POLLUTION see also Ecology and Environment
Amendments
Refuse disposal: encourage recovery and beneficial use of coal ash and establish requirements for management and disposal of coal ash that are protective of human health and the environment (H.R. 2218), H5061, H5065, H5066, H5067 [25JY]
——— encourage recovery and beneficial use of coal ash and establish requirements for management and disposal of coal ash that are protective of human health and the environment (H.R. 2218), consideration (H. Res. 315), H5000 [24JY]
Articles and editorials
Barack Obama Says the 12 Hottest Years on Record Have Come in the Last 15 Years, S1260 [7MR]
Climate Change Already Felt by Farmers, S3948 [4JN]
Climate Change Slowdown Is Due to Warming of Deep Oceans, S6575 [18SE]
Experts Surer of Manmade Global Warming but Local Predictions Elusive, S6575 [18SE]
Heat-Trapping Gas Passes Milestone, Raising Fears, S6576 [18SE]
Scientists Alarmed as CO2 Passes Threshold, S3606 [20MY]
Bills and resolutions
Air pollution: prohibit regulation of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. until China, India, and Russia implement similar reductions (see S. 107), S213 [23JA] (see S. 163), S329 [28JA]
CERCLA: amend relative to applicability to Federal facilities (see H.R. 2318), H3287 [11JN]
Clean Air Act: eliminate exemption for aggregation of emissions from oil and gas development sources (see H.R. 1154), H1425 [14MR]
Colorado River: protect water quality, develop and implement a plan to prevent and eliminate pollution, and maintain a healthy ecosystem in the Lower Colorado River (see H.R. 1352), H1823 [21MR]
Dept. of Agriculture: establish a Great Lakes basin initiative for agricultural nonpoint source pollution prevention (see H.R. 1647), H2158 [18AP]
Dept. of HHS: conduct study on public health and environmental impacts of production, transportation, storage, and use of petroleum coke (see S. 1388), S6071 [30JY] (see H.R. 2298), H3251 [6JN]
Dept. of the Interior: conduct study on stormwater runoff from oil and gas operations (see H.R. 1175), H1426 [14MR]
Ecology and environment: address harmful algal blooms and hypoxia through research, forecasting and monitoring, and mitigation and control while helping communities detect, control, and mitigate such events (see S. 1254), S5498 [27JN]
——— establish a task force to review policies and measures to promote, and to develop best practices for, reduction of short-lived climate pollutants (see H.R. 1943), H2568 [9MY]
——— reduce heat island effect and associated ground level ozone pollution from Federal facilities (see H.R. 469), H341 [4FE]
EPA: carry out a pilot program to work with municipalities seeking to develop and implement integrated plans to meet Federal Water Pollution Control Act wastewater and stormwater obligations (see H.R. 2707), H4597 [17JY]
——— clarify that fill material cannot be comprised of waste in order to protect water supplies (see H.R. 1837), H2436 [6MY]
——— exempt the conduct of silvicultural activities from national pollutant discharge elimination system permitting requirements (see S. 971), S3569 [16MY] (see H.R. 2026), H2717 [16MY]
——— impose carbon pollution fee and use proceeds to provide rebate to consumers and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and regulate hydraulic fracturing (see S. 332), S772 [14FE]
——— improve beach monitoring by requiring coastal States to adopt water quality standards, conduct quicker water testing, and improved monitoring and public notification programs (see H.R. 2601), H4174 [28JN]
——— regulate wastes associated with the exploration, development, or production of crude oil, natural gas, or geothermal energy (see H.R. 2825), H5087 [25JY]
Great Lakes: protect and restore (see S. 1232), S5264 [26JN] (see H.R. 2773), H4856 [22JY]
——— provide assistance for nutrient removal technologies to adjacent States (see H.R. 600), H431 [8FE]
Hazardous substances: prohibit manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce, and use of coal tar sealants (see H.R. 1625), H2157 [18AP]
International Boundary and Water Commission: recognize recent efforts to address trash, sediment, and water quality issues with Mexican counterparts (see H. Res. 241), H2955 [23MY]
