Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
march 2018
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federal agencies
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee considers Dr. James Reilly for USGS Director
March 6, 2018
On March 6, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to consider the nomination of Dr. James Reilly to be Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) welcomed Dr. Reilly in her opening statement, acknowledging her initial surprise that an astronaut was nominated to run the USGS, an agency that mainly focuses on geology and deep Earth elements, but imparting her confidence in Dr. Reilly’s extensive geoscience education and career. Senator Murkowski also emphasized that Dr. Reilly can help the USGS re-prioritize its core mandate, which is to be a geological survey.
Dr. Reilly delivered his prepared statement before the committee, describing his first interaction with the USGS in 1970 as a consumer of USGS maps and literature including groundbreaking satellite capabilities that ultimately became the LANDSAT Program. He shared how he has connections and experiences relating to most USGS mission areas, including work on marine ecosystems, critical minerals, water resources, and technologies like LANDSAT and 3DEP. Having management experience in the private, academic, government, and military sectors, Dr. Reilly noted a simple concept referred to as Three Question Management that he found to be effective for both small and large organizations. This management strategy, as he described it, involves defining roles and expectations and following three questions to track progress: do you have a plan, is it working, and are you ahead or behind? Dr. Reilly stated that if confirmed to be USGS Director, he would strive to follow those principles.
Senators at the hearing questioned Dr. Reilly about protecting scientific integrity, defending USGS funding, and specific issues facing their respective states. When Senator Murkowski asked if the USGS has strayed from its original mission and if there are redundancies in the agency, Dr. Reilly replied that he will spend his first 30 days as Director meeting with leaders of the various mission areas and programs to determine whether current initiatives align with the agency’s intended functions as defined in the Organic Act. Dr. Reilly also promised to work with Senator Murkowski’s staff to advance our understanding of critical minerals and to maintain USArray seismic monitors in Alaska. Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) shared her concern about defending scientific integrity at the USGS, citing the example of the recent departure of two lead scientists prompted by pressure to share findings of a resource assessment of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke before public release. Dr. Reilly assured the committee he is fully committed to defending scientific integrity as “science drives good policy, and good science has to be there for good policy to be made”. Senator Cantwell also expressed her concern with the President’s budget proposal for fiscal year (FY) 2019, which proposes a 25 percent cut to USGS workforce and 20 percent reduction to the survey overall. Dr. Reilly reiterated his plan to meet with USGS mission areas in his first 30 days to determine how to meet budget challenges.
In response to questions from Senators Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Tina Smith (D-MN) about how proposed budget cuts to USGS in the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2019 request would affect partnerships, particularly with academic institutions, Dr. Reilly agreed to provide insights after arriving at the USGS and reiterated his understanding that partnerships give students the opportunity to conduct real-world science and provide the agency with a fresh set of eyes. Other senators shared concerns about cuts proposed in the President’s FY 2019 budget and highlighted the importance of these initiatives to their states. Topics of concern included stream gauges for predicting flash floods, regional science centers, and the need for domestic sources of critical minerals, given China’s dominance of the supply of many critical minerals.
Dr. Reilly now awaits a committee vote, and then must be confirmed by the full Senate before he can take office.
The Senate still has not scheduled votes on the nominees to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Senate also faces a busy schedule to confirm a new secretary of state and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director after President Donald Trump recently fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and proposed moving Mike Pompeo from the CIA to the State Department.
To track the progress of key geoscience nominees, please visit AGI’s federal nominations page at https://www.americangeosciences.org/policy/federal-nominations.
Sources: Department of the Interior, Earth & Space Science News, E&E News, National Public Radio, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Congress holds series of hearings to discuss the Trump Administration’s infrastructure proposal
March 28, 2018
In March 2018, Congress responded to President Donald Trump’s infrastructure proposal through a series of hearings in which committee members questioned the heads of key federal agencies regarding funding mechanisms, permitting processes, and other logistical aspects of the proposal, and discussed their own legislative measures. Although the White House has been pushing for Congress to complete an infrastructure overhaul by the end of the year, senior administration officials conceded in a phone call with reporters on March 28 that pieces of President Trump's infrastructure plan are likely pass via smaller infrastructure-related bills, as recently suggested by congressional leadership, instead of the broad package proposed last month.
Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao was the first cabinet member to promote President Trump’s infrastructure plan at a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on March 1 and a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on March 6. Secretary Chao supported the goals of the plan, which proposes spending $200 billion in federal money to stimulate at least $1.5 trillion in total infrastructure investment and emphasizes streamlining the review and permitting processes for infrastructure projects. At the hearings, members from both parties questioned Secretary Chao and other government officials about where the additional investments would come from, with many suggesting that changes to the federal gasoline tax could support the Highway Trust Fund. While President Trump endorsed the idea of a 25-cent-per-gallon tax increase last month, Secretary Chao would only go so far as to say that the Administration is open to considering all revenue sources and that she is eager to work with Congress on finding a funding mechanism.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing on March 14 to discuss the federal regulatory process, followed by a subcommittee hearing on March 15 to further examine ways of improving the federal permitting process, particularly focusing on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Clean Water Act. Republicans at the hearing focused on how permitting requirements under these laws can cause lengthy delays for infrastructure projects, and stressed that permitting process revisions must be a key feature of any infrastructure bill. Democrats mostly argued against rolling back environmental protections and explained that the proposed permitting reforms would not result in substantial savings or increased investment, suggesting that a lack of funding to address the growing number of permit applications at federal agencies is a much bigger problem than the existing laws and regulations themselves. However, a new report from the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers investigating the efficiency of permitting for major infrastructure projects indicates that the average time to complete an environmental impact statement rose to more than 5 years in 2016, and also highlights the potential economic benefits of infrastructure investment.
Looking to lead the way on informing bipartisan legislative efforts relating to the infrastructure plan, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, which has jurisdiction over aviation, railroad, broadband, and other key infrastructure, held a hearing on March 14 to consider various policy reforms, permitting improvements, and program ideas outlined in the White House’s proposal, including testimony from five cabinet secretaries: Secretary Elaine Chao, Department of Transportation; Secretary Wilbur Ross, Department of Commerce; Secretary Rick Perry, Department of Energy; Secretary Alexander Acosta, Department of Labor; and Secretary Sonny Perdue, Department of Agriculture. Secretary Ross suggested revenues could partially come from asset recycling, which allows the private sector to buy or lease publicly owned infrastructure. Secretary Perry suggested the proposals to streamline permitting and regulations would affect the bottom line even more than taxes. Chairman John Thune (R-SD) agreed that lawmakers could identify some offsets, and said he expects Congress to move infrastructure legislation, likely through a conglomeration of infrastructure-related bills.
Congress has many infrastructure-related bills on the docket to be considered, many with firm deadlines to pass by the end of this session. Both chambers are considering a Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA), which would authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct a variety of navigation, flood control, and environmental projects. The Federal Aviation Administration is also due for reauthorization, which could include improvements in national aviation infrastructure. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) are eager to address energy infrastructure by passing their comprehensive Energy and Natural Resources Act (S.1460). Similarly, Representative Greg Walden (R-OR-2) has identified a number of bills that address improvements in energy infrastructure, brownfields, and drinking water systems (H.R.3017, H.R.3387, H.R.2910, H.R.3043, and H.R.2883). Democrats also released their own infrastructure proposal on March 7 for $1 trillion in federal investment to modernize the nation’s infrastructure and create more than fifteen million jobs.
Sources: Bloomberg Government, E&E News, Library of Congress, Politico, Roll Call, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, White House
President Trump announces a new energy and climate advisor
March 30, 2018
The White House tapped Wells Griffith this month to join the National Economic Council as the leader of its international energy efforts, including the Administration’s climate positions. Mr. Griffith currently serves as the principal deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Energy’s office of international affairs. Mr. Griffith also worked on Donald Trump’s presidential campaign advising on energy and environmental policies. The appointment is for a term of three months, but could lead to a more permanent position. George Banks, a proponent of both engaging in the Paris climate accord and progressing the Administration’s “energy dominance” agenda, previously held this position until he resigned in February 2018 due to security clearance issues.
Sources: E&E News, White House