Environment

Salmon Solutions and Planning Act

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009

Salmon Solutions and Planning Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences for scientific analysis of federal salmon recovery efforts, including a review of Snake River dam removal (Washington state) and other actions necessary to achieve recovery of endangered or threatened salmon and steelhead populations of the Columbia and Snake River Basin. Directs: (1) the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to conduct a peer-reviewed analysis of which rail, highway, and Columbia River barge infrastructure improvements would be necessary to ensure a cost-effective and efficient transportation system for shippers who currently use barge transportation between Lewiston, Idaho, and the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers and who would be unable to do so if the four lower Snake River dams were removed; (2) the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to conduct a peer-reviewed analysis of options to replace the power currently generated by such dams if they were removed; (3) the Army Corps of Engineers to analyze riverfront revitalization and restoration opportunities and costs in the event of such removal; and (4) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to conduct a peer-reviewed analysis of the options and costs regarding any needed modifications to affected irrigation systems, cooling systems, and private wells if the dams were removed. Sets forth the congressional determination that the Secretary of the Army may remove the four lower Snake River dams. Directs the Secretary to reevaluate and update the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Final Lower Snake River Juvenile Salmon Migration Feasibility Report/Environmental Impact Statement (February 2002) pursuant to new information.

Waterfront Brownfields Revitalization Act

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009

Waterfront Brownfields Revitalization Act - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to require the President to establish a grant program for reuse planning, site characterization and assessment, or remediation at waterfront brownfields sites, including the integration of activities related to the design and implementation of water quality improvements, low impact development approaches, green infrastructure, remediation and management of sediments, or flood damage prevention associated with brownfields remediation and reuse. Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide training, research, and technical assistance to individuals and organizations to facilitate waterfront brownfields revitalization. Authorizes funding for brownfields revitalization for FY2010-FY2014. Requires the Administrator to establish and serve as chairperson of a task force on waterfront brownfields revitalization that shall identify: (1) funding and technical assistance resources for such revitalization; (2) barriers to and solutions for revitalization; and (3) methods to coordinate interagency revitalization efforts. Directs: (1) the Administrator to submit to specified congressional committees an annual report on the implementation of the brownfield site characterization and assessment grant program authorized by CERCLA; and (2) such committees to hold hearings each year on such report.

Lower Colorado River Protection Act

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009

Lower Colorado River Protection Act - Establishes: (1) the Lower Colorado River Management Conference to develop a Lower Colorado River Pollution Elimination and Ecosystem Restoration Plan; and (2) the Lower Colorado River Protection Program within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 office to provide staff and support services to the Conference. Directs the Administrator of EPA, acting through the Director of such Program, to establish a multidisciplinary environmental research program for the Lower Colorado River. Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to conduct environmental and pollution control projects in the River Basin. Requires the Conference to publish such Plan within two years. Sets forth provisions regarding Plan contents, public review, and approval. Authorizes the Administrator to make grants for work necessary for Plan development. Requires the Program Director, after Plan approval, to take specified steps to implement it, including providing multiagency oversight and coordination. Authorizes the Administrator, through the Director, to carry out qualified projects to monitor or evaluate the release or discharge of pollutants in the Lower Colorado River Basin, to prevent, reduce, or eliminate pollution in the River, or to restore or maintain the ecosystem health of the River in accordance with the Plan. Directs the Administrator to develop a list of existing federal programs that are authorized to conduct projects that fit such qualified project requirements and to work with the responsible agencies to avoid committing resources under this Act to projects other programs will implement. Requires the Secretary, in cooperation with the Colorado River Regional Sewer Coalition or other regional or local entities, to participate in the planning, design, and construction of systems for municipal wastewater treatment.

SURPLUS Act

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009

Scrapping Unsustainable Redundant Programs Leaves Us Solvent Act of 2009 or the SURPLUS Act - Requires the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services (HHS), Homeland Security (DHS), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Interior, Labor, State, Transportation (DOT), Treasury, and Veterans Affairs (VA), the Attorney General, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) determine if any federal programs within his or her agency are duplicative; (2) submit to Congress, and make available to the public, a report on the results; and (3) terminate or consolidate programs performing similar functions, except for any program that is required or authorized by statute. Considers to be duplicative: (1) a grant program the purpose of which the Secretary determines to be to benefit a specific group that is identical or substantially similar to a group that is eligible for another grant program; and (2) any other program the Secretary determines to be performing the same essential function as another program.

Smart Housing in Disasters Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009

Smart Housing in Disasters Act of 2009 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to cover as a major disaster any "catastrophic incident" as defined by the Homeland Security Act, namely any natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster that results in extraordinary levels of casualties or damage or disruption severely affecting the population (including mass evacuations), infrastructure, environment, economy, national morale, or government functions in an area. Amends the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop, as an annex to the National Disaster Housing Strategy, lifecycle plans and tracking procedures for housing units provided to individuals and households affected by an emergency or major disaster that establishes policies for procurement, delivery, installation, maintenance, deactivation, and disposal of the units. Requires the plan to: (1) emphasize the acquisition of housing units that can be recycled and reused for multiple emergencies or major disasters; and (2) include a process for the Administrator to track each housing unit from its date of acquisition through its date of disposal. Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct the President to alter any housing unit unsuitable for habitation, before its disposal through sale to a recycler or other purchaser, in a manner that will prevent the unit from being used for habitation.

Promoting Health and Preventing Chronic Disease through Prevention and Wellness Programs for Employees, Communities, and Individuals Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009

Promoting Health and Preventing Chronic Disease through Prevention and Wellness Programs for Employees, Communities, and Individuals Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a 50% tax credit for the costs of providing employees with a qualified prevention and wellness program. Defines "qualified prevention and wellness program" as a program that is certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and that includes three of the following components: a health awareness component, an employee engagement component, a behavioral change component, or a supportive environment component. Terminates such credit after 2017. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to institute an outreach program to inform businesses about the availability of the prevention and wellness program tax credit. Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to require the HHS Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award grants to plan and implement prevention and wellness programs that promote health and wellness and prevent chronic diseases. Requires the HHS Secretary to encourage states to work with insurance companies on ways to promote and incentivize the participation of individuals and families in prevention and wellness programs. Amends PHSA and Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to set forth conditions under which group health plans may establish premium discounts or rebates for modifying copayments or deductibles for participation in a wellness program.

Renewable Energy Development Act

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009

Renewable Energy Development Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a program for the leasing of federal lands to advance, develop, assess, install, and operate commercial renewable solar, wind, and geothermal energy systems. Requires the Secretary to: (1) identify lease sites comprised of a total of 6,400,000 acres under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming which are suitable for the installation and operation of solar, wind, or geothermal energy systems; and (2) incorporate renewable energy development into the relevant agency's land use and resource management plans, or equivalent plans for the identified lands. Specifies the total annual amount of acreage that is to be released for leasing under this Act from 2010 to 2019. Excludes specified federal lands from inclusion within the program. Sets forth requirements for competitive leasing sales and noncompetitive leasing of the lands to be leased. Makes any lease of lands under this Act effective for a 30-year period. Directs the Secretary to complete a programmatic environmental impact statement for the program and to publish a final regulation to implement this Act. Directs the Secretary to study: (1) barriers to additional access to federal lands for the transmission of energy produced under leases awarded under such program; and (2) the need for energy transmission corridors on public lands to address identified congestion or constraints.

Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Reform Act

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009

Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Reform Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 to provide that amounts in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund shall be available for expenditures, without further appropriation. Requires the Secretary of the Army to submit to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works an annual report on expenditures from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and the economic benefits of harbor dredging projects.

Supporting the goals and ideals of "National Estuaries Day".

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2009

Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Estuaries Day. Expresses the intent of the House of Representatives to continue working to protect and restore U.S. estuaries.

Streamline Vehicle Conversions Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2009

Streamline Vehicle Conversions Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to provide that a certificate of conformity issued by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for one or more aftermarket conversion test groups with respect to an aftermarket conversion system (i.e., hardware installed on a light-duty or heavy-duty vehicle, light-duty truck, or heavy-duty engine that allows the vehicle or engine to operate on a fuel other than that which it was originally certified to use) shall not expire, shall continue to apply in subsequent calendar years, and shall not require recertification. Requires the Administrator to: (1) establish criteria for use in identifying similar vehicle makes, models, original equipment manufacturers, emission standards, and different model years that may be used under a single test group; (2) accept such an established test group on an aftermarket conversion system manufacturer application for a certificate of conformity; and (3) allow the submission of previous vehicle emission test data for the certification of additional model year vehicles if the aftermarket conversion system manufacturer is able to demonstrate that neither the aftermarket conversion system nor the design and specifications of the applicable vehicle model are substantially different. Directs the Administrator to promulgate regulations regarding on-board diagnostic systems for aftermarket conversion systems that: (1) ensure that such conversion systems that are equipped with on-board diagnostic systems are effective at monitoring critical emission components; (2) take into account the inability of an aftermarket conversion system manufacturer to access proprietary on-board diagnostic technology of an original equipment manufacturer; and (3) are sufficiently flexible to encourage the increased use of alternative fueled vehicles. Sets forth provisions regarding the conversion of a vehicle outside of its useful life cycle.

Coordinated Environmental Public Health Network Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2009

Coordinated Environmental Public Health Network Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) establish and operate a Coordinated Environmental Public Health Network to provide for public access to an electronic national database on the incidence and prevalence of priority chronic conditions and health effects and relevant environmental and other factors; (2) award grants to states for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of state networks; (3) enter into a cooperative agreement with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists to train and place applied epidemiology fellows in state and local health departments to enhance public health capacity in the areas of environmental health, chronic and other noninfectious diseases and conditions, and public health surveillance; and (4) enter into cooperative agreements with states or consortia of states to expand the scope and amount of biomonitoring data collected and analyzed by the CDC, state laboratories, and consortia of state laboratories in order to obtain robust information about a range of environmental exposures. Requires the Secretary to integrate the enactment of this Act with all funded environmental health tracking programs.

Taking Responsible Action for Community Safety Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2009

Taking Responsible Action for Community Safety Act - Revises requirements with respect to the consolidation, merger, or acquisition of control (transaction) involving rail carriers to require public hearings in the affected communities if public hearings on a proposed transaction are held. Requires the Surface Transportation Board, in a proceeding with respect to a transaction that involves at least one Class I railroad (under current law, merger or control of at least two Class I railroads), to consider the effect on the public interest, including the safety and environmental effect of the proposed merger on local communities, intercity rail passenger transportation, commuter rail passenger transportation, and the public interest. Prohibits the Board from approving mergers if their adverse impacts on safety and on affected communities outweigh their transportation benefits. Authorizes the Board to impose conditions to mitigate the effect of mergers on local communities.

To recognize the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve as a unique and precious ecosystem.

United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2009

Recognizes: (1) the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve of Fairfax County, Virginia, as a unique and precious ecosystem and an invaluable natural resource; and (2) the leadership of Representatives John Dingell, John Saylor, and Henry Reuss in preserving it. Celebrates the 50th anniversary of its designation as a protected wetland habitat. Expresses the need to continue to conserve, protect, and restore this fragile habitat. Commends the Friends of Dyke Marsh for its longstanding commitment to promoting conservation and environmental awareness and stewardship.

Artenhandelsgesetz 2009

Austria · National Council · 29 July 2009

Bundesgesetz über die Überwachung des Handels mit Exemplaren wildlebender Tier- und Pflanzenarten (Artenhandelsgesetz 2009 – ArtHG 2009)

projet de loi autorisant l'approbation de l'accord international de 2006 sur les bois tropicaux

France · Senate · 29 July 2009

Greenhouse Gas Observation and Analysis System Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2009

Greenhouse Gas Observation and Analysis System Act - Directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a greenhouse gas observation and analysis system that will offer the resolution and widespread coverage required to verify reduction and mitigation of greenhouse gases. Requires the system to: (1) be an operational and scientifically robust greenhouse gas observation system that provides quantitative information about sources, sinks, and fluxes of greenhouse gases at relevant temporal and spatial scales; (2) be capable of differentiating between source and sink exchanges, identifying types of emissions, and tracking agricultural and other sinks; and (3) include sustained ground, sea, and air-based measurements, sustained space-based observations, measurements of tracer, carbon cycle monitoring and modeling, traceability to the International System of Units, and data assimilation and analysis. Directs the Administrator to develop and submit to specified congressional committees a plan for an integrated and comprehensive greenhouse gas observation and analysis system, which shall: (1) describe current greenhouse gas observation networks, modeling, and data analysis efforts; (2) contain an inventory of agency data relevant to greenhouse gases; (3) assess gaps, conflicts, and opportunities with respect to such efforts and data; (4) establish priorities, define agency roles, and make recommendations on necessary capacity and capabilities for measurements, monitoring, modeling, analysis, and data management; (5) establish mechanisms for ensuring continuity of greenhouse gas measurements; and (6) contribute to international efforts to build and operate a global greenhouse gas information system. Requires the Administrator to report to Congress every four years on the effectiveness of the system, progress in achieving plan objectives, the consistency of reported greenhouse gas emissions with independent observations, and changes in Earth-system sources and sinks of greenhouse gases.

Black Carbon and Other Aerosols Research Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2009

Black Carbon and Other Aerosols Research Act of 2009 - Directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to: (1) develop an observation, monitoring, modeling, and research plan for black carbon and other aerosols that contribute to climate-forcing and climate change, which shall analyze research gaps, identify federal research priorities, include a framework for modeling effects on climate, identify sources, monitor atmospheric concentrations, and provide for assets necessary to develop a monitoring and research program; and (2) establish a Black Carbon and Other Aerosols Advisory Panel to assist in development and implementation of such plan. Directs the Administrator to establish a black carbon and other aerosols monitoring and research program that combines observations, research, monitoring, modeling, and other activities within NOAA, consistent with such plan, and that includes: (1) coordinated monitoring and research activities to improve understanding of specified factors that influence the contribution of such substances to climate change processes; (2) strategic modeling activities to improve understanding of the transportation and transformation of such substances, their distributions and climate-forcing properties, and their roles in climate change and air quality; (3) educational opportunities that encourage an interdisciplinary and international approach to exploring such substances' associated sources and impacts; (4) public outreach activities; and (5) coordination of monitoring research with various agencies and entities. Directs the Administrator to establish a program to provide grants for critical research and projects that improve the ability to measure, monitor, model, and assess such substances with respect to atmospheric concentrations and deposited forms, including research that supports means of reducing their impacts on climate.

Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2009

Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009 - Requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish the FAA Task Force on Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training to evaluate best practices in the air carrier industry and make recommendations on specified matters. Directs the FAA Administrator to conduct a rulemaking proceeding to require air carriers to: (1) provide flight crewmembers with ground training and flight training to recognize and avoid or recover from a stall or an upset of an aircraft; and (2) establish remedial training programs for flight crewmembers who have demonstrated performance deficiencies or experienced failures in the training environment. Requires the FAA Administrator to convene a multidisciplinary panel of specialists to study and report to the FAA Administrator on methods to increase the familiarity of flight crewmembers with stick pusher systems and certain weather events. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to report annually to Congress and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on NTSB air carrier safety recommendations made to and adopted or refused by the Secretary. Directs the FAA Administrator to establish an electronic pilot records database of pertinent information in FAA, air carrier, and other records that an air carrier shall access and evaluate before allowing an individual to begin service as a pilot. Requires the FAA Administrator to issue a specified final rule regarding flight crewmembers and aircraft dispatchers training programs. Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to review and report to the FAA Administrator on FAA aviation safety inspectors and operational research analysts. Directs the FAA Administrator to conduct a rulemaking proceeding to require air carriers to: (1) establish flight crewmember mentoring programs; (2) develop methods for ensuring that flight crewmembers have proper qualifications and experience; and (3) implement a safety management system. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on flight schools, flight education, and academic training requirements for pilot certification. Requires the FAA Administrator to report to specified congressional committees on certain voluntary safety programs. Directs the FAA Administrator to develop a plan to facilitate the establishment of an aviation safety action program (ASAP) and a flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) program by all air carriers. Treats as an unfair or deceptive trade practice for any ticket agent, air carrier, foreign air carrier, or other person to sell tickets for a flight on an air carrier without disclosing the name of the air carrier providing each flight segment before the purchase of the ticket. Requires the FAA Administrator to issue regulations to: (1) limit the number of flight and duty time hours allowed for pilots to address pilot fatigue problems; as well as (2) require air carriers to develop for FAA approval fatigue risk management plans. Directs the FAA Administrator to study and report to Congress on aviation industry best practices with regard to flight crewmember pairing and crew resource management techniques.

