Environment and Climate

Today's News about Environment and Climate Issues

Senior US military officials tour the Arctic as the region copes with changing climate and shifting security demands
Source: US Air Force
May 1, 2019
A contingent of senior Air Force leaders and other high-ranking officials are visiting multiple locations across the Arctic April 27-May 3 in an attempt to better understand operational challenges and refine approaches for meeting the changing security dynamics in the region

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Free Market Groups Oppose House Attempt to Reinstate Harmful Paris Treaty
Source: Competitive Enterprise Institute
May 1, 2019
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), joined by 16 organizations – including Heritage Action, FreedomWorks, and Americans for Limited Government – sent a letter today to the House of Representatives opposing H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act. The legislation, if enacted, would reverse the decision made by President Trump to withdraw the United States from the damaging Paris climate treaty.

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Phillips Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act
Source: Dean Phillips (D-MN, 3rd)
May 1, 2019
“We didn’t leave the Stone Age because we ran out of rocks. We found a better way of doing things,” said Phillips. “Climate change is an urgent problem and we need to reach a solution as quickly as possible. The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act empowers a new generation of innovators to do just that. Everyone has a stake in preserving our planet and finding ways to make a green economy possible.”

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Mucarsel-Powell Urges Prioritization of Climate Change Research in FY2020 Appropriations
Source: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL, 26th)
May 1, 2019
“Not only is President Trump denying the threat to South Florida posed by climate change is real, but he is impeding our country’s ability to fight it by not prioritizing scientific research,” said Mucarsel-Powell. “The effects of climate change are getting worse by the day: our coastlines are crumbling faster, our drinking water is becoming dirtier, and extreme weather patterns are becoming more common. We must spur innovation to address climate change now. Trump’s attempts to eliminate climate change research from the budget are reckless and put South Florida in danger. Congress should do right by South Florida and fully fund climate research today.”

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AMS celebrates two years of building the case for conservative, pro-growth solutions to climate change
Source: Alliance for Market Solutions
May 1, 2019
AMS supports a pro-growth policy that would eliminate harmful regulations and replace them with a revenue-neutral carbon tax that enables markets, instead of government, to allocate resources, stimulate innovation and capital investment, support clean energy, and effectively reduce carbon pollution.

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Congressman Francis Rooney Urges Congress to Consider the Effects of Damaging Chemicals on our Coral Reefs
Source: Francis Rooney (R-FL, 19th)
April 29, 2019
Congressman Rooney sent a letter to Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Bishop of the House Natural Resources Committee requesting a hearing on the Defending Our National Marine Sanctuaries from Harmful Chemicals Act (H.R. 1834).

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Pallone and Piscataway Officials Stress Need for Federal Energy Efficiency Program to Combat Climate Change in New Jersey
Source: Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ, 6th)
April 29, 2019
Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), State Senator Bob Smith, and Mayor Brian Wahler touted the need to pass legislation to authorize funding for state and local energy efficiency and conservation programs to help reduce the effects of climate change in New Jersey.

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Congressman Pappas reacts to EPA's PFAS standards and reports of DoD pressure to weaken them
Source: Chris Pappas (D-NH, 1st)
April 26, 2019
On Thursday the EPA announced new standards on the issue of PFAS that are at odds with recent health studies. A recent report by the New York Times reveals that the Department of Defense played a part in pressuring the EPA to weaken the newly released standards. New Hampshire's First Congressional District has been significantly impacted by the presence of PFAS contaminants, including communities across the Seacoast near Pease Air National Guard Base and communities around the St. Gobain factory in Merrimack.

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Kaptur Introduces Legislation to Reestablish Civilian Conservation Corps
Source: Marcy Kaptur (D-OH, 9th)
April 24, 2019
“The magnitude of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the incredible work it accomplished is hard to overstate,” said Rep. Kaptur. “At the height of the Great Depression, the CCC successfully lifted millions of Americans out of poverty while constructing hundreds of national, state, and local parks – parks that countless Americans enjoy to this day. The 21st Century CCC will emulate the success of the original program, while taking steps to address the unique and important issues we face today, including the effects of climate change.”

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REPRESENTATIVE ADRIANO ESPAILLAT ADDRESSES IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Source: Adrianno Espaillat (D-NY, 13th)
April 24, 2019
During remarks before the Full House Foreign Affairs Committee Markup to address various issues, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) spoke on the urgency to put forth policies that will address the existential threat of climate change and the impact to communities around the nation.

