Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act

H.R. 2460, S. 2470 -Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2020; related to recovery of lithium from geothermal brines.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $10,000

H.R. 2460, the Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act

Client expense: $35,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)

H.R. 2460, S. 2470 -Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2020; related to recovery of lithium from geothermal brines.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $10,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. 2460, the Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act

Client expense: $35,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)

H.R. 2460, S. 2470 -Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2020; related to recovery of lithium from geothermal brines.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $40,000

Government targets: Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Energy, Dept of, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), White House Office

H.R. 2460, the Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act

Client expense: $35,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)

On May 2, Reps. Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Greg Pence (R-IN) introduced H.R. 2460, the bipartisan Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act. The legislation would reform the Hours of Service (HOS) and Electronic Logging Device (ELD) regulations and would delay enforcement of the ELD rule until reforms are proposed by the Secretary of Transportation. This legislation would require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a working group within 120 days of enactment charged with: Identifying obstacles to the safe, humane, and market-efficient transport of livestock, insects, and other perishable agricultural commodities and Developing guidelines and recommending regulatory or legislative action to improve the transportation of these commodities. The bill designates various stakeholders that the working group would need to consult and ensures it will consider certain issues, including: The impact of existing HOS rules under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs); Incompatibilities and other challenges and concerns caused by the HOS rules and ELD rule provisions; Initiatives and regulatory changes that maintain and protect highway safety and allow for the safe, efficient, and productive marketplace transport of livestock, insects, and perishable agricultural commodities; and Other related issues that the Secretary considers appropriate. The working group shall be composed of a cross section of the transportation and agricultural communities, at the Secretarys discretion, but include, the Department of Agriculture, individuals with knowledge and expertise that includes highway safety, the commercial motor vehicle and transportation industries, animal husbandry, and the transportation of livestock, insects, and agricultural commodities. Within one year after it is established, the working group is to submit a report to the Secretary that includes its findings as well as initiatives and regulatory and legislative changes that the working group identifies as necessary to protect highway safety and allow for the safe, efficient, and productive marketplace transport of the named commodities. Required Regulatory Rulemaking: Within 120 days of receiving the working groups report, the Secretary is to propose regulatory changes, taking into account the findings and recommendations of the working group. These regulatory changes shall include: Changes to the HOS regulations, and Changes to the ELD regulations. Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Delay: The bill would suspend the provisions of the ELD mandate as it would apply to commercial motor vehicles (CMV) hauling livestock, insects, or perishable agricultural commodities until the date on which the Secretary proposes regulatory changes. On Feb. 28, Sens. Hoeven (R-ND) and Bennet (D-CO) introduced S. 600, the Senate version of the Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act.