Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting (open access)

Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting

This report discusses the disputes over Corps jurisdiction prior to enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as well as the current law applicable to siting offshore wind facilities.
Date: January 29, 2008
Creator: Vann, Adam
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting (open access)

Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting

This report discusses the disputes over Corps jurisdiction prior to enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as well as the current law applicable to siting offshore wind facilities.
Date: May 1, 2008
Creator: Vann, Adam
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA): A Summary (open access)

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA): A Summary

This report summarizes the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to- Know Act (EPCRA) and the major regulatory programs that mandate reporting by industrial facilities of releases of hazardous chemicals to the environment, as well as local planning to respond in the event of significant, accidental releases.
Date: March 19, 2008
Creator: Schierow, Linda-Jo
System: The UNT Digital Library
Open Ocean Aquaculture (open access)

Open Ocean Aquaculture

This report discusses four general areas: (1) operational and business-related challenges; (2) potential economic impacts; (3) potential environmental impacts; and (4) the legal and regulatory environment. It summarizes recent executive and legislative branch actions.
Date: June 12, 2008
Creator: Upton, Harold F. & Buck, Eugene H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Perspectives on the Top 20 Emitters and Developed Versus Developing Nations (open access)

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Perspectives on the Top 20 Emitters and Developed Versus Developing Nations

This report uses the data compiled by World Resources Institute (WRI) to examine a pivotal and long-running issue surrounding U.S. climate change policy: the appropriate roles of developed and developing countries in addressing climate change.
Date: January 31, 2008
Creator: Parker, Larry & Blodgett, John
System: The UNT Digital Library
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Legislative Actions Through the 110th Congress, First Session (open access)

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Legislative Actions Through the 110th Congress, First Session

This report is intended to provide a summary of legislative attempts to address issues of energy development and preservation in the Refuge from the 95th Congress through the 110th Congress, with emphasis on the 107th through 110th Congresses.
Date: January 10, 2008
Creator: Gillis, Anne; Corn, M. L. & Roberts, Beth A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Votes and Legislative Actions, 95th Congress to 110th Congress (open access)

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Votes and Legislative Actions, 95th Congress to 110th Congress

This report provides a summary of legislative attempts to address issues of energy development and preservation in the Refuge from the 95th Congress through the 110th Congress, with emphasis on the 108th through 110th Congresses.
Date: September 2, 2008
Creator: Corn, M. L. & Roberts, Beth A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Agriculture Conservation Programs: A Scorecard (open access)

Agriculture Conservation Programs: A Scorecard

This report provides basic information on several agriculture conservation programs, primarily drawn from agency budget presentations and websites, about each program using a consistent format. This information should help respond to basic questions and resolve many common sources of confusion about the purposes of the program, program participation and policy topics.
Date: May 9, 2008
Creator: Cowan, Tadlock & Johnson, Renée
System: The UNT Digital Library
Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer (open access)

Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer

This report reviews the types of air emissions from livestock and poultry operations and their human health and environmental impacts. It then discusses provisions of several federal laws concerned with environmental impacts, beginning with the Clean Water Act, because protecting water resources has been the primary regulatory focus regarding livestock and animal operations.
Date: January 28, 2008
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
System: The UNT Digital Library
Flood Risk Management and Levees: A Federal Primer (open access)

Flood Risk Management and Levees: A Federal Primer

This report provides a primer on responsibilities for flood management, describes the role of federal agencies, and discusses flood issues before the 110th Congress. The report also discusses the legislative response to Hurricane Katrina.
Date: June 20, 2008
Creator: Cody, Betsy A. & Carter, Nicole T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Legislation for Disaster Assistance: Summary Data (open access)

Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Legislation for Disaster Assistance: Summary Data

This report provides summary information on emergency supplemental appropriations enacted after major disasters since 1989. The report discusses the most recent and costly disasters occurred in the summer of 2005 when Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma made landfall in Gulf Coast states.
Date: August 14, 2008
Creator: Murray, Justin & Lindsay, Bruce R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Biotechnology in Animal Agriculture: Status and Current Issues (open access)

Biotechnology in Animal Agriculture: Status and Current Issues

This report describes several scientifically emerging animal biotechnologies that are raising a variety of questions concerning risks to humans, animals, and the environment, as well as ethical concerns. The report examines applications of the technologies and discusses major issues that may arise.
Date: January 17, 2008
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S. & Cowan, Tadlock
System: The UNT Digital Library
Biotechnology in Animal Agriculture: Status and Current Issues (open access)

Biotechnology in Animal Agriculture: Status and Current Issues

This report describes several scientifically-emerging animal biotechnologies that are raising a variety of questions concerning risks to humans, animals, and the environment, as well as ethical concerns. The report examines applications of the technologies and discusses major issues that may arise.
Date: September 23, 2008
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S. & Cowan, Tadlock
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: History, Perspectives, and Issues (open access)

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: History, Perspectives, and Issues

