CONTACT:

Marc Morano 202-224-5762 marc_morano@epw.senate.gov

Matt Dempsey 202-224-9797 matthew_dempsey@epw.senate.gov

Washington, D.C.-The Committee on Environment and Public Works today approved several bi-partisan bills that will further improve our nation’s environment. Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) crafted compromise legislation that incorporated President Bush’s Good Samaritan bill and Good Samaritan legislation co-sponsored by Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) and Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) that will help facilitate the cleanup of thousands of abandoned hard-rock mines across the Western United States. In addition, the Committee passed Senator Inhofe’s bi-partisan bill to reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) and bi-partisan nuclear safely legislation.

“Today’s overwhelming bi-partisan vote in favor of S. 1848, the Good Samaritan mining legislation, means we are one giant step closer to the clean-up of thousands of abandoned hard-rock mines in the Western United States,” Senator Inhofe said. “Passage of today’s substitute amendment is a result of bipartisan efforts including Senator Baucus on the Committee, Colorado Senators Allard and Salazar, and the Bush Administration. With such overwhelming support in the Senate, support by the Administration, and support by groups like Trout Unlimited and National Mining Association, I urge the Senate to pass this bill before the end of the year. “I’m also proud that the EPW Committee passed my bi-partisan legislation to reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. The program has enjoyed tremendous success since its conception in 1989 and supported by several conservation and recreational organizations. Because of NACWA, numerous cooperative partnerships have developed between public and private resources. I believe the NAWCA program serves as an exemplary model of cooperative conservation that further improves our nation’s environment.”

“The EPW Committee also passed two bi-partisan nuclear bills to increase nuclear safety. I worked closely with Senators’ Obama and Jeffords to pass legislation that provides for more responsible notification by nuclear power plants to affected communities of any unplanned release of radioactive substances. I also worked with Senator Jeffords on implementing legislation for the Compensation for Nuclear Damages Treaty, which expands Price Anderson to international incidents without costing the taxpayers anything.”

 

 

The committee also approved several bills, nominations and resolutions. They include:

Legislation:

H.R. 5689, To amend the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users to make technical corrections, and for other purposes. Approved by Voice Vote as amended. Inhofe-Jeffords #1 - To improve the bill. ACCEPTED S. 1848, Cleanup of Inactive and Abandoned Mines Act. Approved by Voice Vote as amended.

Inhofe #1 - To provide a complete substitute. ACCEPTED Boxer #1- To provide a complete substitute. Modified by Unanimous Consent. Failed by roll call vote, 7-11. (Ayes - Chafee, Jeffords, Lieberman, Boxer, Clinton, Lautenberg, Obama. Nays - Inhofe, Warner, Bond, Voinovich, Murkowski, Thune, DeMint, Isakson, Vitter, Baucus, Carper).

Carper #2 - To modify a provision relating to injunctions. ACCEPTED

Carper #3 - To require the completion of projects authorized under permits by a certain date. ACCEPTED as modified

Carper #4 - Amend monitoring provisions. ACCEPTED

Carper #5 - To modify a provision relating to the issuance of permits. ACCEPTED as modified H.R. 3929, Dana Point Desalination Project Authorization Act. Approved by Voice Vote as amended.

Chafee #1 - Authorizes $500,000 for comparative study for supplying potable water to Central and Southern Rhode Island. ACCEPTED S. 3551, Tylersville Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act. Approved by Voice Vote as amended.

Inhofe-Jeffords #1 - Technical correction changing "125 acres" to "40 acres" identifying land being conveyed to State of Pennsylvania. ACCEPTED S. 3879, “Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage Contingent Cost Allocation Act”. Approved by Voice Vote as amended.

Inhofe-Jeffords #1 - Clarifies in various sections that nuclear installations being addressed are not within U.S.; requires Secretary of Energy determine assessment formula within 3 years, and update every 5 years; and requires Secretary of Energy to submit a report every 5 years. ACCEPTED S. 2348, Nuclear Release Notice Act of 2006. Approved by Voice Vote as amended.

Inhofe-Jeffords-Obama #1 - To provide a complete substitute. ACCEPTED Approved by Voice Vote en bloc: S. 3630, To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize a program relating to the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, and for other purposes. S. 3617, North American Wetlands Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2006

H.R. 5061, Paint Bank and Wytheville National Fish Hatcheries Conveyance Act S. 3867, To Designate the Federal Courthouse at 555 Independence Street, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, as the “Rush H. Limbaugh Sr., Federal Courthouse.” H.R. 5187, To Amend the John F. Kennedy Center Act to authorize additional appropriations for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for fiscal year 2007

S. 3591, High-Performance Green Buildings Act of 2006 Sen. Bond recorded as voting NO Sen. Lieberman recorded as voting YES

Approved by Voice Vote en bloc: Nominations: William B. Wark to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board William E. Wright to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Stephen M. Prescott to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation Anne Jeannette Udall to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation

Approved by Voice Vote en bloc: Army Corps Resolutions: Committee Resolution for the Republican River Basin – Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas Committee Resolution for Beverly Hills, New Haven, Connecticut

Sen. Lieberman recorded as voting YES Committee Resolution for Hanover Pond; Holly Pond; and Eisenhower Park – Connecticut

Sen. Lieberman recorded as voting YES Committee Resolution for Mystic Harbor Water Resources Development – Mystic, Connecticut

Sen. Lieberman recorded as voting YES

Committee Resolution for the Burns Waterway Harbor – Indiana

Committee Resolution for Jefferson Parish Flood Control, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana

Committee Resolution for the Blackstone River Watershed – Massachusetts, Rhode Island Committee Resolution for the St. Clair River, Lake Level Study – Michigan Committee Resolution for the Crow Creek Watershed – Cheyenne, Wyoming Approved by Voice Vote en bloc: GSA Resolutions: Committee Resolution to direct GSA to prepare a Report of Building Project Survey

12 resolutions to authorize the majority of the remainder of the General Services Administration's FY 2007 Capital Investment and Leasing Program Approved by Voice Vote en bloc: Courthouse Resolutions: 8 resolutions authorizing courthouse projects

Amended Savannah, Georgia courthouse resolution accepted by Unanimous Consent