Hill Heat

Briefing Memo

Witnesses

• Sylvester Turner, Mayor, City of Houston
• Bill Magness, President and Chief Executive Officer, Electric Reliability Council of Texas
• Christi Craddick, Chairman, Railroad Commission of Texas
• Michael Shellenberger, Founder and President, Environmental Progress
• James Robb, President and Chief Executive Officer, North American Electric Reliability Corporation

Hearing page

03/24/2021 at 11:30AM

Witnesses

• Dr. Karen A. Thole, Department Head and Distinguished Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University
• Dr. R. John Hansman Jr., T. Wilson Professor of Aeronautics & Astronautics and Director, MIT International Center for Air Transportation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Chair, FAA Research and Development Advisory Committee (REDAC); Co-director, FAA Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment (ASCENT)
• Steve Csonka, Executive Director, Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI)

Hearing page

03/24/2021 at 11:00AM

Markup to consider:

• Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (ANS) to H.R. 610, San Francisco Bay Restoration Act
• H.R. 1144, Promoting United Government Efforts to Save our Sound (PUGET SOS) Act
• H.R. 587, Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II
• H.R. 1921, to amend the Federal Water Pollution Act to reauthorize the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program, and for other purposes
• H.R. 2008, Local Water Protection Act
• H.R. 1765, Washington Channel Public Access Act
• H.R. 468, Expedited Delivery of Airport Infrastructure Act of 2021
• H.R. 1262, Notice to Airmen Improvement Act of 2021
• H.R. 390, to redesignate the Federal Building located at 167 North Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee as the “Odell Horton Federal Building”
• H.R. 1703, National Children’s Museum Act
• H.R. 1917, Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act
• H.R. 539, Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act
• H.R. 1951, Increase Federal Disaster Cost Share Act of 2021
• H.R. 2016, Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination Act
• General Services Administration’s Capital Investment and Leasing Program Resolutions

03/24/2021 at 11:00AM

Commission staff will host a series of listening sessions to give members of the public an opportunity to provide their thoughts and ideas about the creation of the Office of Public Participation (OPP).

Because of the unique relationship between the federal government and Indian Tribes, separate listening sessions will be held for representatives of Tribal governments, so that the Commission can assure that tribal interests and issues are considered in the development of OPP. Please note, while this session is open to the public, only representatives of federally recognized Tribal governments will be recognized to speak. Members of the public wishing to provide comments regarding tribal issues and interests are encouraged to attend the Environmental Justice and Tribal Interest Listening Session on March 22, 2021. Participants on the call have the option to listen only and can submit though eComment.

Pre-registration for speakers is highly recommended. Speaking priority will be provided to members of the public or representatives of Tribal governments who pre-register for a listening session. Participants who have not pre-registered will be invited to speak after pre-registered participants, time permitting. Participants on the call have the option to listen only and can submit though eComment.

Dial-in information to come

In advance of the listening sessions, participants may wish to consider the issues listed below:

• Section 319 of the FPA states that the OPP will be administered by a Director. (16 U.S.C. § 825q–1(a)(2)(A)). In addition to the Director, how should the office be structured?
• Should the Commission consider creating an advisory board for OPP? If so, what role would the board serve and who should be on the board?
• How should the OPP coordinate assistance to persons intervening or participating, or seeking to intervene or participate, in a Commission proceeding?
• To what extent do you, or the organization you represent, currently interact with the Commission? What has hindered or helped your ability to participate in Commission proceedings? Have you engaged with other governmental entities—such as local, state, and other federal agencies—on matters involving your interests? If so, how did those agencies engage in outreach, and what practices improved your ability to participate in their processes?
• How should the OPP engage with Tribal Governments, environmental justice communities, energy consumers, landowners, and other members of the public affected by Commission proceedings?
• Section 319 of the FPA allows the Commission to promulgate rules to offer compensation for attorney fees and other expenses to intervenors and participants who substantially contribute to a significant Commission proceeding if participation otherwise would result in significant financial hardship. (16 U.S.C. § 825q–1(b)(2)). How should the Commission approach the issue of intervenor compensation? What should the OPP’s role be with respect to intervenor compensation? How should the Commission establish a budget for and fund intervenor compensation? What lessons can the Commission learn from the administration of similar state intervenor compensation programs?

The sessions will be open for the public to attend, and there is no fee for attendance. Listening sessions will be audio-only. Call-in information details, including preregistration, can be found on the OPP website. Information will also be posted on the Calendar of Events on the Commission’s website, www.ferc.gov, prior to the event. The listening sessions will be transcribed and placed into the record approximately one week after the session date.

The listening sessions will be accessible under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For accessibility accommodations, please send an email to [email protected] or call toll free 1-866-208-3372 (voice) or 202-502-8659 (TTY), or send a FAX to 202-208-2106 with the required accommodations.

