Recent Developments
| Date | 01 September 2014 |
44 ELR 10832 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REPORTER 9-2014
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
In the Congress
“In the Congress” entries cover activities reported in the Congressional Record from July 1, 2014, through July 31, 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 ratied by the Senate. is material is updated monthly. For archived materials, visit http://elr.
info/legislative/congressional-update/archive.
Public Laws
S. 1254 (wildlife), which amends the
Harmful A lgal Blooms and Hypoxia
Research and Control Act of 1998, was
signed into law on June 30, 2014. 160
Cong. Rec. D734, Pub. L. No. 113-124
(daily ed. July 7, 2014).
S. 2086 (energy), which addresses cur-
rent emergency shortages of propane and
other home heating fuels and provides
greater exibility and information for
governors to address such emergencies in
the future, was signed into law on June
30, 2014. 160 Cong. Rec. D734, Pub. L.
No. 113-125 (daily ed. July 7, 2014).
H.R. 291 (land use), which provides for
the conveyance of certain cemeteries that
are located on National Forest System
land in Black Hills National Forest, South
Dakota, was signed into law on July 25,
2014. 160 Cong. Rec. D878, Pub. L. No.
113-26 (daily ed. July 29, 2014).
H.R. 316 (water), which reinstates and
transfers certain hydroelectric licenses and
extends the deadline for commencement
of construction of certain hydroelectric
projects, was signed into law on June 30,
2014. 160 Cong. Rec. D734, Pub. L. No.
113-122 (daily ed. July 7, 2014).
H.R. 356 (land us e), which cla ries
authority granted under the Act en-
titled “An Act to Dene the Exterior
Boundary of the Uintah a nd Ouray In-
dian Reser vation in the State of Utah,”
was signed into law on July 25, 2014.
160 Cong. Rec. D878, Pub. L. No.
113-133 (daily ed. July 29, 2014).
H.R. 507 (la nd use), which provides
for the conveyance of certain land in-
holdings owned by the United States to
the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona, was
signed into law on July 25, 2014. 160
Cong. Rec. D878, Pub. L. No. 113-13 4
(daily ed. July 29, 2014).
H.R. 697 (la nd use), which provides
for the conveyance of certain federal
land in Clark County, Nevada, for the
environmental remediation and recla-
mation of the ree Kids Mine Project
Site, was signed into law on July 25,
2014. 160 Cong. Re c. D878, Pub. L.
No. 113 -135 (daily ed. July 29, 2014).
H.R. 875 (water), which authorizes the
continued use of certain water d iver-
sions located on National Forest System
land in the Frank Church-R iver of No
Return Wilderness and t he S elway-Bit-
terroot Wilderness in Idaho, was signed
into law on July 25, 2014. 160 Cong.
Rec. D878, Pub. L. No. 113-136 (dai ly
ed. July 29, 2014).
H.R. 1158 (wildlife), which directs
the Secretary of the Interior to continue
stocking sh in cer tain lakes in the
North Cascades Nationa l Pa rk, Ross
Lake National Recreation Area, and
Lake Chelan Nationa l Recreation Area,
was signed into law on July 25, 2014.
160 Cong. Rec. D878, Pub. L. No.
113-137 (daily ed. July 29, 2014).
H.R. 2337 (land use), which provides
for the conveyance of the Forest Service
Lake Hill Ad ministrative Site in Sum-
mit County, Colorado, was signed into
law on July 25, 2014. 160 Cong. Rec.
D878, Pub. L. No. 113-141 (daily ed.
July 29, 2014).
H.R. 2388 (la nd use), wh ich would
take certa in federal lands located in El
Dorado County, California, into tru st
for the benet of the Shingle Springs
Band of Miwok Indians, was signed on
July 16, 2014. 160 Cong. Rec. D811
Pub. L. No. 113-127 (daily ed. July 17,
2014).
H.R. 3110 (wildlife), which allows for
the harvest of gull eggs by the Huna
Tlingit people within Glacier Bay Na-
tional Park in Ala ska, was signed into
law on July 25, 2014. 160 Cong. Rec.
D878, Pub. L. No. 113-142 (daily ed.
July 29, 2014).
Chamber Action
S. 231 (wildlife), which reauthorizes
the Multinational Species Conservation
Funds Semipostal Sta mp, was passed
by the Senate. 160 Cong. Rec. S5315
(daily ed. July 31, 2014).
S. 311 (land use), which would direct
the Secretary of the Interior to study
the suitability and fea sibility of desig-
nating sites in the Lower Mississippi
River Area in L ouisiana as a unit of
the National Park System, was passed
by the Senate. 160 Cong. Rec. S4358
(daily ed. July 9, 2014).
S. 363 (energy), which would expand
geothermal production, was pas sed
by the Senate. 160 Cong. Rec. S4359
(daily ed. July 9, 2014).
S. 476 (natural resourc es), which
would amend the Chesapeake a nd
Ohio Canal Development Act to
extend to the Chesapeake a nd Ohio
Copyright © 2014 Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, DC. Reprinted with permission from ELR®, http://www.eli.org, 1-800-433-5120.
9-2014 NEWS & ANALYSIS 44 ELR 10833
Canal National Hi storical Park Com-
mission, was passed by the Senate,
after agreeing to a n amendment in the
nature of a substitute. 160 Cong. Rec.
S4360 (daily ed. July 9, 2014).
S. 609 (land u se), which would au-
thorize the Secreta ry of the Interior to
convey certain federa l land in San Juan
County, New Mexico, was passed by
the Senate, after ag reeing to the com-
mittee amendments. 160 Cong. Rec.
S4360 (daily ed. July 9, 2014).
