Recent Developments

• Date: 01 November 2010

11-2010 NEWS & ANALYSIS 40 ELR 11161

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In the Congress

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

30, 2010. Entries are arranged by bill number, with Senate bills listed rst. “In the Congress” covers a ll 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://

www.elr.info/NewsAnalysis/archive.cfm.

Public Laws

H.R. 511 (federal land), which would

authorize the Secretar y of Agricultu re to

terminate certain e asements held by the

Secretary on land owned by the Village

of Caseyvi lle, Illinois, and to terminate

associated contractua l arrangements

with the Village, was sig ned into law on

August 16, 2010. Pub. L. No. 111-231,

156 Cong. Rec. D933 (daily ed. Sept. 13,

2010).

Chamber Action

S. 685 (oil spills), which would require

new vessels for carrying oil fuel to have

double hulls, was passed by the Senate.

156 Cong. Rec. S7764 (daily ed. Sept.

29, 2010).

H.R. 4168 (algae-based biof uel), which

would amend the Internal Revenue Code

of 1986 to expand the denition of cel-

lulosic biofuel to include algae-based bio-

fuel for purposes of the cellulosic biofuel

producer credit and the special allowance

for cellulosic biofuel plant property, was

passed by the House. 156 Cong. Rec.

H7070 (daily ed. Sept. 28, 2010).

H.R. 6160 (rare earth mate rials),

which would develop a rare earth mate-

rials program and a mend the National

Materials and Mineral s Policy, Research

and Development Act of 1980, was

passed by the House. 156 Cong. Rec.

H7273 (daily ed. Sept. 29, 2010).

Committee Action

S. 349 (federal land) wa s reported by

the Committee on Energy and Natura l

Resources. S. Rep. No. 111-303, 156

Cong. Rec. S7506-07 (daily ed. Sept.

27, 2010). e bill would establish the

Susquehanna Gateway National Heritage

Area in the state of Pennsylvania .

S. 679 (plug-in hybrids) was reported

by the Committee on Energy and Natu-

ral Resources. S. Rep. No. 111-334, 156

Cong. Rec. S7615 (daily ed. Sept. 28,

2010). e bill would establish a re-

search, development, demonstration, and

commercial application program to pro-

mote research of appropriate technologies

for heavy-duty plug-in hybrid vehicles.

S. 745 (water reuse) was reported by the

Committee on Energy and Natura l Re-

sources. S. Rep. No. 111-305, 156 Cong.

Rec. S7506-07 (daily ed. Sept. 27, 2010).

e bill would amend the Reclamation

Wastewater and Groundwater Study

and Facilities Act to authorize the Secre-

tary of the Interior to participate in the

Magna Water District water reuse and

groundwater recharge project.

S. 1117 (watershed conser vation) was

reported by the Committee on Energy

and Natural Resource s. S. Rep. No.

111-306, 156 Cong. Rec. S7506-07

(daily ed. Sept. 27, 2010). e bill would

authorize the Secretar y of the Interior

to provide assistance in implementing

cultural heritage, conservation, and rec-

reational activities in the Connecticut

River Watershed of the states of New

Hampshire and Vermont.

S. 1252 (NOAA) was reported by the

Committee on Commerce, Science, and

Transportation. S. Rep. No. 111-296,

156 Cong. Rec. S7205 (daily ed. Sept.

20, 2010). e bill would amend the

Oceans and Human Hea lth Act to ex-

pand the interagency ocea ns and human

health research program to include coasts

and the Great Lakes and to direct the

president, through the National Science

and Technology Council, to deliver in-

formation, products, and services to re-

duce public health risks, including those

related to climate change, and en hance

health benets from the ocean.

S. 1320 (Energy Sta r) was reported by

the Committee on Energy and Natura l

Resources. S. Rep. No. 111-307, 156

Cong. Rec. S7506-07 (daily ed. Sept.

27, 2010). e bill would provide assis-

tance to owners of manufactu red homes

constructed before January 1, 1976, to

purchase Energy Star-qualied manufac-

tured homes.

S. 1596 (federal land) was reported by

the Committee on Energy and Natura l

Resources. S. Rep. No. 111-309, 156

Cong. Rec. S7506-07 (daily ed. Sept. 27,

2010). e bill would authorize the Sec-

retary of the Interior to acquire the Gold

Hill Ranch in C oloma, California.

S. 1689 (federal land) was reported by

the Committee on Energy and Natura l

Resources. S. Rep. No. 111-310, 156

Cong. Rec. S7506-07 (daily ed. Sept. 27,

2010). e bill would designate certa in

land as components of the National Wil-

derness Preservation System and the Na-

tional Landscape C onservation System

in the state of New Mexico.

Copyright © 2010 Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, DC. reprinted with permission from ELR®, http://www.eli.org, 1-800-433-5120.