Recent Developments

• Date: 01 March 2009

3-2009 NEWS & A NALYSIS 39 ELR 10251

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In the Congress

ese entries cover activities reported in the Congressional Record from January 1, 2009, through January 31, 2009. 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://www.elr.info/NewsAnalysis/

archive.cfm.

CHAMBE R ACTION

S. 22 (Lands Bill), which would designate

certain land components of the National

Wilderness Preservation System and au-

thorize certai n programs and activities in

the DOI and the USDA, was passed by

the Senate. 155 Cong. Rec. S419 (daily

ed. Jan. 15, 2009).

COMMIT TEE ACTION

H.R. 629 (energy) was reported by the

Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H. Rep. No. 111-7, 155 Cong. Rec. H525

(daily ed. Jan. 26, 2009). e bill would

provide energy and commerce provisions

of the American Recovery a nd Reinvest-

ment Act of 2009.

BILLS I NTRODUCED

S. 5 (Reid, D-Nev.) (energy) would seek

to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign and

unsustainable energ y sources and the risks

of global warming. 155 Cong. Rec. S40

(daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009). e bill was read

for the rst time.

S. 22 (Bingaman, D-N.M.) (National

Wilderness Preservation System) would

designate certain la nd components of the

National Wilderness Preservation System

and authorize certai n programs and ac-

tivities in the DOI and the USDA. 155

Cong. Rec. S168 (daily ed. Jan. 7, 2009).

e bill was read for the rst time.

S. 32 (Specter, R-Pa.) (FERC) would

require FERC to hold at least one public

hearing before issuing a permit aecting

public or private land use in a locality. 155

Cong. Rec. S40 (daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009).

e bill was referred to the Committee on

Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 40 (McCain, R-Ariz.) (National Wild

and Scenic Rivers System) would desig-

nate Fossil Creek, a tributary of the Verde

River in the state of Ariz ona, as a com-

ponent of the National Wild and Scenic

Rivers System. 155 Cong. Rec. S40 (daily

ed. Jan. 6, 2009). e bill was referred to

the Committee on Energy and Natura l

Resources.

S. 109 (Levin, D-Mich.) (national lake-

shore) would designate the Beaver Basin

Wilderness at Pictured Rocks National

Lakeshore in the state of Michiga n. 155

Cong. Rec. S42 (daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009).

e bill was referred to the Committee on

Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 110 (Levin, D-Mich.) (national parks)

would provide for the designation of the

River Raisin Nationa l Battleeld Park in

the state of Michigan. 155 Cong. Rec.

S42 (daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009). e bill was

referred to the Committee on Energy and

Natural Resources.

S. 134 (Levin, D-Mich.) (National Trails

System Act) would amend the National

Trails System Act to clarify federa l au-

thority relating to land acquisition from

willing sellers for the North Country

National Scenic Trail. 155 Cong. Rec.

S42 (daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009). e bill was

referred to the Committee on Energy and

Natural Resources.

S. 135 (Levin, D-Mich.) (national parks)

would decrease the matching funds re-

quirement and authorize additional ap-

propriations for Keweenaw National His-

torical Park in the state of Michigan. 155

Cong. Rec. S42 (daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009).

e bill was referred to the Committee on

Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 137 (Brown, D-Ohio) (energy) would

seek to create jobs and reduce U.S. de-

pendence on foreign and unsustainable

energy sources by promoting the produc-

tion of green energy. 155 Cong. Rec.

S43 (daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009). e bill was

referred to the Committee on Energy and

Natural Resources.

S. 140 (Feinstein, D-Cal.) (mining)

would modify the requirements appli-

cable to locatable minerals on public do-

main lands, consistent with t he principles

of self-initiation of mining claims. 155

Cong. Rec. S43 (daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009).

e bill was referred to the Committee on

Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 152 (McCain, R-Ariz.) (land study)

would direct the Secretar y of the Interior

and the Secretary of Agriculture to jointly

conduct a study of certain land adjacent

to the Walnut Canyon National Monu-

ment in the state of Arizona. 155 Cong.

Rec. S43 (daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009). e bill

was referred to the Committee on Energy

and Natural Resource s.

S. 153 (McCain, R-Ariz.) (National Trails

System Act) would amend the National

Trails System Act to designate the Arizo-

na National Scenic Trail. 155 Cong. Rec.

S43 (daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009). e bill was

referred to the Committee on Energy and

Natural Resources.

S. 159 (Lautenberg, D-N.J.) (national

parks) would establish the Paterson Great

Falls National Historical Park . 155 Cong.

Rec. S43 (daily ed. Jan. 6, 2009). e bill

was referred to the Committee on Energy

and Natural Resource s.