Congressional Research Service Reports - 951 Matching Results
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- Water Infrastructure Financing: History of EPA Appropriations
- The principal federal program to aid municipal wastewater treatment plant construction is authorized in the Clean Water Act (CWA). In appropriations legislation, funding for EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) wastewater assistance is contained in the measure providing funds for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. This report summarizes, in chronological order, congressional activity to fund items in the State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) account since 1987.
- Water Infrastructure Financing: History of EPA Appropriations
- This report summarizes, in chronological order, congressional activity to fund items in the State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) account since 1987. In appropriations legislation, funding for EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) wastewater assistance is contained in the measure providing funds for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.
- Water Infrastructure Financing: History of EPA Appropriations
- The principal federal program to aid municipal wastewater treatment plant construction is authorized in the Clean Water Act (CWA). In appropriations legislation, funding for EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) wastewater assistance is contained in the measure providing funds for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. This report summarizes, in chronological order, congressional activity to fund items in the State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) account since 1987.
- EPA’s Vessel General Permits: Background and Issues
- This report is an overview of the revised VGP for large vessels and two key issues.
- Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency
- This report is a summary of the body of federal environmental statutes that together constitute the main authorities of EPA, but this report is not comprehensive in terms of discussing all federal statutes that may authorize certain activities of the agency.
- Economic Effects on Pollution Control Legislation
- This report's three main objectives: outline major pieces of environmental protection legislation in the previous two congresses, examine selected emerging economic consequences of this legislation, and then congressional response to this legislation.
- EPA and the Army Corps’ “Waters of the United States” Rule: Congressional Response and Options
- This report discusses several options that congress could consider and that are reflected in bills in the 114th Congress.
- Elevating the Environmental Protection Agency to a Department: Analysis of Major Issues
- No Description Available.
- EPA’s Regulation of Coal-Fired Power: Is a “Train Wreck” Coming?
- This report describes nine rules in seven categories that are at the core of recent critical analyses, with background on the rule and its requirements and, where possible, a discussion of the rule's potential costs and benefits.
- EPA and the Army Corps’ Rule to Define “Waters of the United States”
- This report describes the final revised rule--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.
- Clean Air and New Source Review: Defining Routine Maintenance
- This report discusses defining routine maintenance related to Clean air and new source review.
- EPA’s Proposed Wood Stove / Wood Heater Regulations: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report addresses some of the most frequent questions raised concerning the proposal, in order to provide basic information about EPA's action, its potential impacts, and industry and other reactions to the rule.
- EPA and the Army Corps’ Proposed Rule to Define “Waters of the United States”
- This report describes the proposed rule and includes a table comparing the existing regulatory language that defines "waters of the United States" with the proposed revisions.
- EPA and the Army Corps’ Proposed Rule to Define “Waters of the United States"
- This report describes the proposed rule--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 proposed revisions.
- S. 2262, Shaheen-Portman Bill 2014: Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act
- This report reviews the Senate bill S.2262 and considers the contentious pieces of the bill. Moreover, the report addresses possible amendments to the bill. The report also covers the budget of S. 2262 and describes the expansions it aims to make with energy restrictions and the enforcement of those restrictions.
- EPA Regulations: Too Much, Too Little, or On Track?
- This report provides background information on recent EPA regulatory activity to help address these issues.
- Nanotechnology and Environmental, Health, and Safety: Issues for Consideration
- This report identifies the potential environmental, health, and safety opportunities and challenges of nanotechnology; explains the importance of addressing nanotechnology EHS concerns; identifies and discusses nanotechnology EHS issues; and summarizes options for Congressional action, including the nanotechnology EHS-related provisions of selected legislation. The report also includes two appendices.
- Open Ocean Aquaculture
- This report discusses four general areas related to open ocean aquaculture: (1) operational and business-related challenges; (2) potential economic impacts; (3) potential environmental impacts; and (4) the legal and regulatory environment. It summarizes recent executive and legislative branch actions.
- Noise Abatement and Control: An Overview of Federal Standards and Regulations
- Constant or repeated exposure to sounds of 90 decibels or higher can lead to hearing loss, and noise exposure is responsible for hearing impairment in about 10 million people in the United States. To limit the public's exposure to potentially harmful sound levels, the federal government sets and enforces uniform noise control standards for aircraft and airports, interstate motor carriers and railroads, workplace activities, medium and heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds, portable air compressors, and federally assisted housing projects located in noise exposed areas.
- Environmental Equity
- More than 20 years of Federal pollution control programs notwithstanding, growing perception that minority and low-income communities remain at disproportionately high risk of exposure to toxic pollutants is focusing attention on "environmental equity" issues. Federal legislation has been introduced to ensure equal protection of environmental quality and public health. Equity legislation is opposed by people who are skeptical of its long-term prospects and believe that there is insufficient evidence of discrimination and that some inequities are inevitable in a free-market economy. Both sides agree there is a need to collect and analyze data on public health and exposure to environmental hazards and to compare health risks among racial and socio-economic groups.
- Nanotechnology and Environmental, Health, and Safety: Issues for Consideration
- This report: identifies the potential environmental, health, and safety opportunities and challenges of nanotechnology; explains the importance of addressing nanotechnology EHS concerns; identifies and discusses nanotechnology EHS issues; and summarizes options for Congressional action, including the nanotechnology EHS-related provisions of selected legislation.
- Military Base Closures: Role and Costs of Environmental Cleanup
- This report explains cleanup requirements for the transfer and reuse of properties on closed military bases, discusses property transfer status and cleanup costs on bases closed in prior rounds, and examines estimates of costs to clean up bases to be closed in the 2005 round to make these properties safe for civilian reuse.
