After leaving a number of environmental issues unresolved after its first session,¹ the 96th Congress took significant strides in its second session to complete that work or to establish first-generation legislation in other areas. Congress deserves credit for finally enacting Alaska lands legislation to settle the issue of how much of these "crown jewels" should remain wild and low much can be opened for development of mineral and timber resources. The second major accomplishment was establishment of a mechanism to deal with releases of hazardous chemicals, whether from spills or hazardous waste dumps. Although the new "Superfund" will not cure all problems, such as paying for oil spill cleanup costs and compensating victims for their losses, it is an important first step. In the energy field, Congress passed a bill to fund development of a synthetic fuels industry, but maintaining environmental protection while enhancing domestic energy production will continue to be a matter for congressional attention. In other areas, Congress took noteworthy action, although it did not always result in final legislation.