Climate

A FACTUAL LOOK AT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIMATE AND WEATHER

United States · United States House of Representatives · 11 December 2013

ASSESSING THE INVESTMENT CLIMATE AND IMPROVING MARKET ACCESS IN FINANCIAL SERVICES IN INDIA

United States · United States Senate · 25 September 2013

DYSFUNCTION IN MANAGEMENT OF WEATHER AND CLIMATE SATELLITES

United States · United States House of Representatives · 19 September 2013

Ensure Reliable and Affordable American Energy Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2013

Ensure Reliable and Affordable American Energy Act of 2013 - Amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit a regulation concerning emissions of carbon dioxide from a fossil fuel-fired electric generating unit to address climate change from taking effect until the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies that a sufficient number of countries have put into effect regulations concerning such emissions that are at least as stringent as the regulation under the Act. Defines "sufficient number" to mean a number of countries that, in the aggregate, account for at least 80% of global carbon dioxide emissions, excluding those in the United States, in the calendar year immediately preceding the year in which the regulation under the Act would be enforced.

THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES AND ACTIVITIES

United States · United States House of Representatives · 18 September 2013

Energy Security and Employment Act

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2013

Energy Security and Employment Act - Amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to repeal the moratorium on oil and gas leasing in certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico. Retains the authority of the Secretary of Defense to designate national defense areas on the outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Deems the Draft Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program 2010-2015, issued by the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), to be the final oil and gas leasing program for FY2013-FY2018 under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA). Considers the Secretary to have issued a final environmental impact statement for such program in accordance with specified law. Terminates the Five Year Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2012-2017. Amends the OCSLA to direct the Secretary to share OCS receipts with states and local governments according to a specified allocation formula composed of bonus bids and royalties to adjacent states, including states that: (1) have a coastline point within 300 miles of the center of the leased tract; and (2) allow leasing within at least 25% of the portion of each state's Adjacent Zone that is within 75 miles of the coastline. Prescribes payment of allocations to: (1) certain states and coastal county-equivalent political subdivisions, and (2) coastal municipal political subdivisions. Permits payment of such funds to be used as matching funds for other federal programs. Directs the Secretary to establish and implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program for the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas resources on the Coastal Plain within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against leasing or other development leading to production of oil and gas from ANWR. States that the "Final Legislative Environmental Impact Statement" (April 1987) on the Coastal Plain prepared by the Secretary satisfies the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 regarding prelease activities under this Act, including actions authorized to be taken by the Secretary regarding regulations for the establishment of a leasing program before the first lease sale is conducted. States the Secretary shall not be required to identify nonleasing alternative courses of action, nor to analyze the environmental effects of those courses of action. Authorizes the Secretary to designate and exclude from leasing up to 45,000 acres of the Coastal Plain as a special area, and 4,000 acres in the Sadlerochit Spring area as another special area, requiring special management and regulatory protection. Prohibits surface occupancy of a special area if the Secretary leases all or a portion of it for oil and gas exploration, development, or production. Authorizes lease terms to permit horizontal drilling technology from sites on lease tracts located outside the special area. Prohibits the Secretary from closing land within the Coastal Plain to oil and gas leasing, exploration, development, or production except in accordance with this Act. Directs the Secretary to establish procedures for lease sales to any person qualified to obtain a lease for oil and gas deposits, at a minimum of 200,000 acres for the first lease sale. Permits lease sales conducted through an Internet leasing program. Prescribes lease sales, terms and conditions, including a timetable for lease sales. Provides for expedited judicial review. Directs the Secretary to: (1) issue rights-of-way and easements across the Coastal Plain for oil and gas transportation, (2) convey to the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation specified surface estate of land in accordance with a certain agreement, and (3) convey to the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation a certain subsurface estate. Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 to repeal the prohibition on the use of funds for either a commercial oil shale leasing program or for oil shale lease sales. Directs the Secretary to open lands for leasing of oil shale resources. Prescribes a standard for judicial review governing energy projects, including a limitation upon injunctive and prospective relief. Establishes: (1) the Office of the Federal Oil and Gas Permit Coordinator, and (2) regional offices to coordinate review of federal permits for oil and gas projects on federal lands onshore and on the OCS. Prohibits both the President and the head of a federal department or agency from promulgating regulations providing for the control of emissions of a greenhouse gas, enforce or implement any law or regulation that provides for the control of emissions of a greenhouse gas, take action relating to or take into consideration the climate effects of emissions of a greenhouse gas, consider climate effects in implementing or enforcing any law or condition or deny any approval based upon climate effects. Precludes the Secretary of Transportation from exercising any authority regarding greenhouse gases. Retains specified requirements governing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Nullifies certain rules and actions taken by EPA before the date of enactment of this Act to regulate greenhouse gases for effects relating to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and climate change. Amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit EPA from granting any state request for a waiver of standards to control emissions of greenhouse gas air pollutants from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines of model year 2017. Deems stricken from a state implementation plan any designation of greenhouse gases as pollutants subject to regulation or as regulated pollutants, or otherwise authorizing or requiring limitations on the emission of greenhouse gases under state law. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to repeal the prohibition against federal procurement of alternative or synthetic fuel unless the contract specifies that the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production and combustion of the fuel supplied must be less than or equal to such emissions from the equivalent conventional fuel produced from conventional petroleum sources. Amends the Clean Air Act to: (1) prohibit any state from prescribing or attempting to enforce any control or prohibition regarding any characteristic or component of either a fuel or fuel additive in a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine, (2) require the use of conventional gasoline in a motor vehicle throughout the United States, and (3) repeal certain requirements for oxygenated gasoline. Requires EPA, upon the request of a state governor or the governing body of an Indian tribe, to enter into a streamlined refinery permitting agreement. Requires EPA to conduct a research and demonstration program to evaluate the air quality benefits of ultra-clean Fischer-Tropsch transportation fuel, including diesel and jet fuel.

