Latest Action: 08/08/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

Bill Text
To authorize the State of Virginia to petition for authorization to conduct natural gas or crude oil (or both) exploration and extraction activities in any area that is at least 50 miles beyond the coastal zone of the State, and for other purposes. 8/1/2008--Introduced. Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize the governor of Virginia to petition the Secretary of the Interior for authorization to conduct natural gas or crude oil (or both) exploration and extraction activities in any area that is at least 50 miles beyond the state's coastal zone. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit into a Clean Energy Fund of 50% of all rentals, royalties, bonus bids, and other sums due and payable to the United States from leases entered into under this Act for natural gas or crude oil (or both) exploration and extraction activities. Requires deposit of the other 50% into a special account in the Treasury from which the Secretary shall disburse: (1) 75% [...]

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Latest Action: 07/31/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7947-7949)

Bill Text
A bill to promote conservation and provide for sensible development in Carson City, Nevada, and for other purposes. 7/31/2008--Introduced. Carson City Vital Community Act of 2008 - Provides for the conveyance of specified Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land or interest in such land (the federal land) in Nevada by the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior in exchange for specified non-federal land by Carson City Consolidated Municipality, Nevada. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to reserve a perpetual conservation easement to the Silver Saddle Ranch and Carson River Area.Releases the reversionary interest of BLM in certain of the conveyed federal land. Provides for the conveyance of such land by the City. Makes the non-federal land part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Transfers administrative jurisdiction over certain Forest Service land from the Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary [...]

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Latest Action: 06/27/2008 - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 855.

Bill Text
A bill to designate certain land as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, to authorize certain programs and activities in the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes. 6/26/2008--Introduced. Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2008 - Authorizes specified programs and activities in the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture concerning, among other things, national wilderness preservation, boundary adjustments, national rivers, the national landscape conservation system, national conservation areas, land conveyances and exchanges, watershed management, watershed restoration and enhancement, wildland firefighter safety, forest landscape restoration, national trails, paleontological resources preservation, national parks, studies, national heritage areas, national heritage corridors, and water projects.Makes amendments to various public laws, including the Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984,[...]

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Latest Action: 06/18/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Bill Text
A bill to authorize the State of Virginia to petition for authorization to conduct natural gas exploration and drilling activities in the coastal zone of the State. 6/18/2008--Introduced. Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize the governor of Virginia to petition the Secretary of the Interior for authorization to conduct natural gas exploration and extraction activities in any area that is at least 50 miles beyond the state's coastal zone. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit into a Clean Energy Fund of 50% of all rentals, royalties, bonus bids, and other sums due and payable to the United States from leases entered into under this Act for natural gas exploration and extraction activities. Requires deposit of the other 50% into a special account in the Treasury from which the Secretary shall disburse: (1) 75% to the state; (2) 12.5% to provide financial assistance to states in accordance with the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of [...]

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Latest Action: 06/17/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

Bill Text
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a "Charter Forest" demonstration project on all National Forest System lands in the State of Colorado in order to combat insect infestation, improve forest health, reduce the threat of wildfire, protect biological diversity, and enhance the social sustainability and economic productivity of the lands. 6/4/2008--Introduced. Colorado Charter Forest Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a demonstration project for National Forest System lands in Colorado ("covered lands") for the purposes of increasing community involvement in decision making regarding management and evaluating methods to improve the health and management of the lands.Requires establishment of: (1) an independent scientific panel to assess the ecological, social, and economic sustainability of the covered lands and prepare a monitoring plan; and (2) a community management council to advise on environmental, economic, and [...]

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Latest Action: 05/20/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4490-4491)

Bill Text
A bill to improve Federal land management, resource conservation, environmental protection, and use of Federal real property, by requiring the Secretary of the Interior to develop a multipurpose cadastre of Federal and real property and identifying inaccurate, duplicate, and out-of-date Federal land inventories, and for other purposes. 5/20/2008--Introduced. Federal Land Asset Inventory Reform Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to develop a multipurpose cadastre of federal real property (an inventory of real property of the federal government) to assist with federal land management, resource conservation, environmental protection, and use of real property. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cost-sharing agreements with states to include any non-federal lands in a state in such cadastre. Limits the federal share of any such agreement to 50% of the total cost to a state for the development of the cadastre of the non-federal lands in the state. Requires [...]

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Latest Action: 05/20/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Bill Text
A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Northern Neck National Heritage Area in Virginia, and for other purposes.

5/20/2008--Introduced.

Northern Neck National Heritage Area Study Act - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to study and report to specified congressional committees on the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Northern Neck National Heritage Area to be comprised of: (1) the part of eastern coastal Virginia between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers; (2) Westmoreland, Northumberland, Richmond, King George, and Lancaster Counties, Virginia; and (3) other areas adjacent to or in the vicinity of those areas that have similar heritage aspects.

Latest Action: 04/21/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

Bill Text
To establish a new solar energy future for America through public-private partnership and energy leasing for reliable and affordable energy for the American people, and for other purposes. 4/15/2008--Introduced. Zeroing In American Energy Act of 2008 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a program for the leasing of federal lands for the advancement, development, assessment, installation, and operation of commercial photovoltaic and concentrating solar power energy systems.Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, to: (1) identify lease sites comprising 6.4 million acres of federal lands under BLM jurisdiction in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah that are suitable and feasible for the installation and operation of such energy systems; and (2) incorporate solar energy development into the relevant agency land use and resource management plans [...]

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Latest Action: 04/22/2008 - Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Date of scheduled hearing. SD-366. 2:30 p.m.

Bill Text
A bill to establish wilderness areas, promote conservation, and improve public land in Washington County, Utah, and for other purposes. 4/9/2008--Introduced. Washington County Growth and Conservation Act of 2008 - Designates specified public lands in Utah as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Provides for the acquisition of land or interests in any such area designated as wilderness. Releases certain wilderness study areas in Washington County, Utah, from further study for designation as wilderness. Designates specified federal land in Zion National Park in Washington County as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, which shall be known as the Zion Wilderness. Establishes the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and the Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area in Utah. Designates specified segments of the Virgin River and its tributaries across federal land within and adjacent to [...]

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Latest Action: 07/29/2008 - Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 110-799.

Bill Text
To direct the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to jointly conduct a study of certain land adjacent to the Walnut Canyon National Monument in the State of Arizona, and for other purposes. 7/29/2008--Reported to House without amendment.    (There is 1 other summary) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)Walnut Canyon Study Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study of an area identified as the Walnut Canyon Proposed Study Area (the study area) to assess: (1) the suitability and feasibility of designating all or part of the study area as an addition to Walnut Canyon National Monument in Arizona; and (2) continued management of the study area by the Forest Service, or any other designation or management option that would provide for protection of resources within the study area and continued [...]

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Latest Action: 03/18/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

Bill Text
To protect the second amendment rights of individuals to carry firearms and ammunition in units of the National Park System and the National Wildlife Refuge System and to require that hunting activities be a land use in all management plans for Federal land to the extent that such use is not clearly incompatible with the purposes for which the Federal land is managed. 3/14/2008--Introduced. Protecting the Second Amendment and Hunting Rights on Federal Lands Act of 2008 - Prohibits any federal regulation from restricting any individual from possessing or carrying a firearm or ammunition, if such restriction is based, in whole or in part, upon the fact that the individual is in a unit of the National Park System or the Wildlife Refuge System. Sets forth provisions with regard to allowing hunting activities on federal lands. Requires an agency with jurisdiction over any federal land, when developing or considering approval of a management plan, to ensure that hunting [...]

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Latest Action: 05/08/2008 - Signed by President.

Bill Text
A bill to authorize certain programs and activities in the Department of the Interior, the Forest Service, and the Department of Energy, to implement further the Act approving the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, to amend the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003, and for other purposes. 5/8/2008--Public Law.    (There are 2 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.)Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 - Title I: Forest Service Authorizations - (Sec. 101) Designates certain lands in the Skykomish River Valley, Washington, as the Wild Sky Wilderness, to be managed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Directs the Secretary to establish a trail plan. Authorizes the use of helicopter access to construct and maintain a joint [...]

