Hill Heat

Full committee hearing.

Witness:

• Michal Freedhoff, Ph.D., Assistant Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention

Subcommittee hearing to examine U.S. nuclear power generation and identify the benefits and challenges associated with further nuclear reactor buildout.

Chairman Pat Fallon (R-Texas.)

Witnesses:

• Dr. Kathryn Huff, Assistant Secretary, Office of Nuclear Energy, Department of Energy
• Daniel Dorman, Executive Director for Operations, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Dr. David Ortiz, Director, Office of Electric Reliability, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Business meeting agenda:

• S. 1863, PROVE IT Act of 2023, to instruct the Department of Energy (DOE) to undertake a thorough examination, comparing the greenhouse pollution of specific goods (metals, cement, plastics, oil, natural gas, batteries, paper, solar cells, uranium, wind turbines) manufactured in the United States to the pollution generated by the same goods manufactured in other countries. Co-sponsored by Coons and Cramer
• S. 2781, Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2023, to allow the EPA to issue permits to allow third parties to remediate historic mine residue at abandoned hardrock mine sites they are not responsible for without being subject to enforcement or liability under specified environmental laws for past, present, or future releases, threats of releases, or discharges of hazardous substances or other contaminants at or from the abandoned mine site.
• S. 3412, Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building Act of 2023, a bill to redesignate the Richard H. Poff Federal Building located at 210 Franklin Road Southwest in Roanoke, Virginia, as the “Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building,” and for other purposes
• S. 3570, A bill to designate the United States courthouse located at 500 West Pike Street in Clarksburg, West Virginia, as the “Irene M. Keeley United States Courthouse,” and for other purposes
• S. 3577, A bill to designate the Federal building located at 300 E. 3rd Street in North Platte, Nebraska, as the “Virginia Smith Federal Building,” and for other purposes

On Thursday, January 18, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 2128 of the Rayburn House Office Building, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing entitled “Oversight of the SEC’s Proposed Climate Disclosure Rule: A Future of Legal Hurdles.”

Committee memo

Witnesses:

• Charles Crain, Vice President, Domestic Policy, National Association of Manufacturers
• Lawrence Cunningham, Special Counsel, Mayer Brown
• Bill Schultz, Vice President, Schultz Fruitridge Farms, Inc.
• George Georgiev, Associate Professor of Law, Emory University School of Law

On Thursday, January 18, 2024, at 10:00 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. 897 (Rep. Carl), “Alabama Underwater Forest National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act”;
• H.R. 3925 (Rep. Salazar), “Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act of 2023”;
• H.R. 5441 (Rep. LaLota), “Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2023”; and
• H.R. 6235 (Rep. Bonamici), “Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2023”.

Witnesses:

Panel I

• Members of Congress

Panel II

• Paul M. Scholz, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [H.R. 897, H.R. 3925, and H.R. 6235]
• Mike Lum, Fundraising and Event Coordinator, Captain Rollo’s Kids at Sea [H.R. 3925]
• Chris Pickerell, Marine Program Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County [H.R. 5441]
• Ben Raines, Environmental Fellow, Writer and Filmmaker in Residence, University of South Alabama [H.R. 897]
• Dr. Donald Anderson, Senior Scientist and Director, U.S. National Office for Harmful Algal Blooms, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute [H.R. 6235]

Bill descriptions:

• H.R. 897 would establish a sanctuary under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-532) at the underwater forest off the coast of Gulf Shores, Alabama, while balancing the other industries that operate in the Gulf of Mexico.
• H.R. 3925 would establish a grant program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that would provide applicants with financial resources to connect America’s youth with fishing activities.
• H.R. 5441 reauthorizes the Long Island Sound Office and additional funding programs, providing both financial resources and critical expertise to preserve and restore the watershed
• H.R. 6235 reauthorizes and revamps the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act, a program that encourages federal agencies, along with state and local governments, to develop best practices to respond to hypoxia events and harmful algal blooms (HABs).

Open Meeting

Zack Bright, E&E News:

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved key fracked-gas pipeline projects during its first open meeting of 2024 — including a high-profile permit for the nation’s largest public power provider, which is seeking to transition away from coal.

FERC voted to approve a permit for a 32-mile natural gas pipeline that would help fuel proposed gas-fired generation at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Cumberland Fossil Plant. The commission also approved a Texas-to-Louisiana project by Williams Cos., which aims to expand an existing pipeline and boost gas flow to the Gulf Coast.

Both decisions saw FERC’s two Democrats diverge. Acting Chair Willie Phillips voted in favor of all pipeline certificates, while Commissioner Allison Clements dissented in part on the pipeline for TVA and in full on the Williams project. Commissioner Mark Christie, FERC’s lone Republican, voted the same as Phillips on the two projects and other commission business.

Subcommittee hearing entitled: “International Financing of Nuclear Energy”

Witnesses:

• Nicholas McMurray, Managing Director for Nuclear and International Policy, ClearPath
• Dr. Ben Reinke, Vice President, Global Business Development, X-energy
• Maria Korsnick, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nuclear Energy Institute
• Timothy L. Judson, Executive Director, Nuclear Information and Resource Service

Legislation

• H.R. 806, the “International Nuclear Energy Financing Act of 2023”

On Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources will hold a mark-up on the following bills.

The following bills will be debated (move by regular order):

• H.R. 5482 (Rep. Hageman), “Energy Poverty Prevention and Accountability Act of 2023” (Amendments to H.R. 5482 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute), to require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study to identify laws, regulations, and state standards that impact at-risk communities and categorize barriers to at-risk communities from accessing “reliable and affordable energy,” defined to be fossil fuels
  • Grijalva #1: Amendment to H.R. 5482
  • Huffman #2: Amendment to H.R. 5482
  • Levin (Calif.): Amendment to H.R. 5482
• H.R. 6474 (Rep. Steel), To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas

The following bills are expected to move by unanimous consent:

• H.R. 1246 (Rep. Hageman), To authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for federally recognized Indian tribes;
• H.R. 2950 (Rep. Huffman), “Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023” (Amendments to H.R. 2950 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute);

• H.R. 5770 (Rep. Neguse), “Water Data Improvement Act” (Amendments to H.R. 5770 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute);
• H.R. 5874 (Rep. Ciscomani), To amend the United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act to reauthorize the United States-Mexico transboundary aquifer assessment program;
  • Bentz #1: Amendment to H.R. 5874
• H.R. 6443 (Rep. Issa), “Jamul Indian Village Land Transfer Act”;
• H.R. 6492 (Rep. Westerman), “Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act” or the “EXPLORE Act”.

hearing of the full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Witnesses:

• Stephen A. Edwards, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Virginia Port Authority
• Roger Millar, Secretary of Transportation, Washington State Department of Transportation
• Jeffrey G. Tucker, Chief Executive Officer, Tucker Company Worldwide, on behalf of Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA)
• Lauren Benford, Controller, Reiman Corporation, on behalf of Associated General Contractors of America

The purpose of this hearing is to examine federal electric vehicle incentives including the federal government’s role in fostering reliable and resilient electric vehicle supply chains.

Witnesses:

• David M. Turk, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
• Adewale O. Adeyemo, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Treasury