Recent Developments

• Date: 01 January 2015

1-2015 NEWS & ANALYSIS 45 ELR 10087

Public Laws

S. 231 (wildlife), which reauthorizes

the Multinational Species Conser vation

Funds Semipostal Stamp, was signed

into law by President Obama on Sep-

tember 19, 2014. Pub. L. No. 113-165,

160 Cong. Rec. D1005 113-165 (daily

ed. Nov. 12, 2014).

H.R. 3716 (water), which raties a wa-

ter settlement agreement aecting the

Pyramid La ke Paiute Tribe, was signed

into law by President Obama on Sep-

tember 26, 2014. Pub. L. No. 113-169,

160 Cong. Rec. S5904 (daily ed. Nov.

12, 2014).

Chamber Action

H.R. 1422 (governance), which would

amend the Environmental Research,

Development, and Demonstration

Authorization Act of 1978 to provide

for Scientic Advisory Board member

qualications and public participation,

was passed by the House. 160 Cong.

Rec. H8060 (daily ed. Nov. 18, 2014).

H.R. 4049 (la nd use), which would

amend the act that established t he

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

in Wisconsin to adjust the boundary

to include the lighthouse known as

Ashland Harbor Brea kwater Light, was

passed by the House. 160 Cong. Rec.

H8015 (daily ed. Nov. 17, 2014).

H.R. 4194 (governance), which would

provide for the elimination or modica-

tion of federal reporting requirements

for various agencies, was passed by the

House. 160 Cong. Rec. H7907 (daily

ed. Nov. 12, 2014).

H.R. 4795 (governanc e), which would

provide for greater EPA transparency

and timeliness in gra nting permits, was

passed by the House. 160 Cong. Rec.

H8169 (daily ed. Nov. 20, 2014).

H.R. 5069 (wildl ife), which would

amend the Migratory Bird Hunt-

ing and Conservation Stamp Act to

increase the price of Migratory Bird

Hunting and Conservation Stamps to

fund the acquisition of conservation

easements for migratory birds, was

passed by the House. 160 Cong. Rec.

H8002 (daily ed. Nov. 17, 2014).

H.R. 554 4 (energy), which wou ld

require t he Director of DOE Oce

of Science to carr y out a research

program on low-dose rad iation to

enhance the scient ic understandi ng

of and reduc e uncertaintie s associ-

ated with the eec ts of exposure to

low-dose rad iation, was passed by the

House. 160 Cong. Rec. H8011 (daily

ed. Nov. 17, 2014).

H.R. 5682 (energy), which would ap-

prove the Keystone XL Pipeline, was

passed by the House. 160 Cong. Rec.

H7982 (daily ed. Nov. 14, 2014).

Committee Action

S. 2465 (land use) was reported by

the Comm ittee on Indian Aairs. S.

Rep. No. 113-267, 160 Cong. Rec.

S5918 (daily ed. Nov. 12, 2014). e

bill would require t he Secretary of the

Interior to take four parcels of fed-

eral la nd into trust for t he benet of

certain India n Pueblos in the state of

New Mexic o.

H.R. 2026 (water) was reported by the

Committee on Transportation and In-

frastructure. H. Rep. No. 113-607, 160

Cong. Rec. H7937 (daily ed. Nov. 12,

2014). e bill would amend the CWA

to exempt certain silvicultural activities

from NPDES permitting requirements.

H.R. 2689 (energy) was reported by the

Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H. Rep. No. 113-627, 160 Cong. Rec.

H8133 (daily ed. Nov. 19, 2014). e

bill would amend the National Energy

Conservation Policy Act to encourage

the increased use of performance con-

tracting in federal facilities.

H.R. 3326 (land use) was reported by

the Committee on Natural Resources.

H. Rep. No. 113-615, 160 Cong. Rec.

H7937 (daily ed. Nov. 12, 2014). e

bill would provide for an exchange of

land between the United States and

the Trinity Public Utilities District of

Trinity County, California, involving a

parcel of National Forest System land

in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

H.R. 4 012 (governanc e) was reported

by the Com mittee on Science, Spa ce,

and Technology. H. Rep. No. 113-619,

160 Cong. Rec. H7937 (daily ed. Nov.

12, 2014). e bill would prohibit EPA

from proposing, na lizing, or dis-

seminating regulations or asses sments

based on science th at is not transpa r-

ent or reproducible.

H.R. 4049 (la nd use) was reported by

the Committee on Natural Resources

and Committee on Transportation and

Infrastruct ure. H. Rep. No. 113-621,

160 Cong. Rec. H8032 (daily ed. Nov.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In the Congress

“In the Congress” entries cover activities reported in the Congressional Record from November 1, 2014, through November

30, 2014. Entries are arranged by bill number, with Senate bills listed rst. “In the Congress” covers all environment-

related bills that are introduced, reported out of committee, passed by either house, or signed by the president. “In the

Congress” also covers all environmental treaties ratied by the Senate. is material is updated monthly. For archived

materials, visit http://elr.info/legislative/congressional-update/archive.

Copyright © 2015 Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, DC. Reprinted with permission from ELR®, http://www.eli.org, 1-800-433-5120.