Recent Developments

• Date: 01 October 2015

10-2015 NEWS & ANALYSIS 45 ELR 10977

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In the Congress

“In the Congress” entries cover activities reported in the Congressional Record from August 1, 2015, through August 31,

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 ratied by the Senate. is material is updated monthly. For archived materials, visit

http://elr.info/legislative/congressional-update/archive.

Chamber Action

S. 1523 (water), which would amend

the Federal Water Pollution Control

Act to reauthorize the National Estu-

ary Program, was pa ssed by the Senate.

161 Cong. Rec. S6349 (daily ed. Aug.

5, 2015).

H.R. 212 (water), which would amend

the SDWA to provide for the assess-

ment and management of the risk of

algal toxins in d rinking water, was

passed by the Senate. 161 Cong. Rec.

S6349 (daily ed. Aug. 5, 2015).

H.R. 1138 (land use), which would

establish certain wilderness areas in

central Idaho and authorize va rious

land conveyances involving National

Forest System land and BLM land in

central Idaho, was passed by the Senate.

161 Cong. Rec. S6270 (daily ed. Aug.

4, 2015).

Committee Action

S. 986 (land use) was reported by the

Committee on Indian A airs. S. Rep.

No. 114-114, 161 Cong. Rec. S6294

(daily ed. Aug. 4, 2015). e bill would

require the Secretary of the Interior to

take into trust four parcels of federal

land for the benet of certain India n

Pueblos in the state of New Mexico.

Bills Introduced

S. 1918 (Menendez, D-N.J.) (wildl ife)

would amend the ESA to extend the

import- and export-related provision of

that Act to species proposed for listing

as threatened or endangered under that

Act. 161 Cong. Rec. S6239 (daily ed.

Aug. 3, 2015). e bill was referred to

the Committee on Environment and

Public Works.

S. 1924 (une, R-S.D.) (land use)

would transfer administrative jurisdiction

over certain BLM land from the Secre-

tary of the Interior to the Secretary of

Veterans Aairs for inclusion in the Black

Hills National Cemetery. 161 Cong. Rec.

S6295 (daily ed. Aug. 4, 2015). e bill

was referred to the Committee on Energy

and Natural Resources.

S. 1931 (Moran, R-Kan.) (land use)

would rearm that cer tain land has

been taken into trust for the benet of

certain India n tribes. 161 Cong. Rec.

S62956 (daily ed. Aug. 4, 2015). e

bill was referred to the Committee on

Indian Aa irs.

S. 1933 (Corker, R-Tenn.) (energy)

would establish a comprehensive U.S.

policy to encourage the eorts of coun-

tries in sub-Saha ran Africa to develop

an appropriate mix of power solutions,

including renewable energy, for more

broadly distributed electricity access

in order to support poverty reduction,

promote development outcomes, and

drive economic growth. 161 Cong. Rec.

S6295 (daily ed. Aug. 4, 2015). e bill

was referred to the Committee on For-

eign Relations.

S. 1936 (Uda ll, D-N.M.) (wate r)

would provide for drought prepared-

ness mea sures in the state of New

Mexico. 161 Cong. Re c. S62956 (daily

ed. Aug. 4, 2015). e bil l was referred

to the Com mittee on Energy a nd

Natural Resource s.

S. 1942 (Gardner, R-Colo.) (land

use) would require a land conveyance

involving the Elkhorn Ra nch and the

White River National Forest in the

state of Colorado. 161 Cong. Rec.

S6379 (daily ed. Aug. 5, 2015). e bill

was referred to the Committee on En-

ergy and Natural Resources.

S. 1943 (Alexander, R-Tenn.) (land

use) would modify the bounda ry of the

Shiloh National Military Park located

in the states of Tennessee and Missis-

sippi, to establish Parker’s Crossroads

Battleeld as an aliated area of the

National Park System. 161 Cong. Rec.

S6379 (daily ed. Aug. 5, 2015). e bill

was referred to the Committee on En-

ergy and Natural Resources.

S. 1953 (Casey, D-Pa.) (waste) would

amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act

to authorize states to restrict interstate

waste imports and impose a hig her fee

on out-of-state waste. 161 Cong. Rec.

S6379 (daily ed. Aug. 5, 2015). e bill

was referred to the Committee on Envi-

ronment and Public Works.

S. 1955 (Sulliva n, R-Ark.) (land

use) would amend t he Alaska Native

Claims Se ttlement Act to provide for

equitable allot ment of land to Ala ska

Native veterans . 161 Cong. Rec. S6380

(daily ed. Aug. 5, 2015). e bill was

referred to the C ommittee on Energy

and Natura l Resources.

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