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Congressional Activity

Sec. Johanns Takes Office

On Inauguration Day, January 20^th, the Senate confirmed the President’s nomination of Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns to be the 28^th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  He was sworn in at the USDA on Friday, 21^st.  For Sec. Johann’s biography, go to: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=bios_johanns.xml

Congressional Hearings

Confirmation Hearing For Energy Secretary Nominee

On January 19^th, Deputy Secretary Samuel Bodman (Treasury Department) met with the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee for a confirmation Hearing.  He is the President’s choice to become the next Secretary of Energy following Spencer Abraham, and appears to be headed for approval by early next week.  

Senators on both sides of the aisle voiced a  wide range of issues important to them: support for oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the importance of reliability in the electricity grid, the need to support public/private consortiums to build nuclear power plants, the promise of research into clean coal and coal gasification programs, investing in renewable resources, passing comprehensive bipartisan energy legislation as quickly as possible, and universal praise for the National Laboratories.  

In that regard, Dep. Secretary Bodman said in his opening statement that at the heart of our nation’s cutting edge research in many vital fields “is the critically important work performed at the National Laboratories,” and that he looked forward to supporting that research.  Chairman Domenici, echoed by Ranking Member Bingaman, said the new management contract bidding had gone on too long, some two years, and that National Lab employees were losing faith in the process and beginning to doubt the value of promises made regarding existing contracts and research, and employee benefits.  Dep. Secretary Bodman assured the Committee that he would be “happy to make the commitment” of expediting the awarding of that contract with respect to employees concerns.  Senators Alexander and Allen also expressed concern that the National Labs, the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ at DOE, be funded under the understanding that they are unique and have contributed to our society far beyond their investment.

Several Republican Senators said they hoped Dep. Secretary Bodman would be able to influence positive bipartisan movement on comprehensive energy legislation, and Chairman Domenici closed the Hearing with the comment that there were only two, real criteria for determining the wealth of a country:  Do they have enough electricity, and do they have enough clean water?

[see Agency News below re: Energy Deputy Secretary McSlarrow’s resignation]

EPA

AMSA Calls For Sanitary Sewer Overflow Policy

On January 18, the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA) sent an “action plan” on a flexible national policy to control overflows from sanitary sewers (SSO’s) to the EPA and Congress as a response to the Agency’s 2004 report Impacts and Control of Combined Sewer Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows, which estimated that 850 million gallons are released annually.  

According to AMSA, the intent of their action plan is to nudge EPA to produce a regulatory policy for SSOs, because “EPA's current enforcement policies are forcing many communities to commit tremendous resources in a fruitless attempt to eliminate all SSO’s.”  While a program to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSO’s) was developed by EPA in 1994 (Congress codified it in 2000), no policy exists for SSO’s.  

Multi-Year Drinking Water Research Review

The EPA's Science Advisory Board announced in a draft report on January 14^th that the Agency ought to focus their drinking water research plans to target problems that present the greatest health risk to humans.  If the views of the Board are taken up, microbial contaminants and certain chemicals would receive a higher priority than disinfection byproducts or exposure to high arsenic levels.  The draft, Review of EPA's Drinking Water Research Program Multi-Year Plan 2003, suggested that some areas of research were becoming “institutionalized” and that a few “long-standing issues may be continuing with diminishing returns.”  The EPA Science Advisory Board's draft report, is available at http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/draft_dwc_report_11_16_04_for_bd.pdf  

Environmental News Outlet

New Reports of Interest

Interim Report of the Committee on Changes in New Source Review Programs for Stationary Sources of Air Pollution 

National Research Council   208 pages, 2005

Jan. 13 – “An interim report from the National Academies' Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology describes the approach the Committee that wrote the report will use to analyze changes to EPA’s New Source Review programs, which regulate the modification of large, stationary sources of air pollution.” This is a forthcoming title; it has not yet been published and there are no prepublication copies available in print.  Read it now online for free: http://www.nap.edu/books/0309095786/html/  

Can Fuzzy Logic Bring Complex Environmental Problems into Focus?  

Environmental Science & Technology Online

January 15, 2005  -  Volume 39, Issue 2

“Fuzzy logic can help resource managers determine when India’s polluted Ganges River is safe for ceremonial bathing.”  To read the article online:  http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-a/39/i02/html/011505feature_mckone.html

Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2004

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) online.

“2004 is the penultimate year of the first decade of the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) or transgenic crops, now often called biotech crops … In 2004, the global area of biotech crops continued to grow for the ninth consecutive year at a sustained double-digit growth rate of 20%, compared with 15% in 2003.”  http://www.isaaa.org/kc/bin/ESummary/index.htm

Key Agency News Releases

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Environmental Document Available for Renewal of American River Division Contracts

January 14, 2005 - “The Bureau of Reclamation announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed long-term renewal of Central Valley Project water service contracts between Reclamation and seven American River Division Contractors.”  For more information, go to:  http://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/newsrelease/detail.cfm?RecordID=3701  

NOAA Reports December Warmer Than Average; Global Temperatures Warmer Than Average

Jan 18, 2005 — The national average temperature for December 2004 was above normal for the contiguous United States, according to scientists at NOAA Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.  NOAA scientists report that the average temperature for the contiguous United States for December was 35.7 degrees F, which was 2.2 degrees F above the 1895-2003 mean.  The global average temperature for December was fifth warmest on record.”  For more information, go to:  http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2371.htm  

Water Agreement for Yampa River Basin Residents; Will Promote Recovery of Endangered Fish

Lakewood, CO  January 20^th -  “The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program (Recovery Program) announced today the signing of a cooperative agreement that launched implementation of a management plan to help ensure that current and future water needs are met for people in the Yampa River Basin while promoting recovery of four species of endangered Colorado River Fish.”  For more information, go to:  http://news.fws.gov/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=920E5215-1143-3066-4092AF87805A75BD

Fish and Wildlife Service Seeks Proposals for Funding Through the Private Stewardship Grants Program

January 18 - “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today it is seeking proposals for private lands conservation funding through its Private Stewardship Grants Program. About $6.5 million is available FY 2005 through this grant program to support on-the-ground conservation efforts on private lands.”  For more information, go to:  http://news.fws.gov/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=912C74EC-1143-3066-405D43F5094738EE

Deputy Secretary of Energy Kyle McSlarrow Resigns

January 19, 2005 - “It is with regret that I announce the resignation of Deputy Secretary of Energy, Kyle McSlarrow.   Kyle has served with distinction since the first day of President Bush’s first term in office.  First, as my Chief of Staff, and then as Deputy Secretary since 2002, Kyle has been at my side for the last four years.”  For more information, go to:  http://www.energy.gov/engine/content.do?PUBLIC_ID=17185&BT_CODE=PR_PRESSRELEASES&TT_CODE=PRESSRELEASE

EPA to Oversee Hydroelectric Facility Dismantling as Part of Superfund Remediation Project 

January 19 – “The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today cleared the way for the EPA to oversee the dismantling of a dam in Montana as part of a Superfund hazardous waste site cleanup.  The order was among three notable hydroelectric cases the Commission voted on today.”  For more information, go to:  http://www.ferc.gov/press-room/pr-current/01-19-05-milltown.asp

Western Newspaper Headlines

[click on headlines to be taken to articles]

Scientific Advance in Biotechnology Shows Drought-Resistant Wheat
Hawaii Reporter, HI - Jan 15, 2005

Mirant Corp., utilities agree to proposed settlement in price gouging case
Whittier Daily News, CA - Jan 15, 2005

Wet winter may portend large fires later in the year
San Diego Union Tribune, CA - Jan 15, 2005

Balancing act: Golf courses juggle environmental challenges
AZ Central.com, AZ - Jan 17, 2005

The Price of Living in a Fragile Paradise Keeps Getting Steeper
Los Angeles Times (subscription), CA - Jan 17, 2005

Is wacky weather sign of climate change?
Scripps Howard News Service - Jan 19, 2005

Governor Challenges Lawmakers in First '05 Session
KPHO Phoenix, AZ - Jan 19, 2005

Drought's Growing Reach: NCAR Study Points To Global Warming As Key Factor
Science Daily (press release) - Jan 18, 2005

Financial well runs dry for 'Water U.'
Arizona Daily Wild Cat, AZ - Jan 20, 2005

Bills Introduced in the Senate

No bills were introduced this week

Bills Introduced in the House

H. Res. 9    Resolved, that at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 20, 2005, the House shall proceed to the West Front of the Capitol for the purpose of attending the inaugural ceremonies of the President.

Federal Register Notices

DEFENSE.  Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers.  Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board; Meeting.  Notice of open meeting.  The meeting is open to the public.  It will be held on February 2, 2005 in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.  The Board advises the Chief of Engineers on environmental policy, identification and resolution of environmental issues and missions, and addressing challenges, problems and opportunities in an environmentally sustainable manner.  The EAB will be meeting with the current Chief of Engineers for the first time.  The public meeting will focus on general issues of national significance rather than on individual project or region related topics.  FR  1/18/05  p.2856  

EPA.  Public Water System Supervision Program Revision for the State of Utah.  Notice.  The State of Utah has revised its Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Primacy Program by adopting regulations corresponding to the following six federal rules which revised 40 CFR part 141, the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (IESWTR), Lead and Copper Rule Minor Revisions (LCRMR), Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts Rule (DBPR), Public Notification Rule (PNR), Consumer Confidence Rule (CCR), and Radionuclides Rule.  Having determined that the State's revisions meet all applicable requirements in the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), 42 U.S.C. 300f et seq., and EPA's implementing regulations at 40 CFR part 142, the EPA approves them, with the exception of the variance provisions.  Today's approval action does not extend to public water systems in Indian country.  Any member of the public is invited to request a public hearing on this determination by February 18, 2005.  FR  1/19/05  p.3033