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We at realmama.org strive to provide you with information about environmental issues that impact the health and well being of your family. To that end, this Legislative Updates section provides you with regular updates on pending or recently passed legislation, regulatory actions and Presidential initiatives. Our legislative summaries present you with a quick summary of the facts so that you have a basic knowledge of the issues, as well as basic information and links so that, if you want to, you can do more in-depth research or take action.

SOME LEGISLATION TO CONSIDER:

EARTH

Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008
The Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 recently became law. It was first introduced as a bill on March 3, 2008, by Sen. Jeff Bingham (NM), and was later passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. President Bush signed the bill into law on May 8, 2008 (Public Law No. 110-229). The Act contains a package of 62 public lands bills as well as several wilderness, heritage areas, and water project bills. The law can be viewed at here.

WATER

Ballast Water Treatment Act of 2008
The Ballast Water Treatment Act of 2008, included in the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2830), would revise laws governing ballast water discharges from ships originating overseas. It would require ships entering U.S. waters to conduct ballast water exchange at least 200 miles off the coast. Ballast water discharges have been linked to the introduction of aquatic invasive species to North America.

The Coast Guard Reauthorization Act passed the House of Representatives 395-7 on April 24, 2008. The Coast Guard reauthorization Act introduced in the Senate (S. 1892) on July 26, 2007 does not include the Ballast Water Treatment Act of 2008.

Those opposed to the bill cite concerns that it could undermine the ability of states to regulate in this arena and may impact the Clean Water Act.

If you would like to find out more about H.R. 2830 and S. 1892 click here. Or here.

To comment on this proposed legislation or to promote action on it, call, write or e-mail your United States Senators. For contact information of elected officials for your state see http://www.senate.gov.

Oceans-21
The bill, Oceans-21 (H.R. 21), was introduced in the House of Representatives on January 4, 2007 by Rep. Sam Farr (CA-17). The bill would establish a national oceans policy, including the creation of a presidential oceans advisor. It would also authorize $1.3 billion for an Ocean Trust Fund. On April 23, 2008, the bill was voted on favorably by the House subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans and now moves on to the full House Natural Resources Committee. No similar bill has been introduced in the Senate.

If you would like to find out more about H.R. 21 see http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h21ih.txt.pdf.

To comment on this proposed legislation call, write or e-mail your United States Representatives or Senators. For contact information of elected officials for your state see http://www.house.gov or http://www.senate.gov.

Beach Protection Act of 2008
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved the Beach Protection Act of 2008 (S. 2844) on May 21, 2008. The bill was introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ) on April 10, 2008. If passed into law, the bill would reauthorize the EPA to approve rapid contaminant testing methods to detect bacteria in the water. This would aid local authorities in quickly closing contaminated beaches to the public. The bill would provide $60 million annually from 2008-2013 for state water quality grants.

If you would like to find out more about S. 2844, see http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s2844is.txt.pdf.

To comment on this proposed legislation call, write or e-mail your United States Representatives or Senators. For contact information of elected officials for your state see http://www.house.gov or http://www.senate.gov.

Beach Protection Act of 2007
As reported in our Fall 2007 Legislative Updates, the Beach Protection Act of 2007 (H.R. 2537/S. 1506) was introduced in the spring of 2007 by Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ-6) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (NJ). The Act would reauthorize the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act) of 2000. If passed into law, the Act will require the use of test methods to quickly determine whether or not beach water is contaminated (within 2 hours or less) so that beachgoers can be notified as quickly as possible. The Act will also increase the amount of grant money available to states from $30 million to $40 million annually through 2012, and expand the uses of grant funds to include source tracking and pollution prevention.

As reported in our Spring 2008 Legislative Updates, the House of Representative’s Water Resources Committee considered H.R. 2537, and reported favorably on it to the Committee on Transportation, which also reported favorably. The bill was placed on the House calendar for a vote. After a vigorous debate, the House of Representatives passed the bill on April 16, 2008.

If you would like to find out more about H.R. 2537 and S. 1506 see http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h2537eh.txt.pdf
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s1506is.txt.pdf.

To comment on this proposed legislation call, write or e-mail your United States Representatives or Senators. For contact information of elected officials for your state see http://www.house.gov or http://www.senate.gov.

AIR

Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008
The bill, Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008 (S. 3036), was introduced in the Senate on May 20, 2008 by Senator Boxer (CA). On June 6, 2008 the Senate fell short by a dozen votes of the 60 required to bring the bill to a vote.

If passed the bill would have directed the Administrator of EPA to establish a program to decrease emission of greenhouse gases and establish a cap on carbon dioxide emissions.

If you would like to find out more about S. 3036 see http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s3036pcs.txt.pdf

To comment on this proposed legislation call, write or e-mail your United States Representatives or Senators. For contact information of elected officials for your state see www.house.gov or http://www.senate.gov.

Mercury Export Ban Act
As reported in our Spring 2008 Legislative Updates, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Mercury Export Ban Act (H.R.1534) on November 13, 2007. The bill was introduced by Rep. Allen (D-ME). If passed into law, it would forbid the federal government and private companies based in the United States from selling, distributing or exporting elemental mercury beginning in 2010. In addition, the legislation also would create long-term mercury storage facilities for private companies and require the Department of Energy to accept mercury from private sources, charging a fee to recoup costs.

A similar Senate bill (S. 906), the Mercury Market Minimization Act of 2008, is awaiting action in the Committee on Environment and Public Works Committee. On May 13, 2008 the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held hearings on the bill.

If you would like to find out more about H.R. 1534 and S. 906 see http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h1534rfs.txt.pdf
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s906is.txt.pdf

To comment on this proposed legislation call, write or e-mail your United States Representatives or Senators. For contact information of elected officials for your state see www.house.gov or www.senate.gov.

MINDS

As reported in our Spring 2008 Legislative Update, on February, 4, 2008, President Bush released his $3.1 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2009. Some provisions related to the environment include, a decrease of $500 million dollars from energy efficiency and renewable energy programs; an increase of $350 million for fossil fuels and nuclear energy; loan guarantees for coal of $8 billion (including liquid coal projects); loan guarantees of $18.5 billion for new nuclear facilities; $2 billion for reprocessing nuclear waste; decrease of $104 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (leaving only $45 million which is less than one-third of its current level); decrease $134 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Congressional committees are to hold budget oversight hearings.

On March 7, 2008 the House and Senate Budget Committees introduced budget resolutions (S. Con. Res. 70/ H. Con. Res. 312). The final budget was passed by both chambers June 5, 2008 and can be found at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:sc70enr.txt.pdf

BODIES

Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act
As reported in our Spring 2008 Legislative Updates, the U.S. Senate passed the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act (S. 2663) on March 6, 2008. If passed into law, this bill would authorize increased spending levels and amend the Consumer Product Safety Act to give the Consumer Protection Safety Commission more oversight of defective and dangerous products needing to be recalled. A companion bill (H.R. 4040) was passed by the House of Representatives in December. Although both chambers of Congress have passed the bill, several key differences remain between the versions passed in each chamber, including the parameters for creating an online product safety database and a decision on making the voluntary toy safety standard mandatory. On May 14, 2008 the House voted 405-28 to work with the Senate to reconcile the legislation.

If you would like to find out more about S. 2663 and H.R. 4040 see http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s2663pcs.txt.pdf
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h4040eh.txt.pdf

To comment on this proposed legislation call, write or e-mail your United States Representatives or Senators. For contact information of elected officials for your state see www.house.gov or www.senate.gov.

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