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CASTEN, NEGUSE, AND LEVIN LEAD FRESHMAN LETTER URGING PRIORITIZATION OF CLIMATE ISSUES IN FY2020 APPROPRIATIONS
Source: Sean Casten (D-IL, 6th)
April 24, 2019
“As you consider the Fiscal Year 2020 (FY 2020) Appropriations bills, we urge you to provide robust funding for our nation’s climate change research programs,” reads the opening of the letter from Neguse, Levin and Casten. “We have an opportunity and a moral obligation to act on climate, and this responsibility must be built on the foundation of robust and sustained climate research funding. As the freshman class of the 116th congress, we urge appropriators to recognize the timely nature of this crisis by robustly funding climate science in FY 2020 and beyond,” the letter goes on to say.

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AI, Trump, Ebola, NAFTA, Seniors, Preschool, Disaster Aid, Energy, Infrastructure, Israel, Veterans, Climate, Medicine, Internet, Sexual Harassment

Today's News from the News-Makers For April 15, 2019

Press Call: Public Citizen, U.S. Rep. Pascrell and Others to Demand Congressional Action After IRS Fails to Deliver Trump Tax Returns
by: Public Citizen
April 15, 2019
On Tax Day 2019, Public Citizen will join U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), Stand Up America and Tax March for a press call to urge U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) to continue pushing for President Donald Trump’s tax returns and demand that the IRS immediately comply with Neal’s request after failing to meet the deadline for their release.

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In response to yesterday's decision that the Ebola outbreak is not yet a global emergency
by: OxFam America
April 14, 2019
“In the last three weeks, 204 new cases of Ebola have been recorded - an alarming increase and the worst period of the outbreak. These worrying figures show that the current response is not working.

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Pascrell Leads Call for NAFTA Labor Reforms
by: Gary Palmer (R-AL, 6th)
April 12, 2019
“This bill would empower seniors by giving them more control over their healthcare decisions. People should not be forced to give up their private insurance because their Social Security is being held hostage,” Palmer said.

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Palmer Stands for Healthcare Choice for Seniors
by: Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ, 9th)
April 12, 2019
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), New Jersey’s only member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), led 84 of their colleagues in a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer making clear that Mexico must pass meaningful labor reforms before consideration of any renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

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Early Childhood Advocates Call On The Audacious Project to Reconsider Major Award for Online Preschool
by: Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
April 12, 2019
In their call for The Audacious Project to postpone funding, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) and Defending the Early Years (DEY) point to their October 2018 Position Statement on Online Preschool, which has been endorsed by more than 100 experts in child development and early education. The experts and advocates say that online preschool programs like UPSTART are poor substitutes for high-quality early education, and that funding online programs instead of high-quality early education will make inequality worse, not better.

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Senators Decry Lack Of Action On Disaster Aid For Suffering States
by: Senator David Perdue (R-GA)
April 11, 2019
The senators have worked to negotiate in good faith since 2018 on a bipartisan disaster relief package to provide funding across the continental United States as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands for regions that have experienced droughts, flooding, hurricanes, storms, volcanoes, wildfires, and other natural disasters. Many of these states, including Georgia, have not received the federal disaster assistance they were promised months ago. Other states would see a down payment on disasters that have occurred more recently, such as in the Midwest where flooding is ongoing, and in Alabama and Georgia where tornadoes devastated lives and communities earlier this year.

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Peters Calls on Colleagues to Support His Bipartisan Legislation to Expand R&D for Fuel Efficient Technologies
by: Senator Gary Peters (D-MI)
April 11, 2019
“Transportation is responsible for roughly two thirds of our national consumption of petroleum and one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. But imagine a future where we could produce low cost – secure – clean energy technologies to move people and goods easily across our nation. Imagine if we could then sell our advanced American technology and products to the rest of the world,” said Senator Peters. “That is a future – that working together – we can achieve… Rapidly emerging technologies have the potential not only help reduce air emissions – their development would help create jobs in Michigan and across the nation—jobs that cannot be outsourced.”

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Portman, Hassan Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Transparency of Federal Advisory Committees
by: Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
April 11, 2019
“American taxpayers deserve greater transparency and accountability from their government, and improving the transparency of federal advisory committees is essential to accomplishing that goal,” said Senator Portman. “I’m particularly pleased that this bipartisan measure will strengthen the independence of federal advisory committees and close loopholes that permit agencies to skirt existing transparency requirements. At the end of the day American taxpayers deserve evidence-based, rather than interest-based, decisions by their government, and this bill will help to ensure that.”