Mining and mineral resources: place a moratorium on permitting for mountaintop removal coal mining until health studies are conducted by the Dept. of HHS (see H.R. 526), H410 [6FE]
Oil Pollution Act: establish oil spill research committee, program, and interagency plan (see H.R. 373), H279 [23JA]
——— require responsible parties to pay full cost of offshore oil spills (see S. 828), S3028 [25AP] (see H.R. 1743), H2350 [25AP]
Petroleum: establish Federal Oil Spill Research Committee and improve oil spill response plans (see S. 1483), S6208 [1AU]
Pipelines: establish State revolving loan funds to repair or replace natural gas distribution pipelines (see S. 1768), S8457 [21NO]
——— require gas pipeline facilities to accelerate the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of high-risk pipelines used in commerce (see S. 1767), S8457 [21NO]
Power resources: clarify that a State has the sole authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing on Federal land within the boundaries of the State (see S. 1234), S5264 [26JN] (see H.R. 2513), H4078 [26JN]
——— eliminate certain subsidies for fossil-fuel production (see S. 1762), S8457 [21NO] (see H.R. 3574), H7353 [21NO]
——— eliminate certain subsidies for fossil-fuel production and extend certain renewable energy tax incentives (see S. 329), S772 [14FE]
——— prohibit a national energy tax and revise regulations relative to discharge of pollutants by the coal industry into certain protected waters (see S. 1514), S6518 [17SE]
——— recognize primacy of States relative to regulation of hydraulic fracturing on Federal land within the boundaries of the State (see S. 1482), S6208 [1AU]
——— use revenues from offshore energy production to create jobs, reduce the deficit, invest in clean and renewable energy, clean up the environment, and rebuild infrastructure (see H.R. 787), H595 [15FE]
Refuse disposal: encourage recovery and beneficial use of coal ash and establish requirements for management and disposal of coal ash that are protective of human health and the environment (see H.R. 2218), H3014 [3JN]
——— encourage recovery and beneficial use of coal ash and establish requirements for management and disposal of coal ash that are protective of human health and the environment (H.R. 2218), consideration (see H. Res. 315), H4978 [23JY]
Sewage disposal: ensure that sewage treatment plants monitor for and report discharges of raw sewage (see S. 396), S943 [27FE]
Taxation: deny certain tax benefits to persons responsible for an oil spill if such person commits certain additional violations (see H.R. 1887), H2533 [8MY]
——— disallow a deduction for amounts paid or incurred by a responsible party relating to a discharge of oil (see S. 599), S1892 [18MR] (see H.R. 480), H342 [4FE]
——— extend financing of the Superfund program by reinstating certain excise taxes (see H.R. 2193), H2954 [23MY]
——— require responsible parties to pay full cost of offshore oil spills (see S. 827), S3028 [25AP]
Water pollution: clarify requirement that permit applications for the discharge of pollutants be approved by disinterested board members (see H.R. 836), H659 [26FE]
Weather: improve resilience to extreme weather events and prevent worsening of extreme weather conditions (see S. 7), S42 [22JA]
Letters
Actions Federal Government could take to address climate change: American Association for the Advancement of Science, S5558 [9JY]
——— Cassandra Carmichael, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (excerpt), S1925 [19MR]
——— Friends Committee on National Legislation (excerpt), S1925 [19MR]
——— Mitchell C. Hescox, Evangelical Environmental Network (excerpt), S1925 [19MR]
——— Sally Bingham, Regeneration Project Interfaith Power & Light (organization), S1926 [19MR]
——— Stephen E. Blaire, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, S1924 [19MR]
——— Sybil Sanchez, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life and Steve Gutow, Jewish Council for Public Affairs (excerpt), S1924 [19MR]
Global warming: several individuals, E213 [28FE]
Motions
Refuse disposal: encourage recovery and beneficial use of coal ash and establish requirements for management and disposal of coal ash that are protective of human health and the environment (H.R. 2218), H5070 [25JY]
