THE NATURE CONSERVANCY for NATURE CONSERVANCY

Real Estate/Land Use/Conservation RES

HR3391, Comprehensive National Mercury Monitoring Act including specific provisions relating to the authorization and expansion of the MERCNET program to monitor mercury levels in various ecosystems and their impacts on wildlife;S.338 -- Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act of 2013 including specific provisions relating to permanent conservation funding, remove the current 2015 expiration date, allocate funds for Land Water Conservation Fund, make monies covered into the Fund available for expenditure to carry out the purposes of the Act without further appropriation and require not less than 1.5% of the annual authorized funding amount to be made available for projects that secure recreational public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes; S.170, Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act; HR1877 the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2013, regarding amending the Clean Water Act for setting amounts and authorizing grants for water quality control; HR985, Stop Asian Carp Act, to require the Secretary of the Army to study the feasibility of the hydrological separation of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basins; HR644, Delaware River Basin Conservation Act of 2013, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to build on and help coordinate funding for restoration and protection efforts of the 4-State Delaware River Basin region, and for other purposes; S1153 The Invasive Fish and Wildlife Act, to establish an improved regulatory process for injurious wildlife. Authorizes any person, entity, or the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to propose the regulation of nonnative wildlife tax. Requires the Director to determine whether the proposal should be approved within 180 days; HR2174, Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Act, makes permanent funding authorization for Sound conservation and restoration; S. 368, the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Reauthorization of 2013, to reauthorize the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act for another ten years; S11325 Sportsmen's Act, provisions related to Federal Land Transaction and Facilitation Act, National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, resolution of appraisal issues for Forest Legacy Program, Allocation of funds for Land and Water Conservation Fund in 2013; HR2208, North American Wetlands Conservation Act; [BILLS WITHOUT NUMBERS] Draft bill that addresses management of invasive species on public lands; National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, to establish regions and funding for fisheries protection and restoration, authorize the National Fish Habitat Action Plan and provide the US Fish and Wildlife Service funding and authority for such plan; Americas Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative, Conceptual discussion of funding source authorization within the Department of the Interior and other federal budget areas for large intact landscape conservation nationwide, related landscape scale conservation, and declaration of national monuments; Mitigation policy for siting of development on public lands, solar energy zones, oil and gas issues; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mitigation policy revision and candidate species conservation rulemaking; Lesser Prairie-Chicken Endangered Species Act listing decision; Mitigation policy in connection with development on public private lands, military buffer program; Clean Air Act regulations, Interstate Air Transport Rule and Secondary Standards Regulations;

Contacted: Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Natl Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); SENATE; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; U.S. Forest Service; U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Natl Park Service (NPS)

Bills named: H.R. 2174 (113th), H.R. 3391 (113th), H.R. 1877 (113th), S. 368 (113th), S. 170 (113th), S. 338 (113th), H.R. 985 (113th), H.R. 644 (113th), H.R. 2208 (113th)

Agriculture AGR

HR1947, Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 including specific provisions relating to Title II Conservation and the Conservation Reserve Program;S.10 and S. 954-- Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 (Farm Bill), specifically, implementation of Conservation Title programs which funds voluntary easement programs, including amendments: 2438 Conservation Crop Insurance, 2313-Forest Legacy, 2293-to impose an adjusted gross income cap for conservation projects, 2291-to eliminate International Forestry Programs at the U.S. Forest Service, 2292-to eliminate the Urban and Community Forestry (U & CF) program, and 2371- to expand the Forest Legacy program, Stewardship contracting, State and private forestry programs, Nature Resources Conservation Program Conservation Title, Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, the Grassland Reserve Program, the Wetlands Reserve Program, Energy Title, Forestry Title, and other specific provisions to include Sodsaver and conservation compliance; HR1947, Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 including specific provisions relating to Title II Conservation and the Conservation Reserve Program; S1301, Oregon Eastside Forests Restoration, Old Growth Protection, and Jobs Act of 2013; S1875, Wildfire Disaster Funding Act of 2013; H.R.686, Protect our Prairies Act, a "Sodsaver" Bill to reduce crop insurance subsidies to farmers who farm native grasslands; S.2375, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, including specific provisions relating to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) invasive species funding levels to be determined; H.R. 1947/H.R. 2642, Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, including specific provisions related to Title II Conservation, Conservation Reserve Program, and Forestry Titles; HR1526, S.1784, Oregon and California Lands Act; [BILLS WITHOUT NUMBERS] Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management and US Fish and Wildlife Service funding for Sage Grouse; A bill to provide to the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture expedited authority to remove geese that threaten aircraft;

Contacted: Interior, Dept of (DOI); U.S. Forest Service; Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS); SENATE; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Natl Park Service (NPS); Natl Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Defense, Dept of (DOD); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 1526 (113th), S. 1784 (113th), S. 954 (113th), H.R. 686 (113th), H.R. 2642 (113th), S. 10 (113th), H.R. 1947 (113th), S. 2375 (113th)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

