House Passes Oil Shale Bill

The House passed H.R. 3408, a bill which directs the Secretary of the Interior to proceed with the sale of mineral leases on federal land for oil shale, and also directs the Secretary to deem the environmental and energy regulations as of November 2008 as the controlling regulations in the exploration and exploitation of oil shale, notwithstanding any later regulations made.

The measure was passed by a vote of 237 – 187, with 21 Republicans voting against the bill, and 21 Democrats voting for the bill.

House Passes Power Plant Regulation Revision

The House passed HR 2250 on October 13, 2011. The EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011 orders the EPA to reconsider and revise regulations it is placing on power generation plants that according to one of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Whitfield (KY-1), will cost the energy industry $14 billion and 230,000 lost jobs.

Forty-one Democrats joined all Republicans in support of the measure, for a vote of 275 – 142.

House Passes Deregulation of Federal Water Pollution Standards to the States

HR 2018, the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011, amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to preserve the authority of each State to make determinations relating to the State’s water quality standards, and requires the EPA to make a report on the economic impact of any pending regulation considering water pollution before its implementation.

The bill passed by a majority of 239-184, with 13 Republicans voting against it, and 16 Democrats voting for it. Republicans voting against it were: Dold (IL-10), Fitzpatrick (PA-8), Flake (AZ-6), Hayworth (NY-19), Johnson (IL-15) , Lance (NJ-7), LoBiondo (NJ-2), Reichert (WA-8), Rigell (VA-2), Smith (NJ-4), Wittman (VA-1), Wolf (VA-10), and Young (FL-10).

House Fails to Pass Ban of CFL Light Bulb Regulations

HR 2417, the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, failed to pass in the House through a mistaken parliamentary maneuver. The bill basically says that no governmental entity in the United States can mandate a ban on incandescent light bulbs. The vote for suspending committee review and bringing the measure to the floor immediately required a 2/3 majority, which it failed to do, as only 233 members voted for it, with 193 voting against it. It is hoped that the measure will be brought up again in this session through the regular committee process and passed by a simple majority.

Rep. Bishop (UT-1) voted present, and ten Republicans voted against the bill: Bass (NH-2), Bilbray (CA-50), Garrett (NJ-5), Griffith (VA-9), Hanna (NY-24), Huelskamp (KS-1), Reed (NY-29), Reichert (WA-8), Rigell (VA-2), and Thompson (PA-5).

 

House Passes Restrictions on EPA Oversight of Offshore Drilling

By a vote of 253-166, the House passed HR 2021, the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act, which amends the Clean Air Act provisions related to air pollution emanating from offshore drilling rigs. At present, the EPA has the authority to measure and control emanations on site, but this bill requires that air quality measurements be conducted onshore, and that the EPA does not have the authority to consider permits for Outer Continental Shelf rigs.

Two Republicans, Jones (NC-3) and Duncan (TN-2), voted against the bill, and 23 Democrats joined the majority in its passage.

House Passes Energy Tax Prevention Act

H.R. 910, the Energy Tax Prevention Act, prohibits the EPA from defining certain vehicle emission gases, such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, as greenhouse gases in its regulations to stem climate change. The bill also prohibits individual states (such as California) from mandating stricter vehicle emission standards than that provided for by the Federal Government. The CBO estimates that this will save the Federal Government $307 million over the next six years; no estimate of how much this will save consumers at the gas pump, or reduce costs in the auto and oil industries, but it is a significant amount.

The measure passed by a vote of 255-172, with all Republicans voting for it, joined by 19 Democrats.