Press releases
CO2 at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Observatory Reaches New Milestone—Tops 400 ppm: NOAA, S6576 [18SE]
EPA Coal Rule Threatens Energy Independence, Says IBEW: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, S6693 [24SE]
Remarks in House
Agriculture: impact of global warming on agriculture, H3341 [12JN]
Air pollution: require offset of greenhouse gas emissions from increased use of tar sands crude transported through Keystone XL Pipeline, H2877, H2878 [22MY]
——— study impact of increased air pollution in communities surrounding refineries that will process tar sand crude transported through Keystone XL pipeline, H2878, H2879 [22MY]
Clean Air Act: eliminate exemption for aggregation of emissions from oil and gas development sources, H7202–H7204 [19NO]
——— eliminate exemption for aggregation of emissions from oil and gas development sources (H.R. 1154), H7281, H7290, H7307 [20NO]
Climate: carbon pollution reduction, H2230 [23AP]
——— GAO inclusion of global warming on high-risk list, H6879 [29OC]
——— GAO inclusion of global warming on high-risk list and Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change assessment of government entities confronting threat, H601 [25FE]
——— global warming, H181, H185 [22JA], H553, H569, H570, H571 [15FE], H642 [26FE], H664 [27FE], H939 [4MR], H969 [5MR], H987 [6MR], H1333, H1336 [12MR], H1401 [14MR], H1578 [19MR], H1640 [20MR], H1724 [21MR], H1848 [9AP], H1893–H1897 [10AP], H1933 [11AP], H2033 [16AP], H2106, H2107 [17AP], H2148 [18AP], H2259 [24AP], H2301, H2313 [25AP], H2356 [26AP], H2414 [6MY], H2461 [7MY], H2557 [9MY], H2637 [15MY], H2660 [16MY], H2751 [17MY], H2788 [20MY], H2846, H2847 [22MY], H2940 [23MY], H3004 [3JN], H3022, H3027, H3088, H3091 [4JN], H3102 [5JN], H3262 [11JN], H3341, H3347 [12JN], H3368 [13JN], H3594 [14JN], H3765 [19JN], H3982 [20JN], H3997 [25JN], H4043 [26JN], H4161 [28JN], H4314 [10JY], H4602 [18JY], H4730 [19JY], H4841 [22JY], H4865 [23JY], H4983 [24JY], H5055 [25JY], H5100 [30JY], H5269 [1AU], H5374 [2AU], H5418 [9SE], H5460 [10SE], H5501 [11SE], H5515 [12SE], H5575 [17SE], H5594 [18SE], H5657 [19SE], H5793 [20SE], H5826 [25SE], H5864 [26SE], H5896 [27SE], H6010 [28SE], H6014 [30SE], H6760 [23OC], H7002 [13NO], H7402, H7405, H7406, H7429 [3DE], H7461 [4DE], H7510 [5DE], H7619 [10DE], H7679 [11DE], H7702 [12DE], E138 [13FE], E169 [15FE], E213 [28FE], E1048 [11JY]
——— impact of global warming on frequency and intensity of natural disasters, H3669 [17JN], H4111 [27JN], H6839, H6840 [29OC], H7064 [14NO], H7169 [18NO], H7298 [20NO], H7313 [21NO]
Colorado River: inclusion on American Rivers (organization) list of most-threatened rivers, H2148 [18AP]
Dept. of Energy: Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, renewable energy, energy reliability, and efficiency programs, and Office of Science funding through reductions in defense environmental cleanup funding, H4257–H4260 [9JY]
——— defense environmental cleanup funding through reductions in Weatherization Assistance Program funding, H4256, H4257 [9JY]
——— non-defense environmental cleanup funding through reductions in administration accounts funding, H4279 [9JY]
——— non-defense environmental cleanup funding through reductions in nuclear energy research programs funding, H4277 [9JY]
Dept. of State: affirm that scientific and technical studies and analyses support that the proposed Keystone XL pipeline is an environmentally sound project, H2876, H2877 [22MY]
Dept. of the Interior: conduct study on stormwater runoff from oil and gas operations (H.R. 1175), H7281 [20NO]
——— issue regulations to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas drilling operations on public lands, H7204 [19NO], H7289, H7290 [20NO]
Ecology and environment: address harmful algae blooms, H4365 [10JY]
EPA: exempt the conduct of silvicultural activities from national pollutant discharge elimination system permitting requirements, H3856, H3857 [19JN]
——— impact of overregulation on the economy, H689 [27FE]
——— regulate wastes associated with the exploration, development, or production of crude oil, natural gas, or geothermal energy (H.R. 2825), H7281 [20NO]