Calling for the support of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens, equal access to justice and due process of law, and transparent and accountable governance in Egypt.

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2013

Supports economic and political reforms that uphold the fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens, equal access to justice, due process, and transparent and accountable governance. Calls on interim Egyptian President Adly Mansour and the government of Egypt to restore the Egyptian Constitution and the rule of law. Urges: (1) the process of amending the Egyptian Constitution to be transparent and secure broad consensus; (2) the Egyptian Armed Forces and security services to respect the rights of all Egyptian citizens; and (3) full restoration of media and civil society freedoms, including protecting media and journalists and overturning the verdicts in which 43 U.S. citizens, Egyptians, and others were given harsh sentences for their work to support democracy. Calls on: (1) the government of Egypt to continue to meet its obligations under the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty; and (2) interim President Mansour and the Egyptian Armed Forces to end the climate of impunity, end arbitrary arrests and politically motivated detentions, prosecute acts of violence, and make the protection of of all Egyptian citizens an urgent priority.

Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013

Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act of 2013 - Requires the President to establish the Committee for the Cumulative Analysis of Regulations that Impact Energy and Manufacturing in the United States to analyze and report on the cumulative and incremental impacts of covered rules and actions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning air, waste, water, and climate change for each of calendar years 2018, 2023,and 2030. Requires such analysis to include: (1) estimates of the impacts of covered rules promulgated as final regulations on or before January 1, 2014, in combination with covered actions on U.S. economic competitiveness, electricity prices, fuel prices, employment, and the reliability and adequacy of bulk power supply in the United States; and (2) a discussion and assessment of the cumulative impact on consumers, small businesses, regional economies, state, local, and tribal governments, local and industry-specific labor markets, and agriculture. Includes among "covered rules" specified national standards for air quality, hazardous and solid waste, and water pollutants and other rules promulgated under specified provisions of the Clean Air Act on or after January 1, 2009. Defines "covered action" as any action on or after such date by the EPA, a state, a local government, or a permitting agency as a result of the application of specified Clean Air Act (CAA) provisions with respect to an air pollutant that is identified as a greenhouse gas.

Waterfront of Tomorrow Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2013

Waterfront of Tomorrow Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to study measures that provide the greatest flood protection and climate resilience for New York City coastal communities from a disaster such as Hurricane Sandy. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to study the environmental impact of each major disaster that will have a significant environmental impact on U.S. waters. Makes one of the goals of national freight policy to ensure that the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of moving cargo through a community are fully accounted for in establishing the national freight network (composed of highways, railways, navigable waterways, seaports, airports, freight intermodal connectors, and aerotropolis transportation systems most critical to the multimodal movement of freight). Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to ensure that ports and harbors are incorporated into the national freight network. Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to make grants to states and local governments for projects to improve port infrastructure and intermodal rail and highway networks. Directs the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, acting jointly with the EPA Administrator, to establish a green port designation for ports that meet certain environmental standards. Authorizes the Administrator of the Maritime Administration to provide grants and technical assistance to a designated green port to implement innovations that minimize the environmental impacts of port operations. Directs the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the Economic Development Administration (EDA), to make grants to states and local governments for projects to establish environmentally sustainable waterfront areas. Sets the federal share of project costs at 75%.

CLIMATE CHANGE: IT'S HAPPENING NOW

United States · United States Senate · 18 July 2013

THE PRESIDENT'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN: WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESSES?

United States · United States House of Representatives · 18 July 2013

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2013

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2013 - Authorizes appropriations for FY2014-FY2015 for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Authorizes programs, activities and reports respecting NASA, including those with regard to human exploration, the Space Launch System, the Orion multipurpose crew vehicle, the International Space Station (ISS), radioisotope thermoelectric generators, extrasolar planet research and exploration, the James Webb Space Telescope, the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope, near-Earth objects, space weather, the Deep Space Climate Observatory, land imaging remote sensing data, aeronautics research, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, project and program reserves, and orbital debris mitigation. Establishes a space technology program.

