Washington to take on several environmental and energy issues
While cap-and-trade and the Gulf oil spill dominate headlines, Congress is taking on issues ranging from Asian carp to jobs in national parks.
By Andrew SchenkelMon, Jul 12 2010 at 4:30 PM EST
TALK OF INVASION: Asian carp management is just one of the issues Congress is wrestling with while also dealing with a climate bill. (Photo: Kate Gardiner/Flickr) It’s easy to get climate bill fatigue, especially when so few details are known about what will be proposed and when it will be proposed.
To fight that fatigue, it’s important to look at all of the other energy and natural resource issues being tackled on the Hill this week.
Renewable energy programs for farmers
On Wednesday, the House of Representative's Agriculture Committee will amend parts of a 2002 law to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make loans to rural farmers and landowners to retrofit their homes and farms with energy-efficient gear to reduce energy usage.
Invasive species
The senate’s Energy and Natural Resource Committee’s Subcommittee on Water and Power will listen to testimony about Asian carp in Lake Calmet, Ill., on Wednesday. This follows a federally commissioned invasive species report on the Asian carp situation.
Jobs on federal lands
On Thursday, the House Natural Resource Committee’s Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands will be taking comment on a new endeavor called “Locally Grown: Creating Rural Jobs with America’s Public Lands”
National parks and the stimulus
On Thursday, the House Natural Resource Committee will be discussing progress on various stimulus projects that have begun in national parks and on public lands around the country.
Resource conservation and regulation
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee will do the mark-up on the Consolidated Land, Energy and Aquatic Resources Act. This will create an Office of Federal Energy and Minerals leasing within the Department of Interior and amend many regulations concerning, oil, gas, uranium, coal mines and methane recovery. The bill will also deal with wind and solar leases on federal lands, while creating a fund for preserving coastlines and Native American lands.
Comments
estaples
07/13/2010 21:52 PM
Today Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn made an announcement that he wants to being shipping Asian Carp to China. The fish are considered a delicacy over seas and will be helpful to get rid of the invasion in Chicago's rivers. "If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em," said Quinn
