Tag Archives: Hydropower

Return of Senate’s Comprehensive Energy Bill to Move Prior to July 4th Recess; Administration Reviews Clean Power Plan

Legislative Activity Revival of the Comprehensive Energy Bill Last week, by unanimous consent, the House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced 11 bills governing energy infrastructure and efficiency. The bills address a range of issues including:  skill preparation for energy-related jobs; improvement to hydroelectric licensing; retrofits for schools; increasing energy and water efficiency for federal facilities … Continue Reading

Executive Action for Outer Continental Shelf; House to Consider Antiquities Act; Repeal of More Water Regulations?

Executive Branch Activity Next OCS Developments Last Friday, President Trump signed an executive order (EO) directing the Department of the Interior to review and potentially rewrite the Obama Administration’s Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Final Program for the years 2017 to 2022 to include provisions for oil and gas development in the Arctic and … Continue Reading

Senate Moving on Infrastructure; House to Consider Brownfields Reauthorization

Legislative Activity Energy Infrastructure Moving forward with her previously announced effort to write draft legislation to address energy infrastructure for the larger anticipated infrastructure bill, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will hold a hearing on Tuesday, April 4 to consider methods to protect the electricity grid and associated energy … Continue Reading

Resolution Repealing BLM’s Planning 2.0 Rule Sent to the President; Vote on Rescinding Methane Rule Put on Hold

Legislative Activity Resolution Repealing BLM’s Planning 2.0 Rule Sent to the President Last week, the Senate passed H. J. Res 44, using the Congressional Review Act (CRA), to rescind the Bureau of Land Management’s Resource Management Planning rule, known as the BLM Planning 2.0 Rule, by a vote of 51-48. The House passed the resolution … Continue Reading

House and Senate Begin Conference on Historical Energy Legislation; Senate Looks at Nuclear Power; House Debates Methane; DOE’s New Revelations on the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Legislative Action Comprehensive Energy Bill Conferees met on last week on Thursday for the opening session to consider energy legislation, S. 2012, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2016. If passed, the bill would be the first piece of comprehensive energy legislation to emerge from Congress in almost a decade. The mood … Continue Reading

Senator Murkowski’s Minerals And Metals Bill Moving Forward; Gulf Coast Restoration Council To Act On Funding

Regulatory Activity Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council has announced a two-step application process for entities seeking funding for council-selected projects “to restore and protect the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region” as a result of the Deepwater Horizon … Continue Reading

Congress To Address Offshore Oil Rig Safety; Hydraulic Fracturing; and the Land and Water Conservation Fund; Administration Releases 15-Year Arctic Plan

Regulatory Activity Arctic Comprehensive Conservation Plan The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released its Record of Decision for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement. According to the agency, this document “establishes the management direction for Arctic Refuge for the next 15 years.” Funding for Hydropower Projects … Continue Reading

EPA Releases Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data from Large Facilities & U.S. Offshore Wind Market and Economic Analysis

Legislative Activity House Passes Water Resources Reform and Development Act Last week, the House passed its Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), which provides federal funding for water and water-related infrastructure projects. The Senate passed its Water Resources and Development Act legislation in March. A conference committee will now be appointed to work out … Continue Reading
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