Recent Developments
| Date | 01 June 2015 |
45 ELR 10606 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REPORTER 6-2015
Chamber Action
S. 535 (energy), which would promote
energy eciency, was passed by the
House, clearing the measure for the
president. 161 Cong. Rec. H2324 (daily
ed. Apr. 21, 2015).
S. Res. 133 (governance), which
would support the goals and ideals of
National Public Health Week, was
passed by the Senate. 161 Cong. Rec.
S2112 (daily ed. Apr. 13, 2015).
S. Res. 163 (natural resou rces), which
would express the sense of the Sen-
ate on the humanitarian cat astrophe
caused by the April 25, 2015, earth-
quake in Nepal, was passed by the Sen-
ate. 161 Cong. Rec. S2589 (daily ed.
Apr. 30, 2015).
H.R. 984 (la nd use), which would
amend the National Trails System Act
to direct DOI to conduct a study on
the feasibility of designating t he Chief
Standing Bear Nationa l Historic Trail,
was passed by the House. 161 Cong.
Rec. H2487 (daily ed. Apr. 28, 2015).
H.R. 1324 (land use), which would
adjust the boundary of the Ar apaho
National Forest in Colorado, was
passed by the House. 161 Cong. Rec.
H2488 (daily ed. Apr. 28, 2015).
H. Res. 223 (governa nce), which
would provide for consideration of
H.R. 2028, which would make appro-
priations for energy and water develop-
ment and related agencies for the scal
year ending September 30, 2016, was
passed by the House. 161 Cong. Rec.
H2710 (daily ed. Apr. 30, 2015).
H. Res. 231 (water), which would
provide for consideration of H.R. 1732,
which would preserve existing rights
and responsibilities with respect to
waters of the United States, was passed
by the House.161 Cong. Rec. H2671
(daily ed. Apr. 30, 2015).
Committee Action
S. 913 (governance) was reported by
the Committee on Finance. S. Rep. No.
114-23, 161 Cong. Rec. S2171 (daily ed.
Apr. 14, 2015). e bill would provide
an investment tax credit for technology
that converts waste heat to energy.
S. 917 (governance) was reported by
the Committee on Finance. S. Rep. No.
114-27, 161 Cong. Rec. S2171 (daily ed.
Apr. 14, 2015). e bill would equalize
the excise tax on liqueed petroleum
gas and liqueed natura l gas.
S. 919 (governanc e) was reported by
the Committee on Finance. S. Rep.
No. 114-29, 161 Cong. Rec. S2171
(daily ed. Apr. 14, 2015). e bill
would exclude cer tain clea n coal power
grants to non-cor porate taxpayers from
gross income.
H.R. 152 (wildlife) was reported by
the Committee on Natural Resou rces.
H. Rep. No. 114-84, 161 Cong. Rec.
H2318 (daily ed. Apr. 20, 2015). e
bill would direct DOI to enter into an
agreement providing for the manage-
ment of free-roaming wild horses in
and around the Currituck National
Wildlife Refuge.
H.R. 533 (governance) was reported
by the Committee on Natural Re-
sources. H. Rep. No. 114-77, 161 Cong.
Rec. H1163 (daily ed. Apr. 15, 2015).
e bill would revoke the charter of
incorporation of the Miami Tribe of
Oklahoma at the request of that tribe.
H.R. 979 (land u se) was reported by
the Committee on Natural Resou rces.
H. Rep. No. 114-82, 161 Cong. Rec.
H2267 (daily ed. Apr. 15, 2015). e
bill would designate a mountain in the
John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra Na-
tional Forest as “Sky Point.”
H.R. 984 (la nd use) was reported by
the Committee on Natural Resou rces.
H. Rep. No. 114-78, 161 Cong. Rec.
H2267 (daily ed. Apr. 15, 2015). e
bill would amend the National Trails
System Act to direct DOI to conduct a
study on the feasibility of designating
the Chief Standing Bea r National His-
toric Trail.
H.R. 1324 (nat ural resources) was
reported by the C ommittee on Natu-
ral Resou rces. H. Rep. No. 114-80,
161 Cong. Rec. H2267 (daily ed. A pr.
15, 2015). e bill would adjust the
boundary of the Arapaho National
Forest in Colorado.
H.R. 1732 (water) was reported by the
Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructu re. H. Rep. No. 114-93, 161
Cong. Rec. H2474 (daily ed. Apr. 27,
2015). e bill would reserve existing
rights and responsibilities with respect
to waters of the United States.
H.R. 2028 (govern ance) was reported
by the Committee on Appropriations.
H. Rep. No. 114-91, 161 Cong. Rec.
H2474 (daily ed. Apr. 27, 2015). e
bill would make appropriations for en-
ergy and water development and related
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
In the Congress
“In the Congress” entries cover activities reported in the Congressional Record from April 1, 2015, through April 30, 2015.
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 ratied 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.
6-2015 NEWS & ANALYSIS 45 ELR 10607
agencies for the scal yea r ending Sep-
tember 30, 2016.
H. Res. 223 (governa nce) was re-
ported by the Committee on Rules.
H. Rep. No. 114-94, 161 Cong. Rec.
H2495 (daily ed. Apr. 28, 2015). e
bill would provide for consideration of
H.R. 2028, which would make appro-
priations for energy and water develop-
ment, and related agencies for the scal
year ending September 30, 2016.
