Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
february 2017
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congress
Subcommittee Ranking Members of House Committee on Appropriations announced
February 1, 2017
Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY-17) of the House Committee on Appropriations announced Subcommittees’ Ranking Members and Democratic members on February 1.
Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA-6) is now the Vice-Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee.
Congressman José Serrano (D-NY-15) is the new Ranking Member on the Commerce, Justice, & Science Subcommittee. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-6) is now the Ranking Member on the Energy and Water Subcommittee, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-4) is the new Ranking Member on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-23) are new members of the Budget Committee.
Source: House Committee on Appropriations
Priorities of House Science, Space, and Technology Committee announced
February 1, 2017
On February 1, the Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX-21), announced the committee’s priorities for the 115th Congress. This list of wide-ranging priorities includes Department of Energy (DOE) research program reforms, cybersecurity issues, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programs, and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) research practices.
The priorities list calls for the DOE to prioritize basic research through investments in user facilities and research infrastructure. Another committee agenda task is to enact key reforms at DOE national labs to enhance partnerships with private companies. The committee will prioritize spending restrictions for DOE commercialization programs, including loan guarantees and subsidies. The committee held a hearing to assess the DOE loan guarantee program on February 15.
Rep. Smith stated the committee’s intent to reinvigorate NASA with “bold exploration objectives”. The committee will focus on projects such as the Space Launch System, which is capable of launching both humans and satellites into space. The committee held a hearing on the history and future of NASA on February 16.
Congressman Smith outlined plans to reform science at the EPA. On February 7 the committee held a hearing entitled “Making the EPA Great Again.” In the hearing, Chairman Smith proposed the committee revisit the Science Advisory Board Reform Act and the Secret Science Reform Act to increase scrutiny over the EPA’s use of science and data. On February 28 the committee held a hearing to investigate the social cost of carbon and to determine if regulations based upon this cost are appropriate.
Source: House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Congress.gov
Proposed law to investigate ocean acidification
February 3, 2017
Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) introduced the Ocean Acidification Research Partnerships Act (H.R.845) to investigate ocean acidification on February 3.
Ocean acidification has a negative impact upon marine foodstocks, such as crustaceans and mollusks, whose shells dissolve and have trouble growing in more acidic waters.
This bill would authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to distribute $5 million in research grants annually through 2022 for collaborative projects between the seafood industry and academia to investigate and raise awareness of the affects of ocean acidification.
Grants are to research how ocean acidification affects the seafood industry. Initial research will identify the communities and ecosystems that ocean acidification affects.
Source: Congress.gov
House passes resolution to recall Bureau of Land Management Planning 2.0 Rule
February 7, 2017
On January 30, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) introduced a House resolution (H.J.Res.44) to invoke the Congressional Review Act to recall an Obama administration land management planning rule. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule, known as the Planning 2.0 Rule, updates the planning process for resource management on public lands. The final version of the rule was released on December 12.
Rep. Cheney expressed concerns that the rule removes state and local government input in federal land management. The BLM, however, reported that the rule creates more streamlined and efficient planning procedures.
The House passed the resolution on February 7. The Senate passed it on March 7. The bill will go to President Trump to be signed into law.
Sources: Congress.gov, House.gov, Federal Register, U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Science integrity bill introduced that will mandate agency science integrity policies
February 7, 2017
On February 7, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced a bill (S.338) to establish scientific integrity policies within all federal research agencies. The bill’s stated goal is to ensure scientific data is made available to the public, agencies, and policymakers.
The Science Integrity Act would require all federal research agencies to emplace and establish scientific integrity policies. These policies contain provisions for whistleblower protections, the scientific review of documents by published and esteemed scientists, and ensure agency research is freely available and independent of political motives.
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
A companion bill was introduced (H.R.1358) in the house by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20) on March 2. It is under review by theHouse Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Source: Congress.gov, Senate.gov
Last updated: 3/27/2017
Proposed resolution would change how Bureau of Land Management values fossil fuel extraction
February 13, 2017
On February 13 Representative Scott Tipton (R-CO-3) introduced a resolution (H.J. Res. 71) to use the Congressional Review Act to remove the Office of Natural Resources Revenue's (ONRR) rule for calculating the value of oil, gas, and coal extracted on public lands.
The Valuation Reform Rule was issued to standardize valuations for royalty purposes in July 2016, and came into effect on January 1, 2017. It is an Obama administration update to federal valuation standards of energy resources extracted from public lands.
The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Source: Congress.gov, Federal Register
Senate bills designate National Wilderness in two New Mexico monuments
February 16, 2017
Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced bills to designate portions of national monuments in New Mexico as national wilderness areas. The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act (S.441) and the Cerros del Norte Conservation Act (S.432) would create new wilderness areas. The National Wilderness designation is the highest level of federal protection that can be attributed to regions. The designation prohibits motorized vehicles, road building, and energy development. Official wilderness areas may only be designated by Congress under the Wilderness Act of 1964.
The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act would designate eight different wild land regions spanning more than 240,000 acres as national wilderness. These areas include the Organ, Potrillo, Las Uvas, and Robledo mountains, and the Aden Lava Flow. The Cerros del Norte Conservation Act would designate 21,240 acres within the 242,500-acre Rio Grande del Norte National Monument as national wilderness. This acreage includes a large symmetrical volcanic dome.
Sources: Senate.gov, Congress.gov, Bureau of Land Management