A resident of Shijiazhuang, Hebei province has become the first person in China to sue the government for failure to reduce air pollution, Reuters reported, citing a state-run newspaper.
The energy and mineral resources subpanel of the House Natural Resources Committee is meeting today for an oversight hearing titled “American Energy Jobs: Opportunities for Veterans.” Scheduled witnesses include representatives from Baker Hughes, Little Red Services, Clean Power Finance, and the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) has asked the Government Accountability Office to probe the State Department’s review of the Keystone XL pipeline. The GAO said it will make a decision whether to investigate in a few weeks, The Hill reports.
Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), the longest-serving member of Congress in history, announced he plans to retire early next year, the Detroit Free Press reports. Dingell, 87, is a member and former chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The House Natural Resources Committee’s panel on fisheries, wildlife, oceans and insular affairs will hold a legislative hearing tomorrow on several bills that would amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981. HR 3105 would exempt animals accidentally included in shipments of aquatic species produced in commercial aquaculture; HR 3280 would limit the application of the act to certain imported plants and finished plant products; HR 3324 would “reduce burdensome paperwork”; and HR 4032 would exempt certain water transfers by the North Texas Municipal Water District and the Greater Texoma Utility Authority.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is asking for private companies to help make its huge amounts of data on air, oceans and climate available to the public, The Hill reports.
The public health workgroup of the California Air Resources Board’s Climate Action Team will hold a meeting tomorrow. The agenda includes updates on the drought and on the 2009 California Adaptation Strategy, as well as the Department of Public Health’s climate change and health adaptation grant program.
The senate passed HR 2431, the National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act. The bill passed in the House February 10.
In the House, Rep. Shuster (R-PA) introduced HR 4076, which seeks to address shortages and interruptions in the availability of propane and other home heating fuels.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration is pushing to revive Japan’s nuclear energy program. Yesterday it announced details of a proposal designating nuclear as an important long-term energy source, the New York Times reports. The plan would restart reactors closed after the Fukushima disaster, and would leave the door open to building new nuclear plants.
