Hill Heat

On Wednesday, April 14, at 10:00 AM ET, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) will hold a hearing entitled, “Long-term Solvency of the Highway Trust Fund: Lessons Learned from the Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Program and Other User-based Revenue Solutions, and How Funding Uncertainty Affects the Highway Programs.”

In March, President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass the “American Jobs Plan.” The plan would achieve 100% clean electricity nationwide by 2035. It would invest $100 billion to modernize the grid, $400 billion in incentives for wind and solar and other renewables, $222 billion for electric vehicle research and charging stations, $10 billion in a “Climate Crisis Corps,” and more. It also calls for equity and justice at every step, with investments in underserved communities like removing lead pipes from every single community in America.

Join our webinar to learn more about President Biden’s climate plan! Hear firsthand why the plan is a fantastic first step towards ending the climate crisis. On the webinar, you’ll learn how we can make the plan better and, most importantly, what we need to do to get it passed by Congress THIS YEAR.

Speakers:

• Leah Stokes of Evergreen Action
• Ben Beachy of Sierra Club
• Andres Jimenez of Green 2.0

RSVP

On Wednesday, March 31, Secretary Janet L. Yellen will preside over a meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council via videoconference. The agenda will include both an open and an executive session. The preliminary agenda for the open session includes climate change and its potential impacts on financial stability. The preliminary agenda for the executive session includes hedge fund activity and open-end mutual fund performance during the COVID-19 crisis.

A live webcast of the open session will be available at: https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/Video-Audio-Webcasts/Pages/Webcasts.aspx

Register now to join our panelists and submit your own questions as they discuss what the winter storm in Texas and the southeastern United States revealed about public health, housing, energy, and economic and climate justice.

Roundtable participants include:

• Amal Ahmed, journalist with Texas Observer and author of this piece on Texas climate change for Southerly. Ahmed will moderate the discussion.
• John Cooper, Assistant Vice President for Public Partnership & Outreach and the Director of Texas Target Communities at Texas A&M University
• Tim Callaghan, evaluation director for the Southwest Rural Health Research Center, Texas A&M University
• Lyndsey Gilpin, founder and editor of Southerly Magazine
• Mary Annette Pember, independent journalist focusing on Native American issues, including environmental issues on Native lands.

The WHEJAC’s first meeting will be held on March 30, 2021.

Register for the March 30, 2021 Public Meeting

If you would like to submit your public comment in writing please complete the public comment form and email any additional materials to [email protected] with the subject line “WHEJAC March 2021 Meeting Public Comments.”

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).

The Interior Department is hosting a virtual forum regarding the federal oil and gas program.

The public forum is part of Interior’s comprehensive review of the federal oil and gas program as called for in Executive Order 14008 and will feature several panels to highlight perspectives from invited participants including industry representatives, labor and environmental justice organizations, natural resource advocates, Indigenous organizations, and other experts.    

The forum will take place via Zoom Webinar. Anyone interested in viewing the forum may register via Zoom. A livestream of the event will also be available at doi.gov/events. The forum will be recorded and have live captions.

The information gathered at the forum will help inform an interim report from the Department that will be completed in early summer. The report will include initial findings on the state of the federal conventional energy programs, as well as outline next steps and recommendations for the Department and Congress to improve stewardship of public lands and waters, create jobs, and build a just and equitable energy future.

Members of the public can submit additional information through April 15 to inform Interior’s interim report at [email protected].

The agenda for the forum is below:

• 1:00 pm: Welcome and introductory remarks by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Interior leadership.
• 1:15 pm: Presentations by the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on offshore and onshore oil and gas programs.
• 1:50 pm: Presentations and Q&A by invited individuals representing environmental justice and frontline communities, academia, oil and gas industry trade associations, Indigenous organizations, conservation organizations, and labor groups. A list of participants will be updated on Interior’s website as available.
• 4:30 pm: Adjourn

In addition to the forum, the Interior Department is conducting extensive outreach to Members of Congress, Governors, Tribes, and other state and local elected leaders.