Will & Carlson's Weekly Newsletter
| News Stories | Western Newspaper Headlines | New Reports of Interest | Key Agency News Releases | Bills Introduced in the Senate | Bills Introduced in the House | Federal Register Notices |
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Eye
on Washington: Volume VII, Issue 28 |
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CONGRESSIONAL ACTIVITY |
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The Congressional budget reconciliation process
has been delayed by the need to address disaster relief for the victims of
Hurricane Katrina. In addition,
next week the Senate Judiciary Committee will spend four days in Hearings on
the nomination of John Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In between, several agenda items will return to the floors of the
House and Senate, including consideration of the Commerce/Justice/Science
Appropriations bill (H.R.2862) which includes funding for NOAA, as well
as the issue of oil drilling
in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) that was not included in the
recently passed Energy Policy Act of 2005.
The reconciliation process usually ends for various Committees on
Sept. 16th, and will almost certainly run longer this year. The failure of the New Orleans’ levy system
highlighted an urgent need to increase funding for safety-related Corps’
projects, and some have estimated that to fully fund the Corps’ civil
works programs, $8.3B would be needed in FY’06.
While legislators are searching for the right vehicle for increased
funding for the Corps, the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee,
Jerry Lewis (R-CA), said he does not
want funds to come through the Energy
& Water Appropriations bill - which remains unpassed.
This appropriations bill funds the Corps, the Dept. of Energy and the
Bureau of Reclamation, and many “finely balanced deals” would be upset
by shifting money around from one account to another.
The preferred funding vehicle may instead be an emergency spending
supplemental. As of writing no
Conference Committee date has been set for the Energy & Water
Appropriations, nor have Conferees been chosen.
Discussions were held on September 6th
in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, regarding the need for
passing the Water Resources
Development Act (WRDA). WRDA
is the authorizing legislation for
Corps projects relating to flood control, navigation, and environmental restoration.
The Act is scheduled for reauthorization every two years, but for the
last four years the issue of reforming Corps’ prioritization and spending
on projects has delayed Congressional reauthorization.
Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) told reporters that
“Passage of the Water Resources Development Act ... should figure greatly
in the mix of legislative remedies that [are to] address the devastation
left by Katrina… WRDA legislation contains provisions that can help solve
some of the challenges in and around New Orleans and address coastal
erosion.” In June, the Environment and Public Works
Committee approved S.728, Senator
Bond's $7B version of the bill, but floor debate has yet to be scheduled.
In July, the House passed H.R.2864,
a $10B version of WRDA introduced by the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman, Don Young (R-AK), and
the Chairman of the T&I Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment,
John Duncan (R-TN).
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CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS |
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On
September 7th the House
Committee on Agriculture held a hearing to review the Kelo
v. City of New London
U.S. Supreme Court decision and H.R. 3405, the Strengthening the Ownership
of Private Property Act of 2005 (STOPP).
According to Chairman Goodlatte (R-VA), the Act provides economic
disincentives against the use of Eminent Domain to transfer private property
to another entity for the purpose of economic development. The Act’s
co-sponsors, Rep. Herseth and Chairman Pombo, remarked that STOPP has
received bi-partisan support at unprecedented levels. Kelo
has
been described as a calamity for private property rights. Its critics argue
that by nullifying private ownership, the decision also reduces the work
incentive. Justice Stevens, author of the Majority Opinion, admitted that he
expected a legislative response because the decision was ‘wrong’ as a
matter of policy but was ‘right’ as a matter of law. An impressive group of panelists gave their support for the
bill. Several crucial suggestions were made, noted, and will most likely be
included in the final draft. The
consensus was that the wording in STOPP must not hinder legitimate uses of
Eminent Domain. With strong
public support for action against Kelo
v. New London, (90% of Americans disapprove), Chairman Pombo was
confident this bill will move swiftly through the House.
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INFRASTRUCTURE |
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The American Society of Civil Engineers, the Association of
State Floodplain Managers, and other engineering professionals met in
Washington, D.C. on Sept. 9th in the wake of flooding in New
Orleans. They have called for a levee safety program to assess the nation's thousands of miles of
Federally- and locally-administered levees.
Specifically for New Orleans, the Society’s Executive Director
suggested a reconstruction advisory panel to guide and supervise any
redevelopment projects. The
consensus was that levees are never the best option to protect against
flooding. “There are those
that have failed… and those that will fail,” said one expert, who agreed
with the commonly held position that floodplain and wetland restoration
activities - natural mitigation processes - had to be incorporated
into any long-term, successful protection strategy. |
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Status
of FY 2006 Appropriations Bills |
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Great
Lakes Initiative: EPA Needs to Better Ensure the Complete and Consistent
Implementation of Water Quality Standards Report released July 27, 2005 Click on GAO-05-829
Markets
for Water: Time to Put the Myth to Rest? Joseph W. Dellapenna Professor of Law, Villanova University Universities Council on Water Resources,
Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education Issue 131, Pages 33-41, June 2005 http://www.ucowr.siu.edu/updates/131/08_dellapenna.pdf New Handbook to Help Accelerate
Watershed-Protection Programs EPA - 8/30/05 “Questions about managing
pollution runoff, increasing wildlife habitat and controlling invasive
species in the nation's estuaries are among those addressed in a new
Environmental Protection Agency handbook released at the White House
Conference on Cooperative Conservation in St. Louis.”
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d9bf8d9315e942578525701c005e573c/3883563c5c72a20b8525706d00624247!OpenDocument Community-Based
Watershed Management is on EPA's website and can be downloaded at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/nepprimer
NOAA Releases Annual Status of U.S.
Fisheries Report for 2004 August 31, 2005 “NOAA released its annual
Report to Congress on the ‘Status of U.S. Fisheries for 2004.’
Overall, the report shows 144 stocks (or 72 percent of those with a
known population status) are not overfished, and 192 stocks (or 81 percent
of those with a known fishing rate) are not subject to over-fishing.”
News release: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/status_of_stock_press_release.pdf Report: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/domes_fish/StatusoFiseries/SOS8%20-05.htm Private
drinking water wells: What to do
after the flood -from EPA’s Safe
Water website: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/privatewells/whatdo.html Invasive Species: Progress and Challenges in
Preventing Introduction into U.S. Waters Via the Ballast Water in Ships GAO report released September 9, 2005 Abstract: http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-05-1026T
Water
for nearly half of the world’s population under threat at roof of the
world 9
September 2005 (IUCN) –
“The mountains of Asia, including the mighty Himalayas, are facing
accelerating threats from a rapid increase of roads, settlements,
overgrazing and deforestation, experts are warning in a new report. There is
concern that the region’s water supplies, fed by glaciers and monsoons and
vital for around half the world’s population, may be jeopardized along
with the area’s abundant wildlife. The report is being released in advance
of the 2005 World Summit in New York taking place in mid-September.”
http://www.iucn.org/en/news/archive/2005/09/water_half_world.pdf The Fall of Water
report is available at: http://www.globio.info/press/2005-09-05.cfm
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August 25 - Sept. 9, 2005 |
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Interior Secretary Norton Honors Cooperative
Conservation Partnership at Nisqually River Watershed Aug. 25th - “Interior Secretary
Gale Norton visited a Nisqually Tribe wetlands restoration site and the
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge to celebrate nearly 20 years of
cooperative conservation in the Nisqually River Watershed.
During her visit, Norton formally recognized the Nisqually River
Council and other partners for their work, which will be highlighted at the
upcoming White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation August 29-31 in
St. Louis, Missouri.” http://news.fws.gov/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=EE9EBD0F-65BF-03E7-2A6723717D361F55
White House Chooses White Mountain Apache Tribe
as Exemplary Model for National Conference on Cooperative Conservation
August 29, 2005
“The White Mountain Apache Tribe has been selected as an
outstanding example of successful conservation partnership to be showcased
at the upcoming White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation in St.