Bills Introduced
S. 896 (Udall, D-N.M .) (governance)
would establish centers of excellence for
innovative stormwater control infra-
structure. 161 Cong. Rec. S2110 (daily
ed. Apr. 13, 2015). e bill was referred
to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
S. 913 (Hatch, R-Utah) (governance)
would provide an investment tax credit
for technology that converts waste heat
to energy. 161 Cong. Rec. S2172 (daily
ed. Apr. 14, 2015). e bill was referred
to the Committee on Finance.
S. 917 (Hatch, R-Utah) (governance)
would equalize the excise t ax on lique-
ed petroleum gas and liqueed natural
gas. 161 Cong. Rec. S2172 (daily ed.
Apr. 14, 2015). e bill was referred to
the Committee on Finance.
S. 919 (Hatch, R-Utah) (governance)
would exclude certain clean coal-power
grants to non-corporate taxpayers from
gross income. 161 Cong. Rec. S2172
(daily ed. Apr. 14, 2015). e bill was
referred to the Committee on Finance.
S. 921 (Carper, D-Del.) (water) would
direct DOI to establish a nonregula-
tory program to build on and help
coordinate funding for restoration and
protection eorts of the Delaware River
Basin. 161 Cong. Rec. S2172 (daily ed.
Apr. 14, 2015). e bill was referred to
the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
S. 934 (Flake, R-A riz.) (air) would
amend the renewable fuel program
under the CAA to requi re the cellulosic
biofuel requirement to be based on ac-
tual production. 161 Cong. Rec. S2173
(daily ed. Apr. 14, 2015). e bill was
referred to the Committee on Environ-
ment and Public Works.
S. 936 (Brown, D-Ohio) (land use)
would repeal the funding limitation
of the Ohio and Erie Canal National
Heritage Canalway Act. 161 Cong.
Rec. S2173 (daily ed. Apr. 14, 2015).
e bill was referred to the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 93 7 (Hatch , R-Utah) (land u se)
would ame nd FL PMA to au thori ze
DOI to enter into cooperat ive agre e-
ments to provide for s tate manage -
ment of grazin g permit s an d lea ses.
161 Cong. Rec. S2173 (da ily ed. A pr.
14, 2015). The bill was ref erred to
the C ommittee on Energ y and Nat u-
ral Resource s.
S. 939 (Flake, R-Ari z.) (energy)
would require the evaluation and con-
solidation of duplicative green building
programs within DOE. 161 Cong. Rec.
S2173 (daily ed. Apr. 14, 2015). e bill
was referred to the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources.
S. 944 (Boxer, D-Cal .) (energy)
would amend the Atomic Energy Act
to prohibit certain waivers and exemp-
tions from emergency preparedness,
emergency response, and security reg u-
lations. 161 Cong. Rec. S2220 (daily
ed. Apr. 15, 2015). e bill was referred
to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
S. 945 (Markey, D-Mass.) (energy)
would amend the Nuclear Waste Policy
Act to provide for the expansion of
emergency planning zones and the de-
velopment of plans for dry cask storage
of spent nuclear fuel. 161 Cong. Rec.
S2220 (daily ed. Apr. 15, 2015). e bill
was referred to the Committee on Envi-
ronment and Public Works.
S. 948 (Inhofe, R-Ok la.) (gover-
nance) would eliminate the ta xable in-
come limit on percentage depletion for
oil and natural ga s produced from mar-
ginal properties. 161 Cong. Rec. S2220
(daily ed. Apr. 15, 2015). e bill was
referred to the Committee on Finance.
S. 953 (Hel ler, R-Nev.) (land use)
would faci litate certain pinyon-juniper
projects in Lincoln County, Neva da,
modif y the bou ndaries of cert ain wil-
derness a reas in Nevada , and provide
for the implementation of a conserva-
tion plan for the Virg in River in Ne-
vada. 161 Cong. Re c. S2220 (daily ed.
Apr. 15, 2015). e bill was referred to
the Comm ittee on Energy a nd Natu-
ral Re sources.
S. 964 (Sa nders, I-Vt.) (energy)
would amend the Atomic Energy Ac t
to provide for consultation with state
and local g overnments, the c onsider-
ation of state and lo cal concer ns, and
the approval of post-shutdown decom-
missioning ac tivities reports by NRC.
161 Cong. Rec. S2220 (daily ed. Apr.
15, 2015). e bill was referred to the
Committee on Env ironment and Pub-
lic Works.
S. 972 (Gardner, R-Colo.) (land use)
would clarify t he eect of designating a
National Monument on certain land in
Chafee County, Colorado. 161 Cong.
Rec. S2244 (daily ed. Apr. 16, 2015).
e bill was referred to the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 980 (Paul, R-Ky.) (water) would
clarify t he denition of navigable wa-
ters. 161 Cong. Rec. S2244 (daily ed.
Apr. 16, 2015). e bill was referred to
the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
S. 982 (Barra sso, R-Wyo.) (water)
would prohibit the conditioning of any
permit, lease, or other use agreement
on the transfer of any water right to
the United States by DOI or USDA,
and would require DOI and USDA to
develop water planning instru ments
consistent with state law. 161 Cong.
Rec. S2244 (daily ed. Apr. 16, 2015).
e bill was referred to the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 986 (Udall, D-N.M .) (governance)
would require DOI to take four parcels
of federal land into trust for the ben-
et of certain Indian Pueblos in New
Mexico. 161 Cong. Rec. S2244 (daily
ed. Apr. 16, 2015). e bill was referred
to the Committee on Indian A airs.
S. 992 (Capito, R-W. Va.) (land use)
would amend the Pittman-Robertson
Wildlife Restoration Act to facilitate
Copyright © 2015 Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, DC. Reprinted with permission from ELR®, http://www.eli.org, 1-800-433-5120.
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