Idling Reduction Tax Credit Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2009

Idling Reduction Tax Credit Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business tax credit for 50% of the cost of a qualified idling reduction device, up to $3,000. Defines "qualified idling reduction device" as any device that is: (1) used for highway transportation in combination with a trailer or semi-trailer to provide services that would otherwise require the operation of the main drive engine while the vehicle is temporarily parked or stationary; and (2) determined by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce long-duration idling.

HIRE Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2009

Home Improvements Revitalize the Economy Act of 2009 or the HIRE Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) an income-based tax deduction (up to $2,000) for the purchase of residential building products and furnishings (up to $4,000 for products and furnishings that meet specified environmental standards); (2) a tax credit for 20% (up to $500) of the purchase price of residential building products and furnishings; and (3) a general business tax credit for the purchase of residential building products and furnishings for resale to customers. Terminates such deduction and credits after 2011.

National Capital Region Land Conservation Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2009

National Capital Region Land Conservation Act of 2009 - Amends the Capper-Cramton Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service (NPS), to make grants to Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions (the covered states and covered local governments) for assistance in acquiring lands and interests therein that affect or are within the National Capital region and will be used for: (1) parks; (2) open space; (3) green space corridors that link public lands, lands subject to conservation restrictions, or a combination of such lands; (4) agriculture; (5) forests; (6) fish and wildlife habitat; (7) watershed protection; (8) historic preservation; (9) sensitive environmental area protection; and (10) public recreation. Bars the use of any land and interest acquired through the assistance of such a grant for a purpose other than a purpose specified above. Limits grant amounts to 50% of the total cost of the acquisition the grant will assist, including costs related to purchase price, appraisal, survey, title clearance, and closing. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to covered states, covered local governments, and nonprofits to plan and evaluate acquisitions eligible for a grant for assistance under this Act.

Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2009

Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009 - Delineates passenger vessel security and safety requirements concerning: (1) vessel design, equipment, construction, and retrofitting; (2) video surveillance to monitor crime; (3) posting of U.S. embassy locations; (4) maintenance of equipment and medical personnel for sexual assaults on board; (5) confidentiality of sexual assault information; (6) crew access to passenger staterooms; and (7) log book entry and reporting of deaths, missing individuals, thefts, and other crimes. Prescribes penalties for violations of this Act. Directs the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to develop minimum training standards for the certification of passenger vessel security personnel, crew members, and law enforcement officials on methods for the prevention, detection, evidence preservation, and reporting of criminal activities in the international maritime environment. Prohibits a vessel carrying U.S. citizens from entering a U.S. port unless there is at least one crew member on board who has met such training and certification requirements. Subjects persons who violate such requirements to certain penalties. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the security needs of a passenger vessel depending on the number of passengers on the vessel, with recommendations for security improvements.

proposition de loi tendant à interdire le Bisphénol A dans les plastiques alimentaires

France · Senate · 27 July 2009

proposition de loi instituant une "taxe de sûreté portuaire"

France · Senate · 27 July 2009

Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2009

Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2009 - Establishes a nutria eradication program under which the Secretary of the Interior may provide financial assistance to Maryland, Louisiana, Delaware, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington to eradicate or control nutria and restore nutria-damaged wetland. Requires that the Maryland program consist of management, research, and public education activities carried out in accordance with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's document "Eradication Strategies for Nutria in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bay Watersheds."

2009/566/EC: Commission Decision of 27 July 2009 amending Decision 2008/721/EC as regards indemnities paid to members of Scientific Committees and experts in the field of consumer safety, public health and the environment (notified under document number C(2009) 5767)

European Union · EUR-Lex · 27 July 2009

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2009

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010 - Appropriates funds for FY2010 for the Department of Defense (DOD) for: (1) military personnel; (2) operation and maintenance, including for the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, environmental restoration, overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid, former Soviet Union cooperative threat reduction, and the DOD Acquisition Workforce Development Fund; (3) procurement, including for aircraft, missile, weapons, tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, National Guard and reserve equipment, and purchases under the Defense Production Act of 1950; (4) research, development, test, and evaluation; (5) Defense Working Capital Funds and the National Defense Sealift Fund; (6) the Defense Health Program; (7) chemical agents and munitions destruction; (8) drug interdiction and counter-drug activities; (9) the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund; (10) the Office of the Inspector General; (11) the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund; (12) the Intelligence Community Management Account; and (13) overseas deployments and other activities, including military, reserve, and National Guard personnel, operation and maintenance, the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund, the Rapid Acquisition Fund, and the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Fund. Specifies authorized, restricted, and prohibited uses of appropriated funds. Rescinds specified funds from various accounts under prior defense appropriations Acts.