Fernandes, John: EPA Environmental Merit Award recipient, H4148 [28JN]
Great Lakes: protect and restore (H.R. 2773), H5275 [1AU]
International Energy Agency: release of report on progress of global climate change and recommendations for global energy policies, H3982–H3984 [20JN]
Moore, Richard: EPA Environmental Merit Award recipient, H4148 [28JN]
National Academy of Sciences: study and report to Congress on impact of flooding on oil and gas facilities and resulting leaks and spills from tanks, wells, and pipelines, H7229, H7230 [19NO]
Obama, President: evaluation of environmental and climate policies, H3997 [25JN], H4148 [28JN], H4189 [8JY]
Power resources: clarify that a State has the sole authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing on Federal land within the boundaries of the State, H4862 [23JY]
——— eliminate certain subsidies for fossil-fuel production, H3011 [3JN]
Refuse disposal: allow EPA to find a State coal ash permit program deficient if program threatens human health and the environment and allow States to request review of permit program of another State, H5067, H5068 [25JY]
——— encourage recovery and beneficial use of coal ash and establish requirements for management and disposal of coal ash that are protective of human health and the environment (H.R. 2218), H4841 [22JY], H5055–H5072 [25JY], E1147 [26JY]
——— encourage recovery and beneficial use of coal ash and establish requirements for management and disposal of coal ash that are protective of human health and the environment (H.R. 2218), consideration (H. Res. 315), H4995–H5002 [24JY]
——— encourage recovery and beneficial use of coal ash and establish requirements for management and disposal of coal ash that are protective of human health and the environment (H.R. 2218), motion to recommit, H5070 [25JY]
——— ensure State coal ash permit programs meet requirements necessary to protect human health and the environment, H5066, H5067 [25JY]
——— require coal ash wet disposal structures meet design, construction, operation, and maintenance criteria to prevent contamination of groundwater and sources of drinking water including the Great Lakes, H5070 [25JY]
——— require States to update certification documents with the EPA including an emergency action plan for coal ash impoundments leaks or spills, H5065, H5066 [25JY]
Urban areas: impact of high temperatures and lack of air conditioning on population, H5269 [1AU]
Remarks in Senate
Agriculture: impact of global warming on agriculture, S3947 [4JN]
Air pollution: impact of economy-wide global warming pollution emission cap and trade program, S34–S36 [22JA], S5608 [10JY], S5727, S5748 [17JY]
——— impose carbon pollution fee and use proceeds to provide Federal deficit reduction, reduced Federal tax rates, and other direct taxpayer benefits, S2270 [22MR], S8904 [17DE]
——— oppose carbon pollution fee, S2271 [22MR]
——— prohibit regulation of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. until China, India, and Russia implement similar reductions, S2089 [21MR]
——— prohibit regulation of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. until China implements similar reductions, S2446 [8AP]
Climate: carbon pollution reduction, S2447 [8AP]
——— formation of joint congressional task force on climate change, S241 [24JA]
——— global warming, S34–S36 [22JA], S240–S242 [24JA], S499–S501 [7FE], S690, S692 [13FE], S926 [27FE], S1083 [4MR], S1257, S1259 [7MR], S1835–S1837 [14MR], S1927 [19MR], S2020 [20MR], S2445–S2448 [8AP], S2491 [9AP], S2647 [15AP], S2675 [16AP], S2825–S2827, S2834–S2836 [22AP], S2953 [24AP], S3245, S3246 [8MY], S3563–S3565 [16MY], S3595–S3597, S3606–S3609 [20MY], S3947 [4JN], S4392–S4394 [12JN], S4569 [18JN], S5134–S5140, S5144 [25JN], S5232 [26JN], S5480 [27JN], S5557 [9JY], S5608–S5611 [10JY], S5727–S5729, S5733–S5735, S5747–S5749 [17JY], S5895–S5898 [24JY], S6102 [31JY], S6319 [10SE], S6419, S6420 [12SE], S6505–S6508 [17SE], S6573–S6577, S6580 [18SE], S6922 [26SE], S7363 [10OC], S7519, S7520 [16OC], S7599 [29OC], S7869 [6NO], S7988 [13NO], S8343 [20NO], S8627, S8636, S8651 [11DE], S8903–S8905 [17DE]
——— ideas from faith-based organizations on actions Federal Government could take to address climate change, S1923, S1926, S1927 [19MR]