This report offers a brief history of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. It discusses the establishment of a regional home heating oil reserve and addresses the question when the SPR should be used.
Date: September 18, 2008
Creator: Bamberger, Robert
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: History, Perspectives, and Issues (open access)

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: History, Perspectives, and Issues

This report offers a brief history of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. It discusses the establishment of a regional home heating oil reserve and addresses the question when the SPR should be used.
Date: September 19, 2008
Creator: Bamberger, Robert
System: The UNT Digital Library
Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Legal Framework (open access)

Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Legal Framework

This report explains the nature of U.S. authority over offshore areas pursuant to international and domestic law. It also describes the laws, at both the state and federal levels, governing the development of offshore oil and gas and the litigation that has flowed from development under these legal regimes. Also included is an outline of the changes to the authorities regulating offshore development wrought by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and subsequent legislation and executive action as well as a discussion of recent executive action and legislative proposals to encourage further offshore exploration and production.
Date: August 5, 2008
Creator: Vann, Adam
System: The UNT Digital Library
Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Legal Framework (open access)

Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Legal Framework

This report explains the nature of U.S. authority over offshore areas pursuant to international and domestic law. It also describes the laws, at both the state and federal levels, governing the development of offshore oil and gas and the litigation that has flowed from development under the current legal regimes. Also included is an outline of the recent changes to the authorities regulating offshore development wrought by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and subsequent legislation enacted by the 109th Congress prior to adjournment. Finally, this report discusses legislation under consideration by the 110th Congress that might also amend existing law in this area.
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: Vann, Adam
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ecosystem Restoration in the Great Lakes: The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy (open access)

Ecosystem Restoration in the Great Lakes: The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy

This report summarizes The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, analyzes issues related to the Strategy and its implementation, and discusses federal legislation related to restoration in the Great Lakes. The Strategy is a series of recommendations for actions and activities aimed at starting the restoration of the Great Lakes ecosystem. The Strategy encompasses eight issue areas: aquatic invasive species, fish and wildlife habitat (habitat/species), coastal health, contaminated sediments, nonpoint source pollution, toxic pollutants, indicators and information, and sustainable development.
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: Sheikh, Pervaze A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Automobile and Light Truck Fuel Economy: The CAFE Standards (open access)

Automobile and Light Truck Fuel Economy: The CAFE Standards

This report discusses the current corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard of 35 miles per gallon (mpg), and the major issues on the CAFE debate. The report also offers an overview of Congressional interest in CAFE (1991-2005), and explains the CAFE and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: Yacobucci, Brent D. & Bamberger, Robert
System: The UNT Digital Library
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education: Background, Federal Policy, and Legislative Action (open access)

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education: Background, Federal Policy, and Legislative Action

This report provides the background and context to understand these legislative developments. The report first presents data on the state of Schience, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in the United States. It then examines the federal role in promoting STEM education. The report concludes with a discussion of the legislative actions recently taken to address federal STEM education policy.
Date: March 21, 2008
Creator: Kuenzi, Jeffrey J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Heritage Areas: Background, Proposals, and Current Issues (open access)

Heritage Areas: Background, Proposals, and Current Issues

This report focuses on heritage areas designated by Congress and related issues and legislation. Over more than two decades, Congress has established 40 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) to commemorate, conserve, and promote areas that include important natural, scenic, historic, cultural, and recreational resources.
Date: September 5, 2008
Creator: Vincent, Carol Hardy & Whiteman, David L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wetlands: An Overview of Issues (open access)

Wetlands: An Overview of Issues

The report documents recent changes in wetland acres. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its most recent periodic survey of changes in wetland acreage nationwide in March 2006. Covering 1998 to 2004, it concluded that during this time period there was a small net gain in overall wetland acres for the first time that this survey has been conducted. Others caution, however, that much of this gain was in ponds, rather than natural wetlands.
Date: July 8, 2008
Creator: Copeland, Claudia & Zinn, Jeffrey A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Outer Continental Shelf: Debate Over Oil and Gas Leasing and Revenue Sharing (open access)

Outer Continental Shelf: Debate Over Oil and Gas Leasing and Revenue Sharing

This report provides the background and recent development in Oil and gas leasing in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). This has been an important issue in the debate over energy security and domestic energy resources. The Department of the Interior (DOI) released a comprehensive inventory of OCS resources in February 2006 that estimated reserves of 8.5 billion barrels of oil and 29.3 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas.
Date: September 17, 2008
Creator: Humphries, Marc
System: The UNT Digital Library
Specialty Crops: 2008 Farm Bill Issues (open access)

Specialty Crops: 2008 Farm Bill Issues

This report discusses the provisions for specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops) in the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110-246, Food, Conservation, and Energy Act). Specialty crops are not eligible for direct support under USDA's farm commodity price and income support programs. Federal policies on trade, conservation, credit, marketing programs, domestic food assistance, and research also all affect the specialty crop sector.
Date: June 19, 2008
Creator: Rawson, Jean M.
System: The UNT Digital Library