POLICY COMMUNICATONS, INC. for WESTERN BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
What was lobbied
5 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Waste (hazardous/solid/interstate/nuclear) WAS
1. Educating policymakers on the implications of proposals to regulate coal combustion residuals as hazardous wastes under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Activities included ongoing support for the legislative approaches taken by H.R. 1391 and H.R. 2273. 2. Educating policymakers on problems with EPA's risk assessment system (IRIS system).
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| HOLLY E PROPST | U.S. House of Representatives |
Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX
Support for extension of several tax provisions important to job creation and business development across the West: bonus depreciation, allowing companies eligible for bonus depreciation to instead claim a portion of unused AMT credits; Section 179 expensing.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| HOLLY E PROPST | U.S. House of Representatives |
Energy/Nuclear ENG
1. Educating policymakers on the need to work towards energy independence. Continued emphasis on responsible development of the full range of the nation's domestic resources. Legislation supported: H.R. 1287, H.R. 2016, H.R. 1719, H.R. 3407, H.R. 3408, H.R. 3410, S. 706, S. 629, S. 631. 2. Educating policymakers on the need to strengthen and expand the nation's electric transmission system. (Continued) 3. Educating policymakers on the cumulative negative consequences of the growing body of regulations being instituted that impact the nation's electric generation fleet's reliability and which inflict growing costs on consumers (discussed in Air, Waste and Water pages of this report). 4. Educating policymakers on the nexus between a robust energy policy and a strong minerals policy. Particular emphasis has been on critical minerals and their importance as inputs to a vast array of clean energy, electronics, high tech and defense applications. Past activities have included providing input for S. 1113 and support for H.R. 2011. 5. Stressing with policymakers the implications of proposed Executive Branch requirements (NEPA, GHG, climate adaptation, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, federal land management policies, etc.) -- that hamper energy and natural resource development projects throughout the West -- on the nation's energy and economic security. Support for various reform efforts to constrain regulatory overreach (listed under relevant issue pages of this report.) 6. Educating policymakers on the need to focus on policies that encourage devleopment of the nation's full range of "clean energy" resources / supporting technologies, including hydropower. 7. Support for H.R. 1996 and S. 1061.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| HOLLY E PROPST | U.S. House of Representatives |
Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW
1. Educating policymakers on the costs vs. benefits of various approaches to regulation of GHGs, including: EPA proposals to regulate GHGs under the Clean Air Act, as well as CEQ and other agencies' efforts to integrate climate change impact analyses into regulatory decisionmaking processes (including DOI/FWS/CEQ/EPA/USDA Climate Action Plans/Sustainability Plans/Climate Adaptation Plans and other planning documents). The Roundtable has encouraged Congressional oversight of such policies. 2. Educating policymakers on the negative implications of suggested EPA actions to increase the stringency of Clean Air Act regulations, particularly boiler MACT, utility MACT, oil and gas regulations and Western states' regional haze requirements. Activities include ongoing support for various efforts to oppose EPA actions in this area, including: H.R. 2401, SJR 37, H.R. 2250, H.R. 1633 (along with various amendments to other legislation seeking to achieve the same results). 3. Educating policymakers on promising clean energy technologies, including discussion of the challenges facing carbon capture and sequestration and enhanced oil recovery. 4. Educating policymakers on the efforts by EPA/Army Corps of Engineers to unilaterally expand their regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act. Activities include support for various legislative efforts to oppose this regulatory over-reach, including support for legislative language stopping EPA and ACE from proceeding with "Waters of the US" jurisdictional guidance (S. 2245). 5. Support for legislation (H.R. 3409) to force the DOI's Office of Surface Mining to cease rulemaking on Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act regulations designed to replace the so-called "Stream Buffer Zone Rule."
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| HOLLY E PROPST | U.S. House of Representatives |
Natural Resources NAT
1. Opposition to DOI and USDA policies that seek to unilateraly change -- through administrative fiat -- the designation/multiple use of millions of acres of Western lands (through land withdrawals, roadless policies, climate adaptation policies, critical habitat designations and other restrictive regulations). Activities include ongoing support for various reform initiatives, including: H.R. 1581, S. 1097, H.R. 4716, H.R. 302, H.R. 758, H.R. 817, H.R. 846, H.R. 3147 (and various amendments and other legislative 1. (continued) efforts seeking to constrain federal agencies from engaging in such activities. 2. Ongoing support for the Government Litigation Act (H.R. 1996 / S. 1061). 3. Stressing the implications of the proposed Executive Branch requirements (NEPA, GHG, CAA, CWA, climate adaptation, federal land management policies, ESA listings, etc.) that hamper energy and natural resource development projects across the West. 4. Continued emphasis on responsible development of the nation's domestic energy resources (see energy issue discussion in this report for details). 5. Educating policymakers on the implications of the Executive Branch's efforts to establish "projected future climate impacts-related species vulnerabilities" as a justification for a whole new range of regulatory actions/authority by agencies across the federal government. Included: discussions of CEQ proposal to insert "future climate impacts" as a required part of analysis under NEPA, Fish and Wildlife Service use as rationale for expansion of critical habitat designations under ESA, and use by the U.S. Forest Service in interpretation/implementation of revised Forest Planning Rule. 6. Educating policymakers on the need for a robust domestic minerals policy to support the U.S. economic, energy and national security interests. Activities include support for: S. 1113, H.R. 3155, S. 1690, H.R. 2011 and H.R. 1904.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| HOLLY E PROPST | U.S. House of Representatives |
Shown as published by the Senate Office of Public Records and the House Clerk under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The official filing is the record; open it for the full form.