By Melanie Condon
Do you ever wonder what happens at an NCSL committee’s business meeting? What does it look like when legislators debate the policies that guide NCSL’s advocacy work on Capitol Hill? What issues typically come up at a business meeting?
Well, come to Seattle on Aug. 4 and find out!
NCSL’s Natural Resources and Infrastructure (NRI) Committee, one of nine standing committees at NCSL, is slated to have a lively business meeting this year.
After the policy submission deadline on July 7, the NRI Committee’s tally was: five new resolutions, one set of amendments to an existing resolution, two existing resolutions that are expiring and one existing directive for review. As a reminder, resolutions expire after one year with the continuous option to renew, and directives exist in perpetuity, but must be reviewed at least once every four years.
Check out what NRI legislator members have submitted to be on the docket this year when the NRI Committee gavels in for its business meeting at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 4:
Proposed Resolutions
- A Resolution Requesting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to Reaffirm the Current National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone: This new resolution calls upon the U.S. EPA to reaffirm the 75 parts per billion (ppb) primary ozone standard in the current ozone standard rulemaking or issue a limit of no less than 70 ppb.
- Wildfire Funding: This new resolution urges the federal government to address budget issues for wildfire suppression and supports funding wildfires as natural disasters.
- Waters of the United States: This new resolution expresses concern with the EPA’s Clean Water Rule that defines which waters are protected under the Clean Water Act, and urges EPA to reconsider the rule.
- Avian Flu Response: This new resolution expresses concern with the recent outbreak in various states of the avian flu, and urges the federal government to work with states to help stop the outbreaks and prevent contamination.
- Oil Train Safety: This new resolution supports efforts to strengthen oil and ethanol train safety rules.
Amendments to Existing Resolution
- Resolution on Pollinator Health: Amendments to this existing resolution (set to expire at the 2015 Legislative Summit) include recognizing neonicotinoids as a specific danger to pollinators. Amendments sponsored by Representative Hansen of Minnesota.
Existing Resolutions for Reconsideration
- Solving America’s Long Term Transportation Funding Crisis: This is a current resolution scheduled to expire at the 2015 Legislative Summit that urges Congress to allocate funds to states that would support state-level pilot programs to explore transportation funding alternatives to fuel taxes.
- Climate Change Policy Resolution: This is a current resolution scheduled to sunset at the 2015 Legislative Summit that focuses on the state-federal relationship for the funding, development, and regulation of air emissions and their potential impact on the climate.
Existing Policy Directives for Review
- Surface Transportation Federalism: This existing directive lays out NCSL’s stance on a variety of issues related to a shared, long-term vision for financing and funding surface transportation systems in the U.S.
Though only legislators who are members of the NRI Committee can vote on the above policies at the business meeting (reminder: 10 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 4) anyone is allowed to attend. We encourage everyone to come see what is sure to be an exciting debate on some of today’s top issues in agriculture, energy, and environment and transportation policy.
Melanie Condon is policy specialist for the Natural Resources and Infrastructure Committee in the Washington, D.C., office.
Email Melanie