March 10, 2011

House Republicans are preparing a second short term continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government and avoid a government shutdown. The current CR expires on March 18.

House Republican leaders are reporting no progress in their negotiations with  Democrats to agree on a level of funding cuts and pass a longer term CR running through Sept. 30.

Army Corps: The House Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittee examined President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2012 budget requests for the Army Corps and Reclamation on March 9 and 10. 

During the first hearing, House Republicans criticized the proposed Corps budget for prohibiting wetland-filling permits, skimpy investment in dredging and waterway maintenance, and too much spending on ecosystem restoration.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar defended his proposed Fiscal Year 2012 Departmental budget request before House and Senate appropriation subcommittees on March 8 and 9. Saying his proposed budget is a “freeze budget,” Salazar emphasized that Interior is facing tough budgetary and policy challenges while remaining focused on job creation. 

The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on President Obama’s proposed FY 2012 budget for the United States Geological Survey on March 9.

In his opening statement, Chairman Doug Lamborn (R-CO) highlighted USGS’s expanding mission. “Considering the USGS now has responsibility for the entire world: the rocks, waters, animals, air, and space I must say madam Director, it sounds like an incredibly daunting job.”

The House Agriculture Committee approved HR 872, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011, on March 9. 

The bill reverses a court decision requiring NPDES permits for pesticide applications near water bodies.  It was cosponsored by more than 60 representatives, including California Congressmen Baca, Cardoza, Costa, Denham, Herger, and Gary Miller.

Two different bills extending the current Department of Homeland Security Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program were introduced in the house last week. 

The House Committee on Agriculture met today, March 10, to discuss EPA’s regulations on agriculture.

Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) started the hearing off by saying that the EPA’s agenda is against rural America and against farmers. Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) stated that he had issues with the amount of EPA regulations stemming from court decisions and settlements. The hearing mostly focused on the impact regulations are having on farmers, pesticide applications, the Chesapeake Bay, and dust or coarse particulate matter.

Three grant opportunities are now available under the EPA’s WaterSmart program in the areas of system optimization, advanced water treatment and climate analysis.  

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is accepting comments through April 9, 2011 on its status review of the longfin smelt’s listing under the Endangered Species Act.

The service is seeking scientific and commercial data, as well as other information regarding this species, and will release a final 12-month finding by Sept. 20 determining whether the listing is warranted.

Five Central Valley members of Congress introduced a bipartisan bill March 2 to increase water storage in the valley while maintaining flood protection.

The bill, HR 869, would increase the capacity of Lake McClure by modifying the existing spill at New Exchequer Dam. It would allow temporary storage of water in wet years, instead of requiring the immediate release of excess water even when it is not needed downstream.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today proposed new monitoring requirements for 30 currently unregulated contaminants under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

EPA currently regulates more than 90 contaminants in drinking water. To ensure that drinking water standards reflect emerging science, the Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to identify up to 30 unregulated contaminants for monitoring every five years.

EPA released the following statement today, March 3, requesting an extension on Clean Water Act permit requirements for pesticide discharges: