MidAtlantic Watersheds Blog

This week on the Hill…

midatlanticnemw — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:20:10 +0000

Both chambers of Congress have returned from recess this week.

Tuesday:

Eminent domain and property rights bill (H.R. 1433) markup
House Judiciary Committee
January 24 — 10:15am; 2141 Rayburn

Final FY12 appropriations

midatlanticnemw — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:31:14 +0000

On Friday, December 16, the House approved a final “megabus” package (H.R. 2055) of nine fiscal year 2012 appropriations bills. On Saturday, the Senate voted to pass the legislation — and it was signed by the President shortly thereafter.

The Senate has left for the holiday recess. The House will address a tax break extension bill before leaving town.

FY 2012 “megabus” appropriations

midatlanticnemw — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:52:59 +0000

UPDATE 12/16: Late last night, House and Senate conferees signed off on a conference report for the “megabus” package of several FY12 spending bills. Rather than moving forward with the package released by the House yesterday (and initially described below), both chambers will now consider and vote on the conference report (H.R. 2055) within the next 48 hours or so. Content of the two versions is nearly identical–only the vehicle is different. Explanatory information for the bills has also been released and additional details are now included below.

12/15: Today, the House unveiled its “megabus” proposal (H.R. 3571) for fiscal year 2012 appropriations. The large package of bills contains 9 pieces of spending legislation, including Energy & Water and Interior & Environment. Some highlights are below, more will be added as it becomes available.

The current continuing resolution expires at midnight tomorrow — it is unclear if this package will be approved by both chambers of Congress by then, but votes are expected tomorrow, and “votes are possible this weekend and next week.”

Energy & Water: Provides the US Army Corps of Engineers with $5 billion, $145 billion above FY11. (Explanation)

Operation & Maintenance: $2.412 billion
O&M Delaware River: Philadelphia to the sea, $20.989 million; Philadelphia to Trenton, $1.073 million
Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery: $4.9 million

Interior & Environment: Provides the US Environmental Protection Agency with $8.4 billion, $233 million below FY11. (Explanation)

Chesapeake Bay Program: $57.391 million; $2 million for small watershed grants
Chesapeake Bay Executive Order: $1.5 million; directive for an analysis of endocrine disruptors
Clean Water State Revolving Fund: $1.469 billion; -$56 million FY11 (State by state breakdown)
National Estuary Program: $27.058 million

Provides the Interior Department with $10.3 billion, $310 million below FY11.

US Fish & Wildlife Service: $1.5 billion, -$28 million FY11
North American Wetlands Conservation Act: $35.554 million, -$2 million FY11
Land & Water Conservation Fund: $322 million (needs verification)

Most controversial policy riders that were included in early drafts of these appropriations bills have not been included in the final megabus.

This week on the Hill

midatlanticnemw — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:14:58 +0000

The current continuing resolution that has funded the government past the end of fiscal year 2011 while Congress works out funding details for FY 2012 is set to expire on Friday. Information on the next omnibus appropriations package and/or CR is expected early this week.

Tuesday:

Water infrastructure hearing
Senate Environment & Public Works Committee — Water & Wildlife Subcommittee
December 13 — 10am; 406 Dirksen

Wednesday:

Water infrastructure hearing
House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee — Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee
December 14 — 10am; 2167 Rayburn

Thursday:

Marine debris bill (H.R. 1171) hearing
House Natural Resources Committee — Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans & Insular Affairs
December 15 — 10am; 1324 Longworth

This week on the Hill

midatlanticnemw — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:27:20 +0000

Following last week’s consideration of two regulatory reform bills, the House will this week address the “Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act,” or REINS Act, which would require Congressional scrutiny of federal regulation that cause an economic impact greater than $100 million.

Thursday:

Delaware River Basin Conservation Act, Chesapeake Bay Gateways & Watertrails Network Reauthorization Act markup
Senate Environment & Public Works Committee
December 8 — 9:30am; 406 Dirksen

This week on the Hill

midatlanticnemw — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:21:07 +0000

The House will likely begin considering a handful of regulatory reform bills this week, including

“Regulatory Accountability Act of 2011″ (H.R. 3010) (requiring cost-benefit analyses of regulation)
“Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011″ (H.R. 527)
“Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act” or “REINS Act” (H.R. 10) (requires Congressional approval of significant agency rules; may be considered in the next few weeks).

The House Rules Committee is currently considering all of the above legislation.

Wednesday:

EPA science reform hearing
House Science, Space & Technology Committee — Energy & Environment Subcommittee
November 30 — 2pm; 2318 Rayburn

Thursday:

Coastal jobs and Magnuson-Stevens amendments (fisheries) hearing
House Natural Resources Committee
December 1 — 10am; 1324 Longworth

Northeast-Midwest Institute position available: water information supply project lead

midatlanticnemw — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:33:29 +0000

The Northeast-Midwest Institute seeks to hire a senior project manager who is highly skilled at collaborative project management in the areas of hydrology, water monitoring systems, and governmental environmental protection policy. The candidate will lead the Northeast-Midwest Institute’s multi-year project to assess and improve the Northeast-Midwest Region’s “Water Information Supply.” The project will carefully inventory, assess, and analyze the region’s system of water quality and quantity monitoring to determine its ability to address pressing questions raised by real-world resource-development and use scenarios, present and future, including intense hydraulic fracturing, agricultural development practices, and urban expansion. NEMWI will communicate project output to NEMW region decision-makers in Washington and the region periodically throughout the project period. This Northeast-Midwest project is a cooperative effort with the USGS. The successful candidate shall demonstrate competency in:

Fresh water hydrology and quality and quantity issues
Current and emerging water quality and quantity monitoring methods and data analysis approaches
Project leadership specifically in carrying out collaborative policy-oriented efforts with tangible deliverables
Federal, state and non-governmental monitoring programs and their historic interrelationships
Familiarity with state, federal agency and Congressional policy-making processes
Successful non-profit fundraising experience
Team work and constructive problem-solving

The successful candidate will hold at least a Master’s degree in a relevant field (hydrology, aquatic sciences, geographic information systems data modeling, etc.), and have at least 10 years professional experience in the field as well as excellent written and oral communications skills. The successful candidate will have authentic respect for divergent political and technical perspectives, and have the capacity to bring diverse stakeholders together constructively behind strong facts.

Type: Senior Policy/Science | Term: Full-Time

Topic: Regional Water Quality/Quantity Monitoring Systems, Federal Policy

The Northeast-Midwest Institute is a Washington-based, nonpartisan non-profit 501(c)3 organization with a full benefits package. Salary for this position will be competitive and commensurate with experience. NEMWI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications are due by December 15, 2011. Please e-mail a cover letter and resume to acangelo@nemw.org with the subject line “Water Information Supply.”

End of the week appropriations update

midatlanticnemw — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:25:34 +0000

Yesterday, the House and Senate both approved the final minibus package (H.R. 2112) of Agriculture, Transportation, and Commerce-Justice-Science bills. The bill includes a continuing resolution to fund the federal government through December 16.

The Senate suspended consideration of the Energy & Water Development appropriations legislation while other measures were brought to the floor, including the aforementioned minibus. Consideration is likely to resume following the Thanksgiving recess.

Quick appropriations update

midatlanticnemw — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:57:09 +0000

This week, House and Senate conferees completed consideration of the first “minibus” package of appropriations bills (H.R. 2112), which includes funding for the Commerce, Agriculture and Transportation departments. The House is set to vote on the final package later this week, perhaps tomorrow, and the Senate will follow thereafter. The bill includes a continuing resolution to fund the federal government at current fiscal year 2011 levels through December 16. Report language can be found on the House Rules Committee website.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would receive nearly $5 billion. Agency funding increases are directed primarily at climate and weather satellites (page 12 of the report).
The agriculture department’s Wetlands Reserve Program would be capped at 185,800 acres and the Open Fields program would be eliminated. The bill also provides $5,000,000 for the Conservation Delivery Streamlining Initiative (page 75 of the report).

Meanwhile, the Senate is struggling with another minibus, and was unable to include the Energy and Water Development spending bill in that package. The Senate began solo consideration of the EWD bill (H.R. 2354) yesterday and continues today.

It is unclear exactly how many minibuses there will ultimately be–and how the Interior and Environment bill fits into the current scenario.

This week on the Hill…updated!

midatlanticnemw — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:28:54 +0000

The Senate will continue its consideration of fiscal year 2012 appropriations as it brings a “minibus” of three spending bills to the floor: Energy and Water, Financial Services, and State and Foreign Operations. Some reports suggest that an amendment will be offered to the minibus (specifically, the Energy & Water bill, H.R. 2354) to prevent the US Army Corps of Engineers from revising its Clean Water Act guidance.

The previous minibus, which included the Agriculture and Commerce-Justice-Science bills, is currently being conferenced.

The federal government is operating under a continuing resolution that is set to expire this Friday, November 18. All unfinished appropriations will require another CR.

Also this week, the House will likely consider a Coast Guard reauthorization bill (H.R. 2838) that carries provisions for the regulation of invasive species in ballast water.

Monday:

Marcellus Shale field hearing
Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee
November 14 — 10am; Charleston, West Virginia

Wednesday:

Hydraulic fracturing and regulatory approaches hearing
House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee — Water Resources Subcommittee
November 16 — 10am; 2167 Rayburn

Thursday:

EPA science in rulemaking hearing
House Science, Space & Technology Committee — Energy & Environment Subcommittee
November 17 — 2pm; 2318 Rayburn

Public lands bills markup
House Natural Resources Committee
November 17 — 10am; 1324 Longworth
Includes:

National Wildlife Refuge System stamp bill (H.R. 2236)
Electronic duck stamp bill (H.R. 3117)

The House is not in session next week. The Senate has not yet determined if it will recess next week as well.