Energy and Commerce Committee advances eight bills
The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced eight Subcommittee on Energy and Subcommittee on Environment bills Wednesday that seek to modernize the nation’s energy infrastructure, update environmental laws and enhance U.S. energy security.
“In my home state of Oregon, these bills will help us unlock hydropower’s potential, take steps towards cleaning up the Hanford site, and strengthen the Brownfields Program to redevelop contaminated sites,” Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) said. “All that we do here, we do for our constituents back home that sent us to Washington to get things done. While these bills may not grab the headlines they deserve, lets be real, we did some big things here today that will have tremendous impact on consumers, the environment, and the economy in the years ahead.”
H.R. 806, Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017, would provide states with more flexibility in implementing the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone.
H.R. 2786 would amend the Federal Power Act to modify the process to qualify as a qualifying conduit hydropower facility. The bill aims to promote the development of small conduit hydropower facilities.
H.R. 2883, Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act, would create a consistent and transparent process to permit the construction of cross-border pipelines and electric facilities.
H.R. 2910, Promoting Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act, would encourage coordination between FERC and other agencies involved in siting interstate natural gas pipelines. It also requires more information on these siting processes to be disclosed to the public.
H.R. 3017, Brownfields Enhancement Economic Redevelopment and Reauthorization Act of 2017, would reauthorize and improve the EPA Brownfields Program, which provides grants and technical assistance for assessing, cleaning up and reusing contaminated properties.
H.R. 3043, Hydropower Policy Modernization Act of 2017, would designate FERC as the lead agency for licensing hydropower projects in an effort to promote hydropower energy.
H.R. 3050, Enhancing State Energy Security Planning and Emergency Preparedness Act, would strengthen the energy emergency planning requirements of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The bill seeks to enable states to more effectively secure energy infrastructure against physical and cybersecurity threats; and diminish risk of energy supply disruptions.
H.R. 3053, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2017, would authorize interim storage for nuclear waste, including private storage, to provide solutions until Yucca Mountain is fully licensed and able to receive shipments.