To direct the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a pilot program to study alternatives to the current system of taxing motor vehicle fuels, including systems based on the number of miles traveled by each vehicle.

United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2009

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) establish a pilot program to be known as the Road User Fee Pilot Project to study alternatives to the system of taxing motor vehicle fuels, including alternatives based upon the mileage of vehicles subject to tax (miles based program); (2) coordinate with technology, transportation system, and environmental working groups in carrying out the pilot program; and (3) establish a grant program to aid in the development of onboard technologies necessary for a miles based program.

Carbon Storage Stewardship Trust Fund Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2009

Carbon Storage Stewardship Trust Fund Act of 2009 - Makes the Secretary of Energy responsible for the long-term stewardship of a carbon dioxide storage facility upon the issuance of a certificate of closure for the facility. Authorizes a state to request that the stewardship of a facility located in the state be transferred to the state. Directs the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to establish standards for monitoring, measurement, verification, and site remediation activities necessary to protect health, safety, and the environment during such stewardship. Establishes in the Department of Energy (DOE) the Carbon Storage Stewardship and Trust Fund Program. Directs the Secretary to require operators of carbon dioxide storage facilities to: (1) maintain adequate liability insurance during the phases of the facility through receipt of a certificate of closure; and (2) pay a risk-based fee for each ton of carbon dioxide injected by the facility into geological storage units. Establishes in the Treasury a Carbon Storage Trust Fund, which shall be used to pay long-term stewardship costs, Program administrative costs, and civil claims brought against a facility after closure. Sets forth provisions concerning limitations on, funding of, and adjudication of such claims.

[H.A.S.C. No. 111-84]SHAPING A WORKFORCE FOR TODAY'S ACQUISITION ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN MEET DOD'S NEEDS

United States · United States House of Representatives · 21 July 2009

National Hurricane Research Initiative Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2009

National Hurricane Research Initiative Act of 2009 - Requires the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, in collaboration with the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), to establish a National Hurricane Research Initiative to: (1) improve understanding and prediction of hurricanes and other tropical storms; (2) develop infrastructure that is resilient to the forces associated with such storms; (3) mitigate the impacts of hurricanes on coastal populations, the coastal built environment, and natural resources; and (4) provide training for the next generation of hurricane researchers and forecasters. Directs the Under Secretary to: (1) develop a five-year implementation plan for the Initiative, ensure that such plan is reviewed by specified agencies within 18 months after enactment of this Act, and revise such plan every five years to address findings of the National Hurricane Research Task Force; (2) establish objectives for hurricane research; (3) carry out a series of national workshops and conferences to address hurricane-related research questions; (4) facilitate the establishment of a public Internet website for the Initiative; and (5) submit to Congress a coordinated annual report for the Initiative. Requires the Under Secretary to: (1) establish a National Hurricane Research Task Force to facilitate and coordinate the efforts of federal agencies and eligible entities in support of the Initiative; (2) carry out a hurricane research program; and (3) seek to enter into an agreement with the National Research Council of the National Academies to carry out an independent review of the Initiative. Requires the NSF Director to establish a program to award grants for hurricane research.

National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2009

National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2009 - Amends the 21st Century Nanotechology Research and Development Act to expand the scope of the National Nanotechnology Program (the Program), including directing the Program to utilize the perspectives of the industrial community to promote the rapid commercial development of nanoscale-enabled devices, systems, and technologies and to coordinate research in determining the key physical and chemical characteristics of nanoparticles and nanomaterials that may pose environmental, health, and safety risks. Requires issuing guidance to agencies that describes a strategy for transitioning research into commercial products and technologies and how the Program will coordinate or conduct research on the environmental, health, and safety issues related to nanotechnology. Revises requirements regarding the Program's triennial strategic plans. Requires participating agencies to support the activities of the committees of standards setting bodies involved in the development of standards for nanotechnology. Requires the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office to be supported by funds from each participating agency. Authorizes appropriations to: (1) the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the development of nanotechnology standards; and (2) the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the development of a public information database of projects in certain program component areas. Makes the National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel a distinct entity. Instructs the Panel to establish a subpanel to enable it in assessing whether societal, ethical, legal, environmental, and workforce concerns are adequately addressed by the Program. Rewrites provisions for triennial external review of the Program. Designates a Coordinator for Societal Dimensions of Nanotechnology, who shall convene a panel to develop a research plan. Requires the Coordinator to enter into an arrangement with the National Science Board to create a report in support of such plan that identifies the broad goals and needs of environmental, health, and safety researchers. Establishes an Education Working Group to coordinate, prioritize, and plan formal and informal educational activities supported under the Program. Provides for one or more grants to establish Nanotechnology Education Partnerships to recruit and help prepare secondary school students to pursue postsecondary level courses in nanotechnology. Requires agencies supporting nanotechnology research facilities to provide access to representatives from industry and other stakeholders for the transfer of research results or assist in developing prototypes of nanoscale products, devices, or processes. Sets forth provisions concerning nanotechnology related projects under existing nanotechnology transfer programs. Makes it an objective of the Program to establish industry liaison groups. Requires coordination and leveraging of federal investments with nanotechnology research, development, and technology transition initiatives. Requires the Program to include support for nanotechnology research and development in areas of national importance, such as energy production, water purification, agriculture, and health care, and to additionally support research that addresses the environment, health, and safety risks of nanoparticles and the ethical, legal, and societal issues related to nanotechnology. Requires the Program to support nanomanufacturing research, including in green nanomanufacturing. Requires specified reviews by the Advisory Panel of certain program component areas and nanotechnology research facilities. Sets forth provisions regarding nanoscale characterization and metrology. Requires deliberative public input in the decision making processes affecting policies for the research, development, and use of nanotechnology.

Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2009

Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act of 2009 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require, by January 1, 2009, that each local governmental unit within the Chesapeake Bay watershed that discharges stormwater through a storm sewer system obtain and comply with a permit for municipal or industrial stormwater discharges under such Act. Requires such permit to include requirements to ensure that a project to develop land within that unit's jurisdiction, which affects land more than one acre in size and less than 5% covered by impervious surfaces prior to the project, is carried out in a manner that not less than the volume of the 95th percentile precipitation event (the event whose precipitation total is greater than or equal to 95% of all 24-hour storm events on an annual basis) shall infiltrate, evapotranspirate from, or be harvested and used on such site after the project is completed. Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make grants to a local governmental unit with such a permit, which may be used for costs associated with: (1) complying with such permit; and (2) implementing a project designed, constructed, and maintained to meet the relevant performance standard. Prohibits a grant for costs associated with implementing a low impact development project from exceeding 75% of such costs. Requires the Administrator, by: (1) June 1, 2010, to issue guidance regarding the implementation of practices that retain stormwater on-site through infiltration, evapotranspiration, or harvesting, to assist entities affected by the permit to meet its requirements; and (2) January 1, 2012, to coordinate with heads of other federal agencies to develop plans to maximize forest cover on government-owned land in the watershed through the preservation of existing forest cover and the development of reforestation plans for land that has previously been disturbed or developed.

Drinking Water System Security Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2009

Drinking Water System Security Act of 2009 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to revise and expand requirements for assessments by covered water systems of their vulnerability to intentional acts of sabotage. Defines "covered water system" as a public water system that is a community water system serving a population greater than 3,300 or that presents a security risk requiring the issuance of regulations. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue regulations to: (1) establish tiered risk-based performance standards for the security of covered water systems and requirements and deadlines for such systems to conduct and update vulnerability assessments; (2) develop site security and emergency response plans for such systems; and (3) provide annual training to system employees and contractor employees. Sets forth matters which such regulations must address, including the vulnerability of a water system to intentional acts, levels of risk, and the role of employees in developing site security and emergency risk plans. Requires the Administrator to review and approve the vulnerability assessments and site security plans of covered water systems. Authorizes the Administrator to: (1) designate any chemical substance as a substance of concern in issuing water system security standards; and (2) award grants to assist states in implementing regulations promulgated under this Act and for assessing and implementing methods to reduce the consequences of a release of a substance of concern. Prohibits disclosure of protected information relating to the security of covered water systems. Exempts such information from Freedom of Information disclosure requirements. Imposes criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of protected information.

Brownfields Remediation Permanent Tax Incentive Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2009

Brownfields Remediation Permanent Tax Incentive Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the taxpayer election to expense (deduct in the current taxable year) expenditures for environmental remediation (i.e., abatement or control of hazardous substances at contaminated sites).

Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act

United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2009

Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act - Authorizes, ratifies, and confirms the Settlement Agreement of March 31, 2006, between the United States, the Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, the Taos Valley Acequia Association and its 55 member ditches, Taos, the El Prado Water and Sanitation District (EPWSD), and the 12 Taos area Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Associations. Requires water rights to which the Taos Pueblo is entitled under the Partial Final Decree entered in New Mexico v. Abeyta and New Mexico v. Arellano to be held in trust by the United States. Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to provide: (1) grants and technical assistance to the Pueblo to construct, replace, or rehabilitate water infrastructure, to protect the environment associated with the Buffalo Pasture area, and to enhance watershed conditions; and (2) financial assistance to eligible non-Pueblo entities for mutual-benefit projects in accordance with the Agreement. Establishes in the Treasury a Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund. Authorizes the Pueblo to market its water rights under the Agreement. Directs the Secretary to enter into three repayment contracts by December 31, 2009, for the delivery of specified amounts of San Juan-Chama Project water to the Pueblo, the town of Taos, and EPWSD. Provides for the waiver and release of claims against the parties to New Mexico v. Abeyta and New Mexico v. Arellano in return for recognition of the Pueblo's water rights.

To authorize the President of the United States to agree to an amendment to the agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Mexican States concerning the establishment of a Border Environment Cooperation Commission and a North American Development Bank.

United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2009

Amends the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act to authorize the President agree to amendments to the Border Environment Cooperation Agreement between the United States and Mexico to expand the purposes and functions of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission to certify, and the North American Development Bank to finance, any infrastructure in the border region between the two countries.

GREEN BUILDINGS OFFER MULTIPLE BENEFITS: COST SAVINGS, CLEAN ENVIRONMENT, AND JOBS

United States · United States House of Representatives · 16 July 2009

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial Enhancement Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2009

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial Enhancement Act of 2009 - Amends the Port Chicago National Memorial Act of 1992 to require the Secretary of the Interior to administer the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial as a unit of the National Park System. Directs the Secretary of Defense to transfer a specified parcel of land as identified on the map entitled "Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, Proposed Boundary," dated August 2005, to the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior if the land is excess to military needs. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the city of Concord, California, and the East Bay Regional Park District to establish and operate a facility for visitor orientation and parking, administrative offices, and curatorial storage for the Memorial. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense should promptly remediate any remaining environmental contamination relating to the land. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretaries of Defense and the Interior should work together to: (1) repair storm damage to the Memorial; and (2) develop a process by which future repairs and necessary modifications to the Memorial can be achieved in as timely and cost-effective a manner as possible.

