in the area and it will also make recently approved feasibility studies on how to wring more water out of the watershed more difficult to complete. The Klamath project, which began in 1905, is one the Bureau of Reclamation's oldest. The project includes the Upper Klamath Lake, the Klamath River, Clear Lake Reservoir, Gerber Reservoir, Lost River, Lower Klamath, and Tule Lake, and includes national wildlife refuges, dams, canals, pumping plants and more than 200,000 acres of irrigable land. Regional water demand continues to grow. Last year federal agencies were already calling for more water to be left in the streams to help salmon and suckers listed under the Endangered Species Act. Unlike much of the rest of the Pacific Northwest, the Klamath Basin has not experienced drought conditions this year. Hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 21 at 2 p.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building 628. Parks, Public Lands and Rivers On Thursday, March 22, House Resources Subcommittee is scheduled to hold its the first of hearing first plans to act on bills addressing specific parks, monuments, and rivers. Bills that will be marked up include one that will ensure continued access for hunters to land added to Idaho's Craters of the Moon National Monument last year by President Clinton, a bill that would initiate a study of sites and resources significant to the Cold War, and a bill to study a possible addition to the national park system in New Jersey and a possible addition to the wild and scenic rivers system in Connecticut. The markup is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 22 in Longworth House Office Building 1324. STATUS ON MAJOR LEGISLATION Nuclear Energy Electricity Assurance Act of 2001 Latest Action: On April 7, Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) introduced S. 472, legislation intended to increase the use of nuclear power in the United States. The bill provides $406 million for five main provisions: advancing support for nuclear energy; encouraging new plant construction; assuring a so-called "uniform playing field" for nuclear power; an attempt to create waste solutions; and improving Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations. Air Pollution Latest Action: On April 15, Senator Jim Jeffords (R-VT) introduced the Clean Power Act of 2001. In the coming weeks, Representatives Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) will introduce similar legislation. Both bills aim to cut electric power plant emissions of four major pollutants, including the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. CONGRESSIONAL CALENDAR House: Energy and Commerce: Hearing on California Power Crisis Tuesday, March 20 in Rayburn House Office Building 2123 Budget: Markup on FY'02 Budget Resolution Tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, March 21 in Cannon House Office Building 210 Appropriations: Hearing on Transportation Budget Wednesday, March 21 in Rayburn House Office Building 2358 Energy and Commerce: Hearing on California Power Crisis Continued Thursday, March 22 in Rayburn House Office Building 2322 Science: Hearing on Nuclear Safety Bill Thursday, March 22 in Rayburn House Office Building 2318 Resources: Hearing on Natural Gas in Federal Lands Thursday, March 22 in Longworth House Office Building 1334 Senate: Energy and Natural Resources: Hearing on U.S. Energy Trends Tuesday, March 20 at 9:30 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building 106 Environment and Public Works: Hearing on Clean Air and Energy Policy Wednesday, March 21 at 9 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building 406 Energy and Natural Resources: Hearing on Oregon Water Project Wednesday, March 21 at 2 p.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building 628 Energy and Natural Resources: Hearing on National Parks Concessions Thursday, March 22 at 2:30 p.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building 192 TAKE ACTION Follow the latest American Rivers' Action Alerts and Press Releases! Take action to help save America's rivers. Visit http://www.americanrivers.org/actionalerts/default.htm. JOBS American Rivers currently has a number of job openings. See our employment page for the following opportunities: * Online Community Manager * Conservation Assistant for Dam Removal Program * Conservation Assistant for Outreach * Organizer/Outreach Specialist for Missouri River Campaign QUESTIONS? Contact Jamie Mierau, Assistant to the Vice President for Conservation, at 202-347-7550. Legislative information taken from sources including: Greenwire, Congressional Green Sheets, and Environment and Energy Daily.
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