In The News
Canadian spill gives enviros ammo against U.S. projects
E&E News By Manuel Quinones August 6, 2014 The head of Imperial Metals Corp. is apologizing for this week's mine tailings dump breach at the company's Mount Polley copper, gold and silver mine in British Columbia, which sent significant amounts of waste into nearby waterways. "Our first priority is the health and safety of our employees and neighbours, and we are relieved no loss of life or injury have been reported," said the company in a statement. "We are deep… Continue Reading
08.15.14
Bicameral, bipartisan lawmakers urge expanded leasing
E&E News By Phil Taylor August 1, 2014 Coalitions of lawmakers in both chambers and from both parties this week urged Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to open new federal waters to oil and gas leasing in the department's next five-year leasing plan, citing bipartisan support in Congress and from coastal governors. Today, a coalition of more than 160 House Republicans sent a letter to Jewell urging her to lease waters "with the greatest resource potential as well as areas su… Continue Reading
08.15.14
50 Democrats urge EPA, USDA to reject herbicide
E&E News By Tiffany Stecker August 1, 2014 Fifty Democratic members of Congress are asking U.S. EPA and the Agriculture Department not to approve a new herbicide and crops that are genetically engineered to tolerate it. EPA is currently reviewing comments on the potential approval of Enlist Duo, an herbicide developed by Dow AgroSciences that combines a choline salt of 2,4-D and glyphosate -- the main ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller. Concurrently, USDA is considering de… Continue Reading
08.15.14
Wyden seeks new path for O&C logging, water bills
E&E News By Phil Taylor August 1, 2014 Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) yesterday sought a new legislative path for two of his signature bills aimed at revamping forestry in western Oregon and approving water agreements in Oregon's thirsty Klamath Basin. Neither proposal had advanced in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee before the August recess, so Wyden added tax provisions that allow the measures to be considered in his legislative home court. Both S. 2… Continue Reading
08.15.14
Western Dems introduce bill addressing conservation, scarcity
E&E News By Annie Snider August 1, 2014 Before heading home to their drought-stricken states, Western Democrats in the House and Senate yesterday introduced a measure aimed at helping communities better prepare for a future with more water scarcity. The legislation, dubbed "W21," or the "Water in the 21st Century Act," combines a number of frequently discussed programs aimed at conserving water and managing more limited supplies. The bill was introduced by Californ… Continue Reading
07.31.14
Sheep industry anything but sheepish on Capitol Hill
E&E News By Phil Taylor July 31, 2014 Tucked deep within the massive omnibus spending bill Congress passed last January is an obscure, one-paragraph policy rider that preserves the right of sheep ranchers to trail their animals across federal lands -- without the threat of protests or appeals from environmental groups. The rider, versions of which have appeared in past appropriations bills, is just one example of the sheep industry's mark on environmental policy on Capitol Hill… Continue Reading
07.31.14
House panel OKs wilderness bills, but Dems oppose wildfire provisions
E&E News By Phil Taylor July 31, 2014 The House Natural Resources Committee today passed bills designating nearly 100,000 acres of new wilderness in Nevada and Washington state, along with more than a dozen other lands and wildlife measures. In what was likely the panel's last order of business before the August recess, members by voice vote reported H.R. 5205 by Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) and H.R. 361 by Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) with qualified support from Democrats and conserv… Continue Reading
07.31.14
Bills move forward to expand Oregon Caves National Monument
Statesman Journal By Henry Miller July 31, 2014 A bill that would expand the Oregon Caves National Monument by more than 4,000 acres passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee and heads for possible consideration by the full House when Congress re-convenes in September. A companion bill, SB 344, was passed by the Senate earlier this month. One unique feature of the bill, HR 2489, is that it would designate the River Styx, which flows through the caves, as Wild and Scenic, the fir… Continue Reading
07.31.14
House Republicans Fiddle While Forest Service Runs Out Of Money To Fight Wildfires
ThinkProgress By Claire Moser and Matt Lee-Ashley July 30, 2014 With multiple fires burning in the West, and the U.S. Forest Service's (USFS) wildfire budget expected to run dry in the coming days, House Democrats have launched an all-out effort to force an up-or-down vote on a bipartisan proposal that would provide wildland firefighters the resources they need to do their jobs. One hundred and ninety-six House Democrats have thus far signed on to what is known as a discharge petition, whi… Continue Reading
07.31.14
Oregon Caves expansion bill clears second-to-last hurdle to congressional passage
The Oregonian By Jeff Mapes July 31, 2014 A bill that would expand the Oregon Caves National Monument by 4,070 acres and provide additional protections for the River Styx passed the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday. If the Senate-passed measure is approved by the full House, it will then head to President Barack Obama for his signature. Supporters of the national monument in southern Oregon have been seeking for years to provide an additional buffer zone around the 480-acre … Continue Reading
07.31.14
