Legislative Activity

Climate Change

In advance of this week, Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Power, issued invitations to the administrators of 13 agencies to testify at a hearing to be held this Wednesday, September 18, titled “The Obama Administration’s Climate Change Policies.” The hearing will be convened by the Subcommittee on Energy and Power, and invited agencies include: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Health and Human Services;. Department of Agriculture; Department of the Interior; Department of Transportation; Department of Defense; Department of State; U.S. Agency for International Development; Export-Import Bank.; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Among others, Secretary Ernest Moniz of the Department of Energy, and Administrator Gina McCarthy of the EPA, have agreed to testify.

This Week’s Hearings:

  • Wednesday, September 18: The House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Power will hold a hearing titled “The Obama Administration’s Climate Change Policies.”
  • Wednesday, September 18: The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, will hold a hearing to consider regulation of existing chemicals and the role of pre-emption under sections 6 and 18 of the Toxic Substances Control Act.
  • Wednesday, September 18:  The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development, will hold a hearing to examine recovering from Superstorm Sandy.  The hearing will focus on assessing progress, continuing needs, and rebuilding strategy. Witnesses will include Shaun Donovan, Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Peter Rogoff, Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.
  • Wednesday, September 18:  The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Policy will hold a hearing concerning the implementation of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Act of 2012 and current status at the one year mark after the law’s enactment. Witnesses will include Senator David Vitter (R-LA), Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), William Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency and selected state and local officials.
  • Thursday, September 19: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a full committee hearing to examine wildlife management authority within the State of Alaska under the Alaska National Interest Lands Act and the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
  • Thursday, September 19:  The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Water and Power will hold an oversight hearing titled “Keeping Hydropower Affordable and Reliable: The Protection of Existing Hydropower Investments and the Promotion of New Development.”

Regulatory Activity

Toxic Substances Control Act

The EPA has launched a web-based tool, called ChemView, in an effort to increase access to chemical-specific regulatory information developed by EPA and data submitted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  The tool is intended to provide chemical health and safety information. In the months ahead, EPA will be continuously adding chemicals for inclusion in the search tool. The ChemView tool can be accessed here.

Hydraulic Fracturing

The EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office has announced a public teleconference of the Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel to receive comments from the public on new and emerging information related to hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources. The teleconference will be held on November 20, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For additional information concerning submitting oral or written comments, contact Mr. Edward Hanlon, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science Advisory Board at (202) 564–2134; or email at hanlon.edward@epa.gov.