——— impact of global warming on frequency and intensity of natural disasters, S5733–S5735 [17JY], S5896 [24JY], S6102 [31JY], S6319 [10SE]
——— impact of global warming on health, S1885–S1887 [18MR]
——— impact of global warming on national security, S5136 [25JN]
——— impact of large corporations on climate change, S7363 [10OC], S7988 [13NO]
Delaware: impact and efforts to combat effects of climate change, S2825–S2827 [22AP]
Dept. of Agriculture: study impact of global warming on agriculture, S3731 [22MY]
Dept. of HHS: conduct study on public health and environmental impacts of production, transportation, storage, and use of petroleum coke (S. 1388), S6074 [30JY]
EPA: allow Presidential exception for public utilities that have been unable to complete necessary measures to comply with revised mercury standards, S2290, S2291 [22MR]
——— exempt the conduct of silvicultural activities from national pollutant discharge elimination system permitting requirements (S. 971), S3573 [16MY]
——— impact of overregulation on the economy, S8739 [12DE]
——— impact of regulations, S34–S36 [22JA], S5728 [17JY], S5776, S5779–S5781, S5785 [18JY], S6006 [29JY]
——— impose carbon pollution fee, S4393 [12JN], S5480 [27JN], S5897 [24JY]
——— impose carbon pollution fee and use proceeds to provide rebate to consumers and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and regulate hydraulic fracturing (S. 332), S1083 [4MR], S1257 [7MR], S1283–S1285 [11MR], S1837 [14MR], S1886 [18MR], S5735 [17JY]
——— role in protecting the environment, S5784 [18JY]
GAO: report finding National Flood Control Program and Federal Crop Insurance Corp., ill-prepared to deal with events resulting from climate change, S926 [27FE]
Great Lakes: protect and restore (S. 1232), S5272 [26JN]
National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy: release, S2491 [9AP]
Power resources: clarify that a State has the sole authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing on Federal land within the boundaries of the State, S35 [22JA], S5013–S5015 [24JN]
——— extend certain renewable energy tax incentives, S8992 [19DE]
——— prohibit a national energy tax and revise regulations relative to discharge of pollutants by the coal industry into certain protected waters, S6693 [24SE]
——— prohibit a national energy tax and revise regulations relative to discharge of pollutants by the coal industry into certain protected waters (S. 1514), S6544 [17SE], S6547 [18SE], S6612 [19SE]
——— prohibit a national energy tax and revise regulations relative to discharge of pollutants by the coal industry into certain protected waters (S. 1514), unanimous-consent request, S6612 [19SE]
——— promote clean energy sources to combat climate change, S6320 [10SE]
Pregracke, Chad: Cable News Network (CNN) Heroes honoree, S8451 [21NO]
Refuse disposal: encourage recovery and beneficial use of coal ash and establish requirements for management and disposal of coal ash that are protective of human health and the environment (H.R. 2218), S6028 [29JY], S6029 [30JY]
Wall Street Journal: allegations of bias in coverage of global warming, S7869 [6NO]
Reports filed
Address Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Through Research, Monitoring, and Mitigation To Help Communities Detect, Control, and Mitigate Such Events: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate) (S. 1254) (S. Rept. 113–121), S8100 [18NO]
Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 2218) (H. Rept. 113–148), H4368 [10JY]
Consideration of H.R. 2218, Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act and H.R. 1582, Energy Consumers Relief Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 315) (H. Rept. 113–174), H4978 [23JY]
Federal Facility Accountability Act: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 2318) (H. Rept. 113–180), H5172 [30JY]
Texts of
H. Res. 315, consideration of H.R. 2218, Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act and H.R. 1582, Energy Consumers Relief Act, H4995 [24JY]
H.R. 2218, Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act, H5061–H5065 [25JY]
S. 7, Extreme Weather Prevention and Resilience Act, S47 [22JA]
S. 971, Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act, S3573 [16MY]