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Conventional Prompt Global Strike and Long-Range Ballistic Missiles: Background and Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of the rationale for the Prompt Global Strike (PGS) mission and the possible deployment of conventional warheads on long-range ballistic missiles or boost-glide systems in support of this mission. It also reviews the Air Force and Navy efforts to develop these systems, summarizes Congressional reaction to these proposals, and provides a more detailed account of the issues raised by these concepts and programs.
Date: February 6, 2015
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Global Climate Change Initiative (GCCI): Budget Authority and Request, FY2010-FY2016

Description: This report serves as a brief overview of the Global Climate Change Initiative (GCCI) and its structure, intents, and funding history. The GCCI aims to integrate climate change considerations into U.S. foreign assistance through a range of bilateral, multilateral, and private sector mechanisms to promote sustainable and climate-resilient societies, foster low-carbon economic growth, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and land degradation.
Date: February 6, 2015
Creator: Lattanzio, Richard K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gases: Congressional Responses and Options

Description: This report provides background and discusses four options to address greenhouse gas (GHG) sources: (1) resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act; (2) freestanding legislation directing, delaying, or prohibiting EPA action; (3) the use of appropriations bills as a vehicle to influence EPA activity; and (4) amendments to the Clean Air Act, including legislation to establish a new GHG control regime.
Date: February 5, 2015
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Army Corps of Engineers: Water Resource Authorizations, Appropriations, and Activities

Description: This report summarizes congressional authorization and appropriations processes for the Army Corps of Engineers. It also discusses agency activities under general authorities. Congress directs the Corps through authorizations, appropriations, and oversight of its studies, construction projects, and other activities.
Date: February 2, 2015
Creator: Carter, Nicole T. & Stern, Charles V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

EPA's Vessel General Permits: Background and Issues

Description: 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).
Date: January 29, 2015
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 the sustainment and modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet, which performs a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2015 budget requests $6 million to continue initial acquisition activities for a new polar icebreaker. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify Coast Guard plans for sustaining and modernizing its polar icebreaking … more
Date: January 9, 2015
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

EPA Regulations: Too Much, Too Little, or On Track?

Description: This report provides background information on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory activity during the Obama Administration. It examines major or controversial regulatory actions taken by or under development at EPA since January 2009, providing details on the regulatory action itself, presenting an estimated timeline for completion of rules not yet promulgated (including identification of related court or statutory deadlines), and, in general, providing EPA's estimates of costs an… more
Date: January 8, 2015
Creator: McCarthy, James E. & Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Overview of Federal Real Property Disposal Requirements and Procedures

Description: This report begins with an explanation of the central role played by the General Services Administration (GSA) in the disposal of federal real estate property at most agencies. It then provides a discussion of the unique disposal processes at Department of Defense and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), which each have independent statutory authority to dispose of their own properties. It concludes with an overview of the environmental and historic preservation requirements that apply to the dispos… more
Date: December 10, 2014
Creator: Hatch, Garrett; Else, Daniel H.; Luther, Linda; Bearden, David M. & Alexander, Kristina
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Recent Trends and Factors

Description: A question for policy makers is whether U.S. GHG emissions will remain at current levels, decrease to meet the President's 2020 and 2025 goals, or increase to former (or even higher) levels. Multiple factors, including socioeconomics, technology, and climate policies, may impact GHG emission levels. The first section of this report provides current levels and recent trends in U.S. GHG emissions. The second section takes a closer look at some of the key factors that influence emission levels. Th… more
Date: November 24, 2014
Creator: Ramseur, Jonathan L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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EPA and the Army Corps' Proposed Rule to Define "Waters of the United States"

Description: This report describes the March 25, 2014 proposed rule to define "waters of the United States," particularly focused on clarifying the regulatory status of waters located in isolated places in a landscape, the types of waters with ambiguous jurisdictional status following the Supreme Court's ruling. It includes a table comparing the proposal to existing regulatory language.
Date: November 21, 2014
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative: Lessons Learned and Issues for Policy Makers

Description: The first section of this report provides an overview of the RGGI cap-and-trade program and the participating RGGI states. The subsequent sections discuss selected issues raised by RGGI that may be of interest to policy makers. The final section provides some final observations that may be instructive to policy makers.
Date: November 14, 2014
Creator: Ramseur, Jonathan L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

EPA's Clean Power Plan Proposal: Are the Emission Rate Targets Front-Loaded?

Description: On June 18, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed regulations (the "Clean Power Plan") addressing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from existing fossil fuel-fired electric generating units. This report briefly discusses this proposal.
Date: November 3, 2014
Creator: Ramseur, Jonathan L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Federal Pollution Control Laws: How Are They Enforced?

Description: This report focuses on enforcement of federal environmental pollution control requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA); the Clean Water Act (CWA); the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund); and other statutes for which EPA is the primary federal implementing agency.1 The report provides a brief synopsis of the statutory framework that serves as the basis for pollution control enforcement, including an overview of the key players responsibl… more
Date: October 7, 2014
Creator: Esworthy, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

EPA and the Army Corps' Proposed Rule to Define "Waters of the United States"

Description: This report describes the March 25 proposed rule to define "waters of the United States," particularly focused on clarifying the regulatory status of waters located in isolated places in a landscape, the types of waters with ambiguous jurisdictional status following the Supreme Court's ruling. It includes a table comparing the proposal to existing regulatory language.
Date: September 10, 2014
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Conventional Prompt Global Strike and Long-Range Ballistic Missiles: Background and Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of the rationale for the PGS mission and the possible deployment of conventional warheads on long-range ballistic missiles or boost-glide systems in support of this mission and reviews the Air Force and Navy efforts to develop these systems. The report also summarizes congressional reaction to these proposals, then provides a more detailed account of the issues raised by these concepts and programs.
Date: August 26, 2014
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

S. 1961 and H.R. 4024: Legislative Responses to a Chemical Storage Facility Spill

Description: From Summary: "This report describes and analyzes H.R. 4024 and S. 1961, as reported. The bill share a number of broadly similar provisions-both would direct states or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish programs to prevent and respond to releases from chemical storage facilities (H.R. 4024) or tanks (S. 1961) located near drinking water sources-but they take different approaches to doing so; S. 1961 would make programmatic changes by amending the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDW… more
Date: August 12, 2014
Creator: Copeland, Claudia & Tiemann, Mary
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the sustainment and modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet, which performs a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions. The report is written in response to the Coast Guard's budget request for a new polar ice breaker (none are currently in operation).
Date: August 4, 2014
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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