Stakeholder Perspectives on OSHA’s Proposed Rule to Update the Fire Brigades Standard
A subcommittee hearing to hear stakeholder perspectives on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) proposed rule to replace the Fire Brigades standard in order to provide workplace protections for all personnel who respond to emergencies as part of their regular duties.
Witnesses:- David Denniston, 2nd Vice President, Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York
- Chief Joseph Maruca, Director, National Volunteer Fire Council, Former Fire Chief of West Barnstable Fire Department
- Evan Davis, Director, Government Affairs, International Association of Fire Fighters
- Grant Walker, President, Prince George’s County Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics Association, International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1619
Virtual Public Listening Session
The President’s Executive Order 14096, “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All,” directs the development of an Environmental Justice Strategic Plan capturing the Justice Department’s vision, goals, priority actions, and metrics to address and advance environmental justice. We would appreciate your comments.
President's FY 2025 Budget Request for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and the Office of Natural Resources Revenue
On Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., in Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will hold an oversight hearing titled “Examining the President’s FY 2025 Budget Request for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and the Office of Natural Resources Revenue.”
Witnesses:- Liz Klein, Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
- Kevin Sligh, Director, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
- Howard Cantor, Director, Office of Natural Resources Revenue
The FY 2025 President’s Budget allocates $242 million to BOEM, including $52 million for BOEM’s Renewable Energy Program, $67.5 million for the Conventional Energy Program, $14.8 million for the Marine Minerals Program, and $86.7 million for Environmental Programs.
The Budget allocates $252.6 million to the BSEE. The Budget includes $12.0 million to plug and abandon orphaned wells on the OCS and remove orphaned pipelines and other infrastructure from the seabed, $12.6 million to support offshore wind projects, $15.1 million for oil spill research, and $1.5 million to hire additional personnel to establish a programmatic framework for offshore carbon sequestration.
Markup of East Palestine Health Impact Monitoring Act and other legislation
Full committee executive session.
Legislation:- S. 3679, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act
- S. 3765, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024
- S. 4351, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain poison control programs
- S. 3757, Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act of 2024
- S. 4045, East Palestine Health Impact Monitoring Act of 2024
The bill establishes a study on the public health impacts resulting from the February 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), or the NIEHS, is to award a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement to an eligible entity—a group of higher education institutions with expertise in the relevant fields and a physical presence in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The study will assess the human health impacts of the derailment and subsequent chemical venting and burning. Annual progress reports are required until the final report is submitted within five years. The findings, along with any recommendations, will be reported to the appropriate congressional committees.
Nominee:- Stephen H. Ravas, to be Inspector General, Corporation for National and Community Service
Markup of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024
Full Committee on Agriculture business meeting RE: “Markup of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024.”
Oversight of the U.S. Department of Energy
Full committee hearing.
Witness:- Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of Energy
DC Happy Hour with Clean Creatives
As creatives, we have the unique power to change hearts and minds, and ultimately inspire action. As our planet continues to heat up, it’s even more important to use that power in the right way – which includes moving the advertising and PR industry away from fossil fuels.
Join Clean Creatives for our first DC meetup in 2024 to meet other creatives, strategists, and communicators from agencies, NGOs, and government. Let’s explore how purpose-driven storytelling can turn into greenwashing and harm green brands and real solutions and discuss what we can do together in our industries to turn it around.
First drinks are on us!
Clean Creatives is a global campaign for PR and ad professionals who want a safe climate future. We are a community of over 2000 strategists, creatives and industry leaders and over 1000 agencies who believe that fossil fuel clients represent a threat to our shared future. Learn more about us at www.cleancreatives.org.
Location: metrobar
640 Rhode Island Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
Digging Deeper for Health and Safety: Examining New Standards and Practices in Mining
Subcommittee hearing.
Witnesses:- Cindy Brown Barnes, Managing Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security, Government Accountability Office
- Drew Harris, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia and Medical Director, Stone Mountain Black Lung Program
- Cecil E. Roberts, President, United Mine Workers of America
- Steven Schafrik, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Graduate Studies, Mining Engineering, University of Kentucky
President's FY 2025 Budget Request for the United States Geological Survey and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
On Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., in Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will hold an oversight hearing titled “Examining the President’s FY 2025 Budget Request for the United States Geological Survey and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.”
Pete Stauber, Chairman
The President’s budget request for USGS appropriations in FY2025 is $1.578 billion (full justification). The Ecosystems mission area conducts biological and ecological science to inform natural resource management decisions through five programs and cooperative research units. The FY2025 budget requests a 9% increase above the FY2024 enacted level for this mission area. The largest program increase for the mission area is for the Land Management Research Program, requested at $60.6 million for FY2025 compared with $52.0 million enacted for FY2024. The increase includes supporting science for mapping corridors of big game hunting populations and for drought response. The budget request proposes decreases for some activities in the mission area, including a decrease of $1.0 million for the Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program. It proposes to separate the land change science component of the Climate Adaptation Science Centers and Land Change Science Program into a stand-alone program named the Ecosystems Change Research Program to ensure “program and budget clarity.”
The Energy and Mineral Resources mission area includes scientific research and assessments related to energy and minerals. The FY2025 budget requests a 19% increase above the FY2024 enacted level for the mission area. For the Energy Resources Program, the budget requests an increase of $7.1 million above the FY2024 enacted level of $32.6 million, which includes supporting activities related to geologic carbon sequestration and geothermal energy. For the Mineral Resources Program, the budget requests an increase of $12.1 million above the FY2023 enacted level of $68.7 million, which includes supporting critical minerals supply chain analysis and forecasting. The request also proposes to restructure the Mineral Resources Program into two components: the National Minerals Information Center and Mineral Resources Research, Surveys, and Assessments. The USGS asserts that the restructuring would increase budget transparency for the National Minerals Information Center. The agency anticipates requesting that the U.S. Chief Statistician within the Office of Management and Budget designate the center as a Recognized Statistical Unit (see 44 U.S.C. §3563).
The Natural Hazards mission area provides scientific information to reduce losses from natural hazards. The FY2025 budget requests a 6% increase above the FY2024 enacted level for the mission area. This increase includes a $7.3 million increase for the Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program to support research to inform climate-related risk assessments, among other activities. It also includes a $2.2 million increase for both the Earthquake Hazards Program and the Volcano Hazards Program. The budget requests decreased funding for some activities in the mission area, including a decrease of $0.4 million for the Landslide Hazards Program.
The Water Resources mission area monitors water resources and researches water processes. The FY2025 budget requests a 7% increase above the FY2024 enacted level for the mission area. This includes increased funding for Integrated Water Availability Assessments, federal priority streamgages, and the National Groundwater Quality Network. Similar to past budget requests, the Administration requests eliminating the Water Resources Research Act Program, a federal-state partnership that conducts regional water research. The budget also requests decreases for some activities in the mission area.
The Core Science Systems mission area generally focuses on the USGS’s mapping activities and supports science across the agency. The mission area includes the National Land Imaging Program, which operates Landsat satellites, among other activities. The FY2025 budget requests a 15% increase above the FY2024 enacted level for the mission area. This includes an increase of $28.7 million for the National Land Imaging Program, which would support Landsat activities, including Landsat Next development, and a commercial data pilot program. The FY2025 budget also requests increases for a high performance computing initiative to advance USGS science data delivery, particularly for drought and fire science, and for an American conservation and stewardship atlas. The budget request also proposes decreases for some activities in the mission area, including a decrease of $3.4 million for the National Geospatial Program.
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement FY2025 budget request is $304.7 million in current appropriations.
Panel Discussion on Climate Disclosure Regulation
We’re thrilled to assemble a panel of leading climate regulation experts for a discussion on how companies should prepare for disclosure compliance amidst the legal challenges the regulations are facing. Register to hear from our invited guests California Senator, Henry Stern and June M. Hu from Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as they discuss:
- The legal challenges to the SEC Climate Disclosure rule and California SB 261.
- The “no regrets” moves companies can take today to prepare for compliance.
- Examples of how companies are using First Street data to make sure to accurately report on climate risk.