Congressional Research Service Reports - 436 Matching Results
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- U.S. Tree Planting for Carbon Sequestration
- This report briefly discusses one of the widely discussed options for domestic carbon dioxide offsets: tree planting. Two terms are generally used for tree planting: reforestation, for planting trees in areas recently cleared of forest through timber harvesting or natural disaster; and afforestation, for planting trees on sites that have long been cleared of forests, such as crop, pasture, and brush lands.
- Appropriations for FY1999: Energy and Water Development
- This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress passes each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Energy and Water Development Appropriations. It summarizes the current legislative status on the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related legislative activity. The report lists the key CRS staff relevant to the issues covered and related CRS products.
- Federal Land Management Agencies: Background on Land and Resource Management
- This report provides an overview of how federal lands and resources are managed, the agencies that manage the lands, the authorities under which these lands are managed, and some of the issues associated with federal land management.
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- In the second session, Congress continues to confront an array of issues related to the public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the national forests managed by the U.S. Forest Service (FS). The Administration continues to address public lands and national forests through budgetary, regulatory, and other actions. Several key issues of ongoing congressional and administrative interest are covered in this report.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- This report discusses the General Mining Law of 1872, which is the law that grants free access to individuals and corporations to prospect for minerals in public domain lands, and allows them, upon making a discovery, to stake (or “locate”) a claim on that deposit.
- Biosphere Reserves and the U.S. MAB Program
- Since 1972, the United States has participated in the Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB), coordinated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In addition to the American Land Sovereignty Protection Act this report also discusses the legislation that would affect U.S. participation in the World Heritage Convention, under which World Heritage sites are recognized, and which include some of the sites recognized as biosphere reserves
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Public (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Biological Resources
- "This report discusses the reported and potential impacts of Hurricane Katrina on the biological resources in the affected region" (p. i).
- The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Biological Resources
- "This report discusses the reported and potential impacts of Hurricane Katrina on the biological resources in the affected region" (p. i).
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lands and National Forests
- The 109th Congress is considering issues related to the public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the national forests managed by the Forest Service (FS). The Administration is addressing issues through budgetary, regulatory, and other actions. Several key issues of congressional and administrative interest are covered here.
- Grazing Fees: An Overview and Current Issues
- This report briefly discusses charging fees for grazing private livestock on federal lands, which is a long-standing but contentious practice. Generally, livestock producers who use federal lands want to keep fees low, while conservation groups and others believe fees should be raised to approximate "fair market value."
- Rare Earth Elements in National Defense: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress
- This report covers concerns that Congress has expressed over U.S. acquisition of rare earth elements, particularly those used in various components of defense weapon systems. Specific concerns are the acquisition of these elements, especially from foreign sources such as China; how dependence of foreign sources affects national security; and methods for decreasing the relationship between reliance on foreign sources and national security.
- Heritage Areas: Background, Proposals, and Current Issues
- This report focuses on heritage areas designated by Congress and related issues and legislation. Over more than two decades, Congress has established 40 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) to commemorate, conserve, and promote areas that include important natural, scenic, historic, cultural, and recreational resources.
- Wildfire Damages to Homes and Resources: Understanding Causes and Reducing Losses
- This report focuses on options for protecting structures and for protecting wildlands and natural resources from wildfires. It begins with a brief overview of the nature of wildfires, followed by a discussion of protecting structures. Then, it discusses wildfire damages to wildlands and natural resources, fuel treatment options and their benefits and limitations, and public involvement in federal decisions.
- The Helium-3 Shortage: Supply, Demand, and Options for Congress
- The world is experiencing a shortage of helium-3, a rare isotope of helium with applications in homeland security, national security, medicine, industry, and science. Federal officials have testified that the shortage is acute and, unless alternatives are found, will affect federal investments in homeland security, scientific research, and other areas. This report discusses the nature of the shortage; federal actions undertaken so far to address it; current and potential sources of helium-3 and options for increasing the supply; current and projected uses of helium-3 and options for reducing the demand; and options for allocating the supply if it continues to fall short of demand.
- Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity
- This report discusses the various industrial uses for hemp, a variety of Cannabis sativa of the same plant species as marijuana. It compares hemp with marijuana and discusses global production, legal status, and recent legislative activity.
- Rare Earth Elements in National Defense: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress
- This report covers concerns that Congress has expresses over U.S. acquisition of rare earth elements, particularly those used in various components of defense weapon systems. Specific concerns are the acquisition of these elements, especially from foreign sources such as China; how dependence of foreign sources affects national security; and methods for decreasing the relationship between reliance on foreign sources and national security.
- Heritage Areas: Background, Proposals, and Current Issues
- This report focuses on heritage areas designated by Congress and related issues and legislation. Over more than two decades, Congress has established 40 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) to commemorate, conserve, and promote areas that include important natural, scenic, historic, cultural, and recreational resources.
- Federal Lands Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service (FS): Issues for the 110th Congress
- The report starts out with a brief overview and analysis of Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Other issues discussed briefly include roadless areas in the National Forest System, national forest planning, national forest county payments, BLM land sales, and grazing management.
- Federal Funding for Wildfire Control and Management
- This report looks at four issues dominating wildfire funding debates: the high cost of fire management, funding for fuel reduction, the federal role in protecting nonfederal lands, and post-fire rehabilitation. The Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) are responsible for protecting most federal lands from wildfires, however, many in Congress are concerned that wildfire costs are spiraling upward without a reduction in damages.
- Rare Earth Elements in National Defense: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress
- This report covers concerns that Congress has expressed over U.S. acquisition of rare earth elements, particularly those used in various components of defense weapon systems. Specific concerns are the acquisition of these elements, especially from foreign sources such as China; how dependence of foreign sources affects national security; and methods for decreasing the relationship between reliance on foreign sources and national security.
- Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): Status and Issues
- This report discusses the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which provides payments to agricultural producers to take highly erodible and environmentally sensitive land out of production and install resource conserving practices for 10 or more years. CRP was first authorized in the Food Security Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-198, 1985 farm bill) and is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) with technical support from other USDA agencies.
- Heritage Areas: Background, Proposals, and Current Issues
- Over the past 20 years, Congress has established 24 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) to commemorate, conserve, and promote important areas that include natural, scenic, historic, cultural, and recreational resources. This report focuses on heritage areas designated by Congress, and related issues and legislation.
- Federal Lands Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service (FS): Issues for the 110th Congress
- This report discusses actions the 110th Congress is considering that affect the various uses and management of federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. These actions include legislation, administrative or regulatory proposals, and litigation and judicial decisions. Issues areas include access to energy resources on federal lands, especially implementation of the Energy Policy Act of 2005; development of hardrock minerals; roadless area management and protection; management, protection, and disposal of wild horses and burros; wilderness designation and management; and wildfire management and protection. Many of these issues have been of interest to Congress and the nation for decades.
- Federal Lands Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service (FS): Issues for the 110th Congress
- The missions of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service (FS) are similar, and many issues, programs, and policies affect both agencies. This report focuses on several issues affecting both agencies’ lands that are likely to be of interest to the 110th Congress, including energy resources, hardrock mining, FS roadless areas, wild horses and burros, wilderness, wildfire protection, and others.