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Environmental Protection Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of key environmental issues that are receiving or may receive attention in the 109th Congress.
Date: July 20, 2005
Creator: Fletcher, Susan R. & Isler, Margaret
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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2006 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5): Designating Nonattainment Areas

Description: This report summarizes and describes the EPA's (Environmental Protection Agency) final revisions to the NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards). The summary also explores how the revisions are contentious in certain areas that may not be meeting those standards which materializes as congressional oversight.
Date: September 7, 2010
Creator: Esworthy, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Animal Waste and Water Quality: EPA’s Response to the Waterkeeper Alliance Court Decision on Regulation of CAFOs

Description: On June 30th, 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed regulations that would revise a 2003 Clean Water Act rule governing waste discharges from large confined animal feeding operations. This report details the 2003 rule and the Waterkeeper Alliance Decision and the EPA's response, including agricultural stormwater discharges, duties to apply for a permit, nutrient management plans, and aspects of the effluent limitation guidelines for confined animal feeding operations.
Date: November 20, 2008
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Environmental Protection Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of key environmental issues receiving attention in the 109th Congress.
Date: January 31, 2006
Creator: Fletcher, Susan R. & Isler, Margaret
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Environmental Protection Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of key environmental issues receiving attention in the 109th Congress.
Date: March 10, 2006
Creator: Fletcher, Susan R. & Isler, Margaret
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Environmental Protection Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: This report gives an overview of key environmental issues that are receiving or may receive attention in the 109th Congress
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: Fletcher, Susan R. & Isler, Margaret
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Environmental Protection Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of key environmental issues receiving attention in the 109th Congress
Date: August 21, 2006
Creator: Fletcher, Susan R. & Isler, Margaret
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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EPA's New Ozone Standards: A Few Thoughts

Description: This report discusses the EPA's review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). After several years of analysis, EPA proposed more stringent standards last November. This began a public comment period, leading toward the final decision.
Date: September 29, 2015
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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EPA and the Army Corps' Rule to Define "Waters of the United States"

Description: This report describes the final revised rule defining the scope of waters protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA)--which the agencies refer to as the Clean Water Rule--and includes a table comparing the existing regulatory language that defines "waters of the United States" with the revisions.
Date: June 29, 2015
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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International Climate Change Negotiations: What to Expect in Paris, December 2015

Description: This report identifies critical issues regarding the expected Paris Agreement and a Decision that would give effect to the Agreement. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) draws on the draft negotiating texts, publicly available reports, and commentaries to suggest likely outcomes.
Date: November 27, 2015
Creator: Leggett, Jane A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Clean Water Act Section 401: Background and Issues

Description: Section 401 of the Clean Water Act requires that an applicant for a federal license or permit provide a certification that any discharges from the facility will comply with the Act, including water quality standard requirements. Disputes have arisen over the states' exercise of authority under Section 401. Until recently, much of the debate over the Section 401 certification issue has been between states and hydropower interests. A 1994 Supreme Court decision which upheld the states' authority … more
Date: October 5, 2006
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and issues for Congress on sustaining and modernizing the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet, which performs a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions.
Date: July 28, 2015
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Global Climate Change: Congressional Concern About "Back Door" Implementation of the 1997 U.N. Kyoto Protocol

Description: This report discusses legislation and issues relating to global climate change, some legislation and some FY1999 appropriations bills were used as vehicles for explicit congressional direction to the executive branch about possible "back door" implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.
Date: February 3, 1999
Creator: Morrissey, Wayne A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Future of the Citizen Suit After Steel Co. and Laidlaw

Description: Two recent court decisions have called into question the viability of environmental citizen suits. In Steel Co., the Supreme Court denied plaintiff standing in a citizen suit where the defendant came into compliance after plaintiff sent its notice of intent to sue, but before it filed the complaint. Subsequently, the Fourth Circuit in Laidlaw invoked mootness doctrine to extend Steel Co.
Date: January 5, 1999
Creator: Meltz, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Clean Water Act Section 401: Background and Issues

Description: Section 401 of the Clean Water Act requires that an applicant for a federal license or permit provide a certification that any discharges from the facility will comply with the Act, including water quality standard requirements. Disputes have arisen over the states' exercise of authority under Section 401. Until recently, much of the debate over the Section 401 certification issue has been between states and hydropower interests. A 1994 Supreme Court decision which upheld the states' authority … more
Date: October 4, 1998
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Clean Water Issues in the 104th Congress

Description: For the 104th Congress, reauthorization of the Clean Water Act would seem likely to be a priority, since the Act was last amended in 1987 and authorizations expired on September 30, 1990. But legislative prospects in the 104th Congress are uncertain. Clean water also was a priority for the 103rd Congress, but, in 1994, Congress ran out of time and did not act on comprehensive amendments. Many of the issues proved to be too complex and controversial to be resolved easily, while Congress also was… more
Date: December 1, 1994
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Brownfields Program: Cleaning Up Urban Industrial Sites

Description: The Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is a pilot project to return idle or underused industrial and commercial facilities back to productive use, in situations where redevelopment is complicated by potential environmental contamination. The program is flexible, allowing cities to use a variety of approaches in utilizing grants of up to $200,000 to develop abandoned and underused sites, neighborhoods, and small regional areas. States and Indian tribes are eligible as well as local go… more
Date: April 3, 1995
Creator: Reisch, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Global Climate Change: Market-Based Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gases

Description: This report discusses global climate change and the possibility that human activities are releasing gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2), at rates that could affect global climate change.
Date: April 4, 2001
Creator: Parker, Larry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Deforestation: An Overview of Global Programs and Agreements

Description: In recent years, global environmental concerns have figured prominently on the American political agenda. In particular, tropical deforestation and its implications for global climate change and biological diversity loss have prompted public outcry. Concerns have since grown to include other forest types as well. The Congress has considered a variety of legislation to stem the tide of increasing deforestation and the United States has supported a number of bilateral and multilateral initiatives… more
Date: October 21, 1992
Creator: Lyke, Julie & Fletcher, Susan R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Fast-Track Trade Authority Proposals: Which Environmental Issues are Included in the Principal Negotiating Objectives?

Description: This report discusses fast-track negotiating authority, which provides that Congress will consider trade agreements within mandatory deadlines, with limited debate, and without amendment. Environmental provisions are eligible for the fast-track procedure only if they meet at least one of the principal trade negotiating objectives.
Date: October 17, 1997
Creator: Wilson, Arlene
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Environmental Protection: How Much it Costs and Who Pays

Description: A recurring issue in environmental policy is the cost of pollution control imposed on individuals, businesses, and government. To inform policymakers about these costs, a number of surveys and analyses have been conducted over the years. consistent, basic sources have been an annual survey of costs to manufacturers, conducted by the Bureau of Census(BOC), and an annual analysis of total costs, prepared by the Bureau of Economic Analysis(BEA). Overall, the BEA analysis showed the nation spent $1… more
Date: April 16, 1997
Creator: Blodgett, John E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Fast-Track Trade Authority: Which Environmental Issues are "Directly Related to Trade"?

Description: This report discusses fast-track negotiating authority, which provides that Congress will consider trade agreements within mandatory deadlines, with limited debate, and without amendment. Trade negotiating objectives have generally been included in fast-track legislation to establish priorities for trade negotiators.
Date: October 2, 1997
Creator: Wilson, Arlene
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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