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Latest Action: 07/08/2008 - Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 742.

Bill Text
A bill to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases, and for other purposes. 5/20/2008--Introduced. Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish: (1) a federal greenhouse gas (GHG) registry, for which certain facilities must report information regarding fossil fuels and GHGs produced and consumed; and (2) specified quantities of GHG emission allowances, which decline for each of 2012 to 2050. Requires the Administrator to establish a GHG emission allowance transfer system for the following: (1) facilities that use more than 5,000 tons of coal in a year; (2) facilities in the natural gas sector; (3) facilities that produce or entities that import petroleum- or coal-based fuel the combustion of which will emit group I GHGs; (4) facilities that produce or entities that import, in any year, more than [...]

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Latest Action: 06/23/2008 - Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5971)

Bill Text
A resolution recognizing soil as an essential natural resource, and soils professionals as playing a critical role in managing our Nation's soil resources.

1/31/2008--Introduced.

Recognizes: (1) the necessity to develop and implement best practices for the long-term use of the nation's soil resources; and (2) the important role of soil scientists and soils professionals.

Latest Action: 05/23/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act to establish a biofuels promotion program to promote sustainable production of biofuels and biomass, and for other purposes. 5/23/2007--Introduced. Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a biofuels innovation program which shall: (1) encourage production of dedicated energy crops in a sustainable manner that protects the soil, air, water, and wildlife; (2) provide financial and technical assistance to owners and operators of eligible cropland to produce energy crops and crop mixes to support development and expansion of crop use for biofuels, power or heat generation to supplement or replace nonbiobased energy sources, and biobased products to supplement or replace non-biobased products; (3) establish biofuels innovation program project areas; and (4) provide financial and technical assistance to owners and operators for harvesting, storing, and [...]

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Latest Action: 07/24/2007 - Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection. Hearings held.

Bill Text
A bill to provide for a program to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by establishing a market-driven system of greenhouse gas tradeable allowances, to support the deployment of new climate change-related technologies, and to ensure benefits to consumers from the trading in such allowances, and for other purposes. 1/12/2007--Introduced. Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish and maintain the National Greenhouse Gas Database to collect, verify, and analyze information on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Establishes a program for market-driven reduction of GHGs through the use of tradeable allowances. Requires certain covered entities that own or control a source of GHG emissions in the electric power, industrial, and commercial sectors of the U.S. economy to submit to the Administrator, beginning in 2012, one tradeable allowance for every [...]

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Latest Action: 01/17/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S681)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to establish a program to regulate the emission of greenhouse gases from electric utilities. 1/17/2007--Introduced. Electric Utility Cap and Trade Act of 2007 - Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish an allowance trading program to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electric generating facilities that: (1) have a nameplate capacity greater than 25 megawatts; (2) combust GHG emitting fuels; and (3) generate electricity for sale. Provides for annual tonnage limitations for GHG emissions from such facilities for 2011-2020.Requires the Administrator to establish: (1) a Climate Science Advisory Panel; (2) a safe climate level; (3) a Climate Action Trust Fund for the Administrator to use to carry out this Act; and (4) an innovative low- and zero-emitting carbon technologies program, a clean coal technologies program, and an energy efficiency technology program.[...]

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Latest Action: 02/08/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1800-1808)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to promote local and regional support for sustainable bioenergy and biobased products, to support the future of farming, forestry, and land management, to develop and support local bioenergy, biobased products, and food systems, and for other purposes. 2/8/2007--Introduced. Rural Opportunities Act of 2007 - Amends the Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) make state grants for extension, education, applied research, and development activities at institutions of higher education, state agencies, or partnerships for local and regional bioenergy and biobased product use and production; and (2) provide funds for basic research on next generation technology. Authorizes the Secretary to make supplemental rural cooperative development grants. Amends the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary to: (1) [...]

