Legislative Activity

This Week’s Hearings:

  • Tuesday, June 18: The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation, will hold an oversight hearing titled “Citizen and Agency Perspectives on the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.”
  • Tuesday, June 18: The House Science, Space and Technology Committee will hold a full committee hearing concerning the U.S. Department of Energy’s science and technology priorities. The recently-confirmed Honorable Ernest Moniz, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, will testify.
  • Thursday, June 20: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a full committee hearing to receive testimony on water resource issues in the Klamath River Basin. The basin covers regions in Oregon and California. Testimony will be received from the Honorable Mike Connor, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior; Mr. Richard Whitman, Governor John Kitzhaber’s Natural Resources Advisor, State of Oregon; the Honorable John Laird, Secretary for Natural Resources, California Natural Resources Agency; as well as 14 other witnesses.

Regulatory Activity

Advanced Biofuels Payment Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the acceptance of applications and the availability of $98.6 million to make payments to advanced biofuel producers for the production of eligible advanced biofuels. Of the $98.6 million, $68.6 million will be available for FY 2013 production and the remainder of approximately $30 million is for payments for production in prior fiscal years. The purpose of this program is to support an expanding production of advanced biofuels. Applications received by July 11 will be considered for FY 2013 funds. Information on applying can be accessed here.

Implementation of NAAQS for Ozone

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a public hearing on the proposed rule titled ‘‘Implementation of the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Ozone: State Implementation Plan Requirements.’’ The proposed rule addresses state implementation plan requirements for the 2008 ozone NAAQS, including those pertaining to attainment demonstrations, reasonable further progress, reasonably available control technology, reasonably available control measures, new source review requirements in nonattainment areas, emission inventories and the timing of state implementation plan (SIP) submissions and of compliance with emission control measures in the SIP. Other issues also addressed in the proposed rule are the revocation of the 1997 ozone NAAQS and antibacksliding requirements that would apply when the 1997 ozone NAAQS is revoked. The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 25. Additional information about the hearing can be accessed here.