Infrastructure needs of the U.S. energy sector, western water and public lands
The purpose of this hearing is to examine the infrastructure needs of the U.S. energy sector, western water and public lands, and to consider the legislative proposal attached, the Energy Infrastructure Act.
Opening Remarks- Sen. Joe Manchin, Chairman, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
- Dr. Kathleen Hogan, Acting Undersecretary for Science and Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
- Tanya Trujillo, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science, U.S. Department of the Interior
- Chris French, Deputy Chief, National Forest System, U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President, American Action Forum
- Collin O’Mara, President and CEO, National Wildlife Federation
- Mark P. Mills, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute
Examining Markets, Transparency, and Prices from Cattle Producer to Consumer
Witnesses
- Justin Tupper, Vice President, United States Cattlemen’s Association, St. Onge, SD
- Mark Gardiner, Partner, Gardiner Angus Ranch, Ashland, KS
- Dr. Glynn T. Tonsor, Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University
- Dr. Dustin Aherin, Vice President, RaboResearch, Animal Protein Analyst, Rabobank, Chesterfield, MO
- Dr. Mary K. Hendrickson, Associate Professor, Division of Applied Social Sciences, University of Missouri
Existing programs and future opportunities to ensure access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy for rural and low-income communities
Witnesses
- Alejandro Moreno, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power, Department of Energy
- Brian Kealoha, Executive Director, Hawaii Energy
- Mac McLennan, President & CEO, Minnkota Power Cooperative
Efficacy of the Farm Safety Net
Subcommittee hearing.
Witnesses- Jeff Kirwan, Farmer, Kirwan Farms, New Windsor, IL
- Brian Talley, President, Talley Farms and Talley Vineyards, Arroyo Grande, CA
- Wes Shannon, Farmer, Shannon Farms, Tifton, GA
- Robert Tate, Crop Insurance Agent, Crop Revenue Consultants, Cannon Falls, MN
- Dr. Gary Schnitkey, Professor, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
Markup of PFAS and Drinking Water Legislation
- Opening Statement from Chairman Pallone
- Opening Statement from Subcommittee Chairman Tonko
Examining the Department of the Interior’s Spending Priorities and the President’s Fiscal Year Budget 2022 Proposal
Witnesses
- Deb Haaland, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior
- Rachael Taylor, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Policy, Management and Budget, U.S. Department of the Interior
Oceans and Climate Legislation
On Tuesday, June 22, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. (EDT), the Committee on Natural Resources will hold a virtual, fully remote legislative hearing on the following bills:
- H.R. 660 (Rep. Stacey Plaskett, D-VI), To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to benefit coastal habitats, resiliency, and the economy, and for other purposes. Shovel-Ready Restoration Grants for Coastlines and Fisheries Act of 2021.
- H.R. 1415 (Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-WA), 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. 1689 (Rep. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, R-PR), To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to apply to territories of the United States, to establish offshore wind lease sale requirements, to provide dedicated funding for coral reef conservation, and for other purposes. Offshore Wind for Territories Act.
- H.R. 2750 (Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-OR), To establish an Interagency Working Group on Coastal Blue Carbon, and for other purposes. Blue Carbon for Our Planet Act.
- H.R. 3160 (Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-ME), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to establish a Working Waterfront Task Force and a working waterfronts grant program, and for other purposes. Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act.
- H.R. 3228 (Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-NY), 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. 3692 (Rep. Julia Brownley, D-CA), To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a climate impact management plan for the conservation of certain marine mammal species, and for other purposes. Marine Mammal Climate Change Protection Act.
- H.R. 3748 (Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-OR), To improve data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, and for other purposes. BLUE GLOBE ACT.
- H.R. 3764 (Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-AZ), To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide for ocean-based climate solutions to reduce carbon emissions and global warming; to make coastal communities more resilient; and to provide for the conservation and restoration of the ocean and coastal habitats, biodiversity, and marine mammal and fish populations; and for other purposes. Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act of 2021.
- H.R. 3817 (Rep. Charlie Crist, D-FL), To allow coastal States to participate in regional ocean partnerships with one or more other coastal States that share a common ocean or coastal area with the coastal State to conserve living resources, expand and protect valuable habitats, enhance coastal resilience, and address such other issues related to the shared ocean or coastal area as are determined to be a shared, regional priority by those States. Regional Ocean Partnership Act.
- H.R. 3864 (Rep. Anthony Brown, D-MD), To express the sense of Congress that the Chesapeake Bay Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall be the primary representative of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the Chesapeake Bay, to require the Secretary of the Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to provide grants supporting research on the conservation, restoration, or management of oysters in estuarine ecosystems, and for other purposes. Chesapeake Bay Oyster Research Act.
- H.R. 3892 (Rep. Don Beyer, D-VA), To improve the National Oceans and Coastal Security Act, and for other purposes. National Oceans and Coastal Security Improvements Act.
- H.R. 3906 (Rep. Jared Huffman, D-CA), To establish a Blue Carbon program to conserve and restore marine and coastal blue carbon ecosystems, and other purposes. Blue Carbon Protection Act.
Witnesses
Panel I: Congressional Panel- Rep. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (H.R. 1689)
- Rep. Chellie Pingree (H.R. 3160)
- Rep. Don Beyer (H.R. 3892)
- Rep. Jared Huffman (H.R. 3906)
- Stephen Guertin, Deputy Director for Policy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Nicole LeBoeuf. Acting Administrator, National Ocean Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- State Senator Chris Lee, Hawaii State Legislature
- Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Co-Founder, Urban Ocean Lab
- Marce Gutierrez-Graudins, Founder and Executive Director Azul
- Mauricio Guardado, General Manager, United Water Conservation District
Renewable Energy - Growth and Opportunities for our Rural Economies
Witnesses
- Shannon Schlecht, Executive Director, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Crookston, MN
- Katie Sieben, Chairwoman, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
- Emily Skor, Chief Executive Officer, Growth Energy
- Bill Cherrier, Executive Vice President and CEO, Central Iowa Power Cooperative
- Matthew Mancuso, Dean, Industrial Technology, Iowa Western Community College
Nominations of Jeffrey Prieto to be EPA General Counsel, Jane Nishida to be EPA Assistant Administrator for International and Tribal Affairs, and Alejandra Castillo to be Commerce Assistant Secretary for Economic Development
On Wednesday, June 16, at 10:00 AM ET, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing on the following nominations:
- Jeffrey Prieto, General Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency. He was a member of the Biden Agriculture transition team. He was a long-time Department of Justice environmental lawyer who helped set up its environmental justice division.
- Jane Nishida, Assistant Administrator for International and Tribal Affairs of the Environmental Protection Agency
- Alejandra Castillo, Assistant Secretary for Economic Development of the Department of Commerce
Environmental Justice for Coal Country: Supporting Communities Through the Energy Transition
On Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT), the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will host a virtual, fully remote oversight hearing titled, “Environmental Justice for Coal Country: Supporting Communities Through the Energy Transition.”