Louis, Missouri, from Aug. 29 to 31, 2005.”
http://news.fws.gov/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=0292FEED-65BF-03E7-25E85A5E985208E9
Superfund Cleanup ROD Announced by EPA, Montana
For 580-Acre Lockwood Solvent Site “On August 24th the Montana
Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency
released the Record of Decision for
the Lockwood Solvent Ground Water
Plume Superfund Site, ‘a $14.4 million final plan for
cleaning up a 580-acre superfund site near Billings in which volatile
chlorinated solvents are contaminating groundwater under homes and
businesses.’” http://www.epa.gov/Region8/superfund/sites/mt/Fnl%20Dft%20ROD%20%288-19-05%29%20-%20Lockwood.pdf
Reclamation Montana Reservoir Update August
30, 2005 “Drought conditions
in July and August continue to affect irrigation, power, and recreational
water users throughout eastern Montana, according to Dan Jewell, Area
Manager for the Bureau of Reclamation's Montana Area Office.
The Federal water resource management agency released updated water
supply information to help recreationists prepare for the upcoming September
2-5, Labor Day weekend. "Although we continue to experience near
record-low inflows to most of our reservoirs, favorable spring weather
conditions have enabled us to meet most of our summer water needs,"
Jewell said.” http://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/newsrelease/detail.cfm?RecordID=7461
FERC Commission Proposes Criteria for New
Electric Reliability Organization September 1 - “The
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, initiating a centerpiece regulatory
initiative under the newly enacted Energy Policy Act of 2005, today proposed
criteria for establishment of an Electric Reliability Organization, or ERO,
that will enforce reliability standards under the regulatory review and
oversight of the Commission.” FERC announcement at: Press
Release Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: NOPR Karl Wirkus Selected As Pacific Northwest
Deputy Regional Director For Reclamation September 06, 2005 “Karl Wirkus was selected
to serve as the new Deputy Regional Director for the Bureau of Reclamation's
Pacific Northwest Region. He replaces Ken Pedde who retired earlier this
summer. ‘Karl's breadth of Reclamation experience and leadership skills
will be a tremendous asset as he takes on his new responsibilities,’ said
Regional Director Bill McDonald. ‘He
has deep roots in Idaho and other parts of the region. I have complete faith
in his ability to carry out the job with integrity and
professionalism.’” http://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/newsrelease/detail.cfm?RecordID=7521 Johanns and Other USDA Officials Continue Farm
Bill ‘Listening Tour’ Washington, D.C. Sept. 8, 2005 – “The
public is invited to attend and offer comments on farm bill policy as
Agriculture Secretary continues the nationwide farm bill listening tour.
‘I'm learning a great deal from the people participating in the Farm Bill
Forums,’ said Johanns.” http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2005/09/0353.xml FEMA Director Relieved of Hurricane Activities
by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff
September 9, 2005 - “…Therefore, I have
directed Mike Brown to return to administering FEMA nationally, and I have
appointed Vice Admiral Thad Allen of the Coast Guard as the Principal
Federal Official (PFO) overseeing Hurricane Katrina response and recovery
effort in the field.” http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=4795 EPA Proposes Strict Ethical Safeguards on Human
Studies Research Washington, D.C.-September 7, 2005 “EPA today
proposed a rule that will establish stringent enforceable ethical safeguards
governing the conduct of third-party intentional dosing research with human
subjects. Among other new ethical protections, EPA proposes to prohibit all
new third-party intentional dosing research on pesticides with children and
pregnant women intended for submission to EPA, and announced a categorical
ban that EPA will neither conduct nor support any intentional dosing studies
that involve pregnant women or children.” Updated: EPA and CDC Report High Levels of
Bacterial Contamination in Preliminary Floodwater Samples from New Orleans Sept. 8th
- “Floodwaters
from six locations across the New Orleans area were sampled by EPA and
analyzed for chemicals and bacteria. These initial results represent the
beginning of extensive sampling efforts and do not represent the condition
of all flood waters throughout the area. Preliminary information indicates
that bacteria counts for E. coli in sampled areas greatly exceed
EPA’s recommended levels for contact. At these levels, human contact with
water should be avoided as much as possible.” Emergency
Assistance Flowing to Gulf Coast Sept. 9th
“Nearly $460 million in expedited aid to individuals has been
provided by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency
Management Agency in the 48 hours since the agency activated the expedited
assistance program. More than 230,000 eligible households are receiving
these payments of $2,000 to help pay for their emergency needs of food,
shelter, clothing, personal necessities and medical needs.” http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18738 Hurricane
Katrina Triggers Fishery Failure and Fishery Resource Disaster Declaration
in the Gulf of Mexico Sept. 9, 2005
“U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez today announced a formal
determination of a fishery failure in the Gulf of Mexico due to the
devastation following Hurricane Katrina. The affected area includes the
Florida Keys and from Pensacola, Fla., to the Texas border.” http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/05-109%20Fisheries%20Failure%20release.pdf U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Dedicates
State-of-the-Art Fish Health Center
Willard, Washington - “On Thursday, September 15, at 1:30 p.m., the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service will dedicate its new Lower Columbia Fish Health Center in
Willard, Washington. The new
state-of-the-art facility features the latest technology and a staff of
scientists with expertise in bacteriology, virology, parasitology and
‘DNA-ology’. It is a reflection of how much fish health science and
technology has changed over the past 50 years.” http://news.fws.gov/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=36E1A0FB-65BF-03E7-27355DEEED411A45 Fish and
Wildlife Service Seeks Additional
Information on Southwest Fish Sept. 7, 2005
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has re-opened the comment
period on its 2002 proposal to add
the Gila chub (Gila intermedia), a minnow native to southwestern
streams, to the list of species protected under the Endangered Species Act.
The chub was proposed to be added to the list in September 2002.
The proposal also included designating 212 miles of spring-fed and
perennial streams and headwaters in New Mexico and Arizona as critical
habitat.” http://news.fws.gov/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=3134F74C-65BF-03E7-254348E2478946DD
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August 27 - Sept. 9, 2005 [click on headlines to be taken to articles] |
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Water
in Los Alamos based on good supply
Water
transfer is challenged Two-pipe
system with fresh, recycled water
taps into future Park fires
forces river closure Surface
water users sue water
resources director Arizona's
drought picture blurred by runoff Venture
Capital is Flowing into the Water
Industry Land
deal protects Washoe Valley land, water
rights Southern
Black Hills Water System
board to seek federal dollars Waste
water allegedly dumped into
the Chehalis Loans,
grants sought for recycled-water
pipelines State
engineer says Carlsbad key to state water
management City
goes with Rural Water We
need a water governor Broken
water line slows gas line
project Scottsdale
replaces water billing system Chloramine
critics adamant about water
concerns Handful
of new Montrose water meters
causing overbilling Local
water officials rethinking
flood control techniques Portland
water not for everyone,
Leonard says Water
officials worry about feedlot proposal Water
improves waterfowl outlook Help
on water bills not yet
available State
Engineer keeping eye on Dayton water Water
lab on tap in Davis? Cal
Professor: Quake Threatens State's Water City
gets $2.4 million for water
systems Meters
for water at 'Wells' County
OKs $25K for water stations
in desert Metro
water talks begin Budget
questions: Domenici defends flood-control funding Gunshot-riddled water
tank loses 500,000 gallons Water
supply is still concern for approved Persimmon expansion San
Francisco Chronicle - Sept. 9, 2005
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Bills Introduced in the SENATE Sept. 6 - 9, 2005 |
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S. 1612 NELSON of Florida A
bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish certain
qualifications for the office of the Under Secretary for Emergency
Preparedness and Response; to the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs.
S.1615 CLINTON A bill to establish the Federal Emergency Management Agency as an independent agency, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
S. 1619 LAUTENBERG A
bill to amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to
require local educational agencies and schools to implement integrated pest
management systems to minimize the use of pesticides in schools and to
provide parents, guardians, and employees with notice of the use of
pesticides in schools, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. S. 1622 CLINTON A
bill to establish a congressional commission to examine the Federal, State,
and local response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in the
Gulf Region of the United States especially in the States of Louisiana,
Mississippi, Alabama and other areas impacted in the aftermath and make
immediate corrective measures to improve such responses in the future; to
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. S. 1628 MARTINEZ A
bill to provide the Secretary of Education with waiver authority for
students who are eligible for Federal Pell Grants and are adversely affected
by a natural disaster; to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. S. 1629 LEVIN A
bill to provide the President with authority to temporarily freeze the price
of gasoline and other refined products; to the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs. S. 1630 OBAMA A
bill to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish the National
Emergency Family Locator System; to the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs. S. 1631 DORGAN
A
bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose a temporary
windfall profit tax on crude oil and to rebate the tax collected back to the
American consumer, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance. S.