H.R. 255 (water), which would amend
certain denitions contained in the
Provo River Project Transfer Act for
purposes of clarif ying certain property
descriptions, was passed by t he Senate.
160 Cong. Rec. S4355 (daily ed. July 9,
2014).
H.R. 356 (land use), which would de-
ne the exterior boundary of the Uintah
and Ouray Indian Reservation in Utah,
was passed by the Senate. 160 Cong.
Rec. S4355 (da ily ed. July 9, 2014).
H.R. 507 (land use), which would pro-
vide for the conveyance of certain land
inholdings owned by the United States
to the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona,
was passed by the Senate. 160 Cong.
Rec. S4355 (da ily ed. July 9, 2014).
H.R. 697 (land use), which would pro-
vide for the conveyance of certain feder-
al land in Clark County, Nevada, for the
environmental remediation and reclama-
tion of the ree Kids Mine Project Site,
was passed by the Senate. 160 Cong.
Rec. S4355 (daily ed. July 9, 2014).
H.R. 876 (water), which would autho-
rize the continued use of cert ain water
diversions located on National Forest
System land in the Frank Church-R iv-
er of No Return Wilderness and the
Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Idaho,
was passed by the Senate. 160 Cong.
Rec. S4356 (daily ed. July 9, 2014).
H.R. 1786 (natural re sources), which
would reauthorize the National Wind-
storm Impact Reduction Program, was
passed by the House.160 Cong. Rec.
H614 4 (daily ed. July 14, 2014).
H.R. 2430 (la nd use), would adjust
the boundaries of Paterson Great Falls
National Historical Park to include
Hinchlie Stadium. 160 Cong. Rec.
H6615 (daily ed . July 22, 2014).
H.R. 3110 (natural resources), which
would allow for the harve st of gull eggs
by the Huna Tlingit people within Gla-
cier Bay National Park in Alask a, was
passed by the Senate. 160 Cong. Rec.
S4357 (daily ed. July 9, 2014).
H.R. 3716 (water), would ratify a wa-
ter settlement agreement aecting the
Pyramid La ke Paiute Tribe. 160 Cong.
Rec. H6613 (daily ed. July 22, 2014).
H.R. 4315 (wildlife), which would
amend the ESA to require publication
on the Internet of the basis for determi-
nations that species are enda ngered spe-
cies or threatened species, was pa ssed
by the House. 160 Cong. Rec. H7007
(daily ed. July 29, 2014).
H.R. 4508 (water), would amend the
East Bench Irrigat ion District Water
Contract Extension Act to permit the
Secretary of the Interior to extend t he
contract for certain water services. 160
Cong. Rec. H6612 (daily ed. July 22,
2014).
H.R. 4562 (water), would authorize
early repayment of obligations to the
Bureau of Reclamation with in the
Northport Irrigation District in the
state of Nebraska. 160 Cong. Rec.
H6612 (d aily ed. July 22, 2014).
H.R. 4923 (governance), which would
make appropriations for energy and water
development and related agencies for the
scal year ending September 30, 2015,
was passed by the House. 160 Cong. Rec.
H6049 (daily ed. July 10, 2014).
Committee Action
S. 1219 (wate r) was reporte d by the
Commit tee on Ind ian Aa irs. H.Rep.
No. 113-215, 160 Cong. R ec. D824
(daily ed. July 22, 2014). e bil l
would aut horize the Pec hanga Band
of Luis eno Mission Ind ians Water
Right s Settlement.
S. 1768 (water) was reported by the
Committee on Energy and Natu ral
Resources. S. Rep. No. 113-225, 160
Cong. Rec. S5215 (daily ed. July 31,
2014). e bill would amend the Wild
and Scenic Rivers Act to adjust the
Crooked River boundar y and would
provide water certainty for the cit y of
Prineville, Oregon.
S. 1818 (water) was reported by the
Committee on Indian A airs. S. Rep.
No. 113 -220, 160 Cong. Rec. S4996
(daily ed. July 28, 2014). e bill would
ratify a water settlement agreement af-
fecting the Pyr amid Lake Paiute Tribe.
S. 1865 (wildlife) was reported by the
Committee on Environment and Pub-
lic Works. S. Rep. No. 113-210, 160
Cong. Rec. S4502 (daily ed. July 15,
2014). e bill would amend the prices
set for Federal Migratory Bird Hunting
and Conservation Stamps a nd make
limited waivers of stamp requirements
for certain users.
S. 1946 (natural re sources) was re-
ported by the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources. S. Rep. No.
113-227, 160 Cong. Rec. S5215 (daily
ed. July 31, 2014). e bill would mod-
ify the authorizat ion of appropriations
under the Reclamation Sa fety of Dams
Act of 1978.
S. 1961 (water) was reported by the
Committee on Environment and Pub-
lic Works. S. Rep. No. 113-238, 160
Cong. Rec. S5216 (dai ly ed. July 31,
2014). e bill would protect surface
water from contamination by chemical
storage facilities.
S. 1965 (water) was reported by the
Committee on Energy and Natu-
ral Resources. S. R ep. No. 113-228,
160 Cong. Rec. S5215 (d aily ed. July
31, 2014). e bill would amend the
East Bench Irrigat ion District Water
Contract Extension Act to permit the
Secretary of the Interior to extend t he
contract for certain water services.
S. 2010 (water) was reported by the
Committee on Energy and Natu ral
Resources. S. Rep. No. 113-229, 160
Cong. Rec. S5215 (daily ed. July 31,
2014). e bill would amend the Water
Conservation and Utiliz ation Act to au-
thorize the development of nonfederal
hydropower and issuance of leases of
Copyright © 2014 Environmental Law Institute®, Washington, DC. Reprinted with permission from ELR®, http://www.eli.org, 1-800-433-5120.
To continue reading
Request your trial