Judgment of the Court (Second Chamber) of 16 July 2009.#Commission of the European Communities v Ireland.#Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Assessment of the effects of projects on the environment - Directive 85/337/EEC - Access to justice - Directive 2003/35/EC.#Case C-427/07.

European Union · Court of Justice of the European Union · 16 July 2009

Judgment of the Court (Grand Chamber) of 16 July 2009.#The Queen, on the application of Mark Horvath v Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.#Reference for a preliminary ruling: High Court of Justice (England & Wales), Queen’s Bench Division (Administrative Court) - United Kingdom.#Common agricultural policy - Direct support schemes - Regulation (EC) No 1782/ 2003 - Article 5 and Annex IV - Minimum requirements for good agricultural and environmental condition - Maintenance of rights of way - Implementation by a Member State - Transfer of powers to regional authorities of a Member State - Discrimination contrary to Community law.#Case C-428/07.

European Union · Court of Justice of the European Union · 16 July 2009

[H.A.S.C. No. 111-80]BEYOND SERVICE CORE COMPETENCY: ARE OUR JUNIOR OFFICERS PREPARED FOR TODAY'S SECURITY ENVIRONMENT?

United States · United States House of Representatives · 15 July 2009

Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2009

Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the maximum Pell Grant amount and tie future increases to increases in the Consumer Price Index, plus 1%. Increases funding for the College Access Challenge Grant program. Creates two new competitive grant programs that: (1) assist states, educational entities, and nonprofit organizations in implementing innovative programs that promote students' persistence in, and completion of, postsecondary education; and (2) assist states in developing information systems to track student progress in graduating and finding employment. Extends funding for grants to historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions. Authorizes additional funding for Cooperative Education programs that provide students with alternating or parallel periods of study and employment. Alters title IV student aid need analyses, including by establishing an asset cap for need-based aid and excluding employee pension benefit plans from assets. Preserves the student aid eligibility of students convicted of possessing, rather than selling, controlled substances. Prohibits any new loans from being made or insured under the part B Federal Family Education Loan program after June 2010. Directs the Secretary of Education to award loan servicing contracts under the part D Direct Loan program to not-for-profit servicers that meet federal standards and agree to service such loans at competitive market rates. Makes graduate and professional students ineligible for subsidized Direct Stafford loans after June 2015. Establishes variable interest rates on Direct Loans made to undergraduate students after June 2012. Replaces the Perkins Loans program under part E, after June 2010, with a Direct Perkins Loans program under part D that provides loans that continue to carry a 5% interest rate, but have terms and conditions similar to those on Direct Unsubsidized Stafford loans. Requires the Secretary of Education to make: (1) grants to states and, through them, local educational agencies (LEAs) for the modernization, renovation, or repair of public schools; (2) grants to LEAs in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama for the construction, modernization, renovation, or repair of public schools, on the basis of each LEA's share of school damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina or Rita; and (3) grants to states for the construction, modernization, renovation, or repair of community college facilities. Directs grantees to use specified portions of such funding for construction, modernization, renovation, or repair that meets certain environmental or energy standards. Directs the Secretary to establish an Advisory Council on Green, High-Performing Schools to provide the Secretary with advice on the academic, health, energy, and environmental impact of such schools and assistance in facilitating their creation. Requires the Secretary to award competitive: (1) Quality Pathways grants to states to implement quality initiatives that increase the number of disadvantaged children in high-quality early learning programs and improve program oversight; and (2) Development grants to states to develop the components of a standards-based early learning system that will allow them to compete for Quality Pathways grants. Establishes two new competitive grant programs for states and junior and community colleges to improve graduation rates and employment-related outcomes for junior and community college students through activities that: (1) facilitate the transfer of credits between schools; (2) enhance student support services; and (3) blend academics and job training in a manner that equips students for high-wage occupations in high-demand industries. Authorizes the Secretary to fund the creation of: (1) free high-quality online training, high school, and postsecondary courses; (2) a Learning and Earning Research Center to research and evaluate junior and community colleges; and (3) cooperative agreements among states to develop, implement, and expand junior and community college longitudinal data systems.

Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR): Annexes II and III relating to the storage of carbon dioxide streams in geological formations

