A comprehensive summary of today’s judicial, legislative, and regulatory developments in agriculture and food. Email important additions HERE.
LEGISLATIVE:
S. 269: A bill to provide for the conveyance of certain property to the Tanana Tribal Council located in Tanana, Alaska, and to the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation located in Dillingham, Alaska. Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
S. 466: A bill to clarify the description of certain Federal land under the Northern Arizona Land Exchange and Verde River Basin Partnership Act of 2005 to include additional land in the Kaibab National Forest. Text for status Reported by House Committee (Mar 22, 2018) is now available.
S. 607: Native American Business Incubators Program Act. Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
H.R. 4851: Kennedy-King National Commemorative Site Act. Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
S. 2611: A bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to repeal the environmental quality incentives program. Referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
S. 2616: A bill to prioritize education and training for current and future members of the environmental health workforce. Referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
S. Res. 444: A resolution recognizing the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States. Referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
H.R. 5405: To amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 to provide a limited exception to the prohibition on price loss coverage payments or agriculture risk coverage payments when the sum of the base acres on a farm is 10 acres or less. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
S. 2628: A bill to reaffirm the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reservation. Referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
S. 2602: A bill to support carbon dioxide utilization and direct air capture research, to facilitate the permitting and development of carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration projects and carbon dioxide pipelines. Referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
H.R. 5379: To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to update the Biotechnology and Agricultural Trade Program. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
H.Res. 802: Supporting the goals and ideals of World Water Day. Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Natural Resources, and one other committee.
S. 2614: A bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to improve the conservation reserve program. Referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
S. 2599: A bill to provide for the transfer of certain Federal land in the State of Minnesota for the benefit of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. Referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
S. 2617: A bill to recognize the National Aviation Cadet Museum of the United States. Referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 2624: A bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to make adjustments to the environmental quality incentives program. Referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
S. 2619: A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to reauthorize energy programs through fiscal year 2023. Referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
S. 2604: A bill to amend the Oil Region National Heritage Area Act to reauthorize the Oil Region National Heritage Area. Referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 2623: A bill to require the Secretary of Transportation to modify hours of service requirements to include all fish in the definition of “agricultural commodity.” Referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
H.R. 3548: Border Security for America Act of 2017. Text for status Reported by House Committee (Mar 23, 2018) is now available.
H.R. 835: To update the map of, and modify the maximum acreage available for inclusion in, the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Text for status Referred to Senate Committee (Mar 20, 2018) is now available.
S. 2325: Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act. Text for status Reported by Senate Committee (Mar 20, 2018) is now available.
S. 2585: A bill to amend the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 to permanently extend the authority of the Secretary of the Army to accept and expend funds from certain entities to process permits. Referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
S. 2587: A bill to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to establish a program to allow States to assume certain Federal responsibilities under that Act with respect to agency actions applicable to highway projects within the States. Referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
S. 2588: A bill to amend title 54, United States Code, to establish a program to allow States to assume certain Federal responsibilities under that title with respect to agency actions applicable to highway projects within the States. Referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
S. 2586: A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to increase the ability of a State to administer a permit program under that Act. Referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
H.Res. 793: Recognizing the importance of the Upper Delaware River in New York State. Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
H.Res. 794: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the national parks, national forests, and public lands and waters of the United States contribute greatly to the economic and physical well-being of Americans. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and House Committee on Natural Resources.
H.R. 5373: To provide support for the production of algae. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
REGULATORY: Includes EPA, FSA, FWS, FDA, FS, ITA, NOAA, and OAO rules and notices.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY:
Rule EPA is proposing to approve elements of State Implementation Plan submissions from Maine regarding the infrastructure requirements of the Clean Air Act for the 2008 lead (Pb), 2008 ozone, and 2010 nitrogen dioxide National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Info here.
Rule EPA is proposing to grant the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services the authority to implement and enforce the amended Asbestos Management and Control Rule in place of the National Emission Standard for Asbestos as it applies to certain asbestos-related activities. Info here.
Rule EPA is approving a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Delaware. The Clean Air Act’s (CAA) Good Neighbor Provision requires EPA and states to address the interstate transport of air pollution that affects the ability of downwind states to attain and maintain the national ambient air quality standards. Details here.
Rule EPA is approving a revision to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s state implementation plan. Details here.
Rule EPA is approving revisions to the State of West Virginia state implementation plan. Info here.
FARM SERVICE AGENCY: Rule RHS will obsolete (and reserve) the Truth in Lending–Real Estate Settlement Procedures regulation to ensure compliance with the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) Integrated Mortgage Disclosures rule, commonly referred to as the TRID rule. This direct final rule will eliminate the functionally obsolete regulation in order to ensure compliance with the TRID rule, as the standard to follow. Info here.
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE:
Rule would establish regulations for fish and shellfish seasons, harvest limits, methods, and means related to taking of fish and shellfish for subsistence uses during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 regulatory years. Details here.
Notice FWS is proposing to revise an existing information collection. Title: Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines. Info here.
Notice FWS invite the public to comment on applications to conduct certain activities with foreign endangered species. Details here.
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION:
Rule FDA is issuing this advance notice of proposed rulemaking to obtain information related to the regulation of premium cigars under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, and regulations regarding the sale and distribution of tobacco products. Details here.
Notice FDA announces a forthcoming public advisory committee meeting of the Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee. Info here.
FOREST SERVICE:
Rule would establish regulations for fish and shellfish seasons, harvest limits, methods, and means related to taking of fish and shellfish for subsistence uses during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 regulatory years. Details here.
Notice FS seeks comments on the renewal of the Stewardship Mapping and Assessment Project (STEW-MAP) information collection. Info here.
Notice FS will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to process and respond to the mining Plans of Operations within the Powder River Watershed submitted to the Whitman Ranger District of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Details here.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION: Notice ITA determines that certain frozen fish fillets (fish fillets) from Vietnam are being sold in the United States at less than normal value during the period of review (POR) August 1, 2015, through July 31, 2016. Details here.
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION:
Rule NMFS approves and implements those measures included in Framework Adjustment 29 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan that establish fishing year 2018 and 2019 scallop specifications and other measures for the Northern Gulf of Maine scallop management area. overall management of the Atlantic sea scallop resource in the Northern Gulf of Maine. Info here.
Rule implements the Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan and codified regulations for the International Pacific Halibut Commission’s Regulatory Area 2A (Area 2A), located off Washington, Oregon, and California. Details here.
Rule sets the 2018 Pacific halibut catch limit in the International Pacific Halibut Commission’s Regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California. Info here.
Rule proposes allocations of annual catch entitlements to groundfish sectors for the 2018 fishing year and also proposes a new regulatory exemption for sectors. Details here.
Notice Commerce seeks comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections. Title: Deep Seabed Mining Exploration Licenses. Info here.
Notice Commerce seeks comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections. Details here.
Notice NMFS, published a notice in the Federal Register of March 16, 2018, announcing our intent to conduct a 5-year review for the threatened Gulf of Maine distinct population segment (DPS) of Atlantic sturgeon, the endangered New York Bight DPS of Atlantic sturgeon, the endangered Chesapeake Bay DPS of Atlantic sturgeon, the endangered Carolina DPS of Atlantic sturgeon and the endangered South Atlantic DPS of Atlantic sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act. Info here.
OFFICE OF ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH: Notice OAO is announcing a meeting of the Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Advisory Committee. Details here.