The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee will consider the nomination of Sally Jewell to be the Secretary of the Interior next Thursday, March 7th, at 10:30am ET. The hearing will be webcast live on the Committee’s website, and an archived video will be available shortly after the hearing is complete. Witness testimony will be available on the website at the start of the hearing.
Category: Environmental Research & Sustainability
Kilmer Named to House Science & Technology Committee
Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-6th) has been named to the House Science, Space & Technology Committee. The Committee has jurisdiction over all energy research, development, and demonstration, and all federalland all federally owned or operated non-military energy laboratories; astronautical research and development; civil aviation research and development; environmental research and development; marine research; commercial application of energy technology; National Institute of Standards and Technology, standardization of weights and measures and the metric system; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Science Foundation; National Weather Service; outer space, including exploration and control thereof; science scholarships; scientific research, development, and demonstration.
The UW research community is fortunate to have Congressman Kilmer appointed to this committee.
NOAA Administrator Lubchenco to Resign
NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco announced today that she will step down in February, ending a four-year tenure that saw the longtime academic juggle a slate of controversial issues, from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to the skyrocketing cost of weather satellites. In an email to employees yesterday, Lubchenco wrote that she was leaving NOAA to return to her family and academic career in Oregon.
NSF Accepting RAPID Proposals
The NSF Directorates for Biological Sciences (BIO), Geosciences (GEO), Engineering (ENG), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), and Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE) and the Office of Cyberinfrastructure (OCI) are accepting proposals to conduct research on the potential threat to the North American west coast from debris fields associated with the March 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Proposals must conform to the guidelines for preparation of Rapid Response Research (RAPID) proposals as specified in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) available at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg.
Energy Production Legislation Debated
This morning the House will continue debate on the Strategic Energy Production Act of 2012 (HR 4480), which seeks to increase domestic oil and gas production and reduce regulation of the energy industry in order to reduce energy prices and boost economic growth. This measure is the result of compiling the text of 7 separate bills – two reported by the Energy and Commerce Committee and five reported by the Natural Resources Committee. The new comprehensive bill would delay implementation of certain EPA air quality and fuels regulations, and create an interagency committee to review the impact of EPA rules and regulations on energy prices and the broader economy. It also changes the management of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to require additional oil and gas leasing on federal public lands and waters commensurate with a release of the Reserve’s oil.
More specifically, the bill requires the Interior Department to develop a strategic plan for the nation’s energy needs over 30 years and set domestic production goals to meet demand; increases the amount of federal land available for energy production and streamlines the process for approving drilling permits; and sets new standards for judicial review of civil actions filed against energy lease sales or drilling permits.
Several amendments will be considered today, with a final vote predicted for this afternoon.