European Union · European Parliament · 14 July 2009

FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2009

FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act - Authorizes appropriations for FY2010 and FY2011 for: (1) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations; (2) FAA air navigation facilities and equipment; (3) civil aviation research and development (R&D); (4) airport planning and development and noise compatibility planning programs; (5) certain other aviation programs; and (6) administrative expenses for certain airport programs. Revises procedural requirements for imposition of aircraft passenger facility charges (PFCs). Establishes an alternative PFC collection pilot program. Revises the federal share of costs for certain airport improvement projects. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program for up to three states to participate in the airport improvement program (AIP) state block grant program. Directs the Secretary to establish a pilot program to carry out up to six environmental mitigation demonstration projects at public-use airports. Establishes: (1) an Air Traffic Control Modernization Oversight Board; and (2) the position of Chief NextGen Officer who shall implement all Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Requires the FAA Administrator to: (1) consider whether the provision of NextGen air traffic services by nongovernment providers would promote safety and improve efficiency of the National Airspace System; and (2) make recommendations for the realignment of FAA services and facilities to assist in the transition to next generation facilities. Revises FAA personnel management system requirements with respect to the mediation, alternative resolution, and binding arbitration of disputes between the FAA Administrator and FAA employees about implementation of proposed changes to the system. Requires the FAA Administrator to report on navigation performance and area navigation operations and procedures required to maximize the efficiency and capacity of NextGen commercial operations at 35 Operational Evolution Partnership (OEP) airports. Requires the FAA Administrator to report to Congress on the program and schedule for integrating automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) technology into the national airspace system. Requires the FAA Administrator to develop a plan to accelerate the integration of unmanned aerial systems into the National Airspace System. Establishes the FAA Task Force on Air Traffic Control Facility Conditions. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with up to five states to establish state ADS-B equipage banks. Requires air carriers and airport operators to propose for the Secretary's approval contingency plans for passenger service during grounded aircraft flight delays. Directs the Secretary to establish in the DOT: (1) a consumer hotline telephone number for air passenger complaints; and (2) an advisory committee for aviation consumer protection. Revises requirements and increases additional funding for the Essential Air Service program. Extends the small community air service development program through FY2011. Directs the FAA Administrator to issue a plan to develop a schedule for installation of systems to alert controllers and flight crews to potential runway incursions. Authorizes the FAA Administrator to access the criminal history records or databases systems of specified federal law enforcement agencies. Requires helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft certificate holders providing emergency medical services to comply with federal safety operating requirements if there is a medical crew on board, without regard to whether patients are also on board. Directs the FAA Administrator to: (1) establish within the FAA a national review team to conduct periodic, random reviews of FAA's oversight of air carriers; (2) conduct a review and evaluation of the FAA's Academy and facility training programs; and (3) develop a plan for the reduction of runway incursions. Establishes in the FAA an Aviation Safety Whistleblower Investigation Office. Directs the FAA Administrator to establish and implement a safety assessment system for foreign repair stations that perform maintenance on U.S. aircraft. Directs the FAA Administrator to establish and maintain a pilot employment, training, and testing database. Requires the FAA Administrator to: (1) develop and implement a plan for reevaluation of flight crew training, testing, and certification regulations; (2) issue a final rule to establish safety standards for training programs for flight crew members and aircraft dispatchers; and (3) establish research grant programs to reduce civilian aircraft noise and emissions and to develop jet fuel from clean coal. Reauthorizes through FY2012 the FAA Center for Excellence for Applied Research and Training in the Use of Advanced Materials in Transport Aircraft. Extends the Secretary's authority to provide insurance and reinsurance against loss or damage arising out of any risk from the operation of a domestic or foreign aircraft. Prohibits operating certain aircraft weighing 75,000 pounds or less that do not comply with stage 3 noise levels. Directs the FAA Administrator to: (1) establish a pilot program for redevelopment of airport properties; and (2) initiate a study on front line manager staffing requirements for FAA air traffic control facilities.

Cleanup of Inactive and Abandoned Mines Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2009

Cleanup of Inactive and Abandoned Mines Act - Sets forth provisions to encourage the partial or complete remediation of inactive and abandoned mine sites for the public good by good samaritans (defined as persons who had no role in the creation of the historic mine residue or the resulting environmental pollution and who are not legally responsible for such remediation). Authorizes a permitting authority (i.e., the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] or a state or Indian tribe with an approved Good Samaritan program) to issue a permit to a good samaritan for a mine remediation project if it is determined that: (1) the project will improve the environment on or in the area of the mine site to a significant degree; (2) the project will meet applicable water quality standards; (3) the permittee has the financial and other resources to complete, and will complete, the permitted work; and (4) the relevant governmental entities concur with the issuance of the permit. Terminates the authority to issue permits under this Act on September 30, 2019. Exempts permits from requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 relating to environmental assessments and impact statements. Requires a permitting authority to: (1) consult with permit applicants; (2) maintain all records relating to the permit and the permit process; (3) allow cooperating agencies and the public to participate in the permit process; and (4) monitor remediation projects. Establishes civil penalties for violations of permit requirements and authorizes injunctions to require compliance with a permit.

Safe Drinking Water for Healthy Communities Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2009

Safe Drinking Water for Healthy Communities Act of 2009 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate a national primary drinking water regulation for perchlorate.

Expressing the need for enhanced public awareness of potential health effects posed by mercury.

United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2009

Encourages the dissemination of information regarding mercury, its uses, and its effects to allow consumers to make informed decisions.

Lijst van vragen en antwoorden over het ontwerpbesluit emissie-eisen middelgrote stookinstallaties milieubeheer

Netherlands · House of Representatives · 14 July 2009

Lijst van vragen en antwoorden over het ontwerpbesluit emissie-eisen middelgrote stookinstallaties milieubeheer

Emissionsdatenauswertung

Austria · National Council · 13 July 2009

Schriftliche Anfrage der Abgeordneten Mag. Christiane Brunner, Kolleginnen und Kollegen an den Bundesminister für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt und Wasserwirtschaft betreffend Emissionsdatenauswertung <i>(von Luftschadstoffen)</i>