The public may also submit written comments on these topics to the record in Docket No. AD21-9-000 by Friday, April 23, 2021. Please file comments using the Commission’s eFiling system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at [email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).

03/24/2021 at 10:00AM

On Wednesday, March 24, at 9:30 AM ET, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a Business Meeting to consider the following items:

• Brenda Mallory to be Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality
• Janet McCabe to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
• The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act
• Legislation to designate the headquarters building of the Department of Transportation located at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, as the “William T. Coleman, Jr., Federal Building”

Hearing page

03/24/2021 at 09:30AM

Witnesses

• Matthew J. Strickler, Secretary of Natural Resources, Virginia
• Gene Seroka, Executive Director, Port of Los Angeles
• Mary Ann Bucci, Executive Director, Port of Pittsburgh Commission
• Michael F. Piehler, Ph.D., Director, UNC Institute for the Environment
• Chad Berginnis, Executive Director, Association of State Floodplain Managers

Hearing page

03/23/2021 at 11:00AM

Witnesses

• Marc Brinkmeyer, Owner, Idaho Forest Group, Idaho Forest Products Commission
• Peter MacKeith, Dean and Architect, Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, University of Arkansas
• Dr. Stephen Shaler, Professor & Director, University of Maine, FOR/Maine, School of Forest Resources
• Dr. Cynthia “Cindi” West, Director, Forest Products Laboratory and Northern Research Station

Hearing page

03/23/2021 at 10:00AM

Hearing notice

03/23/2021 at 10:00AM

Commission staff will host a series of listening sessions to give members of the public an opportunity to provide their thoughts and ideas about the creation of the Office of Public Participation (OPP).

Pre-registration for speakers is highly recommended. Speaking priority will be provided to members of the public or representatives of Tribal governments who pre-register for a listening session. Following a brief introduction from Commission staff, each session will be open to the public for 3-5 minutes of comment per participant. Participants who have not pre-registered will be invited to speak after pre-registered participants, time permitting. Participants on the call have the option to listen only and can submit though eComment.

Dial-in information to come

In advance of the listening sessions, participants may wish to consider the issues listed below:

• Section 319 of the FPA states that the OPP will be administered by a Director. (16 U.S.C. § 825q–1(a)(2)(A)). In addition to the Director, how should the office be structured?
• Should the Commission consider creating an advisory board for OPP? If so, what role would the board serve and who should be on the board?
• How should the OPP coordinate assistance to persons intervening or participating, or seeking to intervene or participate, in a Commission proceeding?
• To what extent do you, or the organization you represent, currently interact with the Commission? What has hindered or helped your ability to participate in Commission proceedings?
• Have you engaged with other governmental entities—such as local, state, and other federal agencies—on matters involving your interests? If so, how did those agencies engage in outreach, and what practices improved your ability to participate in their processes?
• How should the OPP engage with Tribal Governments, environmental justice communities, energy consumers, landowners, and other members of the public affected by Commission proceedings?
• Section 319 of the FPA allows the Commission to promulgate rules to offer compensation for attorney fees and other expenses to intervenors and participants who substantially contribute to a significant Commission proceeding if participation otherwise would result in significant financial hardship. (16 U.S.C. § 825q–1(b)(2)). How should the Commission approach the issue of intervenor compensation? What should the OPP’s role be with respect to intervenor compensation? How should the Commission establish a budget for and fund intervenor compensation? What lessons can the Commission learn from the administration of similar state intervenor compensation programs?

The sessions will be open for the public to attend, and there is no fee for attendance. Listening sessions will be audio-only. Call-in information details, including preregistration, can be found on the OPP website. Information will also be posted on the Calendar of Events on the Commission’s website, www.ferc.gov, prior to the event. The listening sessions will be transcribed and placed into the record approximately one week after the session date.

The listening sessions will be accessible under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For accessibility accommodations, please send an email to [email protected] or call toll free 1-866-208-3372 (voice) or 202-502-8659 (TTY), or send a FAX to 202-208-2106 with the required accommodations.

The public may also submit written comments on these topics to the record in Docket No. AD21-9-000 by Friday, April 23, 2021. Please file comments using the Commission’s eFiling system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at [email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY).

03/22/2021 at 01:00PM

The hearing will focus on H.R. 1848, the “Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America Act” or the “LIFT America Act.”

Witnesses

• Ernest J. Moniz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Energy Futures Initiatives, Former Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
• Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., President and CEO, Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, Former Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Michael O’Rielly, Former Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission Principal, MPORielly Consulting, LLC
• Tom Wheeler, Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institution, Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School, Former Chairman, Federal Communication Commission

03/22/2021 at 11:00AM