Recent Federal Bills

Below are summaries of Bills Introduced, Committee Reports, Chamber Actions, and Public Laws reported in the most recent issue of ELR's Weekly Update.

would establish the Hurricane Sand Dunes National Recreation Area in Utah.

would provide a categorical exclusion under NEPA to allow BLM and the Forest Service to remove pinyon-juniper trees in order to conserve and restore greater sage-grouse habitat. 

would amend provisions of the CWA related to area contingency plans for the discharge of oil and hazardous substances.

would require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to prepare a crosscut budget for restoration activities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

would authorize the Feed the Future Initiative to reduce global poverty and hunger in developing countries on a sustainable basis.

would require the Secretary of the Interior to assemble a team of technical, policy, and financial experts to address the energy needs of the insular areas of the United States and the Freely Associated States through the development of energy action plans aimed at promoting access to affordable, reliable energy, including increasing the use of indigenous clean-energy resources. 

would ban hydraulic fracturing on land owned by the federal government and leased to third parties.

would support and provide financial resources to conservation programs of nations within the range of rare felid and canid populations and projects of persons with demonstrated expertise in the conservation of rare felids and canids.

would amend the CWA to reauthorize the sewer overflow control grants program. 

would modify certain provisions relating to the Propane Education and Research Council.