VIEW THIS ON THE American Rivers WEBPAGE WITH DIRECT LINKS TO THE ACTUAL BILLS!! http://www.amrivers.org/policynew.html American Rivers Policy Update For the week of January 11, 1999
Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New Although the House Agriculture Committee has yet to announce its legislative agenda for the 106th Congress, members expect to pay close attention to efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency to set regulations controlling waste runoff from large poultry and swine operations. In addition to ensuring that EPA develops workable regulations on large factory farm operations, the committee wants to gather more comprehensive information about the Agriculture Department's Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which provides technical assistance to property owners dealing with natural resource issues related to grazing, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. Last year, committee heads asked officials from EQIP to testify regarding complaints that the department was failing to adequately explain the programs activities. Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New Ready to begin work on a number of issues, members on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee may have to wait a while before diving in due to the Senate's impeachment hearings. Like other Senate panels, committee members have not yet been told whether they will be allowed to meet in the mornings with impeachment proceedings limited to afternoon sessions. Whenever it is allowed to move ahead with their legislative agenda, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will focus on a number of high-priority issues, including the effect of low oil prices on the domestic oil industry; the effect of oil company mergers on the long-term health of the industry; the nation's continued dependence on foreign oil imports; seismic exploration of oil resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; interim storage of nuclear waste; and restructuring of the electric utility industry. Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) will lobby for authorization of a resurvey of the oil potential of ANWR on the state's North Slope coastal plain. The region has been put off limits to oil exploration or production, but Senator Murkowski, among others, believes the area harbors potentially large amounts of oil and should be revisited for potential development. Environmental organizations have long opposed oil exploration in the refuge, prized for its diversity of wildlife and pristine condition. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt has stated he would recommend the President veto any legislation authorizing the cutting edge three-dimensional seismic exploration of the refuge, which could leave permanent scars on the tundra. Senator Murkowski also plans to bring up authorization of interim storage for nuclear waste while efforts to select a permanent repository continue, an issue of interest to House Commerce Committee Chairman Thomas Bliley (R-VA). The government failed to meet a 1998 deadline to find a permanent storage site for the nation's nuclear waste, and nuclear facilities have had to store the waste on-site as a result. Last year, both houses of Congress passed legislation authorizing interim storage of the waste in Nevada, but the bill died in the face of the Administration's veto threat and election year politics. Last week, Representative Fred Upton (R-MI), who sponsored the House legislation in the 105th Congress, introduced a new nuclear waste bill (HR 45). Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New House Resources Committee Chair Don Young (R-AK) intends to bring up the long-delayed reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act in the 106th Congress. As in the past two years, the main issues of debate will likely be private property rights, greater involvement of the states and local governments in conservation and regulatory efforts, heightened attention to science earlier on in the process of new listings, and greater involvement of the private sector. Last year, environmental groups succeeded in stalling Representative Young's ESA bill, rarely agreeing with the Chairman even on minor issues. Representative Young has already introduced a wildlife bill this session - a proposal to promote conservation of neotropical birds in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the US (HR 39). Similar in content to bills that moved in both the House and Senate last year, Representative Young's bill will be handled by Representative Jim Saxton (R-NJ), who chairs the Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans Subcommittee. The subcommittee will also address reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (regulation of commercial and recreational fishing in federally controlled ocean waters), Marine Mammal Protection Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Protection Act, and the Coastal Zone Management Act. Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New Reform of the 1872 General Mining Law will likely be revisited in the 106th Congress. The Senate Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK) plans to pick up where the 105th Congress left off last fall - a mining industry-supported bill that would assess a five percent royalty on new mining claims, continue to allow minters to patent (buy for $2.50 to $5.00 per acre) their claims, and reaffirm existing environmental clean-up standards. As they did last year, the White House and environmental groups will continue to push for raising the royalty, abolishing patenting, mandating new site clean-up standards, and ordering the federal government to prohibit mining on environmentally-sensitive lands. Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New Although the committee has yet to finalize its legislative agenda for the 106th Congress, the panel has laid out some of its primary focus issues and announced that it will keep all subcommittee chairs from last year. Finalized majority rosters will be announced later this week, and the committee will hold a formal organizational meeting on January 19. Among the high priority issues for early in the year is outer continental shelf oil and gas royalties legislation, first introduced by Representatives Don Young (R-AK), John Dingell (D-MI), and several members from coastal states such as Louisiana. Similar to companion legislation introduced in the Senate, the main recipient of monies from the OCS bill will likely be impact assistance programs for coastal states to mitigate the impacts of OCS activities. Last year, Representative Young's legislation devoted 23 percent of the revenue toward land purchases and conservation. State and federal Land and Water Conservation Fund programs would receive equal shares of the funds (9.66%), followed by urban parks (3.68%). According to Representative Young, the bill would ensure stable annual funding for LWCF at its currently authorized level of $900 million. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Frank Murkowski (R-AK) plans to reintroduce his OCS bill from last year that directed 27 percent of revenues to coastal states for air and water quality, wetlands, coastal restoration, shoreline protection, infrastructure, public service needs, and other costs related to OCS activities. Senator Murkowski's bill would also funnel seven percent to state fish and game departments for wildlife conservation and 16 percent to the LWCF. Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New American Rivers recently released a new report outlining a strategy to restore portions of the Missouri River in time for the Lewis and Clark bicentennial celebration in 2004. "Voyage of Recovery: Restoring the Rivers of Lewis & Clark" calls for the restoration of riverside wetlands and forests, dam operations that aid wildlife and recreation, revitalized riverfronts, and better livestock management. Engineers have forced one-third of the Missouri into a narrow, deeper channel and replaced another third with reservoirs. According to the report, the loss of wetlands and other habitat, combined with current dam operations, have landed one-fifth of the species native to the Missouri on state and federal watch lists. The report identifies and discusses what needs to be done to restore the historic Missouri River: restore wetlands and side channels important to wildlife survival and reproduction and revamp dam operations to improve conditions for fish, birds, and recreation. To view the full version of the report, visit American Rivers on the web at www.amrivers.org. Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On January 11, Vice President Al Gore proposed a $10 billion bond program aimed at helping communities conserve open space, protect water quality, clean up abandoned industrial sites, and reduce automotive congestion. Part of President Clinton's FY'00 budget proposal, the "Better America Bonds" program includes increased funding for public transit, air quality preservation, and infrastructure planning in metropolitan regions. Communities will be able to apply for competitive grants for developing education plans, upgrading land-use planning computer systems, and exchanging crime information among jurisdictions. If approved by Congress, Vice President Gore's proposal will cost taxpayers about $700 million over the first five years. The bonds would be used to preserve and expand open space; create or restore urban parks; buy or get permanent easements on suburban open space and threatened wetlands; plant protective buffer strips along rivers, lakes, and drinking water sources; and supplement existing White House programs to clean up abandoned industrial sites. Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New The House Water Resources and Environment subcommittee, part of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, must begin again in the 106th Congress with efforts to reauthorize the Water Resources Development Act, a bill that died in the final days of the 105th Congress. The bill, typically taken up every two years, authorizes water projects under the Army Corps of Engineers. Also up for reauthorization in the subcommittee, chaired by Representative Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), is the Clean Water Act. The major issues to be resolved include state revolving funds, non-point source pollution, watershed management, regulatory flexibility, wetlands permitting, and storm water management. American Rivers, 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 720 Washington, DC 20005, (202) 347-7550 CHECK OUT OUR HOMEPAGE!! http://www.amrivers.org QUESTIONS? Contact Suzy McDowell, Conservation Outreach Coordinator, at smcdowell@amrivers.org or 202-347-7550x3040. Legislative information taken from many sources including: Congressional Green Sheets, Environment and Energy Weekly, Greenwire, and Roll Call. Suzy McDowell Conservation Outreach Coordinator American Rivers 1025 Vermont Ave., NW, #720 Washington, DC 20005 202-347-7550 x3040
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AGRICULTURE
House Agriculture Committee Expects to Focus on Agricultural Waste Issues:
ENERGY
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Agenda:
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Endangered Species and other Wildlife Legislation to be Discussed:
MINING
Senate Natural Resources Committee to Take Up Mining Law:
PARKS AND PUBLIC LANDS
LWCF to Get Funds from OCS Royalties:
STUDIES AND PUBLICATIONS
New Missouri River Report by American Rivers:
URBAN SPRAWL
New Initiative by Vice President Al Gore:
WATER RESOURCES
House Transportation and Infrastructure to Take Up WRDA and other Legislation:
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