Beach Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2013

Beach Act of 2013 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to specify, in performance criteria for monitoring and assessing coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of interest (waters), available protocols for monitoring that are most likely to detect pathogenic contamination. Authorizes states or local governments, in carrying out coastal recreation water quality monitoring and notification programs, to develop and implement a coastal recreation waters pollution source identification and tracking program for such waters that are used by the public and that are not meeting applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators. Authorizes appropriations for grants to states and local governments for developing and implementing monitoring and notification programs for FY2014-FY2018. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000 through FY2018. Requires a state recipient of a monitoring and notification program grant to report to the EPA Administrator on actions taken to notify state environmental agencies with authority to prevent or treat sources of pathogenic contamination in coastal recreation waters when water quality standards are exceeded. Requires state or local government grant recipients to identify: the use of a rapid testing method to detect levels of pathogens or pathogen indicators that are harmful to human health; measures for communicating the results of a water sample concerning pollutants within 24 hours of receipt to specified officials and all state agencies with authority to require the prevention or treatment of the sources of pollution in coastal recreation waters; measures for an annual report to the Administrator on the occurrence, nature, location, pollutants involved, and extent of any exceeding of applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators; the availability of a geographic information system database that a state or local government program shall use to inform the public about coastal recreation waters, that is publicly accessible and searchable, that is updated within 24 hours of the availability of revised information, that is organized by beach, and that identifies applicable water quality standards, monitoring protocols, sampling plans and results, and the number and causes of beach closures and advisory days; and measures to ensure that closures or advisories are made within two hours after the receipt of the results of a water quality sample that exceeds applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators. Defines "rapid testing method" as a method of testing the water quality of coastal recreation waters for which results are available as soon as practicable and not more than six hours after its commencement in the laboratory. Requires the Administrator to: include a revised list of rapid testing methods in the publication of new or revised water quality criteria; publish with such criteria a list of pathogens and pathogen indicators studied; complete an evaluation and validation of a rapid testing method for the water quality criteria and standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators by October 14, 2012; publish guidance for the use, at coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches that are used by the public, of the rapid testing methods that will enhance the protection of public health and safety through rapid public notification of any exceeding of applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators; identify and review every five years potential rapid testing methods for existing water quality criteria for pathogens and pathogen indicators for coastal recreation waters and complete, as expeditiously as practicable, an evaluation and validation of any such method that will make results available in less time and improve the accuracy and reproducibility of results; and publish the results of such review. Declares a national goal of developing a rapid testing method that can produce accurate and reproducible results in not more than two hours by 2019. Requires: (1) a written assessment by the Administrator of state and local compliance with coastal recreation water quality monitoring and notification statutory and regulatory requirements and grant conditions, (2) corrective actions by governments not in compliance, and (3) a review by the Comptroller General of such compliance review and corrective actions. Requires the Administrator to: (1) update the national list of beaches within 12 months after this Act's enactment and biennially thereafter (currently, periodically); (2) study and report to Congress on the long-term impact of climate change on pathogenic contamination of coastal recreation waters; and (3) conduct and report on a study to review the available scientific information pertaining to the impacts of excess nutrients on coastal recreation waters.

SEQUESTRATION: SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTORS WEATHERING THE STORM IN A CLIMATE OF FISCAL UNCERTAINTY

United States · United States Senate · 20 June 2013

SAFE Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2013

Safeguarding America's Future and Environment Act or SAFE Act - Requires the President to establish an interagency Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Panel to: (1) adopt the National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy (released March 26, 2013) to protect, restore, and conserve natural resources so that such resources become more resilient, adapt to, and withstand the impacts of extreme weather and climate change; and (2) review and revise such strategy every four years. Requires each agency represented on such panel to integrate the elements of such strategy that relate to conservation, restoration, and management of natural resources into agency plans, environmental reviews, and programs. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish a National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center within the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to assess and develop scientific information, tools, strategies, and techniques to be used to address the impacts of extreme weather and climate change on natural resources. Requires the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Science Advisory Board to advise such Panel on the state of the science regarding such impacts and strategies and mechanisms for natural resources adaptation. Requires each agency represented on such panel to submit to the President a natural resources adaptation plan to address such impacts and implement the plan upon approval by the President. Requires states, in order to be eligible to receive funding under this Act, to submit to the Secretary of the Interior and, as applicable, the Secretary of Commerce for review and approval a state natural resources adaptation plan that details efforts to address impacts of climate change on natural resources and coastal areas.