Arizona official backs bill to streamline Western state land exchanges
Statesman Journal By Henry Miller July 31, 2014 WASHINGTON - Arizona State Land Commissioner Vanessa Hickman told a congressional committee Tuesday that a bill to streamline public-land exchanges in Western states could make for more sensible and environmentally sensitive development. That, in turn, would mean more money from trust lands that could go to local schools, said supporters of the bill that would make it easier for states to swap land currently surrounded by federal land. … Continue Reading
07.30.14
House passes bill to amend Endangered Species Act
The Hill By Cristina Marcos July 30, 2014 The House passed legislation Tuesday that would modify the Endangered Species Act. Passed 233-190, the bill would require federal agencies to publish data they use to determine whether a species should be designated as "endangered" or merely "threatened." It would also direct the federal government to provide states with data used to make a decision on an endangered species before it issues a final ruling. Ad… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Emergency wildfire funds absent from GOP border plan
The Bend Bulletin By Andrew Clevenger July 30, 2014 WASHINGTON - The $659 million border stabilization bill introduced Tuesday by House Republicans does not include emergency funding to fight wildfires, unlike previous proposals from President Obama and Senate Democrats. The GOP plan, unveiled by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., provides $405 million for border security and law enforcement activities within the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice D… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Bills to convey federal lands to cities see new life
Reno Gazette Journal By Keith Trout July 30, 2014 A reintroduced Lyon County Economic Development and Conservation Act in both houses is positive news in Yerington, including a committee hearing and markup scheduled for today. Representatives Mark Amodei (NV Rep.-Dist. 2) and Steven Horsford (NV Dem-Dist. 4) co-sponsored H.R. 5205, an omnibus bill called the Northern Nevada Land Conservation and Economic Development Act, which contains a Title 2 that includes the Lyon County Economic Devel… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Texas Republican urges lawmakers to settle Red River disputes
E&E News By Joshua Learn July 20, 2014 A Texas Republican urged a House subcommittee yesterday to act quickly to guarantee land rights along the Red River at the Texas-Oklahoma line before interest groups promoting gun rights and others hijack the issue whose roots stretch back to the time of Thomas Jefferson. "There are some groups using this controversy to gain attention for themselves," Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) told the Public Lands and Environmental Regulation Subcom… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Bill promoting U.S. leases is praised, but bid to ease NEPA reviews draws questions
E&E News By Jessica Estepa July 30, 2014 A bipartisan bill aimed at boosting wind and solar energy production on federal land was lauded yesterday by witnesses at a House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing, but differences remain on a proposal that would remove requirements for environmental reviews for geothermal projects. There was praise for Rep. Paul Gosar's (R-Ariz.) H.R. 596, the "Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act," which would require the government… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Arizona official backs bill to streamline Western state land exchanges
Cronkite News By Paulina Pineda July 30, 2014 WASHINGTON - Arizona State Land Commissioner Vanessa Hickman told a congressional committee Tuesday that a bill to streamline public-land exchanges in Western states could make for more sensible and environmentally sensitive development. That, in turn, would mean more money from trust lands that could go to local schools, said supporters of the bill that would make it easier for states to swap land currently surrounded by federal land. In Ariz… Continue Reading
07.30.14
GOP reform package passes House in party-line vote
E&E News By Emily Yehle July 30, 2014 Republicans pushed legislation through the House yesterday to reform the Endangered Species Act, sparking outrage from conservation groups and Democrats who say it is part of a broader effort to gut the 40-year-old law. H.R. 4315 includes four bills focused on transparency. Among other updates, they would require federal agencies to publicly release all data used to make listing decisions, report funds spent on ESA-related lawsuits and specify that… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Democratic bid to force House vote on disaster funds appears dead
E&E News By Phil Taylor July 30, 2014 A Democratic effort to force House leaders to hold a vote on a bipartisan wildfire disaster funding bill appears to have failed. The discharge petition that Democrats began circulating July 11 to require a vote on H.R. 3992 has garnered 196 Democratic signatures, but none from Republicans. No members have signed since last Friday. To succeed, the petition would need more than 20 of the bill's 57 Republican sponsors to sign in order to rea… Continue Reading
07.29.14
Rep. Bishop introduces bill to reauthorize recreation fees
E&E News By Phil Taylor July 29, 2014 A Utah congressman yesterday introduced a bill to reauthorize a 2004 law that dictates how fees are charged to access and use federal lands. Rob Bishop's (R-Utah) H.R. 5204 would have a significant impact on visitors, concessionaires and outfitters that use national parks, forests or other public lands. It would also have a major impact on the budgets of federal lands agencies, particularly the National Park Service. The measure is among more … Continue Reading