February Open Meeting
This month’s commission meeting will be at 1 p.m. at Howard University School of Law, Damon J. Keith Moot Court Room, Houston Hall, Level B 2900 Van Ness Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008.
Among agenda items is the Saguaro Connector Pipeline for the export of natural gas between the United States, in Hudspeth County, Texas, to Chihuahua, Mexico.
Constraining EPA's Ability to Regulate Soot Pollution
Subcommittee hearing on EPA’s NAAQS standards, including the new PM2.5 standard, entitled “Safeguarding Jobs and the Economy: Legislation to End EPA’s Attack on American Manufacturing,” originally titled “Safeguarding American Prosperity and People’s Livelihoods: Legislation to Modernize Air Quality Standards.”
Legislation to be considered:
H.R. ___, the Air Quality Standards Implementation Act of 2024
Witnesses:- Christopher Netram, Managing Vice President, Policy, National Association of Manufacturers
- John Eunice, Deputy Director, Georgia Environmental Protection Division
- Paul Noe, Vice President of Public Policy, American Forestry and Paper Association
- Seth Johnson, Senior Attorney, Earthjustice
Examining Fire Hazards: Lithium-Ion Batteries and Other Threats to Fire Safety
Subcommittee hearing.
Examining Federal Science Agency Actions to Secure the U.S. Science and Technology Enterprise
Full committee hearing.
Witnesses:- Arati Prabhakar, Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
- Dr. Rebecca Keiser, Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy, National Science Foundation
- Geri Richmond, Under Secretary for Science and Innovation, Department of Energy
- Dr. Michael Lauer, Deputy Director for Extramural Research, National Institutes of Health
New Communications Research on Rural Clean Energy Siting
Join us to learn about new clean energy research and message testing conducted by the Rural Climate Partnership and Global Strategies Group. In late 2023, rural focus groups assessed community attitudes towards clean energy and tested an array of pro- and anti-clean energy messages and messengers.
With the rise of clean energy bans across rural America, this research provides valuable insight into how to address real community concerns and lessen opposition to wind and solar projects.
During the webinar, we’ll cover what drives community skepticism and how to build more comfort and interest in clean energy projects through specific research-tested messages and trusted, local rural messengers.
RSVP.
State Utility Regulators on Challenges to Reliable, Affordable Electricity
Subcommittee hearing.
Witnesses:- Jim Huston, Chairman, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission
- Nick Myers, Commissioner, Arizona Corporation Commission
- Tricia Pridemore, Commissioner, Georgia Public Service Commission
- Keith Hay, Senior Director of Policy, Colorado Energy Office
- The changes in regulatory structures in the United States and their impact on the roles and responsibilities of State utility commissions.
- The current state of electricity costs and electric reliability.
- The pace of electric generating unit retirements and the costs to ratepayers associated with retiring resources and building new infrastructure.
- The impacts of the proposed standards on State responsibilities concerning the power sector and regulation of existing electric generating sources.
- The technical challenges and cost considerations relating to the implementation of EPA regulations (proposed and final) on the power sector, including the Clean Power Plan 2.0.
Bills to Weaken Protections for Endangered Species and Against Illegal Logging and Wildlife Imports
On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, at 10:15 a.m. in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:
- H.R. 3119 (Rep. Soto, D-Fla.), To provide for the issuance of a Manatee Semipostal Stamp;
- H.R. 6784 (Rep. Stauber, R-Minn.), “ESA Flexibility Act”;
- H.R. 6854 (Rep. Fischbach, R-Minn.), “Habitat Enhancement Now Act”; and
- H.R. 7157 (Rep. Duarte, R-Calif.), “Strengthen Wood Product Supply Chains Act”, to weaken Lacey Act enforcement against illegal imports of wildlife and plants
- Steve Guertin, Deputy Director for Program Management and Policy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (All bills)
- Frank Rohwer, President and Chief Scientist, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, Bismarck, North Dakota (H.R. 6854)
- Jordan McIlvain, Vice President, Alan McIlvain Company, Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania (H.R. 7157)
- Ray Higgins, Executive Vice President, Minnesota Timber Producers Association, Duluth, Minnesota (H.R. 6784)
- Alexander von Bismarck, Executive Director, Environmental Investigation Agency
Legislative summaries:
H.R. 3119 (Rep. Soto, D-FL), To provide for the issuance of a Manatee Semipostal Stamp- Creates a manatee postal stamp administered by the United States Postal Service, with funds made available from the stamp transferred to the USFWS to conserve the United States’ manatee population. Funds generated from this stamp shall be transferred at least twice a year; the legislation does not require these funds to be considered as part of the annual appropriations process. The stamp must be made available for sale within one year of enactment for at least two years.
- Amends Section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act to provide greater flexibility between species classified as endangered or threatened, granting the Secretary of the Interior the ability to promulgate rules under Section 4(d) for both threatened and endangered species. Specifically, the endangerment finding for the Northern Long-Eared Bat restricts logging of its habitat. This would allow the Secretary to permit logging, under the argument the bat is endangered because of white-nose syndrome, not habitat destruction. Supportive organizations included the American Farm Bureau, the Independent Petroleum Association of America, the Forest Resources Association, and the National Mining Association.
- Seeks to protect migratory waterfowl by establishing two separate grant programs that can be used by local governments or individuals: one to build and maintain hen houses and another to develop breeding ground for migratory waterfowl in California. It also establishes Congressional findings recognizing the importance of managing wetland ecosystems, the need to deploy new tools to sustain waterfowl populations, and the importance of investments and incentives for landowners to conduct these activities.
- Places timelines on enforcement actions related to the Lacey Act.
- Enforcing agencies must:
- Not later than 5 days after the date on which merchandise is detained, issue the importer a notice of detention or release the detained merchandise.
- Not later than 10 days after the date on which the enforcing agency issues a notice of detention, the agency must allow the importer to transport the merchandise to a location not controlled by the U.S. Government.
- Not later than 30 days after the date on which merchandise is detained for inspection, the enforcing agency must release or seize such merchandise.
- allows importers to sue the enforcing agency if the agency decides to seize the merchandise or fails to release the merchandise within those 30 days.
Testimony from Thomas J. Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Full committee hearing.
Witness:- Thomas J. Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
EPA and Small Business
Full committee hearing titled: “Burdensome Regulations: Examining the Impact of EPA Regulations on Main Street”
Witnesses:- Brandon Farris, Vice President, Domestic Economic Policy, National Association of Manufacturers
- Cye Cooper Wagner, Executive Vice President, Exploration, Cooper Oil and Gas, testifying on behalf of Texas Alliance of Energy Producers
- Dr. Lishan Aklog, MD, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, PAVmed, Inc.
- Michael Green, Director of Climate and Energy Policy, American Sustainable Business Network
RESCHEDULED Disaster Readiness: Examining the Propriety of the Expanded Use of FEMA Resources
This is a hearing of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. The hearing will examine if the expanded use of resources is impacting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) ability to carry out its disaster readiness mission. While disaster costs in the United States continue to increase, FEMA is being tasked more frequently with responding to non-disaster emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the southern border crisis, and Operation Allies Welcome.
Rescheduled to March 12.
Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA)
Witnesses:- Deanne Criswell, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Kristen D. Bernard, Deputy Inspector General for Audits, United States Department of Homeland Security
- Chris Currie, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, United States Government Accountability Office