Better Buildings Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2013

Better Buildings Act of 2013 - Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to require the Department of Energy's (DOE) Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to study the feasibility of: (1) significantly improving energy efficiency in commercial buildings through the design and construction of separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures, and (2) encouraging owners and tenants to implement such measures in separate spaces. Requires the Secretary to publish such study on DOE's website. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Secretary of Energy to develop a voluntary Tenant Star program within the Energy Star program to recognize tenants in commercial buildings that voluntarily achieve high levels of energy efficiency in separate spaces. Requires DOE's Administrator of the Energy Information Administration to collect data on categories of building occupancy that consume significant quantities of energy and on other aspects of the property, building operation, or building occupancy determined to be relevant to lowering energy consumption. Prohibits the impact on climate change from being a factor in determining energy efficiency of commercial building tenants.

DIPLOMA Act

United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2013

Developing Innovative Partnerships and Learning Opportunities that Motivate Achievement Act or the DIPLOMA Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award renewable five-year grants to states and, through them, subgrants to local consortia that include a local educational agency and other community partners to: (1) ensure the academic, physical, social, emotional, and civic development of disadvantaged youth; and (2) strengthen their families and communities. Requires each state grantee to develop and implement a state child and youth strategy that assesses children's needs and the assets within the state that can be mobilized, coordinated, and integrated to achieve quantifiable progress toward goals that include ensuring that: (1) children are ready for school; (2) students are engaged and achieving in school; (3) students are physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally healthy; (4) schools and neighborhoods are safe and provide a positive climate for learning; (5) families and communities are supportive and engaged in their children's education as equal partners; (6) students are ready for postsecondary education and 21st Century careers; (7) students are contributing to their communities; and (8) students are not chronically absent. Directs the consortia to develop and implement a local child and youth strategy that integrates multiple private and public services into a comprehensive, coordinated continuum of services directed toward achieving quantifiable progress toward such goals. Requires the Secretary to award competitive grants directly to local consortia if appropriated funds fall below a specified amount.

State and Local Fleet Efficiency Act

United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2013

State and Local Fleet Efficiency Act - Recognizes state or local government authority to require fleet owners or operators to acquire only new fleet vehicles that: (1) utilize natural gas as a fuel; (2) are flexible fuel vehicles that operate on gasoline, E85, and M85; or (3) meet a technology or performance-based characteristic that is commercially available. Provides that nothing in this Act or any other provision of law shall limit the purchase requirement authority of a state or local government applicable to fleets operating primarily within the jurisdiction if the requirements further any policy regarding climate change, the control of air pollution, energy independence, or local economic benefits. Defines "fleet" as a group of 20 or more light-duty motor vehicles, medium-duty motor vehicles, or heavy-duty motor vehicles carrying 14 or more passengers operating primarily in a metropolitan area with a population of more than 250,000 that are: (1) centrally dispatched; or (2) centrally fueled, or capable of being centrally fueled, and owned, operated, leased, or otherwise controlled by a governmental entity or other person meeting specified criteria.

Track It to Prevent It Act

United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2013

Track It to Prevent It Act - Directs: (1) the Secretary of Defense to ensure that the results of command climate assessments are provided to the relevant individual commander and to the next higher level of command, (2) the Secretary of each military department to include in performance evaluations and assessments used by each Armed Force a designated form where senior commanders can indicate whether the commander has conducted the required climate assessments and to require that any failure to do so be noted in the commander's performance evaluation and considered a serious factor for any subsequent promotion, and (3) the Inspector General of the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop a system to track whether commanders are conducting such climate assessments. Requires unit commanders, working with the Inspector General, to gather all climate assessments from the unit and develop a compliance report that includes: (1) a comprehensive overview of the concerns members of the unit expressed, (2) data showing how leadership is perceived in the unit, and (3) a detailed strategic plan on how leadership plans to address the expressed concerns. Directs the Defense Secretary to require commanders to include letters of reprimand, non-punitive letters of actions, and counseling statements involving substantiated cases of sexual harassment or sexual assault in the performance evaluation report of a member of the Armed Forces for the purpose of: (1) providing commanders increased visibility of the background information of unit members, (2) identifying and preventing trends of bad behavior early and effectively disciplining repeated actions which hinder units from fostering a healthy climate, and (3) preventing the transfer of sexual offenders. Requires the Secretary of each military department to: (1) develop an assessment program modeled after the current Department of the Army Multi-Source Assessment and Feedback Program, (2) include individual counseling as part of the performance evaluation process, and (3) conduct health welfare inspections on a monthly basis and provide the results to both the commander and senior commander. Directs the Defense Secretary to: (1) conduct a review of security measures and identify security gaps on military installations; (2) evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of using 24-hour electronic monitoring or placing security personnel at all points of entry into barracks and multi-family residences; and (3) conduct a review of the Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity to identify and evaluate the resource and personnel gaps in the Office, identify and evaluate the Office's role in sexual harassment cases, and evaluate how the Office works with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office to address sexual harassment in the Armed Forces.

Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2014

United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2013

Better Buildings Act of 2013 - Requires the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to develop and publish model leasing provisions for use in leasing documents that designate a federal agency as a landlord or tenant to encourage building owners and tenants to invest in cost-effective energy efficiency measures. Requires the Administrator to: (1) develop policies and best practices to implement such measures for the realty services provided by the Administrator to federal agencies, including periodic training of federal employees and contractors on how to identify and evaluate such measures; and (2) make available such model leasing provisions and best practices to state, county, and municipal governments that manage owned and leased building space to encourage investment in such energy efficiency measures. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to require the Department of Energy's (DOE) Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to study the feasibility of: (1) significantly improving energy efficiency in commercial buildings through the design and construction of separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures, and (2) encouraging owners and tenants to implement such measures in separate spaces. Requires the Secretary to publish such study on DOE's website. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a voluntary Tenant Star program within the Energy Star program to recognize tenants in commercial buildings that voluntarily achieve high levels of energy efficiency in separate spaces. Requires the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration to collect data on categories of building occupancy that consume significant quantities of energy and on other aspects of the property, building operation, or building occupancy determined to be relevant to lowering energy consumption. Prohibits the impact on climate change from being a factor in determining energy efficiency of commercial building tenants.

No More Excuses Energy Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2013

No More Excuses Energy Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow the issuance of tax-exempt facility bonds for the financing of domestic use oil refinery facilities, (2) extend the tax credit for a facility using wind to produce electricity (with specified reductions to phase-out the credit over the course of the extension), (3) set the rate of the excise tax on liquefied natural gas to 24.3 cents per energy equivalent of a gallon of diesel, (4) extend through 2014 the excise tax credit for alternative fuel, (5) allow tax credits for the production of electricity from nuclear energy and the production of fuel from certain onshore wells, and (6) repeal the minimum gas capture requirement for purposes of the carbon dioxide sequestration tax credit. Requires the President to designate at least 10 sites for oil or natural gas refineries on federal lands and make such sites available to the private sector for construction of refineries. Prohibits the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) from denying an application for nuclear waste disposal on the grounds of present or future insufficient capacity. American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish and implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program in the Coastal Plain of Alaska. Repeals the prohibition against producing oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Sets forth requirements for the sale of oil and natural gas leases in the Coastal Plain, environmental protection, transportation easements, and royalty payments to Alaska. Establishes in the Treasury the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to assist Alaska jurisdictions that are directly impacted by oil and gas exploration and production in the Coastal Plain. Amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to repeal the moratorium on oil and gas leasing in certain areas in the Gulf of Mexico. Directs the Secretary to include the areas removed from such moratorium within the areas available for leasing under the 2012-2017 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing program. Amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to address climate change. Excludes "greenhouse gas" from the definition of "air pollutant" except in connection with concerns other than climate change.

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the contributions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2013

Recognizes the important contributions that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has made in regulating international trade in endangered species and protecting endangered species worldwide. Recognizes the increasing importance of the Convention in addressing effects of trade on species, while taking into account multiple and compounding threats on species and ecosystems such as over-exploitation, habitat loss, invasive species, disease, and the effects of climate change. Applauds the Convention's recent leadership in reaffirming strong protections for the African elephant, sharks, and other endangered species. Urges: (1) renewed, expanded, and accelerated commitments to the Convention by all Parties to ensure the Convention's contribution to species conservation; (2) the U.S. delegation to the Convention to utilize international cooperation to encourage other Parties to the Convention to collaborate effectively to curb excessive exploitation of species for international trade; and (3) the Convention to adopt stronger protections for the polar bear, sharks, bluefin tuna, and other endangered species at the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties in South Africa in 2016.

Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2013

Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act - Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to the impact of climate change on health systems. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) publish and implement a national strategic action plan to assist health professionals in preparing for and responding to the impact of climate change on public health in the United States and other nations, particularly developing nations; (2) revise the plan periodically to reflect new information; (3) establish a permanent science advisory board; and (4) contract with the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine to assess the need for health professionals to prepare for and respond to the impact of climate change on public health.

SUPER Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2013

Super Pollutant Emissions Reduction Act of 2013 or the SUPER Act of 2013 - Requires the President to establish the Task Force on Super Pollutants to: review existing and potential policies and measures that promote reduction of short-lived climate pollutants, in part by identifying and evaluating programs and activities of the federal government that contribute to such reduction; identify and recommend specific existing programs and activities that are duplicative and that can be consolidated to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness; identify gaps where programs do not exist and recommend focused programs and activities to fill such gaps to achieve reductions of short-lived climate pollutants, with an emphasis on industry standards and public-private partnerships; identify, compile, evaluate, and develop best practices for reductions of short-lived climate pollutants; and report to Congress on its findings and recommendations. Defines "short-lived climate pollutant" as black carbon, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, tropospheric ozone and its precursors, or emissions from banks of ozone-depleting substances.

Recognizing the disparate impact of climate change on women and the efforts of women globally to address climate change.

