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NFC: Fw: River Policy Update, Week of May 21, 2001
To read the River Policy Update online, visit American Rivers' Online
Newsroom at www.americanrivers.org/policyupdates/default.htm and
click on "River Policy Update."
American Rivers' Policy Update
Week of May 21, 2001
IN THIS WEEK'S UPDATE:
* Energy policy
* Soil conservation
* Water policy
* Bush administration environmental nominees
* Congressional calendar
* Take action
* Jobs
ENERGY POLICY
Bush energy proposal
This week, House and Senate committees begin work to develop
comprehensive energy legislation after the Bush administration's
release of its energy plan last week. The Bush energy plan was
crafted over the last four months in closed door meetings by a task
force led by Vice President Cheney. Much of the energy plan will be
implemented through executive orders or federal agency actions, but
the language of any specific legislation to meet the plan's policy
goals will be left to Congress. Rivers would be adversely affected
if some parts of the plan are implemented. Two provisions are of
particular concern. First, the plan calls for the so-
called "streamlining" of the private dam relicensing process, which
would diminish the input of agencies that manage fish, wildlife, and
other environmental considerations. Second, the plan promises an
executive order that would require an "energy impact statement"
requiring a detailed energy assessment of any federal actions that
could "significantly and adversely affect energy supplies." Such a
requirement could add unnecessary red tape to federal efforts to run
hydroelectric facilities in more environmentally friendly ways.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to
hold its first hearing on the Bush energy plan on Wednesday, May 23
in 106 Dirksen.
The House Science subcommittee on energy will hold a hearing on the
Bush energy policy at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 24 in 2318 Rayburn.
There will be witnesses from the environmental community and from
industry.
House Energy and Commerce Committee to move emergency power bill
On Thursday, May 24, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is
expected to mark up Representative Joe Barton's (R-TX) emergency
electricity relief bill. Democrats on the full committee will
attempt to amend Barton's bill to include wholesale power price
caps. If that proves unsuccessful, they may try to block the bill
entirely. Significant amendments withdrawn during subcommittee
debate that are likely to reappear include Representative Henry
Waxman's (D-CA) attempt to strike a measure that allows the governor
of California to temporarily waive nitrogen oxide emissions at
natural gas fired plants during an emergency. Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA)
is likely to propose several conservation-oriented amendments.
Previous sections of the bill exempting federal and private
hydropower from federal laws and licensing processes are not expected
to re-emerge.
Full committee markup 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, 2123 Rayburn.
SOIL CONSERVATION
USDA conservation programs
This week the House Agriculture subcommittee on conservation, credit,
rural development, and research will hear testimony from Agriculture
Department conservation officials as it reviews programs that protect
millions of acres from erosion and other environmental threats and
provide a source of income to farmers struggling financially. The
USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service oversees several
voluntary conservation programs that are so popular with farmers that
funding and acreage caps have not been able to keep up with demand,
creating a backlog of applications.
Wednesday, May 23 at 2:30 p.m. in 1300 Longworth.
WATER RESOURCES
House Resources Debate Forest Service Water Policy
On Tuesday, May 22, two House Resources panels are scheduled to hold
hearings to discuss whether the U.S. Forest Service can condition
special-use permits for private water facilities to require urban and
agricultural water users to release water from their reservoirs year-
round to increase instream flows for the benefit of fish, wildlife
and forest ecosystems. The water and power and forests and forests
health subcommittees will examine the legality of the Forest
Service's "bypass flow" policy. Many western Republicans have been
critical of the policy's implications for state water rights, but
environmentalists argue that the federal government has a
responsibility under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act to
protect aquatic resources when issuing land-use authorizations.
3 p.m., Tuesday, May 22, 1334 Longworth.
Water infrastructure
The Senate Environment subcommittee on fisheries, wildlife, and water
will meet Wednesday to discuss the need for more funding to improve
the nation's aging water and sewer systems. The Water Infrastructure
Network estimates that there is a $23 million gap between
infrastructure needs and current funding levels.
10 a.m. Wednesday, May 23, in 628 Dirksen.
BUSH ADMINISTRATION ENVIRONMENTAL NOMINEES
This Wednesday the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will
meet to consider nominees for high posts in the Environmental
Protection Agency and the Council on Environmental Quality. Only the
nominee for deputy EPA administrator, Linda Fisher is expected to
receive a quick confirmation by the full Senate. Sen. Harry Reid (D-
NV), the committee's ranking Democrat, may place a hold on the other
three nominations to pressure the Bush administration to publish
proposed EPA radiation standards for a proposed radioactive storage
site at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The other nominees include James
Connaughton for the chair of the Council on Environmental Quality;
Jeffrey Holmstead, for assistant administrator for air and radiation
at EPA; and Stephen Johnson for EPA assistant administrator for toxic
substances.
9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 23, 628 Dirksen.
CONGRESSIONAL CALENDAR
Senate:
Hearing on Bush energy plan
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Wednesday, May 23 in 106 Dirksen.
Hearing on water infrastructure
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on fisheries, wildlife,
and water
10 a.m. Wednesday, May 23, in 628 Dirksen.
Hearing on Bush environmental nominees
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 23, in 628 Dirksen.
House:
Hearing on Bush energy policy
The House Science subcommittee on energy
10 a.m. Thursday, May 24 in 2318 Rayburn.
Full committee markup (including Rep. Barton's emergency power bill)
House Energy and Commerce Committee
1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, 2123 Rayburn.
Hearing on USDA conservation programs
House Agriculture subcommittee on conservation, credit, rural
development and research Wednesday, May 23 at 2:30 p.m. in 1300
Longworth.
Hearing on Forest Service water policy
House Resources forest and forest health and water and power
subcommittees
3 p.m., Tuesday, May 22, 1334 Longworth.
TAKE ACTION
Follow the latest American Rivers' Action Alerts and Press Releases!
Take action to help save America's Rivers. Visit
http://www.amrivers.org/takeaction/.
JOBS
American Rivers currently has a number of job openings. See our
employment page for the following opportunities:
* Conservation Assistant for Dam Removal Program
* Online Community Manager
* Conservation Assistant-Outreach
* Organizer/Outreach Specialist-Missouri River Campaign
Questions?
Contact Michael Garrity, Conservation Assistant, at 202-347-7550.
Legislative information taken from sources including: Environment and
Energy Daily, Greenwire, Congressional Green Sheets, and members of
the American Rivers conservation staff.
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restore America's rivers.
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Sherman at outreach at amrivers_org or call 202-347-7550.
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