Senate Archives

Sentate Confirms Radhika Fox to EPA Office of Water

The U.S. Senate confirmed Radhika Fox, former US Water Alliance CEO, as EPA Office of Water Assistant Administrator during a confirmation hearing May 12. With the confirmation, Fox became the first woman of color and first individual of Asian heritage to be both nominated and confirmed to lead the EPA Office of Water. Fox has been appointed to the Office of Water after President Joe Biden’s inauguration in January. Since that time, she has spearheaded a roundtable discussion with utility leaders in water and wastewater for feedback on the American Jobs Plan, Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan, and has lead the office as the EPA delayed the Lead & Copper Rule Revision effective date and published the Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule 5, which targets per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

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Colorado River Authority Bill Moves To Full Senate, Some Still Concerned About Transparency

A Senate committee unanimously approved a bill Thursday to create Utah’s Colorado River Authority, which would be tasked with helping the state renegotiate its share of the river.

Originally the bill allowed broad reasons to close meetings and protect records. It’s since been changed twice to come more into compliance with the state’s open meeting and record laws. Critics of the bill said it’s still not enough.

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Panel Approves Energy, Land and Water Bills

July 30, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /E&E Newsby Tamara Ward

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee approved several bills yesterday to address tribal energy, land and water resources. Lawmakers approved Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Minnesota Democratic Sen. Tina Smith’s S. 2610 to reauthorize and reform the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs within the Department of Energy.

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House, Senate DOD Bills Have Only Modest Impact on PFAS Chemicals

July 29, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Engineering News-Recordby Pam McFarland

Each of the differing $740-billion defense authorization bills that the House and Senate passed during the week of July 20 includes several provisions that would address pollution caused by per- and polyfluoralkyl substances at Dept.of Defense facilities. But neither would classify the chemicals as hazardous materials eligible for Superfund cleanup.

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Senate Democrats Ask Whether PFAS Worsens Coronavirus Cases

July 1, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Bloomberg Lawby Sylvia Carignan

Senate Democrats want to know whether being exposed to PFAS chemicals, which have become ubiquitous in the environment, worsens the effect of the coronavirus on the human body.

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Moving Forward Act Provides Funding for Central Valley Water, Friant-Kern Canal

June 30, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /The Porterville Recorder

The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has approved H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. The legislative package would provide $1.5 trillion for the nation’s infrastructure needs. Included in the bill is funding for Central Valley water needs and Friant-Kern Canal repairs.

The package is expected to be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives next week. The package would then need to be passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Trump.

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Senate Approves $2.8B Plan to Boost Conservation, Parks

June 18, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /AP Newsby Matthew Daly

The Senate has approved a bipartisan bill that would spend nearly $3 billion on conservation projects, outdoor recreation and maintenance of national parks and other public lands, a measure supporters say would be the most significant conservation legislation enacted in nearly half a century.

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Senate Advances Conservation Fund Bill, House Introduces Companion

June 5, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /The Hillby Rachel Frazin

The Senate on Thursday moved to advance a bill that would permanently fund the popular Land and Water Conservation Fund while the House introduced a companion bill.

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Senate Panel Moves Major Water Bills, Adding PFAS Actions

May 7, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Bloomberg Lawby Dean Scott

The Senate’s environment panel pushed through two major water infrastructure bills Wednesday, rejecting a GOP member’s attempt to give Western states more authority over water supplies but agreeing to direct the EPA to set drinking water limits for “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.

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Senate Water Bills Need More Funding Due to Pandemic: Witnesses

April 23, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Bloomberg Lawby Dean Scott

Two bipartisan draft water infrastructure bills unveiled this week by the Senate environment committee are a good start but will need even more funding in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, water agencies and other groups said Wednesday.

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