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Latest Action: 03/10/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

Bill Text
To improve Federal land management, resource conservation, environmental protection, and use of Federal real property, by requiring the Secretary of the Interior to develop a multipurpose cadastre of Federal real property and identifying inaccurate, duplicate, and out-of-date Federal land inventories, and for other purposes. 3/5/2008--Introduced. Federal Land Asset Inventory Reform Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to develop a multipurpose cadastre of federal real property (an inventory of real property of the federal government) to assist with federal land management, resource conservation, environmental protection, and use of real property. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cost-sharing agreements with states to include any non-federal lands in a state in such cadastre. Limits the federal share of any such agreement to 50% of the total cost to a state for the development of the cadastre of the non-federal lands in the state. Requires the Secretary [...]

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Latest Action: 02/28/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to make technical corrections to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and for other purposes. 2/28/2008--Introduced. Common Sense Indian Gambling Reform Act of 2008 - Amends the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to revise requirements for the exemption of Indian land from gaming prohibitions.Requires: (1) the governor and the legislative body of the state in which a gaming activity is proposed to concur with the Secretary of the Interior's determination that the activity would be in the best interest of the tribe and not have a negative impact; and (2) the land to be land within a state in which the tribe is primarily located and land on which the primary geographic, social, and historical nexus is located.Adds as conditions for class II or class III gaming that it be conducted on: (1) lands that were Indian lands before enactment of this Act; or (2) land taken into trust for an Indian tribe after enactment, but only if the application requesting that the land [...]

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Latest Action: 02/14/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an exclusion for gain from the sale of farmland to encourage the continued use of the property for farming, and for other purposes. 2/14/2008--Introduced. Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income 100% of the gain, up to $500,000, from the sale of qualified farm property to a first-time farmer who certifies that such property will be used for farming purposes for 10 years. Allows: (1) a 50% exclusion for the sale of qualified farm property to any other person who certifies that such property will be used for farming purposes for 10 years; and (2) a 25% exclusion for the sale of qualified farm property to any other person for any other use. Defines "qualified farm property" as real property located in the United States which is used for farming purposes for a specified three-year period and in which there was material participation by [...]

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Latest Action: 02/28/2008 - Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Bill Text
To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to authorize assistance to coastal states to develop coastal climate change adaptation plans pursuant to approved management programs approved under section 306, to minimize contributions to climate change, and for other purposes.

2/14/2008--Introduced.

Coastal State Climate Change Planning Act of 2008 - Amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to establish a coastal climate change adaptation planning and response program to provide assistance to coastal states to voluntarily develop coastal climate change adaptation plans and to provide financial and technical assistance and training to enable coastal states to implement those plans through coastal states' enforceable policies.

Authorizes, subject to the availability of appropriations, grants to coastal states for developing the plans and grants for implementation.

Latest Action: 10/08/2008 - Signed by President.

Bill Text
A bill to reauthorize the United States Fire Administration, and for other purposes. 9/24/2008--Public Law.    (There are 4 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on September 18, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to authorize appropriations for the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) for FY2009-FY2012. (Sec. 4) Authorizes the Superintendent of the National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control to include within fire service personnel training: (1) tactics and strategies for dealing with natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters; (2) applying new technology and developing strategies and tactics for fighting wildfires; (3) tactics and strategies for fighting large-scale or multiple fires in a general area that [...]

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Latest Action: 02/01/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

Bill Text
To reauthorize and amend the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992. 1/29/2008--Introduced. National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 2008 - Amends the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 to extend deadlines for development of a five-year strategic plan for the geologic mapping program and for appointment of the advisory committee. Removes from program objectives the development of a geophysical- and geochemical- map database. Directs that mapping priorities be based in part on the needs of the Department of the Interior land management agencies.Modifies the composition of the advisory committee and increases the number of members on such committee. Requires the advisory committee, at the request of the President, the President's designee, the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, or the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, to provide an overview report on the quality, utility, and appropriateness of geologic [...]

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Latest Action: 01/23/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an exclusion for gain from the sale of farmland to encourage the continued use of the property for farming, and for other purposes. 1/23/2008--Introduced. Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act of 2007 [sic] - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income 100% of the gain, up to $500,000, from the sale of qualified farm property to a first-time farmer who certifies that such property will be used for farming purposes for 10 years. Allows: (1) a 50% exclusion for the sale of qualified farm property to any other person who certifies that such property will be used for farming purposes for 10 years; and (2) a 25% exclusion for the sale of qualified farm property to any other person for any other use. Defines "qualified farm property" as real property located in the United States which is used for farming purposes for a specified three-year period and in which there was material participation [...]

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