1636 DURBIN A
bill to provide agricultural disaster assistance to producers on a farm that
incurred qualifying crop or quality losses for the 2005 crop due to damaging
weather or related condition, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. S. 1637 REID A
bill to provide emergency relief to meet the immediate needs of survivors of
Hurricane Katrina for health care, housing, education, and financial relief,
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance. S. 1640 NELSON of Florida A
bill to prohibit price gouging relating to certain goods and services in
areas affected by major disasters; to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation. S.
1643 HARKIN A
bill to provide the Secretary of Agriculture with additional authority and
funding to provide emergency relief, in coordination with the Secretary of
Homeland Security, to victims of Hurricane Katrina and related conditions;
to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. S. 1644 BOXER A
bill to promote the employment of workers displaced by Hurricane Katrina in
connection with Hurricane Katrina reconstruction efforts; to the Committee
on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs. S. 1645 BOXER A
bill to establish a first responder interoperable communications grant
program; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
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Sept. 6 - 9, 2005 |
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H.R. 3645 LEWIS of
California A
bill making emergency supplemental appropriations to meet immediate needs
arising from the consequences of Hurricane Katrina, for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2005, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget. H.R. 3646 PALLONE A
bill to provide consumers with relief from high gas prices; to the Committee
on Energy and Commerce. H.R. 3656 DINGELL A
bill to reestablish the Federal Emergency Management Agency as an independent
establishment in the executive branch, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the
Committee on Homeland Security. H.R. 3659 OBERSTAR A
bill to reestablish the Federal Emergency Management Agency as an independent
establishment in the executive branch that is responsible for the Nation’s
preparedness and response to disasters, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the
Committee on Homeland Security. H.R. 3660 PAUL A
bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to require,
as a condition on the receipt of direct payments or counter-cyclical payments
under such Act for rice produced by tenants and sharecroppers in Texas, that
the producers on the farm agree to retain the rice cropland in production for
the next crop year; to the Committee on Agriculture. H.R. 3664 KANJORSKI A
bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose a windfall profit
tax on oil and natural gas (and products thereof) and to appropriate the
proceeds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program; to the Committee
on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Appropriations. H.R. 3669 NEY A
bill to temporarily increase the borrowing authority of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency for carrying out the national flood insurance program; to
the Committee on Financial Services. H.R. 3672 MCCRERY A
bill to provide assistance to families affected by Hurricane Katrina, through
the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy
families; to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee
on the Budget. H.R. 3673 Mr. LEWIS of
California A
bill making further emergency supplemental appropriations to meet immediate
needs arising from the consequences of Hurricane Katrina, for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 2005, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget. H.R. 3680 CAMP A
bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase and extend
temporary expensing for equipment used in refining of liquid fuels; to the
Committee on Ways and Means. H.R. 3683 ENGLISH of
Pennsylvania A
bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to suspend for 30 days the
Federal excise taxes on highway motor fuels; to the Committee on Ways and
Means. H.R. 3684 FLAKE A
bill to suspend the Davis-Bacon wage rate requirements for Federal contracts
in areas declared national disasters; to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce. H.R. 3685 FOLEY A
bill to reestablish the Federal Emergency Management Agency as an independent
establishment in the executive branch; to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security. H.R. 3686 GERLACH A
bill to amend titles 23 and 49, United States Code, to promote the integration
of local land use planning and transportation planning; to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure. H.R. 3688 ISRAEL A
bill to require the Comptroller General to conduct a study of the
consolidation of the refiners, importers, producers, and wholesalers of
gasoline with the sellers of such gasoline at retail; to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce. H.R. 3691 NUNES A
bill to amend the Central Valley Project Improvement Act to provide for
improved water management and conservation, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means. H.R. 3692 PALLONE A
bill to establish a program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration and the United States Coast Guard to help identify, determine
sources of, assess, reduce, and prevent marine debris and its adverse impacts
on the marine environment and navigation safety, in coordination with
non-Federal entities, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on
Resources. H.R. 3693 PRICE of Georgia A
bill to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prevent all unlawful
entries into the United States by January 1,2007, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the
Committee on Resources. H.R.
3701 ANDREWS A
bill to assure that the American people have large areas of land in healthy
natural condition throughout the country to provide wildland recreational
opportunities for people, provide habitat protection for native wildlife and
natural plant communities, and to contribute to a preservation of water for
use by downstream metropolitan communities and other users, through the
establishment of a National Forest Ecosystem Protection Program composed of
lands within existing wilderness areas and adjacent primitive areas, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the
Committee on Resources. H.R.
3702 BERRY A
bill to provide emergency assistance to agricultural producers who have
suffered losses as a result of drought, Hurricane Katrina, and other natural
disasters occurring during 2005, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Agriculture. H.R. 3705 GERLACH A
bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit price gouging during
national emergencies; to the
Committee on the Judiciary. H.R. 3706 HASTINGS of
Florida A
bill to establish a National Independent Inquiry Commission on Disaster
Preparedness and Response; to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure. H.R.
3707 HINCHEY A
bill to provide the President with authority to temporarily freeze the price
of gasoline and other refined products; to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce. H.R. 3708 EDDIE BERNICE
JOHNSON A
bill to dedicate 10 percent of Hurricane Katrina disaster relief funds for
mental health services to victims and first responders; to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure. H.R. 3710 MARKEY A
bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to suspend Federal oil and gas
royalty relief for production of oil and natural gas occurring in any period
with respect to which average oil and natural gas prices exceed certain
amounts, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Resources, and in
addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and
Commerce, and Education and the Workforce. H.R. 3712 MCDERMOTT A
bill to establish a program for gas stamps and to impose a windfall profits
tax on crude oil, natural gas, and products thereof; to the Committee on Ways
and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H.R. 3717 REICHERT A
bill to provide construction contractors with qualified immunity from
liability for negligence when providing services or equipment on a volunteer
basis in response to a declared emergency or disaster; to the Committee on the
Judiciary. H.R. 3718 ROSS A
bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Federal Trade
Commission to submit to Congress a report on gasoline prices by November 8,
2005; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H.R. 3722 SLAUGHTER A
bill to authorize and require the President of the United States to allocate
crude oil, residual fuel oil, and refined petroleum products to deal with
existing or imminent shortages and dislocations in the national distribution
system, which jeopardize the national economy, and public health, safety, and
welfare; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H.R. 3723 WASSERMAN SCHULTZ
A
bill to require the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to
provide certain individuals or households affected by Hurricane Katrina in
Miami- Dade and Broward Counties, Florida, with financial assistance and
direct services under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster and Emergency Assistance
Act; to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
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August 29 - Sept. 9, 2005 |
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Click
on Federal
Register Online to
read the full Notice EPA.
Notice of Availability of Preliminary
2006 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan.
Today's notice (18 pages) first presents EPA's 2005 review of its
existing effluent guidelines and pretreatment standards.
It also presents EPA's evaluation of categories of indirect
dischargers without pretreatment standards to identify potential new
categories for pretreatment standards. If you wish to comment on any portion
of this notice, EPA must receive your comments by October 28, 2005.
EPA will conduct a public meeting on 20 September 2005 (see the Notice
for time and location). FR
8/29/05 p.51042 ENERGY.
Western Area Power Administration.
Notice
of
order concerning a non-firm power formula rate.
The Deputy Secretary of Energy confirmed and
approved Rate Order No. WAPA-119 and Rate Schedule SNF-6, placing a non-firm
power formula rate from the Stampede Powerplant of the
Washoe Project of WAPA into effect on an interim basis on
the first day of the first full billing period beginning on
or after October 1, 2005, and will be in effect until the Commission
confirms, approves, and places the rate schedule in effect on a final basis
through September 30, 2010, or until the rate schedule is superseded.
FR 8/29/05
p. 51035 INTERIOR.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Injurious
Wildlife Species; Black Carp; Availability of Draft Environmental
Assessment and Draft Economic Analysis.
Re-opening of comment period and availability of supplemental
information. In February 2000,
we were petitioned to list black carp as an injurious species of wildlife
under the Lacey Act. We now
announce the availability of a draft environmental assessment and draft
economic analysis for public comment. We
are also soliciting public comments on all aspects of the proposed rule. Comments
must be submitted on or before October 31, 2005.
The documents are available on our webpage at http://contaminants.fws.gov/Issues/InvasiveSpecies.cfm
FR 8/31/05
p.51326 INTERIOR.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Endangered
and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding on a Petition To List
the Yellowstone
Cutthroat Trout as Threatened or Endangered.
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the opening of a
public comment period for a status review of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout
in the United States. Comments
must be submitted on or before October 31, 2005.
FR 9/01/05
p.52059 INTERIOR.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Endangered
and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing
the Gila Chub as Endangered With Critical Habitat.
Notice of availability of draft economic analysis and draft
environmental assessment, reopening of public comment period, notice of
public hearings, and updated legal descriptions for critical habitat units.
Comments must be submitted directly to the Service (see ADDRESSES
section) on or before September 30, 2005, or at the public Hearings on
September 13, 14, or 15 2005.
Copies of the proposed rule, draft economic analysis, and draft
environmental assessment are available at http://arizonaes.fws.gov/
FR 8/31/05
p. 51732 INTERIOR.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Endangered
and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed
Designation of Critical Habitat for spreading navarretia.
Proposed rule; reopening of public comment period and notice of
availability of draft economic analysis.
We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties
an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed rule and the
associated draft economic analysis. We
will accept public comments and information until September 14, 2005.
FR 8/31/05
p.51742
INTERIOR.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Endangered
and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Designation of Critical
Habitat for the San Jacinto Valley crownscale.
Proposed rule; reopening of public comment period and notice of
availability of draft economic analysis.
We will accept public comments and information until September 14,
2005. FR
8/31/05 p. 51739
INTERIOR.
Bureau of Reclamation. Carlsbad
Project, New Mexico. Notice of
Availability and Notice of Public Meetings for the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement for Carlsbad Project Water Operations and Water Supply Conservation.
A 60-day public review period commences with the publication of this
notice. Written comments on the
DEIS should be submitted no later than October 31, 2005.
Reclamation will conduct four public meetings to obtain public input
on the DEIS. The DEIS is also
available on the Internet at the following Web address: http://www.usbr.gov/uc/albuq/library/eis/carlsbad/carlsbad.html
FR 9/01/05
p.52121 COMMERCE.
NOAA. National Marine
Fisheries Service. Endangered
and Threatened Species; Designation
of Critical Habitat for Seven Evolutionarily Significant Units of Pacific
Salmon and Steelhead in California.
Final rule. We, the NMFS,
are issuing a final rule designating critical habitat for two Evolutionarily
Significant Units of Chinook salmon and five ESUs of Steelhead listed as of
the date of this designation under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended. The specific areas
designated in the rule text set out below include approximately 8,935 net
miles of riverine habitat and 470 Square miles of estuarine habitat
(primarily in San Francisco-San Pablo-Suisun Bays) in California.
This rule becomes effective January 2, 2006.
The final rule, maps, and other materials relating to these
designations can be found on our Web site at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov
FR 9/02/05
p.52487 SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY. Notice
of Meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
on September 20, 2005 in Washington, DC.
The meeting will be held in Room 100 of the National Academies Keck
Center. Further details on the
meeting agenda will be posted on the PCAST Web site at: http://www.ostp.gov/PCAST/pcast.html
FR
9/06/05 p.53029 ENERGY.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Notice of proposed rulemaking. Rules
Concerning Certification of the Electric Reliability Organization;
and Procedures for the Establishment, Approval, and Enforcement of Electric
Reliability Standards. Comments
are due October 7, 2005. FR
9/07/05 p.53117
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