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 require NOAA to create an electronic database of research and information on the causes of, and corrective actions being taken with regard to algal blooms in the Great Lakes, their tributaries, and other surface fresh waters.

would provide for improved coordination of agency actions in preparation and adoption of environmental documents for permitting determinations.

would direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish and implement an oil and gas leasing program that will result in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas in the Coastal Plain of Alaska.

would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to encourage charitable contributions of real property for conservation purposes by Native Corporations.

would reauthorize the African Elephant Conservation Act, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994, the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997, the Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000, and the Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004.

would amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prescribe an additional requirement for the designation of marine sanctuaries off the coast of Alaska.

would prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce from authorizing commercial finfish aquaculture operations in the Exclusive Economic Zone except in accordance with a law authorizing such action.

would provide for congressional approval of national monuments, restrictions on the use of national monuments, and establish requirements for declaration of marine national monuments.

would amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act  to allow importation of polar bear trophies taken during sport hunts in Canada before the date the polar bear was determined to be a threatened species under the ESA.

would amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow the importation of polar bear trophies taken during sport hunts in Canada.