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Izaak Walton League Conservation Issue Update
October 26, 2001
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Clean Air and Energy
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Several Senate and House committees are now poised to address the
vulnerability of our energy sources to terrorist attacks. A new subcommittee on terrorism was formed in the House, and Energy committee members in both houses are being briefed on the ability of our electric power, oil and gas, and nuclear infrastructures to withstand attacks.** Four-Pollutant Power Plant Legislation **
Sen. Jeffords (I-VT), chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee,
plans to hold a legislative hearing in late October to discuss S. 556, a bill that seeks to reduce four types of power plant emissions; carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury, which he co-authored with Sen. Lieberman (D-CT). Amy Hennen, Izaak Walton League Midwest Regional Coordinator, testified at an earlier hearing to present the League's views on this bill to Senate members and staff of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Rep. Boehlert (R-NY) and Rep. Waxman (D-CA) introduced a companion bill, H.R. 1256. The League has long standing policy supporting measures identified in the Jeffords' bill which addresses power plant clean up of these four pollutants. The Bush administration is expected to renege on a campaign promise to regulate carbon dioxide, the key greenhouse gas causing global warming, when it releases a three-pollutant power plant proposal that does not reduce carbon dioxide emissions.** Energy Bill and the Arctic Refuge **
In August, the House approved its version of an energy bill (H.R. 4) by a
vote of 240-189. The 500-page bill does little to create a sound, balanced energy policy. Rather, the bill would provide tens of billions of dollars in subsidies to the coal, oil, gas and nuclear industries, open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other sensitive areas to oil and gas drilling, weaken environmental protections for other public lands, do little to improve fuel economy standards, and reduce renewable energy and energy efficiency programs of needed funding.The Senate blocked efforts to attach H.R. 4 to the Defense Authorization
bill (S. 1438), paving the way for passage of this legislation. We expect this battle to continue throughout the year, and if it is not passed in the Senate before the winter recess, it is very likely to re-emerge in early 2002. Since 1978 the League has had conservation policy opposing drilling in the Arctic Refuge. Additionally, Ike leaders revisited this issue in 1998, and personally visited the refuge. After examining the refuge, local stakeholders, Native Americans, and government officials, Ike leaders unanimously supported our existing policy. Throughout the year we have been meeting with congressional staff, sending action alerts, letters and reports to the House and Senate opposing any measure that would open this area up to oil and gas exploration.**Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards **
This fall, Sen. Kerry (D-MA) held a hearing on the recent National Academy
of Sciences report on the importance of raising fuel economy standards. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee is expected to consider a bill (S. 804) introduced by Senators Feinstein (D-CA), Snowe (R-ME), Schumer (D-NY), and Collins (R-ME) (H.R. 1815 is the companion bill), which seeks to tighten corporate fuel economy standards for sport utility vehicles and light trucks. The bill would require that SUV's and other light trucks increase fuel economy to 27.5 mpg by model year 2007, expand the current fuel economy standards to trucks weighing between 8,500-10,000 pounds by 2007, and raise the fuel economy of the federal government's fleet by 6 mpg.The League has always been supportive of closing the CAFE loophole for
SUV's, light trucks and mini-vans. Currently, SUV's and light trucks use 43 percent more gasoline per mile than the average car. The National Academy of Sciences recently released a report stating it is both economically feasible and safe to convert these vehicles to a higher CAFE standard.--------------
Global Warming
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** Clean Coal Technology **
The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee approved a bill (S. 1008)
introduced by Sen. Byrd (D-WV) and Sen. Stevens (R-AK) that creates a framework for the United States to develop a comprehensive program to reduce pollution that contributes to global warming. The bill also provides more than $4 billion over 10 years for research to develop clean, alternative energy sources.Although we support efforts in clean coal technology, we want to make sure
existing sources of pollution from coal burning are updated to meet today's most stringent clean air and water standards.** Kyoto Protocol **
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the State Department
authorization bill, S. 1401. An amendment offered by Sen. Kerry (D-MA) that urges the administration to continue to engage in international negotiations to reduce global warming pollution passed unanimously. The Senate bill is similar to the House-approved bill to reauthorize the State Department (H.R. 1646) that contains language, added by Rep. Menendez (D-NJ), which urges the United States to reduce greenhouse gases and continue to participate in international negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol.League members passed a resolution supporting the Kyoto Protocol in 1998,
and urging our political decision makers to encourage other countries to take as strident steps to implement the reductions called on for all nations.-------
Nuclear
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** Price-Anderson Act **
Rep. Barton's (R-CA) House Energy and Air Quality subcommittee approved a