United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2013

Recognizes: (1) the disparate impacts of climate change on women and the efforts of women globally to address it, and (2) the need for balanced participation of men and women in climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. Encourages the use of gender-sensitive frameworks in developing climate change policies. Affirms Congress's commitment to: (1) support women who are particularly vulnerable to prepare for and adapt to climate change impacts, including a commitment to increase education and training opportunities for women to develop local resilience plans to address the effects of climate change; (2) empower women in the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of climate change strategies; and (3) include women in economic development planning, policies, and practices that directly improve conditions that result from climate change. Encourages the President to: (1) integrate a gender approach in all U.S. policies and programs that are globally related to climate change, and (2) ensure that those policies and programs support women globally to prepare for and adapt to climate change.

POLICY RELEVANT CLIMATE ISSUES IN CONTEXT

United States · United States House of Representatives · 25 April 2013

Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2013

Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2013 - Amends the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 to transfer certain authority from the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary). Directs the Secretary to submit to Congress a national coral reef ecosystem action strategy, revised as necessary, to include discussions of: (1) coastal uses and management, including land-based sources of pollution; (2) climate change; and (3) other specified matters. Directs the Secretary to give priority to community-based local action strategies when awarding certain grants for conservation projects. Authorizes funds for monitoring and assessment, research, pollution reduction, education, and technical support. Revises the project proposal approval process by directing the Secretary to consider criteria, including: (1) coral reef ecosystems (current law refers only to coral reefs) and biodiversity; (2) international ecosystems; (3) mitigation of coral disease, ocean acidification, and bleaching; and (4) support for community-based planning with local governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Defines "coral reef ecosystem" as the system of coral reefs and geographically associated species, habitats, and environment, including any adjacent or associated mangroves and seagrass habitats, and the processes that control its dynamics. Authorizes the Secretary to make agreements with nonprofit organizations for public-private partnerships promoting coral reef ecosystem conservation. (Current law refers to a nonprofit organization and coral reef conservation.) Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) execute contracts, leases, grants, or cooperative agreements, including agreements with universities and research centers aimed at building capacity for effective resource management; (2) use, with consent, the land, services, equipment, personnel, and facilities of entities including any federal agency, state, local government, tribal government, foreign government, or international organization; (3) accept research grant funding from certain federal sources operating competitive grant programs; and (4) transfer limited funds to certain federal, state, local, tribal, educational, nonprofit, and commercial entities and private persons. Authorizes the Secretary, in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to provide assistance to any state, local, or territorial government agency for any unforeseen or disaster-related circumstance regarding coral reef ecosystems. (Current law refers to the NOAA Administrator and does not mention FEMA.) Revises the Secretary's enumerated authorized activities to include: (1) partnerships with local, state, regional, or international programs; (2) socioeconomic and biodiversity research; (3) emergency response; (4) central archiving and data distribution to the general public; and (5) damage prevention. (Current law does not does not provide for the inclusion of local, regional, or international programs and partners.) Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide for the long-term stewardship of environmental data; and (2) establish the Emergency Response, Stabilization, and Restoration Account in the existing Damage Assessment Restoration Revolving Fund for emergency actions. Directs the Secretary to carry out international coral reef conservation activities in waters outside the U.S. jurisdiction. Directs the Secretary to: (1) report to Congress regarding an international coral reef ecosystem strategy, and (2) establish an international coral reef ecosystem partnership program. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) make additional grants for entities to work with local communities and through federal and state entities to increase protection of priority coral reef areas, and (2) maintain an inventory of all vessel reef grounding incidents and identify reef ecosystems with a high incidence of vessel impacts. Makes it unlawful to destroy, take, cause the loss of, or injure any coral reef or part, except if caused by: (1) permitted fishing gear use, (2) a federally or state permitted use, (3) bona fide marine scientific research, (4) certain federal emergency activity, or (5) a vessel master's actions to ensure vessel safety or to save a life at sea. Makes anyone who engages in an activity that injures a coral reef ecosystem liable, jointly and severally, to the United States for response costs and damages, takings, costs of seizure, forfeiture, storage, disposal, and related interest. Makes vessels used in prohibited activities liable in rem. Authorizes the Attorney General, upon the Secretary's request, to commence a civil action for response costs, seizure, forfeiture, storage, or disposal costs, and damages, as well as specified interest. Bars such a civil action unless filed within three years after the date on which the Secretary completes a damage assessment and restoration plan for the coral reef. Authorizes enforcement officials to: (1) board, search, inspect, and seize certain vessels or conveyances suspected of violations; (2) execute court-issued warrants; and (3) arrest persons reasonably believed to have committed a prohibited act. Provides for enforcement, including through civil administrative and judicial penalties and denial, suspension, amendment, or revocation of any permit involved. Provides for in rem jurisdiction, criminal and civil forfeiture, criminal fines and imprisonment, and injunctive relief. Ensures that customs laws and enforcement shall still apply insofar as applicable and not inconsistent with this Act. Allows the Secretary to issue subpoenas. Includes the internal waters and territorial sea of the United States, the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States, and the continental shelf, consistent with international law, in the area of application and enforceability of this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to issue permits for research and activities that would otherwise be prohibited by the Act. Directs the Secretary and other federal members of the Coral Reef Task Force to work in coordination with other federal agencies, states, and U.S. territorial governments to implement the strategies developed under this Act to address multiple threats to coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems.