S.368 Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Reauthorization of 2013; HR2807/ Conservation Easement Incentive Act of 2013;S526, Rural Heritage Conservation Extension Act of 2013, to amend the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax deduction on charitable contributions; S226 HR2807, Capital Gains for Easements; Discussion on potential changes to the US Tax Code to provide relief for property owners around Hurricane Sandy and other weather-related losses; Ways and Means and Senate Finance changes in Tax Code regarding conservation;

Contacted: Interior, Dept of (DOI); Natl Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Natl Park Service (NPS); SENATE; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); U.S. Forest Service; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)

Bills named: H.R. 2807 (113th), S. 368 (113th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

S.338 Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a bill to provide consistent and reliable authority for, and for the funding for land and water conservation fund, and for other purposes, including, appropriations for conservation during the next four years and funding for the recovery from Super storm Sandy.HR2713 Capital Gains Easement Act; S.601, Water Resources Development Act, specific provisions relating to conservation initiatives; S.10, Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 (Farm Bill), specific provisions related to the Conservation Title; HR152 Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2013 to specified federal agencies and programs for expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Sandy; HR 2397, S1429, Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2014; HR 1960 and S1997, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014; HR3080, S601, Water Resources Development Act of 2013, including specific provisions relating to authorization for various ecosystem restoration projects and increases in authorized funding levels for the Continuing Authorities Programs, and funding for the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program; H.Res.288, Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2609) making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014, and for other purposes; HR 2609, Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, including Title II, Department of Interior appropriations for the Hamilton City Ecosystem Restoration; HR 2397/S 1429, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, HR 1960 and S1997 National Defense Authorization Act relating to appropriations for the funding for the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program; [BILLS WITHOUT NUMBERS] Department of Defense and Department of Environmental Protection Agency Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership in proximity of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; President's Budget Release for Interior Department and Forest Service Department Programs, including budget request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Land and Water Conservation Fund accounts for Fish and Wildlife Services, National Park Service, Bureau of Land and Management and U.S. Forest Service Land Acquisition Accounts, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Resource Management, Endangered Species Grant Programs and National Blueway Program; Appropriations Bill ( including Agriculture, Interior, Foreign Operations, Commerce, Justice), including specific provisions relating to agency requests for Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture (also APHIS and Forest Service), FEMA, Housing and Urban Development, and U.S. Geological Survey. Continuing Resolution, including specific provisions relating to conservation issues, the budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and US Fish and Wildlife Services; FY14 Budget Conference Committee Bill for the merging of budget plans passed earlier in the year by each chamber; Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill; State and Foreign Operations Bill, for increased level of conservation funding within USAID budget, primarily within the biodiversity account, which was $190 M per year and for FY14 has been raised to $ 227.5 M; Conservation budget; The Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Act;

Contacted: Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Natl Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Interior, Dept of (DOI); SENATE; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Natl Park Service (NPS); U.S. Forest Service; Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Bureau of Land Management (BLM); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)

Bills named: H.R. 2397 (113th), H.R. 3080 (113th), H.Res. 288 (113th), H.R. 1960 (113th), S. 338 (113th), H.R. 2609 (113th), H.R. 152 (113th), H.R. 2713 (113th), S. 601 (113th), S. 10 (113th)

Energy/Nuclear ENG

S.279 and HR. 596, Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act of 2013, including specific provisions for Renewable Energy Siting;S. 630, Fixing America's Inequities with Revenues Act (FAIR) Act including specific provisions relating to the Outer Continental Shelf Revenue. [BILLS WITHOUT NUMBERS] Legislation to establish, expand or replenish (from various budget and other riders) energy Clean Air Act regulations, Interstate Air Transport Rule and Secondary Standards Regulations; Bureau of Land Management offsite mitigation guidance; Secretarial Order 3330 for landscape level mitigation;

Contacted: Interior, Dept of (DOI); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); U.S. Forest Service; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); SENATE; Natl Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Natl Park Service (NPS); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Bureau of Land Management (BLM); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Defense, Dept of (DOD); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Commerce, Dept of (DOC)

Bills named: S. 630 (113th), H.R. 596 (113th), S. 279 (113th)

Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW

HR3391, Comprehensive National Mercury Monitoring Act including specific provisions relating to the authorization and expansion of the MERCNET program to monitor mercury levels in various ecosystems and their impacts on wildlife;HR 3080/S601, Water Resources Development Act, authorizes and defines water and other restoration activities by the US Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies; to reauthorize the Water Resources Development Act, including specific provisions relating to the implementation of U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers programs, mitigation, ecosystem restoration and impact on dam operations, authorizations for various ecosystem restoration projects and increases in authorized funding levels for the Continuing Authorities Programs, environmental review policy, mitigation policy and disaster risk reduction policy; Transportation Bill reauthorization;

Contacted: Natl Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); SENATE; Commerce, Dept of (DOC); U.S. Forest Service; U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Natl Park Service (NPS); U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Office of Management & Budget (OMB)

Bills named: H.R. 3080 (113th), H.R. 3391 (113th)