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Palazzo, Leaders Across Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas Reintroduce I-14 Legislation
by: Steven Palazzo (R-MS, 4th)
April 11, 2019
“This legislation paves the way for endless economic opportunities in our region,” said Palazzo. “By approving this designation, we can spur development and connect our military installments to our ports and large commerce centers located throughout the route. I look forward to seeing the designation give Mississippi’s transportation routes a competitive edge.”

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Pocan and Jayapal Denounce Netanyahu Annexation Threats, Urge Adherence to Human Rights and International Law
by: Mark Pocan (D-WI, 2nd)
April 11, 2019
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s campaign threat to annex the West Bank signals an alarming and unprecedented violation of human rights and international law. This move to entrench Israeli control over disenfranchised Palestinians would be a moral catastrophe, push a two-state solution further out of reach, and undermine Israel’s international standing.

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Pappas, Fitzpatrick, Kuster and Delgado Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Assist Veterans & Service Members Exposed to PFAS Contaminants
by: Chris Pappas (D-NH, 1st)
April 10, 2019
Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) introduced the PFAS Registry Act with a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers including Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), and Rep. Antonio Delgado (NY-19), legislation that would create a national database for service members and veterans experiencing health problems possibly due to contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS chemicals, like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), have emerged as a widespread contaminant to the drinking water sources of military bases across the country due to their use in firefighting foam employed by the Armed Services. This bipartisan bill would allow military personnel and veterans to receive updates on recent scientific developments on the effects of PFAS exposure, availability of possible treatment options, and information on what resources may be available to address their health concerns. Congressman Pappas has led efforts in Congress that seek to uncover the health impacts of emerging contaminants in water supplies. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) is introducing companion legislation in the Senate, which is cosponsored by Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD).

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Rep. Peters Unveils The Climate Playbook: Recommendations for Immediate Congressional Action
by: Scott Peters (D-CA, 52nd)
April 10, 2019
Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) unveiled The Climate Playbook, a comprehensive plan he compiled of already existing legislation authored by both Republicans and Democrats, many of which have already earned bipartisan support. These legislative proposals together would take immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gasses and slow—even reverse—the effects of climate change. They are organized into categories that include ways to reduce emissions from a variety of economic sectors, promote energy efficiency, reduce pollution, increase investment in research and development, spur more investment in adaptation and resiliency, develop a workforce to make all this possible, and support workers and communities displaced or impacted by this transition to clean energy.

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Rep. Phillips Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Bill to Repeal the Medical Device Tax
by: Dean Phillips (D-MN, 3rd)
April 10, 2019
“The medical device tax has overstayed its welcome, and I am pleased to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to push for its permanent repeal,” said Phillips. “Too many jobs have been lost and too much innovation has been stifled due to this tax which disproportionately impacts our community. Our government should be supporting progress and new technology, especially in health care. The medical device tax is counterproductive to that mission, and that’s why it has to go.”

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Bill to Protect Free and Open Internet Passes House with Rep. Porter Amendment
by: Katie Porter (D-CA, 45th)
April 10, 2019
“As we vote to restore a free and open internet, we should also vote to provide oversight of agency tasked to protect consumers,” Porter said. “It is important that the FCC acts as the cop on the beat when internet service providers misbehave. When the FCC fines against a bad actor, that fine should be collected. If the FCC is not following through on protecting consumers, Congress should know – so it can take oversight action, if necessary.”

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Pressley, Clark, Murray, Democrats—Joined by Workers, Survivors, and Advocates—Introduce Sweeping Legislation to Address Harassment in the Workplace
by: Ayanna Pressley (D-MA, 7th)
April 9, 2019
“Our bill will put us one step closer to making toxic workplace harassment and discrimination a dark memory of the past,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “This is for the brave women of the Boston Fire Department, for the hotel workers I worked alongside when I was scrapping money together to help my family, for the transgender men and women who face discrimination for living their truth. This is for those workers who shared their stories and instead of justice, faced retaliation. Now is the time to push the conversations and the policies so that those who have been suffering in silence feel seen and represented in our democracy.”