Great Bend of the Gila National Monument Establishment Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2013

Great Bend of the Gila National Monument Establishment Act - Establishes the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument in Arizona. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to manage the Monument as part of the National Landscape Conservation System by allowing only such uses of the Monument that further the purposes for which it was established. Requires the Monument to be managed so as to maintain its undeveloped character and to protect and restore its cultural resources, species, and ecosystems. Directs the Secretary to conduct an inventory of invasive plant species in the Monument. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out vegetation management treatments within the Monument. Permits grazing within the Monument where it is already established. Requires the Secretary to develop a management plan for the Monument. Instructs the Secretary to prepare such plan in government-to-government consultation with Indian tribes having a cultural or historic tie to the Great Bend of the Gila. Allows for the continued use of the Monument by members of tribes for traditional ceremonies and as a source of traditional plants and other materials. Authorizes the Secretary to allow scientific research to be conducted within the Monument, including research for the preservation of the historic and cultural resources of the Monument. Permits the Secretary to conduct or authorize other persons to conduct research regarding the effects of climate change on the Monument's resources. Prohibits renewable energy and transmission development projects from being carried out in the Monument.

Clean Energy Race to the Top Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2013

Clean Energy Race to the Top Act of 2013 - Establishes in the Department of Energy (DOE) a program to provide grants to eligible entities, on a competitive basis, to develop and carry out clean energy and carbon reduction measures, such as renewable electricity standards, regional or statewide climate action plans, and participation in a regional greenhouse gas reduction program. Directs the Secretary of Energy, in establishing criteria for grants, to take into account: (1) regional disparities in the ways in which energy is produced and used, and (2) the clean energy resource potential of the measures. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to decrease the tax deduction for oil related qualified production activities income of major integrated oil companies.

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area Act

United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2013

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area Act - Establishes the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area within Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Solano, and Yolo Counties in California. States that the purpose of the Conservation Area is the conservation, protection, and enhancement of the ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources of the lands included in the Area for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. Continues to provide historical and adequate access to private inholdings in the Conservation Area. Allows only those uses of the Conservation Area that would further the purposes for which it is established. Requires a comprehensive plan for the protection and management of the federal lands included within the Conservation Area. Requires such plan to: (1) assess the impacts of climate change, (2) include a comprehensive weed management strategy, and (3) include a plan to address the public safety and environmental clean-up issues associated with illegal marijuana production. Permits grazing in the Conservation Area: (1) to continue, if established before this Act's enactment; (2) if not established before enactment, only to the extent that it is consistent with the purposes of the conservation area; or (3) through issuing annual targeted permits for the control of noxious weeds, fire suppression, or to provide other ecological benefits. Establishes the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area Advisory Council to advise with respect to the preparation and implementation of the management plan. Requires the appointment of one Council member to represent Native American Tribes.

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2013

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area Act - Establishes the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area, to comprise approximately 349,850 acres of federal land within Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Solano, and Yolo Counties in California. States that the purpose of the Conservation Area is the conservation, protection, and enhancement of the ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources of the lands included in the Area for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. Continues to provide historical and adequate access to private inholdings in the Conservation Area. Allows only those uses of the Conservation Area that would further the purposes for which it is established. Requires a comprehensive plan for the protection and management of the federal lands included within the Conservation Area. Requires such plan to: (1) assess the impacts of climate change, (2) include a comprehensive weed management strategy, and (3) include a plan to address the public safety and environmental clean-up issues associated with illegal marijuana production. Permits grazing in the Conservation Area: (1) to continue, if established before this Act's enactment; (2) if not established before enactment, only to the extent that it is consistent with the purposes of the conservation area; or (3) through issuing annual targeted permits for the control of noxious weeds, fire suppression, or to provide other ecological benefits. Establishes the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area Advisory Council to advise with respect to the preparation and implementation of the management plan. Requires the appointment of one Council member to represent Native American Tribes.

Drought Information Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2013

Drought Information Act of 2013 - Amends the National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006 to specify that: (1) the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall continue to support the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Program, and (2) the program's purpose shall be to better inform and provide for more timely decisionmaking to reduce drought related impacts and costs. Revises NIDIS functions to require the NIDIS to, among other things: (1) provide certain information, forecasts, and assessments described in the Act on both national and regional levels; (2) build upon existing forecasting and assessment programs and partnerships, such as those with specified programs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), extension system and economist offices of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the Farm Service Agency; and (3) continue ongoing research activities related to drought and the role of extreme weather events and climate variability in drought. Requires the Under Secretary to provide a report to Congress concerning the NIDIS Program that includes a list of persons in the private sector with whom the Under Secretary collaborates on NIDIS implementation and a description of NIDIS outreach activities. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Act through FY2018.

Coastal State Climate Change Planning Act

United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2013

Coastal State Climate Change Planning Act - Amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a coastal climate change adaptation planning and response program to: (1) provide assistance to coastal states to voluntarily develop coastal climate change adaptation plans to minimize contributions to climate change and to prepare for and reduce the negative consequences that may result from climate change in the coastal zone, and (2) provide financial and technical assistance and training to enable coastal states to implement such plans through coastal states' enforceable policies. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to coastal states to develop such plans and to support projects that implement strategies contained in such plans. Requires the Secretary to promote and encourage the use of National Estuarine Research Reserves as sites for pilot or demonstration projects carried out with such grants.

Climate Protection Act of 2013

United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2013

Climate Protection Act of 2013 - Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to impose: (1) a carbon pollution fee on any manufacturer, producer, or importer of a carbon polluting substance; and (2) a carbon equivalency fee on imports of carbon pollution-intensive goods. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer 50% of the amounts received each fiscal year as a result of the carbon equivalency fee to the Administrator and to the Secretary of Transportation (DOT). Requires the Administrator to use such amounts to: (1) provide amounts to state and local programs that assist communities in adapting to climate change, improving the resiliency of critical infrastructure, and protecting environmental quality and wildlife; and (2) meet international commitments made by the United States to assist with climate change adaptation. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to use such amounts to provide financial support: (1) to state and local programs that assist communities in improving the resiliency of critical infrastructure, and (2) for projects that provide preferential parking for carpools. Authorizes appropriations to the Administrator in an amount equal to a specified portion of the amounts received as a result of the carbon pollution fee to provide a monthly residential environmental rebate to legal U.S. residents. Requires the Administrator to promulgate regulations to establish an Office of Environmental Rebate Advocate to assist households with accessing and using the residential environmental rebate program. Establishes the Pollution Reduction Trust Fund to be used to facilitate the implementation of the carbon pollution reduction program. Directs the Administrator to establish the Sustainable Technologies Finance Program to provide financial assistance for projects that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to repeal the exemption from restrictions on underground injection of fluids or propping agents granted to hydraulic fracturing operations relating to oil and gas production activities under such Act. Requires state underground injection programs to direct a person conducting hydraulic fracturing operations to disclose: (1) before the commencement of such operations, the chemicals intended for use in underground injections; and (2) after the end of such operations, the chemicals actually used. Requires the applicable person using hydraulic fracturing, when a medical emergency exists and the proprietary chemical formula of a chemical used in such hydraulic fracturing is necessary for medical treatment, to disclose such formula or the specific chemical identity of a trade secret chemical to the state, the Administrator, or the treating physician or nurse upon request, regardless of the existence of a written statement of need or a confidentiality agreement. Authorizes such person to require the execution of such statement and agreement as soon as practicable. Directs the Administrator to prescribe an underground injection control program for a state, if the Administrator disapproves a state's program. Repeals provisions concerning optional demonstrations to the Administrator by states that show the effectiveness of such state programs relating to oil or natural gas. Authorizes civil penalties for violations of underground injection requirements. Requires the Administrator to: (1) report on the quantity of fugitive methane emissions resulting from any leak in natural gas infrastructure, and (2) enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to report on the quantity of U.S. GHG emissions not covered by a program under this Act and recommendations for programs to reduce such emissions. Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should carry out activities to ensure that, by January 1, 2050, the total quantity of GHG emissions released in the United States is reduced by not less than 80% of the emissions released during 2005.

To prohibit United States contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2013

Prohibits federal department or agency funds from being used to make assessed or voluntary contributions to, or for, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) or the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

To amend the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 for the purposes of extending the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 through 2018, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2013

Amends the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 to: (1) extend authority for the drought program under such Act through FY2018, (2) authorize appropriations for such Act through FY2018, and (3) require cooperative drought contingency plans under such Act to provide for periodic review to address projected long-term climate variability and change.

Public Access to Historical Records Act

United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2013

Public Access to Historical Records Act - Directs the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to establish an official dataset on the historical temperature record. Requires NASA to use the raw data related to temperature that is collected by applicable stations and vessels and to quantify the statistical uncertainty of each temperature observation and any subsequent products based on that observation. Requires the gaps that exist in temperature station and temperature reading data to be clearly and fully identified. Creates a panel to assist the Administrator in the establishment of the dataset. Requires the Administrator, at least once every three years, to contract with an appropriate independent entity to perform a verification and validation of the dataset and requires the publication of any algorithms utilized, and any determinations made, in verifying and validating the dataset. Requires persons and entities engaged in global climate research funded by the federal government to use the dataset as a source of data on the historical temperature record. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to provide for the immediate release of: (1) all raw temperature station data from cooperative observers and automated stations collected by the National Climatic Data Center, and (2) an analysis of the differences between raw and final temperature datasets collected by the Center.