Recent Developments

• Date: 01 December 2017

12-2017 NEWS & ANALYSIS 47 ELR 11081

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In the Congress

“In the Congress” entries cover activities reported in the Congressional Record from October 1, 2017, through October 31,

2017. 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. 396 (wildlife), which would make

technical amendments to certain ma-

rine sh conservation statutes, wa s

passed by the Senate. 163 Cong. Rec.

S6263 (daily ed. Oct. 2, 2017).

S. 692 (water), which would provide

for integrated municipal wastewater

plan permits, establish a n Oce of

Municipal Ombudsman, promote

green infrastr ucture, and require the re-

vision of nancial capability guidance,

was passed by the Senate. 163 Cong.

Rec. S6373 (daily ed. Oct. 5, 2017).

H.R. 1117 (governance), which would

require the FEMA Adm inistrator to

submit a report regarding certa in plans

for assistance to applicants and grantees

during the response to an emergency

or disaster, was passed by the Senate.

163 Cong. Rec. S6324 (daily ed. Oct.

4, 2017).

H.R. 2582 (natura l resources), which

would amend SMCRA to authorize

partnerships bet ween states and non-

governmental entities for the purpose

of reclaiming and restoring land and

water resources adversely aected by

coal mining ac tivities before August

3, 1977, was passed by the House. 163

Cong. Rec. H7645 (daily ed. Oct. 2,

2017).

H.R. 2921 (natural re sources), which

would establish a vegetation mana ge-

ment pilot program on National Forest

System land to better protect utility

infrastructure from passing wildres,

was passed by the House. 163 Cong.

Rec. H8280 (daily ed. Oct. 31, 2017).

H.R. 2941 (land use), which would

provide for the conveyance of certain

National Forest System land within

Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana,

was passed by the House. 163 Cong.

Rec. H8282 (daily ed. Oct. 31, 2017).

Committee Action

S. 1586 (water) was reported by the

Committee on Commerce, Science,

and Transportation. S. Rep. No. 115-

180, 163 Cong. Rec. S6923 (daily ed.

Oct. 31, 2017). e bill would require

the Under Secretary for Oceans a nd

Atmosphere to periodically update the

environmental sensitivity index prod-

ucts of NOAA for each coasta l area of

the Great Lakes.

H.R. 2936 (land use) was reported by

the Committee on Natural Resou rces.

H. Rep. No. 115-370, 163 Cong. Rec.

H8224 (daily ed. Oct. 25, 2017). e

bill would improve forest management

activities on National Forest System

lands, on public land under BLM ju-

risdiction, and on tribal lands to return

resilience to overgrown, re-prone for-

ested lands.

H.R. 3043 (energ y, water) was report-

ed by the Committee on Energy and

Commerce. H. Rep. No. 115-377, Part

1, 163 Cong. Rec. H8292 (daily ed.

Oct. 31, 2017). e bill would modern-

ize hydropower policy.

H.R. 3279 (natural re sources) would

amend the Mineral Lea sing Act to pro-

vide that extraction of helium from ga s

produced under federal mineral lease

shall mainta in the lease as if the helium

were oil and gas. H. Rep. No. 115-365,

163 Cong. Rec. H8075 (daily ed. Oct.

23, 2017).

H. Res. 595 (land us e) was reported

by the Committee on Rules. H. Rep.

No. 115-378, 163 Cong. Rec. H8292

(daily ed. Oct. 31, 2017). e bill

would improve forest management

activities on National Forest System

lands, on public land under BLM ju-

risdiction, and on tribal la nds to return

resilience to overgrown, re-prone for-

ested lands.

Bills Introduced

S. 1903 (Hatch, R-Uta h) (waste)

would assist c ommunities aected by

stranded nuclear waste. 163 Cong.

Rec. S6260 (dai ly ed. Oct. 2, 2017).

e bill was re ferred to the Committee

on Finance.

S. 1911 (Manchin, D-W. Va.) (natu-

ral resource s) would amend SMCRA

to transfer certa in funds to the United

Mine Workers of America Pension

Plan. 163 Cong. Rec. S6288 (daily ed.

Oct. 3, 2017). e bill was referred to

the Committee on Finance.

S. 1919 (Booker, D-N.J.) (wildlife)

would approve the Refuge From Cruel

Trapping Act. 163 Cong. Rec. S6321

(daily ed. Oct. 4, 2017). e bill was

referred to the Committee on Environ-

ment and Public Works.

S. 1930 (Bennet, D-Colo.) (air, gov-

ernance) would establish a cost of

greenhouse gases for ca rbon dioxide,

methane, and nitrous oxide to be used

by federal agencies. 163 Cong. Rec.

S6359 (daily ed. Oct. 5, 2017). e bill

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