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NFC: Fw: [Updates] River Policy Update -- Week of January 31, 2000
VIEW THIS ON THE AMERICAN RIVERS WEBPAGE WITH DIRECT LINKS TO THE ACTUAL
BILLS!! http://www.amrivers.org/policynew.html
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American Rivers Policy Update
For the week of January 31, 2000
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APPROPRIATIONS
It’s Not Too Late To Sign On For River Funding For FY’01:
American Rivers is again accepting sign-ons for the River Budget:
National
Priorities for Local River Conservation in FY 2001. As of January 15,
more
than 440 river conservation organizations, community groups, recreation
organizations, and others had added their names to the list of groups
supporting the budget (see http://www.amrivers.org/rbudget2001list.html
for
the full list of sign on groups as of November 1).
To see the final River Budget for FY’01 visit
http://www.amrivers.org/rbudget.html. To sign on in support, contact Suzy
McDowell at smcdowell at amrivers_org.
Note – the River Budget for FY’01 went to the printers in late October.
All
groups that sign on to the River Budget after November 15 will be listed
on
an addendum sheet to be inserted in the printed documents and added to
the
online list of sign on groups.
House FY’01 Appropriations Hearings Begin:
Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies All take
place
beginning at 10 a.m. in B-308 Rayburn. For more information, visit
http://www.house.gov/appropriations/.
Feb. 15: Oversight hearing on Fish and Wildlife Service land acquisition
accounts and priority setting.
Feb. 29: Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Energy.
March 1: Bureau of Land Management.
March 2: Fish and Wildlife Service.
March 9: Forest Service.
March 16: U.S. Geological Survey.
March 28: Oversight hearing on Forest Service research.
March 29: National Park Service.
April 4: DOE -- conservation.
April 5: Oversight hearing on the Everglades.
April 6: Public witnesses on natural resources, energy and other
programs.
April 12: Members of Congress.
Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture:
March 2: Natural Resources Conservation Service
Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water:
March 28: US Army Corps of Engineers.
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ENDANGERED SPECIES
House May Begin Debate on ESA Bill:
On Wednesday, the House will begin the year’s debate over the federal
Endangered Species Act with a hearing on Representative Don Young’s
(R-AK)
“Common Sense Protection for Endangered Species” bill. The bill (H.R.
3160)
is a narrower version of the controversial ESA reauthorization proposal
that
passed the House Resources Committee in the 104th Congress. The committee
will not discuss Representative George Miller’s (D-CA) ESA bill, which
has
93 co-sponsors. Representative Young’s bill has 32 co-sponsors.
Although Representative Young claims his bill is a process-oriented
measure
aimed to fix problems associated with the ESA by changing implementation
and
enforcement procedures and providing greater protections for property
owners, many counter that H.R. 3160 would essentially repeal the
meaningful
sections of the Endangered Species Act. The bill would allow Governors to
block additions to the endangered species list, eliminate critical
habitat
designation by substituting the mandatory "shall" with the voluntary
"may,"
allow agency “core missions” – such as damming rivers or maximizing
forest
harvest – to trump the ESA, exempt non-federal activities that address
threats to public health from the ESA’s prohibition on “taking” a listed
species, introduce stringent standards for public petitions to agencies
to
protect species, and authorize $174 million for ESA activities in 2004,
significantly less than the $200 million currently provided on an annual
basis.
The hearing by the House Resources Committee will be held at 11:00 a.m.
on
Wednesday, February 2 in 1324 Longworth. House Resources contacts are
Elizabeth Megginson, majority, 202-225-7800 and Jeanne Flemma, minority,
202-226-2311.
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STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
In his last State of the Union Address last Thursday, President Clinton
touched on familiar environmental issues of his time in office. Clinton
reiterated his Lands Legacy initiative, which he introduced last year,
calling for a permanent fund for wildlife restoration, land conservation,
and coastal protections. He also highlighted his “livable communities”
agenda, which includes support for advanced transit systems, open space
protection, and increased funding for cities around the Great Lakes to
protect waterways.
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JOB POSTINGS
Appalachian Mountain Club, Director of Conservation Programs, Boston, MA
The Appalachian Mountain Club invites nominations and applications for
the
position of Director of Conservation Programs. The Director of
Conservation
Programs will provide leadership and direction for conservation policy
and
advocacy, research and science, and trail construction and maintenance.
