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 amend subtitle D of the Solid Waste Disposal Act to facilitate recovery and beneficial use, and provide for the proper management and disposal, of materials generated by the combustion of coal and other fossil fuels.

would provide additional time for the Administrator of EPA to issue achievable standards for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers, process heaters, and incinerators.

would authorize the exchange of land or interest in land between Lowell National Historical Park and the city of Lowell in Massachusetts.

would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the incentives for the production of biodiesel.

would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to terminate the ethanol tax credits.

would amend title 18, U.S. Code, to prohibit certain interstate conduct relating to exotic animals and certain computer-assisted remote hunting.

would replace the current Forest Service administrative appeals process with a pre-decisional administrative review process modeled after the successful approach used in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003.

would incorporate smart grid capability into the Energy Star Program, reduce peak electric demand, and reauthorize a energy efficiency public information program to include Smart Grid information.

would direct the President, using the Western Area Power Administration, to acquire renewable energy in amounts sufficient to ensure that, of the total amount of electric energy the federal government consumes during any fiscal year, certain minimum amounts shall be renewable energy.

would dedicate a portion of the rental fees from wind and solar energy projects on federal land under the jurisdiction of the BLM for the administrative costs of processing applications for new wind and solar projects.