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 direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to provide institutes of higher education, elementary and secondary schools, and hospitals zero-interest loans for conversion to use of biomass for energy generation.

would permanently prohibit oil and gas leasing off the coast of Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte Counties in the state of California.

would amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the leasing of any area of the outer continental shelf for the exploration, development, or production of oil, gas, or any other mineral.

would require OMB to prepare a crosscut budget for restoration activities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and require EPA to develop and implement an adaptive management plan.

would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating Oak Point and North Brother Island in the Bronx in the state of New York as a unit of the National Park System.

would authorize the conveyance of certain National Forest System lands in the Los Padres National Forest in California.

would authorize the Secretary of Energy to make loan guarantees for cellulosic ethanol production technology development.

would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of water resources in the Rialto-Colton Basin in the state of California.

would suspend, during the 2-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, any EPA action under the CAA with respect to carbon dioxide or methane pursuant to certain proceedings, other than with respect to motor vehicle emissions.

would expand the boundaries of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary.