Recent Developments

• Date: 01 April 2010

40 ELR 10452 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REPORTER 4-2010

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In the Congress

“In the Congress” entries cover activities reported in the Congressional Record from February 1, 2010, through February 28,

2010. 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 cov-

ers all environmental treaties ratied by the Senate. is material is updated monthly. For archived materials, visit http://www.

elr.info/NewsAnalysis/archive.cfm.

COMMITTEE ACTION

S. 850 (Magnuson-Stevens) was reported

by the Committee on Commerce, Sci-

ence, and Transportation. S. Rep. No.

111-124, 156 Cong. Rec. S481 (daily ed.

Feb. 4, 2010). e bill would amend the

High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium

Protection Act and the Magnuson-Ste-

vens Fishery Conservation and Manage-

ment Act to improve the conservation of

sharks, with an a mendment in the nature

of a substitute.

S. 952 (algal blooms) was reported by the

Committee on Commerce, Science, and

Transportation. S. Rep. No. 111-125, 156

Cong. Rec. S481 (daily ed. Feb. 4, 2010).

e bill would develop and promote a

comprehensive plan for a national strat-

egy to address har mful alga l blooms and

hypoxia through basel ine research, fore-

casting and monitoring, and mitigation

and control while helping communities

detect, control, and mitigate coastal and

Great Lakes harm ful algal blooms a nd

hypoxia events, with an amendment in

the nature of a substitute.

S. 122 4 (NOAA) was rep orted by t he

Comm ittee on C ommerce, Science,

and Tra nsporta tion. S. Rep. No. 111-

126, 156 Cong. Rec. S698 (dai ly ed.

Feb. 23 , 2010). The bi ll wou ld reau-

thori ze the C hesapea ke Bay Of fice

of th e Nati onal Oce anic and Atmo -

spheri c Admin istr ation.

S. 1733 (Clean energy jobs) was reported

by the Committee on Environment and

Public Works. S. Rep. No. 111-121, 156

Cong. Rec. S438 (daily ed. Feb. 2, 2010).

e bill would create clean energy jobs,

promote energy independence, reduce

global warming pollution, and tra nsition

to a clean energy economy.

H.R. 995 (nutrient management) was

reported by the House of Representa-

tives. H. Rep. No. 111-407, 156 Cong.

Rec. H426 (daily ed. Jan. 29, 2010). e

bill would provide a resolution of inquiry

requesting the president to transmit to

the House of Representatives all infor-

mation in the possession of the Admin-

istrator of the Environmental Protection

Agency relating to nutrient management

of the Illinois River Watershed, Arkansa s

and Oklahoma.

BILLS INTRODUCED

S. 2976 (Levin, D-Mich.) (wilderness)

would authorize as wilderness cer tain

land and inland water within the Sleep-

ing Bear Dunes National L akeshore in

the state of Michigan. 156 Cong. Rec.

S439 (daily ed. Feb. 2, 2010). e bill

was referred to the Committee on En-

ergy and Natural Resources.

S. 2993 (Sanders, I-Vt.).(energy) would

increase the quantity of solar photovol-

taic electricity by providing rebates for

the purchas e and insta llation of an ad-

ditional 10,000,0 00 solar roofs and ad-

ditional sola r water heating systems w ith

a cumulative capacity of 10,000,0 00

gallons by 2019. 156 Cong. Rec. S481

(daily ed. Feb. 4, 2010). e bill was re-

ferred to the Com mittee on Energy and

Natural Re sources.

S. 2995 (Carper, D-Del.) (CAA) would

amend the Clean Air Act to establish a

national uniform multiple air pollutant

regulatory program for the elect ric gener-

ating sector. 156 Cong. Rec. S481 (daily

ed. Feb. 4, 2010). e bill was referred

to the Committee on Environment and

Public Works.

S. 2999 (Udall, D-Colo.) (land use)

would provide consistent enforcement

authority to the Bureau of Land Man-

agement, the National Park Service, the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a nd the

Forest Service to respond to violations of

regulations regardi ng the management,

use, and protection of public lands under

the jurisdiction of these agencies. 156

Cong. Rec. S482 (daily ed. Feb. 4, 2010).

e bill was referred to the Committee

on Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 3016 (Bennett, D-Colo.) (monuments)

would prohibit the further extension or

establishment of national monuments in

Utah except by express authorization of

Congress. 156 Cong. Rec. S620 (daily

ed. Feb. 22, 2010). e bill was referred

to the Committee on Energy and Natu-

ral Resources.

S. 3021 (Feingold, D-Wis.) (energy)

would amend the Public Utility Regula-

tory Policies Act of 1978 to authorize

the Secretary of Energ y to promulgate

regulations to allow electric uti lities to

use renewable energy to comply with any

federal renewable electricity sta ndard,

and for other purposes. 156 Cong. Rec.

S698 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2010). e bill

was referred to the Committee on En-

ergy and Natural Resources.

S. 3025 (Merkley, D-Ore.) (FW PCA)

would amend the Federal Water Pollu-

tion Control Act to provide assistanc e

for programs a nd activities to protect

and restore the w ater quality of t he

Columbia River B asin, and for other

purposes. 156 Cong. Rec . S698 (daily

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