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Latest Action: 03/08/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 to provide that manure shall not be considered to be a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. 3/8/2007--Introduced. Agricultural Protection and Prosperity Act of 2007 - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to: (1) include the definition of "manure"; and (2) exclude manure from the meaning of "hazardous substance" or "pollutant or contaminant" under that Act. Provides that such exclusion shall not: (1) impose liability under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 with respect to manure; (2) affect any provision of the Air Quality Agreement entered into between the Administrator and operators of animal feeding operations; or (3) affect the applicability of any other environmental law as it relates to the definition of manure or the responsibilities or liabilities [...]

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Latest Action: 03/20/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3354-3355)

Bill Text
A bill to reauthorize Department of Agriculture conservation and energy programs and certain other programs of the Department, to modify the operation and administration of these programs, and for other purposes. 3/20/2007--Introduced. Healthy Farms, Foods, and Fuels Act of 2007 - Extends: (1) the conservation reserve program; (2) the wetlands reserve program; (3) the conservation security program; (4) the grassland reserve program; (5) the environmental quality incentives program; (6) the wildlife habitat incentive program; (7) the agricultural management assistance program; Establishes: (1) the cooperative conservation partnership initiative; (2) the community forestry and open space conservation program; (3) an integrated pest management initiative; (4) a conservation initiative for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers; (5) a conservation planning pilot program; and (6) a cooperative conservation educational assistance program. Authorizes a conservation [...]

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Latest Action: 04/24/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4969)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to reduce emissions from electric powerplants, and for other purposes. 4/24/2007--Introduced. Clean Power Act of 2007 - Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) promulgate regulations to achieve specified reductions in emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, global warming pollutants, and mercury from certain electric generation facilities; and (2) establish an emission allowance tracking and transfer system for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide.Requires facilities to achieve specified emission standards should emission limitation regulations not be promulgated. Directs the Administrator to study the impact of emission allowance trading. Limits the trading of allowances with facilities other than electricity generating facilities to certain carbon dioxide emission control programs. Sets forth an allocation scheme for emission allowances.[...]

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Latest Action: 02/27/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a credit to certain concentrated animal feeding operations for the cost of complying with environmental protection regulations.

2/27/2007--Introduced.

CAFO Tax Credit Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow owners or operators of a concentrated animal feeding operation a business-related tax credit, up to $500,000 in a taxable year, for the cost of compliance with a national pollutant discharge elimination system permit issued under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Terminates such credit after 2014.

Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 07/08/2008 - Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 742.

Bill Text
A bill to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases, and for other purposes. 5/20/2008--Introduced. Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish: (1) a federal greenhouse gas (GHG) registry, for which certain facilities must report information regarding fossil fuels and GHGs produced and consumed; and (2) specified quantities of GHG emission allowances, which decline for each of 2012 to 2050. Requires the Administrator to establish a GHG emission allowance transfer system for the following: (1) facilities that use more than 5,000 tons of coal in a year; (2) facilities in the natural gas sector; (3) facilities that produce or entities that import petroleum- or coal-based fuel the combustion of which will emit group I GHGs; (4) facilities that produce or entities that import, in any year, more than [...]

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Latest Action: 06/23/2008 - Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5971)

Bill Text
A resolution recognizing soil as an essential natural resource, and soils professionals as playing a critical role in managing our Nation's soil resources.

1/31/2008--Introduced.

Recognizes: (1) the necessity to develop and implement best practices for the long-term use of the nation's soil resources; and (2) the important role of soil scientists and soils professionals.

Latest Action: 12/06/2007 - Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juri

Bill Text
Expressing the sense of the Congress with regard to the world's freshwater resources. 12/6/2007--Introduced. Asserts that: (1) water management priorities should reflect the goals of safeguarding and sustaining water resources; (2) U.S. executive directors of international financial institutions should not approve loans that require increased cost recovery or water privatization or public-private partnerships that would result in significant increases in consumer water fees or in other ways restrict affordable access to water; and (3) federal policies should ensure that sources of water pollution are adequately regulated and those responsible held accountable for the pollution they cause.Affirms: (1) that water should not be treated as a private commodity where this would limit or deny public access to freshwater resources; (2) that Congress firmly commits itself to meet the Millennium Development Goals; and (3) that access to international loans and debt reduction [...]

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