Recent Developments

• Date: 01 November 2019

49 ELR 11068 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REPORTER 11-2019

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In the Congress

“In the Congress” entries cover activities reported in the Congre ssional Record from September 1, 2019, through September

30, 2019. 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

ENERGY

H.R. 205, which would amend the

Gulf of Mexico Energy Se curity Act of

2006 to permanently extend t he mora-

torium on leasing in certa in areas of

the Gulf of Mexico, was pa ssed by the

House. 165 Cong. Rec. H7622 (daily

ed. Sept. 11, 2019).

H.R. 1420, which would amend the

Energy Independence and Secur ity

Act of 2007 to promote energy ef-

ciency via information and comput-

ing technologies, was passed by the

House. 165 Cong. Rec. H7540 (daily

ed. Sept. 9, 2019).

H.R. 1768, which would reauthorize

Subtitle G of Title VII of the Energy

Policy Act of 2005, relating to diesel

emissions reduction, was passed by t he

House. 165 Cong. Rec. H7541 (daily

ed. Sept. 9, 2019).

H.R. 2114, which would amend the

Energy Policy and Conservation Act to

provide federal nancial assistance to

states to implement, review, and revise

state energy securit y plans, was pas sed

by the House. 165 Cong. Rec. H7543

(daily ed. Sept. 9, 2019).

H. Res. 548, which would provide

for consideration of H.R. 205, which

would amend the Gulf of Mexico Ener-

gy Security A ct of 2006 to permanently

extend the moratorium on leasing in

certain are as of the Gulf of Mexico;

H.R. 1146, which would amend Pub.

L. No. 115-97 (commonly known as

the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) to repeal

the Arctic National Wild life Refuge

oil and gas program; a nd H.R. 1941,

which would amend the Outer Conti-

nental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the

Secretary of the Interior from including

certain plan ning areas in any leasing

program, was agreed to by t he House.

165 Cong. Rec. H7566 (daily ed. Sept.

10, 2019).

NATURAL RESOURCES

H.R. 1146, which would amend Pub.

L. No. 115-97 (commonly known as

the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) to repeal

the Arctic National Wild life Refuge

oil and gas program, wa s passed by the

House. 165 Cong. Rec. H7671 (daily

ed. Sept. 12, 2019).

WATER

S. 1689, which would permit states to

transfer certain funds from t he clean

water revolving fund of a state to the

drinking water re volving fund of the

state in certain circumstances, was

passed by the Senate. 165 Cong. Rec.

S5367 (daily ed. Sept. 9, 2019).

H.R. 335, which would require the

Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful

Algal Blooms and Hypoxia to develop

a plan for reducing, mitigating , and

controlling harmf ul algal blooms and

hypoxia in South Florida, was pa ssed

by the House. 165 Cong. Rec. H8010

(daily ed. Sept. 26, 2019).

H.R. 1941, which would amend the

Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to

prohibit the Secretary of the Interior

from including certai n planning areas

in any leasing program, wa s passed

by the House. 165 Cong. Rec. H7606

(daily ed. Sept. 11, 2019).

Committee Action

ENERGY

S. 520 was reported by the Commit-

tee on Energy and Natura l Resources.

S. Rep. No. 116-72, 165 Cong. Rec.

S5359 (daily ed. Aug. 16, 2019). e

bill would require the Secreta ry of En-

ergy to establish a n energy-eciency

materials pilot program.

S. 859 wa s reported by the Commit-

tee on Energy and Natura l Resources.

S. Rep. No. 116-81, 165 Cong. Rec.

S5406 (daily ed. Sept. 10, 2019). e

bill would amend the Energy Policy Act

of 2005 to reauthorize hydroelectric

production incentives and hydroelectric

eciency improvement incentives.

S. 903 was reported by the Commit-

tee on Energy and Natura l Resources.

S. Rep. No. 116-114, 165 Cong. Rec.

S5663 (daily ed. Sept. 24, 2019). e

bill would direct the Secret ary of

Energy to establish adva nced nuclear

goals, provide for a versatile, reactor-

based fast neutron source, a nd make

available high-assay, low-enriched ura-

nium for research, development, and

demonstration of advanced nuclear

reactor concepts.

S. 983 was reported by the Commit-

tee on Energy and Natura l Resources.

S. Rep. No. 116-82, 165 Cong. Rec.

S5406 (daily ed. Sept. 10, 2019). e

bill would amend the Energy Conserva-

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