It’s been a busy week for science/enviro legislation (in addition to all the ridiculous bills concerning refugees). More promising news – opposing ozone standards, not being the “bigger” country, drill baby drill, and “What climate change?” Glimmers of hope are there – tax incentives for clean energy and reauthorizing the Sea Grant program.

H.R.4000: Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard Deadline Harmonization Act of 2015
–Purpose is to combine the ozone standards from 2008 and 2015 into one standard (closer to the 2008 standards) in response to the EPA’s new ozone standards. Essentially reducing the reach and impact of the new regulations.

H.R.4036: To prohibit any regulation regarding carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions reduction in the United States until China, India, and Russia implement similar reductions.
–Exactly as it sounds. “We’re not going to lead by example. Murica.”

H.R.4037: Keeping Oil and Natural Gas Flowing for Consumers Act
–Prohibits the EPA from using the Clean Air Act to negatively affect oil or natural gas harvesting.

H.R.4040: Bridge to a Clean Energy Future Act of 2015
-Would extend tax credits to renewable energy providers and repeal incentives for fossil fuel producers.

H.R.4097: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for visas for certain advanced STEM graduates, and for other purposes.

S.2282: Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2015
-Reauthorizes the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory

S.2286: Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act of 2015
–Directs the Forrest Service and Dept of Interior to allocate money and resources to wildfire prevention and management, though does not once mention climate change.

S.2318: A bill to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund for 10 years, and for other purposes.

S.2325: A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish a constituent-driven program to provide a digital information platform capable of efficiently integrating coastal data with decision-support tools, training, and best practices and to support collection of priority coastal geospatial data to inform and improve local, State, regional, and Federal capacities to manage the coastal region, and for other purposes.

S.2328: National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2015
–I was a Knauss Fellow, provided by the National Sea Grant College Program. Knauss is a small part of this program and this bill reauthorizes Sea Grant.