The
Director reports to the Executive Director and serves as a member of the
Leadership Team.
For more information, contact the AMC at 781-237-1754 or email
lansing at mediaone_net. To apply, send resume and cover letter to Lansing &
Associates, Executive Search Consulting, 11 Martin Road, Wellesley, MA
02481.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Feb-March: 10:00 a.m. in B-308 Rayburn House Office Building. House
Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies FY’01
hearings.
See above.
Feb. 1, time TBA: House floor action possible on H.R. 149 to make
technical
corrections to the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act or 1996.
Feb. 2, 10:00 a.m.: House Government Reform Subcommittee on National
Economic Growth, Natural Resources, and Regulatory Affairs hearing on
whether rising use of the Internet will increase or decrease US energy
consumption. Location: 2247 Rayburn.
Feb. 2, 11:00 a.m.: House Resources Committee hearing on endangered
species
legislation (H.R. 3160). Location: 1324 Longworth.
Feb. 3, 10:00 a.m.: Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing
to
consider the nomination of Michael McCabe for the position of Deputy
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. McCabe has been
serving as regional administrator of EPA’s Middle Atlantic region.
Location:
306 Dirksen.
Feb. 8, 11:00 a.m.: House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife,
and
Oceans hearing on bills to conserve Atlantic highly migratory fish
species
(H.R. 3331 and H.R. 3390) and to prohibit longline fishing in certain
areas
of the Atlantic Ocean. Location: 1324 Longworth.
Feb. 9, 11:00 a.m.: House Resources Committee hearing on a land
conveyance
bill for Craig, Alaska (H.R. 3182). The Committee will also discuss
access
across conservation system lands and other public lands in Alaska under
the
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Location: 1324
Longworth.
Feb. 17, 10:00 a.m.: House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife,
and Oceans markup of pending legislation and an oversight hearing on
FY’01
budget requests from the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National
Marine
Fisheries Service. Location: 1334 Longworth.
Feb. 23, 10:00 a.m.: House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife,
and Oceans field hearing on bills to conserve Atlantic highly migratory
fish
species. Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Feb. 22, 1:30 p.m.: House Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral
Resources oversight hearing on FY’01 budget requests from the Office of
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; Minerals Management Service;
BLM
energy and minerals program, and USGS. Location: 1334 Longworth.
Feb.23, 9:00 a.m.: Senate Agriculture Committee oversight hearing on
water
quality regulations proposed by the EPA on August 23 on total maximum
daily
loads (TMDLs) that would affect agriculture and forestry. Location: 328A
Russell. This hearing was originally scheduled for February 2.
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LINKS TO PAST UPDATES:
November 29: http://www.amrivers.org/policy11-29.html
November 15: http://www.amrivers.org/policy11-15.html
November 8: http://www.amrivers.org/policy11-8.html
November 1: http://www.amrivers.org/policy11-1.html
October 25: http://www.amrivers.org/policy10-25.html
October 18: http://www.amrivers.org/policy10-18.html
October 11: http://www.amrivers.org/policy10-11.html
October 4: http://www.amrivers.org/policy10-4.html
September 27: http://www.amrivers.org/policy9-27.html
September 20: http://www.amrivers.org/policy9-20.html
September 13: http://www.amrivers.org/policy9-13.html
American Rivers, 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 720
Washington, DC 20005, (202) 347-7550
To unsubscribe, please send an email to smcdowell at amrivers_org with the
following in the text of the email: unsubscribe (your email address)
river
policy update (do not include the parentheses).
CHECK OUT OUR HOMEPAGE!! http://www.amrivers.org
QUESTIONS? Contact Suzy McDowell, Conservation Outreach Coordinator, at
smcdowell at amrivers_org or 202-347-7550x3040.
Legislative information taken from many sources including Thomas,
Congressional Greensheets, Greenwire, and Roll Call.
********************
Suzy McDowell
Outreach Coordinator
American Rivers
1025 Vermont Ave, NW, #720
Washington, DC 20005
202-347-7550 x3040
smcdowell at amrivers_org