Environment

in committee · United States · House May 19, 2025

HR 3487: Shawnee TRAILS Act

The Shawnee TRAILS Act requires the Secretary of Agriculture to designate and maintain at least 20% of trails in Shawnee National Forest for recreational use by e-bikes and off-road vehicles (including ATVs and ORVs). It mandates that these designated trails be monitored to balance recreation access with natural resource protection, while ensuring at least one trail remains open year-round for such use. The bill also explicitly permits covered vehicles on paved roads within the forest. This policy directly affects recreational users of e-bikes and off-road vehicles in Shawnee National Forest, altering how trails are managed for their access.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentPermits expanded off-road vehicle access in national forest, increasing potential habitat disruption and resource degradation despite monitoring requirement.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationPermits e-bikes/ORVs on paved forest roads, expanding vehicle access and aligning with transportation infrastructure regulations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry Parks & Recreation Roads & Highways

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in committee · United States · House Feb 28, 2025

HR 773: To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to repeal certain provisions relating to the acceptance and use of contributions for public-private partnerships, and for other purposes.

HR 773 amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to remove specific provisions related to public-private partnerships. It repeals language referencing "public-private partnerships" in Section 1241(f) and modifies how non-Federal funds can be used for conservation programs. The bill allows the Secretary to create sub-accounts under conservation programs (administered under subtitle D) to accept and use non-Federal funds, directing these funds specifically to those programs' sub-accounts instead of general accounts. This change directly affects conservation programs funded through the Secretary's administration under the Food Security Act. The bill focuses on streamlining the handling of contributions for these programs without creating new requirements.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill enables non-Federal funds for conservation programs under subtitle D, strengthening funding mechanisms for environmental conservation without weakening protections.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Climate Change Conservation Drinking Water

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in committee · United States · House Jan 28, 2025

HR 752: Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act

HR 752 establishes a federal research program to improve methane leak detection and measurement technologies for natural gas infrastructure. It creates a Methane Emissions Measurement and Mitigation Research Consortium to facilitate data sharing and collaborative research among industry, government, and academia, focusing on pipeline systems, production wells, and storage facilities. The bill authorizes $36 million in fiscal year 2026 (increasing to $44 million by 2030) to fund research on better detection methods, including Lidar, machine learning analytics, and remote sensing, while requiring annual reports to Congress. This program directly affects natural gas operators, researchers, and federal agencies by advancing tools to accurately quantify emissions from oil and gas infrastructure, without imposing new regulatory requirements.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill funds $36M+ research to reduce methane leaks in natural gas infrastructure, advancing cleaner energy production and emissions mitigation.92% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill funds $36M+ research to improve methane leak detection in natural gas infrastructure, directly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing climate protection efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Oil & Gas Pipeline Infrastructure

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in committee · United States · House Feb 4, 2026

HR 3474: Federal Mechanical Insulation Act

This bill amends federal energy conservation law to require federal agencies to consider mechanical insulation as a standard energy-saving measure during building evaluations. It defines "mechanical insulation property" as materials that reduce energy loss in mechanical systems while meeting ASHRAE 90.1 standards, including insulation placed in service with those systems. The law adds mechanical insulation to the list of measures agencies must evaluate for potential installation in federal buildings as part of their required energy and water assessments. This directly affects federal agencies managing buildings, ensuring they formally assess this specific efficiency measure during routine evaluations.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyMandates federal agencies to evaluate mechanical insulation for energy efficiency, reducing energy loss in buildings per ASHRAE 90.1 standards.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRequires federal agencies to evaluate mechanical insulation for energy conservation, reducing building energy loss per ASHRAE standards, directly advancing environmental protection through energy efficiency.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency Conservation

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in committee · United States · House May 9, 2025

HR 3322: Solid American Hardwood Tax Credit Act

This bill adds a new tax credit for homeowners who install qualifying U.S.-grown hardwood products in their primary residence. It expands the existing energy efficient home improvement credit to cover "natural carbon sink expenditures," defined as flooring, paneling, cabinetry, or windows made from deciduous trees grown and processed in the U.S. The credit applies to products installed in a dwelling owned and used as the taxpayer’s principal residence, with the installation expected to last at least five years. The bill also extends the credit’s expiration date from 2032 to 2035.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates tax credit for hardwood products, providing tax relief under existing energy-efficient home improvement framework.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill defines tax credit for hardwood as 'natural carbon sink expenditures', promoting carbon sequestration and environmental protection.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Forestry

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in committee · United States · House May 20, 2026

HR 1077: STEAM Act

Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms Act or the STEAM Act This bill expedites the environmental review of certain geothermal energy activities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Specifically, the bill expands the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include certain geothermal exploration or development activities in an existing categorical exclusion from NEPA for certain oil or gas activities.  A categorical exclusion applies to a class of actions that do not require an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement under NEPA. The categorical exclusion established by the bill applies to drilling a geothermal well (1) in an area where drilling has occurred previously within the five years prior to the date when drilling begins; or (2) within a developed field for which an approved land use plan or environmental document prepared under NEPA determined drilling to be a reasonably foreseeable activity, so long as the plan or document was approved within the five years prior to the date when drilling begins.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyStreamlines geothermal development (renewable energy) by expediting NEPA reviews, advancing clean energy infrastructure through regulatory efficiency95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentStreamlines permitting for geothermal energy, a clean power source, advancing renewable development without weakening environmental reviews.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Oil & Gas

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in committee · United States · Senate Jan 30, 2025

S 333: Homeowner Energy Freedom Act

S 333, the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act, repeals three specific sections of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that established energy efficiency programs for homeowners. These sections included a high-efficiency electric home rebate program and related funding mechanisms. The bill also rescinds unobligated funds from those repealed programs and makes a minor conforming change to another IRA section. This legislation directly affects homeowners who would have qualified for the repealed rebate programs, eliminating those specific federal energy efficiency incentives.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyRepeals IRA energy efficiency programs and rescinds funding, directly weakening homeowner clean energy adoption initiatives.95% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentRepeals IRA energy efficiency rebate programs, removing funding for homeowner clean energy initiatives that reduce emissions.95% confidence ✗ HousingOpposes HousingRepeals IRA energy efficiency rebates, defunding programs that lower housing costs for homeowners, directly weakening affordable housing support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency Homeownership

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in committee · United States · House May 20, 2026

HR 7080: Waste Heat to Wattage Act of 2026

The Waste Heat to Wattage Act of 2026 amends the definition of renewable energy under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to include "waste energy recovery." Specifically, it adds waste energy recovery - defined as heat or pressure from industrial processes that would otherwise be wasted - to the list of eligible renewable energy sources. This change directly affects industrial facilities that capture waste heat or pressure to generate electricity through systems like waste heat to power. The bill updates existing law to recognize this technology as renewable energy, without creating new programs or funding.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyExpands renewable energy definition to include waste heat recovery, promoting clean energy generation from industrial processes.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAdds waste heat recovery to renewable energy definition, promoting clean energy generation from industrial waste heat, reducing emissions and energy waste.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Renewable Energy

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in committee · United States · House Mar 26, 2025

HR 2358: ESG Act of 2025

HR 2358, the "ESG Act of 2025," primarily amends investment advice rules to prioritize financial (pecuniary) factors over non-financial considerations like environmental, social, or governance (ESG) factors. It requires investment advisers to base recommendations on financial impacts unless clients provide written consent to consider non-financial factors, and mandates detailed disclosures about the financial effects of such considerations over three years. The bill directly affects investment advisers, brokers, and dealers who provide advice to clients. Key provisions include new disclosure requirements for advisers using non-financial factors and a 12-month implementation timeline after enactment. (Note: The bill's title references "ESG," but its core policy restricts ESG considerations in investment advice, not promotes them.)

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill mandates investment advisers prioritize financial factors over ESG considerations, restricting environmental factors in investment decisions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Climate Change

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in committee · United States · House Feb 13, 2025

HR 1323: Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025

The Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 resolves water rights claims for the federally recognized Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo in New Mexico's Rio Chama Stream System. It establishes a $745 million Trust Fund to support water infrastructure, land acquisition, and management, with specific guidelines for how these funds can be used for projects like bosque restoration and water rights management. The bill includes a waiver of claims by the Pueblo in exchange for recognized water rights, while preserving certain environmental and cultural rights through specific reservations. The settlement becomes effective on an "Enforceability Date" when specific conditions are met, including court approval and fund deposits.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds bosque restoration and water rights management for ecosystem conservation, directly advancing environmental protection through designated project uses.95% confidence

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