Hill Heat

The House Natural Resources Committee, led by Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), will hold an oversight hearing on “Endangered Species Act Implementation: Science or Politics?” Witnesses: Panel 1 The Honorable P. Lynn Scarlett, Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior Ms. Jamie Rappaport Clark, Executive Vice President, Defenders of Wildlife Dr. Francesca Grifo, Ph.D., Senior Scientist and Director of Scientific Integrity Program, Union of Concerned Scientists Mr. Jeff Ruch, Executive Director, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility

Panel 2 Dr. Dominick A. DellaSala, Ph.D., Executive Director, Conservation Science & Policy, National Center for Conservation Science & Policy Ms. Judith Schoyer Rodd, Director, Friends of Blackwater Mr. John Young, Retired Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mr. William P. Horn, Birch, Horton, Bittner & Cherot

“National Security and the Threat of Climate Change

• Admiral Joseph W. Prueher, USN (Ret.), Former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, Former Ambassador to China
• General Charles F. Wald, USAF (Ret.), Former Deputy Commander, U.S. European Command
• Vice Admiral Richard H. Truly, USN (Ret.), Former NASA Administrator, Shuttle Astronaut and the First Commander of the Naval Space Command

Reps. Mark Udall (D-CO) and Bob Inglis (R-SC) introduced the Global Change Research and Data Management Act to strengthen and streamline federal climate change research and reorient it for state and local governments, planners and researchers, replacing the U.S. Global Change Research Program established in 1990.

Witnesses

• Dr. Philip Mote, Climatologist, State of Washington
• Dr. Michael MacCracken, President, International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences
• Dr. Jack Fellows, Vice President, UCAR
• Franklin Nutter, President, Reinsurance Assocation of America
• Sarah Bittleman
• Dr. James Mahoney

The House Natural Resources Committee will meet in an open markup session to mark up the following bills: H.R. 1595, To implement the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review Commission. (Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act) H.R. 359, To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of sites associated with the life of Cesar Estarada Chavez and the farm labor movement. (Cesar Estrada Chavez Study Act) H.R. 713, To establish the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area in the State of New York, and for other purposes. (Niagara Falls National Heritage Area Act) H.R. 1100, To revise the boundary of the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site in the State of North Carolina, and for other purposes. (Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site Boundary Revision Act of 2007) H.R. 986, To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain segments of the Eightmile River in the State of Connecticut as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. (Eightmile Wild and Scenic River Act) H.R. 505, To express the policy of the United States regarding the United States relationship with Native Hawaiians and to provide a process for the recognition by the United States of the Native Hawaiian governing entity. (Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2007) H.R. 487, To amend the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Equitable Compensation Act to provide compensation to members of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe for damage resulting from the Oahe Dam and Reservoir Project, and for other purposes. (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Equitable Compensation Amendments Act of 2007) H.R. 1114, To require the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation and the United States Geological Survey, to conduct a study on groundwater resources in the State of Alaska, and for other purposes. (Alaska Water Resources Act of 2007) H.R. 1080, To modify the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park to include certain land within the GT Park Subdivision, and for other purposes. (Grand Teton National Park Extension Act of 2007) H.R. 1140, To authorize the Secretary, in cooperation with the City of San Juan Capistrano, California, to participate in the design, planning, and construction of an advanced water treatment plant facility and recycled water system, and for other purposes. (South Orange County Recycled Water Enhancement Act)

Action: The Committee on Natural Resources met in open markup session on Wednesday, May 2, 2007, and considered the following bills: H.R. 1595, To implement the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review Commission. (Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act) An amendment offered by Mrs. Bordallo.057 was agreed to by voice vote. Favorably reported to the House of Representatives, as amended, by voice vote.

H.R. 359, To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of sites associated with the life of Cesar Estrada Chavez and the farm labor movement. (Cesar Estrada Chavez Study Act)

By unanimous consent, the Committee Print showing the text of the bill as amended by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands on April 19, 2007, was considered as original text.

An amendment offered by Mr. Sali to the Committee Print was not agreed to by a roll call vote of 5 yeas and 24 nays.

Favorably reported to the House of Representatives, as amended, by voice vote.

H.R. 713, To establish the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area in the State of New York, and for other purposes. (Niagara Falls National Heritage Area Act) The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 713, by voice vote. An amendment in the nature of a substitute was offered by Mr. Grijalva. The following amendments were offered to the amendment in the nature of a substitute: An amendment offered by Mr. Bishop #4 to the amendment in the nature of a substitute was not agreed to by a roll call vote of 9 yeas and 18 nays. An amendment offered by Mr. Bishop #6 to the amendment in the nature of a substitute was not agreed to by a roll call vote of 9 yeas and 18 nays. An amendment offered by Mr. Flake.042 to the amendment in the nature of a substitute was not agreed to by a roll call vote of 9 yeas and 18 nays. An amendment offered by Mr. Flake #7 to the amendment in the nature of a substitute was ruled non-germane. An amendment offered by Mr. Flake #1 to the amendment in the nature of a substitute was not agreed to by a roll call vote of 10 yeas and 16 nays. The amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Mr. Grijalva was agreed to by voice vote. Favorably reported to the House of Representatives, as amended, by voice vote.

H.R. 1100, To revise the boundary of the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site in the State of North Carolina, and for other purposes. (Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site Boundary Revision Act of 2007) By unanimous consent, the Committee Print showing the text of the bill as amended by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands on April 19, 2007, was considered as original text. An amendment offered by Mr. Bishop #1 to the Committee Print was not agreed to by voice vote. An amendment offered by Mr. Heller #2 to the Committee Print was not agreed to by voice vote. Favorably reported to the House of Representatives, as amended, by voice vote.

H.R. 986, To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain segments of the Eightmile River in the State of Connecticut as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. (Eightmile Wild and Scenic River Act) By unanimous consent, the Committee Print showing the text of the bill as amended by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands on April 19, 2007, was considered as original text. An amendment offered by Mr. Bishop #3 to the Committee Print was not agreed to by a roll call vote of 9 yeas and 17 nays. Favorably reported to the House of Representatives, as amended, by voice vote.

H.R. 505, To express the policy of the United States regarding the United States relationship with Native Hawaiians and to provide a process for the recognition by the United States of the Native Hawaiian governing entity. (Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2007) Favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice vote.

H.R. 487, To amend the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Equitable Compensation Act to provide compensation to members of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe for damage resulting from the Oahe Dam and Reservoir Project, and for other purposes. (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Equitable Compensation Amendments Act of 2007) Favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent.

H.R. 1114, To require the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation and the United States Geological Survey, to conduct a study on groundwater resources in the State of Alaska, and for other purposes. (Alaska Water Resources Act of 2007) Favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent.

H.R. 1080, To modify the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park to include certain land within the GT Park Subdivision, and for other purposes. (Grand Teton National Park Extension Act of 2007) Favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent.

H.R. 1140, To authorize the Secretary, in cooperation with the City of San Juan Capistrano, California, to participate in the design, planning, and construction of an advanced water treatment plant facility and recycled water system, and for other purposes. (South Orange County Recycled Water Enhancement Act) Favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent.

The nomination of Stephen J. Isakowitz to be the Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Energy. The draft of an original bill drawn from the text of bills: S. 731, S.962, S. 987, and S. 1115.

CQ:

A tenuous agreement to delay action on divisive issues blew up Wednesday as a Senate panel marked up its first major energy legislation of the year.

The Democratic and Republican leaders of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee had agreed not to consider amendments on coal and renewable electricity. But the deal fell apart when Republicans forced a vote on an amendment by Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., to create a new mandate for coal-based transportation fuels.

Democrats tightened ranks — despite the fact that many support “coal to liquids” technology — and defeated the amendment 11-12 in a party-line vote.

The panel went on to adopt, 15-8, an amendment by Chairman Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., that would make various industrial facilities — including coal-to-liquids facilities — eligible for a 50-50 cost share program that would help pay for projects that capture the resulting greenhouses gases and store them underground.

The deal between Bingaman and ranking Republican Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico was intended to save controversial amendments for the Senate floor debate on the legislation. The underlying bill, which is still unnumbered, includes language from four measures that would address biofuels (S 987), energy efficiency (S 1115) and carbon sequestration technologies (S 962, S 731).

Although Republicans broke what one Democratic aide called a “ceasefire,” Democratic committee aides said Bingaman plans to keep his end of the bargain and withhold his amendment to create a “renewable portfolio standard” until the bill moves to the floor. That language would require utilities to produce 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

Thomas and Jim Bunning, R-Ky., plan to bring their proposal to boost coal-to-liquids technology to the floor as well.

The committee also adopted by voice vote 22 minor amendments that had been cleared with staff on both sides of the aisle in advance.

The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, led by Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), and Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, led by Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), will hold a joint oversight hearing on “The Future of Fossil Fuels: Geological and Terrestrial Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide.” Witnesses: Panel1 Patrick Leahy, Associate Director, United States Geological Survey Carl Bauer, Executive Director, National Energy Technology Laboratory

Panel 2 Judy Fairburn, Vice President, Downstream Operations, EnCana Corporation Howard Herzog, Principle Research Engineer, Laboratory for Energy and the Environment, Massachusetts Institute of Technology George Kelley, Treasurer, National Mitigation Banking Association William Schlesinger, Dean of the Nicholas School, Duke University Vello Kuuskraa, President, Advanced Resources Michael Goergen, Executive Vice President and CEO, Society of American Foresters