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AI ethics guidance a first step but needs to be transformed into tangible rights for people
by: Access Now
April 8, 2019
On Monday, April 8th, the European Commission’s High Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (HLEG) will publish its “Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI”. Access Now, ANEC, and BEUC, all members of the expert group, support these guidelines but stress that they can only be a first step. The European Union has the responsibility to ensure that fundamental and consumer rights are respected and bring benefits to people.

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Congressman Lowenthal Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Require Online Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Pollution from Energy Production on Public Lands

Source: Alan Lowenthal (D-CA, 47th)



Washington, D.C. - October 27, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), joined by members of the Safe Climate Caucus and bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, has introduced legislation to promote greater transparency in federal energy leasing programs by requiring the Department of the Interior (DOI) to publicly disclose the amounts and sources of greenhouse gas pollution from fossil fuel development on public lands.

Although the exact number is uncertain, numerous studies estimate that nearly 25 percent of the U.S. energy-related greenhouse gas emissions are from fossil fuel production on U.S. federal lands and waters.

The Transparency in Energy Production Act of 2017 would require the DOI to create an online database of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels extracted from public lands, including all vented, flared, and leaked natural gas and all fossil fuels used on-site. The bill would also mandate an annual DOI report on the amounts of energy produced by renewable energy projects on public lands. The DOI would also be required to submit an annual report to Congress on the department’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from fossil fuel development on public lands.

“The foundation of any successful plan to reduce emissions is to first quantify the amount of greenhouse gas emissions being emitted and where are they coming from,” Congressman Lowenthal said. “Increasing the transparency around energy production programs on federal lands and waters, especially when it comes to methane emissions, would go a long way toward eliminating what has often been called the “blind spot” of our federal energy program.“

In a 2016 report entitled Oil and Gas: Interior could do more to account for and manage natural gas emissions, the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that the DOI does not collect the necessary information to understand and limit emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This lack of information keeps the American public from learning the amount of climate-damaging greenhouse gas pollution originating from their public lands.

This legislation is even more critical since the DOI’s Bureau of Land Management today officially rescinded its Obama-era instructions to consider climate change and to weigh the potential for increasing greenhouse gas emissions before approving energy projects.

“My legislation would direct the Department of the Interior to develop an online database that collects and centralizes the production and emissions data from fossil fuel development on public lands. The American people deserve transparency and have the absolute right to know how their government is impacting the environment,” Congressman Lowenthal said.

“This bipartisan legislation will increase the transparency of federal management of taxpayer-owned energy resources by requiring agencies disclose production and emissions information. No responsible manager would hide this information from the asset owners,” Senior Director of The Wilderness Society’s Energy and Climate Program Chase Huntley said.

Congressman Lowenthal’s Transparency in Energy Production Act of 2017 is cosponsored by Congress Members Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Niki Tsongas (D-MA).

Budget, Flood Insurance, Canada, Fishing, Gerrymandering, Veterans, NATO, Small Business, Climate, Skin Cancer