- Military Base Closures: Role and Cost of Environmental Cleanup
- This report explains cleanup requirements for the transfer and reuse of properties on closed military bases, discusses property transfer status and cleanup costs on bases closed in prior rounds, and examines estimates of costs to clean up bases to be closed in the 2005 round to make these properties safe for civilian reuse.
- Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for Disaster Response, Recovery, and Mitigation Projects
- Report that discusses the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as it applies to projects for which federal funding to recover from or prepare for a disaster has been requested by local, tribal, or state grant applicants.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2013
- Report that looks at appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) FY 2013.
- Glider Kit, Engine, and Vehicle Regulations
- This report examines EPA's and selected other federal agencies' requirements on glider kits and glider vehicles and outlines the congressional response.
- Environmental Services Markets in the 2008 Farm Bill
- This report gives an overview of issues involved in the provisions of the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110-234, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act). It includes a brief overview describing environmental services markets, benefits and barriers, recent Congressional action related to the topics, and possible considerations.
- EPA's Affordable Clean Energy Proposal
- This report provides background information about the Clean Air Act (CAA) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the power sector, and also highlights some of the major components of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) "Affordable Clean Energy Rule" (ACE) proposal.
- MTBE in Gasoline: Clean Air and Drinking Water Issues
- This report provides background information concerning the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), discusses air and water quality issues associated with it, and reviews options available to congressional and other policy-makers concerned about its continued use. It includes a discussion of legislation considered in the 106th Congress, which may serve as a starting point for legislation in the 107th.
- Everglades Restoration: CERP and the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP)
- This report provides definition for everglades, describes what is the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), and discusses the restoration of everglades project.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Appropriations for FY2013 in P.L. 113-6
- This report summarizes actions on FY2013 appropriations for EPA and presents the FY2013 enacted levels after the application of the across-the-board rescission and reductions triggered by sequestration,as reported in EPA's Operating Plan.
- EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gases: Congressional Responses and Options
- This report discusses elements of this controversy, providing background on stationary sources of GHG pollution and identifying options Congress has at its disposal to address the issues.
- Brownfields Tax Incentive Extension
- This report discusses the brownfields tax incentive, which expires on December 31, 2007. Enacted in 1997, the provision allowed a taxpayer to fully deduct the costs of environmental cleanup in the year the costs were incurred, rather than spreading the costs over a period of years.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Appropriations for FY2014 in P.L. 113-76
- This report presents a discussion of the FY2014 enacted appropriations for selected EPA programs and activities highlighted in the congressional debate.
- EPA's Vessel General Permits: Background and Issues
- This report covers two proposed permit drafts by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding Vessel General Permits (VGPs): one for large vessels to replace the 2008 VGP (draft VGP), and one for smaller vessels that currently are covered by a congressionally-enacted temporary moratorium (draft sVGP).
- Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for Disaster Response, Recovery, and Mitigation Projects
- This report discusses the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as it applies to projects for which federal funding to recover from or prepare for a disaster has been requested by local, tribal, or state grant applicants.
- Noise Abatement: Summary of the Issues
- This report discusses the issue of noise abatement in public places and residential areas and legislation and research regarding safe noise levels.
- Federal Pollution Control Laws: How Are They Enforced?
- This report provides an overview of the statutory framework, key players, infrastructure, resources, tools, and operations associated with enforcement and compliance of the major pollution control laws and regulations administered by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It also outlines the roles of federal (including regional offices) and state regulators, as well as the regulated community.
- EPAs Proposed Policy on Wastewater Blending: Background and Issues
- This report provides background on blending, why and how it is practiced, the proposed policy that EPA now says it will not finalize, associated issues, and Congressional interest in the topic.
- Environmental Regulation and Agriculture
- This report provides the background, status, and issues related to selected environmental regulations or initiatives possibly affecting agriculture that have drawn attention in and beyond Congress.
- Air Quality and Electricity: Enforcing New source Review
- This report discusses seven law suits that the Justice Department filed against electric utilities in the Midwest and South in violation of the New Source Review (NSR) and Clean Air Act (CAA). The EPA is attempting to use the NSR and CAA to reduce emissions, even thought they believe that some sources are evading NSR requirements.
- EPA and the Army Corps’ “Waters of the United States” Rule: Congressional Response and Options
- This report discusses several options that congress could consider and that are reflected in bills in the 114th Congress.
- Air Quality: EPA’s Proposed Interstate Air Quality Rule
- This report discusses the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rule on the effect of interstate transport of air pollutants on non-attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The Interstate Air Quality (IAQ) rule suggests a region-wide emissions cap to be implemented in two phases.
- Cars and Climate: What Can EPA Do to Control Greenhouse Gases from Mobile Sources?
- This report deals with Cars and Climate that discusses what can Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Do to Control Greenhouse Gases from Mobile Sources.
- EPA and the Army Corps’ Proposed Rule to Define “Waters of the United States"
- This report describes the proposed rule and includes a table comparing the existing regulatory language that defines "waters of the United States" with the proposed revisions.
- Environmental Protection: From the 103rd to the 104th Congress
- This report analyzes environmental issues at a pivotal period, between the Democratic-controlled 103rd Congress and the Republican-led 104th Congresses.
- The EPA Draft Report of Groundwater Contamination Near Pavillion, Wyoming: Main Findings and Stakeholder Responses
- No Description Available.
- Environmental Protection Agency: FY2007 Appropriations Highlights
- No Description Available.
- Abandoned Mine Land Fund Reauthorization: Selected Issues
- This report provides a summary of the structure of the Abandon Mine Land (AML) program, distribution of funds, and discusses major proposals considered in the 108th Congress.
- Environmental Protection Agency: FY2007 Appropriations Highlights
- No Description Available.