Executive Branch Activity

EPA To Hold Listenting Sessions on Carbon Emissions From Power Plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning on holding 11 public listening sessions across the United States to gather public input on reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants. EPA maintains that “power plants are the nation’s largest stationary source of carbon pollution, responsible for about one third of all greenhouse gas pollution in the United States.” The listening sessions will be held in major U.S. cities beginning October 15 and running through November 8.

Legislative Activity

This Week’s Hearings:

  • Thursday, October 10: The House Natural Resource Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, is scheduled to hold an oversight hearing titled “EPA vs. American Mining Jobs.”
  • Thursday, October 10: The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Water and Power, is scheduled to hold a legislative hearing to consider two water rights related bills: H.R. 3176 which would reauthorize the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991; and H.R. 3189, which would prohibit the conditioning of any water rights to the U.S. by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture.
  • Thursday, October 10: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, is scheduled to hold a hearing titled “Maritime Transportation Regulations: Impacts on Safety, Security, Jobs and the Environment, Part 2.”

Regulatory Activity

Outer Continental Shelf

The U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), is inviting comments on and information collection concerning obtaining “Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) sand, gravel, and shell resources for use in shore protection, beach and coastal restoration and other authorized projects.” According to BOEM, “since 1994, 39 shore protection or beach and coastal restoration projects have been completed using OCS sand resources, conveying more than 75 million cubic yards of OCS material and restoring more than 225 miles of shoreline. Recently, the program has seen an increase in demand for OCS resources due to the decreasing availability of sand sources located in State waters and an increase in coastal storm intensity, duration, and frequency.” Comments are due December 2.