Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
november 2015
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environment
Draft bill introduced to reform and reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund
November 5, 2015
The House Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) released a discussion draft of legislation titled, the Protecting America’s Recreation and Conservation (PARC) Act, which aims to reform and reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The LWCF expired on September 30, 2015.
The Chairman’s draft bill would maintain the LWCF authorization of $900 million through September 2022, but would redirect a large portion of the funds to state recreation grants, urban areas, conservation legal rights, and wildlife conservation. The bill would set more stringent limits (no more than 3.5 percent of funds) to federal land acquisition in order to provide funding for state investments. The bill would also require that 20 percent of funds go toward supporting the development of offshore energy production by streamlining permitting processes.
The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to consider the draft legislation on November 18, during which the bill received much criticism from Democratic members and pro-LWCF Republicans. The future funding of LWCF is now in the hands of appropriators, who will decide whether or not the program will continue to be funded at its current level of $300 million.
Sources: eenews, naturalresources.house.gov
Sportsmen’s Act approved by Senate Energy and Natural Resources includes amendment to renew LWCF
November 19, 2015
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act (S. 556) on November 19. The bill was introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) last February. The bill calls for a push to reinforce hunting, target shooting, and fishing access on federal lands. The bill was also recently amended to include the permanent renewal of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
This amendment was added due to an agreement reached between Sen. Murkowski and Ranking Member of the committee Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA). In a hearing in March, Cantwell highlighted the importance of the LWCF f for fishing, hunting, and recreational use of lands throughout the United States.
Sources: eenews, congress.gov
Senate introduces hardrock mining legislation regarding cleanup royalties for abandoned mines
November 5, 2015
Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and other Democratic senators introduced legislation requiring mining companies to pay royalties for abandoned hardrock mine cleanup efforts. The bill (S. 2254), known as the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2015, directs the Department of the Interior to set 2 to 5 percent royalty rates for new hardrock mines.
The bill would also add on fees to new and existing mines to help reclaim abandoned mine sites; the fees would be funneled into a Hardrock Minerals Reclamation Fund managed by the Department of the Interior. The bill also includes multiple changes to mining legislation such as, requiring annual maintenance fees to retain mining claims and invoking a faster review process for proposed projects that may cause negative environmental impacts.
Under this legislation, communities would be able to petition the federal government to make areas off limits for mining. S. 2254 has been read twice and referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Sources: E&E NEws, Library of Congress