Hill Heat

hearing page

Witnesses

• Chris Currie, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Team, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
• Carra Sims, Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist, The RAND Corporation
• Craig Fugate, Senior Advisor, Blue Dot Strategies and Former Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency

Commission meeting held in Commission Meeting Room (Room 2C) at FERC Headquarters, 888 First St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426

Agenda:

• Authorization of the Massachusetts Weymouth natural gas compressor station
• PJM Interconnection’s market seller offer cap

Live webcast

The hearing on the Energy Product Reliability Act, initially scheduled for December 7, 2021, was previously postponed. The legislation would require the implementation of standards for securing fossil-fuel pipelines from cyberattacks.

Legislation:

• H.R. 6084, the “Energy Product Reliability Act”

Hearing page

• H.R. 4521, the “Bioeconomy Research and Development Act of 2021”
• H.R. 847, the “Promoting Digital Privacy Technologies Act”
• H.R. 4270, the “Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act”
• H.R. 4819, the “National Nuclear University Research Infrastructure Reinvestment Act of 2021”
• H.R. 6291, the “Microelectronics Research for Energy Innovation Act” or “Micro Act”

On Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. EST via WebEx, the Committee on Natural Resources will meet to consider the following bills:

• H.R. 2872 (Rep. Cartwright), To establish an integrated national approach to respond to ongoing and expected effects of extreme weather and climate change by protecting, managing, and conserving the fish, wildlife, and plants of the United States, and to maximize Government efficiency and reduce costs, in cooperation with State, local, and Tribal Governments and other entities, and for other purposes. SAFE Act, or Safeguarding America’s Future and Environment Act.
• H.R. 3228 (Rep. Velázquez), To direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to improve science, data, and services that enable sound decision making in response to coastal flood risk, including impacts of sea level rise, storm events, changing Great Lakes water levels, and land subsidence. National Coastal Resilience Data and Services Act.
• H.R. 1415 (Rep. Kilmer), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to authorize grants to Indian Tribes to further achievement of Tribal coastal zone objectives, and for other purposes. Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act.
• H.R. 268 (Rep. Vela), To provide for the boundary of the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park to be adjusted, to authorize the donation of land to the United States for addition to that historic park, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 441 (Rep. Young), To provide for the conveyance of certain property to the Tanana Tribal Council located in Tanana, Alaska, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 2512 (Rep. Estes), To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Chisholm National Historic Trail and the Western National Historic Trail, and for other purposes. Chisholm National Historic Trail and Western National Historic Trail Designation Act.
• H.R. 2551 (Rep. Curtis), To designate and adjust certain lands in the State of Utah as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes. Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act.
• H.R. 2773 (Rep. Dingell), To amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to make supplemental funds available for management of fish and wildlife species of greatest conservation need as determined by State fish and wildlife agencies, and for other purposes. Recovering America’s Wildlife Act of 2021.
• H.R. 2793 (Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney), To reauthorize the Highlands Conservation Act, to authorize States to use funds from that Act for administrative purposes, and for other purposes. Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2021.
• H.R. 4009 (Rep. Norton), To authorize the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes.Georgetown Waterfront Enslaved Voyages Memorial Act.
• H.R. 4358 (Rep. Buchanan), To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Little Manatee River as a component of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. Little Manatee Wild and Scenic River Act.
• H.R. 4380 (Rep. Escobar), To designate the El Paso Community Healing Garden National Memorial, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 4404 (Rep. Soto), To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Kissimmee River in the State of Florida as a component of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act.
• H.R. 5118 (Rep. Neguse), To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize the completion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, and for other purposes. Continental Divide Trail Completion Act.

The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a virtual hearing entitled, “Ensuring Equitable Delivery of Disaster Benefits to Vulnerable Communities and Peoples: An Examination of GAO’s Findings of the CDBG-DR Program.” on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. via Cisco WebEx.

Increasingly, large-scale natural disasters have resulted in catastrophic damage around the United States, often with disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations and contributing to wealth inequality. This hearing will assess a study2 of aspects of the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program undertaken by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) at the request of Chairwoman Maxine Waters and Representative Al Green in January 2020.

Memorandum

Witnesses

• Daniel Garcia-Diaz, Managing Director, Financial Markets and Community Investment, U.S. Government Accountability Office
• Diane Yentel, President and CEO, National Low Income Housing Coalition
• Chrishelle Calhoun-Palay, Director, HOME Coalition
• Andreanecia Morris, Executive Director, Housing NOLA
• Stephen Begg, Deputy Inspector General, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General

Hearing page

Join the U.S. EPA and U.S. Department of the Army for an opportunity to comment on the proposed “Waters of the United States” definition. This is the third of three public hearings.

Please visit Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2021-0602 on Regulations.gov for additional information about how to submit a public comment. The comment period on this proposed rule will close on February 7, 2022.

A public hearing to provide interested parties the opportunity to present data, views, or arguments concerning the proposed rule typically consists of morning, afternoon and evening sessions. In a virtual environment, these hearing sessions will be held on different days. To allow more time for speakers, the agencies prerecorded a video introduction and overview of the rule.

RSVP

Speaker list:

Hearing Session 1: 5:00 PM – 6:25 PM ET

1. Kristine Oblock, Environment America
2. Jen Pelz, Rio Grande Waterkeeper/WildEarth Guardians
3. David Brooks, Montana Trout Unlimited
4. Ryan Yates, American Farm Bureau Federation
5. Chris Edgington, National Corn Growers Association
6. David Simpson, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
7. Lauren Williams, New York Farm Bureau
8. Anne Coan, NC Farm Bureau Federation
9. Carl Harris, Carl Harris Co., Inc.
10. Gregory Ugalde, National Association of Home Builders
11. Tim Kellogg, WDH Real Estate
12. Kaitlynn Glover, Public Lands Council/ National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
13. Brandon Reeves, Virginia Cattlemen’s Association
14. Sparky Wellman, independent cattle producer; Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Member
15. Jim Magagna, Wyoming Stock Growers Association
16. Lucy Evert
17. Kelly Moser, Southern Environmental Law Center
18. Garrett Hawkins, Missouri Farm Bureau
19. Lowry Crook, Best Best & Krieger LLP
20. Alex Ortiz, Sierra Club
21. Nelson Brooke, Black Warrior Riverkeeper

Hearing Session 2: 6:35 PM – 8 pm ET

1. Victoria Okula, Arizona Farm Bureau
2. Thomas Allen, Cook Allen Engineers and Surveyors
3. Mervin Wright, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
4. Alexander Funk, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
5. Michelle Diffenderfer, Lewis Longman & Walker
6. Charlie Besher , Besher Farms
7. Kim Bednarek, Okefenokee
8. Aaron Mintzes, Earthworks
9. Lisa Gover
10. Alan Hunt, Musconetcong Watershed Association
11. Vicki Watson, University of Montana

Hearing page

Nominees:

• Lael Brainard, Vice Chairman Designate, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
• Sandra Thompson, Director Designate, Federal Housing Finance Agency

Hearing page

Witnesses:

• Michael Connor, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works
• Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon, Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers