The SCOPE Act of 2026 directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a study and issue guidance for specific industrial facilities, referred to as "direct emitters," regarding the calculation and reporting of their "scope 3 emissions." Scope 3 emissions are defined as indirect greenhouse gas emissions resulting from activities throughout a company's upstream and downstream value chain. Within one year of the bill's enactment, the EPA Administrator must publish comprehensive guidance for these direct emitters. This guidance will include recommended reporting thresholds, standardized calculation methodologies, advice on monitoring frequency, data quality assurance, and recordkeeping requirements for these indirect emissions.
This bill, known as the Stop Taxing Our Power Act, prevents states from collecting fees specifically to fund the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Energy Efficiency Program. It directly affects state governments that currently use charges to support this regional climate initiative, which operates across several northeastern and mid-Atlantic states. The legislation removes the authority for states to impose these particular charges, effectively cutting off a funding source for the program. The bill does not address other ways the program might be funded or alter the program's overall goals, focusing solely on prohibiting state-imposed charges for this specific purpose.
The Clean Competition Act (HR 6787) creates a carbon border adjustment mechanism that imposes fees on imported goods and domestic production based on their carbon intensity relative to U.S. industry averages. The bill requires covered entities to report greenhouse gas emissions and production data annually, calculates charges based on how much a facility's emissions exceed a baseline percentage that decreases over time, and provides rebates for exported goods. It includes provisions for carbon removal credits, establishes funding programs to support domestic industrial decarbonization through grants and contracts, and creates a framework for international 'carbon club' agreements with trading partners that meet specific environmental and labor standards.
This bill reauthorizes the Chesapeake Bay Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and establishes its role as the primary NOAA representative in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The legislation creates a new Director position with expertise in Chesapeake Bay research and resource management, and expands the office's responsibilities to include coastal hazards, climate change, and education initiatives. Key provisions authorize programs for scientific peer review, coastal observing systems, education and training grants, and habitat restoration projects focused on oysters, blue crabs, and other living marine resources. The bill also requires biennial reports to Congress on the office's activities and progress in protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.
This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to create a study and publish guidance on how companies should calculate and report their scope 3 emissions, which are indirect greenhouse gas emissions from their supply chains and product use. The EPA would determine which facilities must report and establish methods for tracking emissions from upstream and downstream activities in the value chain. The guidance would include specific thresholds for reporting, calculation methods, monitoring frequency recommendations, and recordkeeping requirements for covered facilities. This legislation focuses on standardizing how industrial facilities report their broader environmental impact beyond their own direct operations.
This bill amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to expand education and risk management assistance for agricultural producers, crop insurance providers, and other stakeholders. It requires the USDA to offer language translation services and update training programs to include diverse conservation practices like soil health improvements, sustainable water management, and agroforestry systems. The legislation increases funding limits, allowing producers to receive up to $200,000 over five years for these activities, while also authorizing $20 million annually in new appropriations. Additionally, it clarifies that payments for these programs do not count toward existing federal fund limits, ensuring producers can access multiple sources of support.
HR 600, the "WHO is Accountable Act," prohibits U.S. federal funds from supporting the World Health Organization (WHO) until the organization meets eight specific conditions. These include ending perceived Chinese Communist Party influence, ending alleged pandemic cover-ups, granting Taiwan observer status, and halting WHO activities on gender identity, climate change, and abortion access. The bill blocks all U.S. contributions and membership efforts until the State Department certifies WHO compliance. It directly affects U.S. agencies managing international health funding and WHO's operational policies.
Transportation Freedom Act This bill reduces taxes on auto companies and repeals specified environmental regulations on cars and trucks. The bill establishes a new tax deduction equal to 200% of eligible wages paid or incurred by domestic producers of automobiles or automobile components, subject to limitations. It also allows an entity to reduce (and adjust) its financial statement income (for purposes of calculating liability for the alternative minimum tax) by the amount of eligible wages it elects to deduct. The bill nullifies the 2024 rules of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding (1) the finalization of specified greenhouse gas (GHG) programs and the reduction of emissions from certain light-duty and medium-duty vehicles (e.g., cars and trucks that are under a certain weight) starting with model year 2027, and (2) phase three of GHG emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles (e.g., school buses and tractor-trailer trucks). It also repeals the 2024 rules of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for certain cars, trucks, and vans. Additionally, the bill eliminates (1) the option given to California to set standards for car emissions that are more stringent than those set under the Clean Air Act, and (2) the option for other states to adopt California's standards. NHTSA and the EPA must establish new CAFE and GHG standards, respectively, for vehicles that are economically practicable and technologically feasible. The GHG standards may not require the production or sale of electric vehicles.
HR 230 prohibits the U.S. Department of the Interior from implementing a specific resource management plan amendment for the Buffalo, Wyoming Bureau of Land Management (BLM) field office. The bill blocks the Secretary of the Interior from administering or enforcing the amendment detailed in the November 27, 2024, federal register notice (89 Fed. Reg. 93650). This directly affects the Buffalo BLM office and land management activities in that region by halting the planned changes to how public lands are managed there. The bill is procedural, preventing the BLM from moving forward with this specific administrative action.
The PANELS Act amends U.S. tax code provisions to exclude solar energy projects on prime or unique farmland from federal tax credits. Specifically, it revises Section 48 (energy property credits) and Section 45Y (clean electricity production credits) to require that solar facilities not be located on land designated as "prime farmland" or "unique farmland" under existing USDA definitions (7 CFR § 657). This directly affects solar developers seeking these tax benefits, as projects on such agricultural land will no longer qualify. The change applies to property placed in service after the bill’s enactment, aiming to protect high-quality farmland from being converted for solar development.
