Legislative Action Comprehensive Energy Legislation To begin the process of reconciling the House and Senate energy bills, the House has voted to go to conference and has appointed its conferees, which will include 24 Republicans and 16 Democrats. However, the Senate has yet to do the same. Work continues in the Senate to clear potential … Continue Reading
Legislative Action Energy Bill Last week, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee released a 50-page section-by-section of the recently passed S. 2012 Energy Modernization Policy Act of 2016. Looking forward to a potential conference of the Senate and House energy bills, Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee recently … Continue Reading
Legislative Action Future of House Energy and Water Appropriations Bill The House Appropriations Committee favorably reported its $37.4 billion Energy and Water Appropriations bill on April 19 by voice vote. With the House having not yet adopted a budget resolution, the bill cannot be considered on the floor until mid-May. With the Senate having passed … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity This week, the Senate could return to floor consideration of S. 2012, the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016. Last week there was progress made toward hotlining a procedural proposal to separate consideration for a potential agreement on Flint, MI water funding and the Energy bill in order to vote on the two items … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House To Move Energy Bill This week, the House intends to hold a floor vote on H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015. The bill addresses energy use and efficiency in the U.S. An all-Texan, bipartisan contingent of Congressmen including Representatives Joe Barton (R-TX), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Michael McCaul … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity Oil and Gas The Department of the Interior has issued a Proposed Rule to establish “minimum standards for accurate measurement and proper reporting of all gas removed or sold from Federal and Indian leases.” The proposal excludes the Osage Tribe. Comments are due December 14. Legislative Activity This Week’s Hearings: On Tuesday, October … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House and Senate “Comprehensive” Energy Bills Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a markup of its comprehensive energy legislation that will be considered by the full House in the weeks ahead. In the Senate, Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Last week, pursuant to a request by Congress in 2010, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a draft report on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing activities on drinking water resources in the United States. The activities covered in the assessment include: water acquisition, chemical mixing, well … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity Waters of the U.S. Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers announced the issuance of their final rule defining “Waters of the U.S.” However, according to the EPA, the rule could take up two weeks to be published in the Federal Register. Once published, the rule will … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity Pesticides and Waters of the United States The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting comment on its proposed data collection concerning potential changes to its permits for discharges to waters of the U.S. from biological and chemical pesticides that leave a residue. Comments are due by September 15. Ozone EPA is considering updating … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity Greenhouse Gas Pursuant to President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will soon propose to prohibit certain chemicals contributing to emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a class of greenhouse gases. According to EPA, the “proposed action would change the status of certain high-global warming potential (GWP) HFCs that were previously listed … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity EPA Approves New Measurements for Ozone In significant news for entities attempting to maintain or attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it has approved four new testing methods that are now allowed for measuring ozone and related pollutants in determining compliance. The alternative tests can … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity Greenhouse Gas Rule The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) anticipated Proposed Rule concerning greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for existing coal and natural gas fired power plants will be released to the public on Monday, June 2, at 10:30 am. To advance public awareness of the proposed rule, the President devoted his Saturday radio address … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate to Consider Environmental Nominations On Tuesday, May 13, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a full committee hearing to evaluate President Obama’s nominations for key environmental positions. Dr. Monica Regalbuto is being nominated for Assistant Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) to oversee the department’s Office of Environmental … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congressional Committees Evaluate Expedited LNG Export Application Processing Last week, congressional interest in exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) reached a crescendo as three different congressional committees held hearings to evaluate the economic and geopolitical impact of expedited U.S. processing of liquefied natural gas (LNG) applications to countries that do not have a Free-Trade-Agreement … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity EPA To Propose New GHG Emissions Rule for Oil and Gas Facilities The EPA is proposing revisions to the greenhouse gas reporting rule for oil and gas facilities that will revise calculation methods, monitoring and data reporting requirements, terms and definitions including confidentiality determinations. Affected parties are likely to include: pipeline transportation of … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity EPA Seeks Public Input on Climate Change The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a request for comment on its draft report concerning the impacts of climate change to human health. The agency is seeking input from the public on “proposed plans for scoping, drafting, reviewing, producing, and disseminating the Interagency Special Report on the Impacts … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity Future Climate Scenarios The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released phase-two of its National Stormwater Calculator. EPA highlights that “the updated calculator includes future climate vulnerability scenarios.” Primarily used to estimate the annual amount of stormwater runoff from a specific location, EPA notes that the tool also includes “changes in seasonal precipitation levels, … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity Funding for Autos The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced it will provide $50 million in funding for its FY 14 Vehicle Technologies Program to help “make plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) more affordable and convenient…within the next 10 years.” The funding will be dedicated to target areas including: advanced light-weighting, advanced battery development, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Nominations for U.S. Department of the Interior and EPA On Tuesday, December 17, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will meet to consider the nomination of Neil Kornze to become the Director of the Bureau of Land Management at the Department of the Interior. The Committee will also consider at that time … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Energy and Commerce Committee Holds FERC Oversight Hearing Last Thursday, December 5, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing titled “Evaluating the Role of FERC in a Changing Energy Landscape” featuring testimony of all sitting members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The hearing was also Cheryl A. LaFleur’s … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Energy Efficiency The “Shaheen-Portman” bill (S. 761) is expected to be considered on the Senate floor this week. Senate leaders are working to reach an agreement on amendments, some of which would be controversial (e.g., expedited approval of the Keystone XL pipeline). Natural Gas Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden … Continue Reading