Doyle Responds to Trump Budget
Mike Doyle (D-PA, 14th)
May 23, 2017
“President Trump calls his budget “A New Foundation for American Greatness. It’d be more accurate to call it a budget that undermines the foundations of American greatness. President Trump’s budget would gut the federal investments in education, science, and infrastructure that promote economic growth. It would slash safety net programs and the programs that make life better for millions of hard-working Americans. On top of all that, it would do nothing to create jobs and raise wages.
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Congressman Sean Duffy’s Statement On NFIP Discussion Draft
Sean P. Duffy (R-WI, 7th)
May 25, 2017
“We’re releasing this discussion draft so that all sides can continue to provide input into protecting the program integrity of the NFIP. So far, we have incorporated ideas from both Republicans and Democrats, Members from inland and coastal areas, and stakeholders across several industries. The ideas stemming from this open process will ensure that everyone who needs flood insurance will have access to it while ensuring that the NFIP does not fall further into debt.”
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Duncan, Meeks, Cramer, and Huizenga Introduce Canada Resolution Supporting Bilateral Partnership
Jeff Duncan (R-SC, 3rd)
May 25, 2017
“Canada is one of our closest friends. We share the longest undefended border, largest bilateral trading relationship, and one of the deepest security and energy partnerships in the world. Today, 32 U.S. States consider Canada their primary trading partner. Canada has been a critical ally of ours in the fight against terrorism, and our border security cooperation is one of the most comprehensive in existence. Our energy ties are especially strong, and I am excited about the future of our energy relationship. As our Canadian neighbors celebrate 150 years of the Canadian Federation, I am thankful for the many ways Canada has supported the United States and look forward to building an even stronger relationship in the days ahead.”
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DR. DUNN FIGHTS FOR LOCAL ANGLERS
Neal Dunn (R-FL, 2nd)
May 25, 2017
“We strongly urge you to use any authority at your disposal to expand the 2017 private recreational Red Snapper season in federal waters to include Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in June, July, and August, as well as July 3 and July 4, consistent with the current health and overall sustainability of the stock,” wrote the lawmakers. “While this proposal does not address the longer term issues, we hope this proposed solutions for the 2017 season will be something you will strongly consider.”
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Rep. Ellison Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on North Carolina’s Racist Gerrymandering
Keith Ellison (D-MN, 5th)
May 23, 2017
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after the Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling that two of the congressional districts redrawn by Republicans after the 2010 census were unconstitutional. The Supreme Court found the boundaries of these congressional districts had been been drawn using race as a factor, disenfranchising Black voters.
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Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Honor Veterans
Tom Emmer (R-MN, 6th)
May 26, 2017
This week, U.S. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Tom Emmer (R-MN) and U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) reintroduced H.R. 2754, the Atomic Veterans Service Medal Act, a bipartisan and bicameral bill that would authorize the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who were exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of participation in the testing of nuclear weapons or under other circumstances.
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ENGEL STATEMENT ON TRUMP'S NATO SPEECH
Eliot Engel (D-NY, 16th)
May 26, 2017
“While I do agree that NATO allies need to keep working toward their defense-spending goals—as set out at the Wales Summit under President Obama’s leadership—there’s a time and a place for that conversation. It shouldn’t be done in a way designed to embarrass our closest friends while standing before a memorial to 9/11—the single time in NATO’s history Article 5 has been invoked.”
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Eshoo Statement on Updated Trumpcare CBO Score
Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA, 18th)
May 25th, 2017
“The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has once again put out the facts on Trumpcare, and they further confirm how damaging the legislation is.
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Esty Statement on CBO Score of Revised GOP Health Care Bill

Foxx, Walberg Statement on American Health Care Act CBO Report

CONGRESSMAN EVANS INTRODUCES BILL TO HELP SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND ENTREPRENEURS
Dwight Evans (D PA, 2nd)
May 25, 2017
The Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017 requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to work together to create valuable training for domestic and international patent protection for our small businesses. The bill will also require the USPTO to work with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network to provide critical training on both domestic and international intellectual property protections for small business owners and entrepreneurs.
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Fitzpatrick Statement on Paris Climate Agreement
Brian Fitzpatrick, (R PA, 8th)
May 28, 2017
"I urge the Administration to keep the United States in the Paris Climate Agreement. Last month, I joined members of both parties in urging the President to remain in the agreement and to keep our seat at the table, and our words are worth repeating: ‘The world's leading nations must work together... It is imperative that we maintain our seat at the table in global discussions of how to address the threats posed by climate change.' I share Secretary of Defense Mattis' view that this challenge must be addressed proactively and head-on, and I agree with both our Secretary of State and Secretary of Energy that retaining our seat at this table is vitally important. A renegotiation is a better option and will benefit our nation in the long run.”
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OP-ED: Skin Cancer Awareness Month
Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN, 3rd)
May 23, 2017
Listen up, Dad! Your teen daughter isn’t the only one at risk for skin cancer. An estimated 87,110 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma this year, with 1,840 cases expected in Tennessee alone. But did you know that more than half of those cases will be men? Males age 50 and older are at increased risk of skin cancer, and by age 65 skin cancer rates in men are double that of women. This Skin Cancer Awareness Month, educate yourself and your loved ones about skin cancer prevention.
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Honoring our Commitments to American Veterans
Bill Flores (R-TX, 17th)
May 26, 2017
“Our nation’s veterans have given so much to protect our freedoms and liberties. They deserve to know that their health care and benefits are in good hands. This week, the House passed several bills to help our veterans and put the VA on a path to permanent success. I remain committed to working with my fellow House colleagues to create a 21st century VA that improves access to high-quality care and puts the care of our nation’s veterans first. With Memorial Day approaching, it is fitting that the House works to honor the commitments made to our military men and women.”
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