bill (H.R. 2983) to reauthorize the Price-Anderson Act until 2017. This act, which provides federal insurance for nuclear power plants in case of an accident, is a huge subsidy to the nuclear industry. The League opposes its reauthorization because it would encourage more nuclear power plant construction without addressing nuclear waste contamination. It would also shift responsibility for the full cost of nuclear power plant use from the nuclear industry to taxpayers.---------------------------------
Conservation and Reinvestment Act
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The Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), passed through the House
Resources committee without any amendments by a vote of 29-12. This legislation would allocate $3.1 billion to states natural resource programs, and would circumvent the cumbersome annual appropriations process to determine how much would be allocated to this issue. The bill (HR 701) currently has 242 co-sponsors, but it is uncertain if it will see the House floor this year. Competition for funds is intense and in light of our recent national events, federal funding is even more constrained. Expect an uphill battle next year for this critical conservation initiative.---------
Farm Bill
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The House approved a farm bill (H.R. 2646) by a vote of 291-120, while
rejecting an amendment (235-200) by Rep. Kind (D-WI) and Rep. Boehlert (R-NY) that would have transferred $1.9 billion per year from commodity subsidies to farm conservation, wetlands restoration, and wildlife habitat programs. An amendment by Rep. D. Miller (R-FL) and Rep. G. Miller (D-CA) to decrease sugar subsidies and apply the savings to Everglade's restoration also failed. The Bush administration criticized the House bill because of its high price tag, large subsidies, and failure to help the small farmer.The Senate has begun to work on its version of the Farm Bill, and we don't
anticipate resolution on this until next year (2002).-----------------
Forest Management
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In closed negotiations over funding bills, some members of Congress are
trying to attach a provision to the Interior funding bill that would block the Forest Service's obligation to review forest management plans at least every 15 years. This provision, which has not been considered or debated in either the House or the Senate, would undermine environmental safeguards for national forests and reduce Forest Service accountability and public input.---------------------
BUDGET/APPROPRIATIONS
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** Discretionary Funding for '02 **
The Bush administration and Congress recently agreed to a $686 billion cap
on discretionary funding for next year. Even though the overall cap is set, individual allocations for each of the 13 appropriations bills are not yet final. Conferees have been appointed, and negotiations could occur quickly, to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of funding bills for the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and energy and water infrastructure projects. Funding may be cut in several of these areas to pay for increased military and other security expenditures.** EPA Funding **
The Senate passed, by a vote of 94-5, its $7.75 billion EPA funding bill (S.
1216), which includes full funding for the agency's federal enforcement efforts. The bill was amended by Sen. Boxer (D-CA) to require the EPA to take immediate action to protect children from arsenic in drinking water. On 7/30, the House approved its $7.5 billion EPA funding bill (H.R. 2620). Language that would have hindered efforts to address global warming was removed from the bill. Other provisions remaining in the House bill weaken efforts to provide protections against radon, pesticides, and hazardous wastes.** International Family Planning **
President Bush has threatened to veto the Senate Foreign Operations funding
bill because of language in the bill that overturns his executive order banning federal funds from going to international family planning organizations that promote or perform abortions. The Senate bill also contains an additional $295 million in funding for a new international program to promote cleaner energy and energy conservation. The House approved its Foreign Operations funding bill, H.R. 2506, on 7/24. The bill includes a $25 million cut in funds for the Global Environment Facility (the Senate bill provides a small increase), which provides grants for projects that combat global warming and promote sustainable development worldwide.** Energy and Water **
The Senate passed the Energy and Water spending bill, which includes Sen.
Stabenow's (D-MI) proposal to ban oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes for two years. The House passed its version of the energy and water bill, including a troubling provision that authorizes $1 million in studies on an expensive California water project that would destroy environmental resources while failing to provide funds for environmental restoration.** Interior Department **
The House passed its version of the Interior bill by a vote of 376-32H.R.
2217, includes a ban on oil and gas development in national monuments and bans funds for even studying oil and gas development in sensitive coastal waters. The Senate approved $18.5 billion to fund the Interior department and related agencies, and rejected an effort by the House to prevent expanded offshore oil and gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and provided less funding for energy efficiency than the House bill, but rejected a move to override environmental protections for endangered species.** Transportation and CAFE Standards **
The Senate and House Appropriations Committee's approved their
transportation funding bills (S. 1178) (H.R. 2299). For the first time in six years, these bills do not include language blocking the federal government from considering whether vehicle fuel economy standards should be increased.******************************************************