MERP Clarifications Act of 2024

Legislation and administrative actions related to habitat conservation and restoration, implementation of federally appropriated funds related to such purposes, protection and use of public lands and waters, including responsible development energy development, protection and restoration of special landscapes, reauthorization of programs related to such goals including in federal highway bill (eg: culverts and connectivity programs), western water and drought security, and fish and wildlife management. Protection against blanket federal public land sales and the use of land disposal authority, including the Public Lands in Public Hands Act, H.R.718 and Public Lands Integrity Act, H.R.9167/S.4455. Administrative and legislative proposals related to the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule including USDA comment period and the Roadless Area Conservation Act, H.R.3930/S.2042 as well as the Wildfire Prevention Act, S.140; To provide that the final rule titled Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no force or effect and require the Secretary of Agriculture to construct certain roads on National Forest System lands, and for other purposes, H.R.7695. Legislation to conserve and manage public lands and waters including: A River Runs Through It Act, H.R.10529; America the Beautiful Act, S. 1547; Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act, H.R.10054/S.5282; Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, S. 764; Defending Our Dams Act, H.R.2073; Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act, S.1787; Fix Our Forests Act, H.R.417/S.1462; Great American Outdoors Act 250, H.R.9250; Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act, H.R.3421/S.1791; M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act, S. 1476; Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act, H.R.6788/S.3527; Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act, S.888; Pecos Watershed Protection Act, S. 1319; PUBLIC Lands Act, S.3526; Public Lands Integrity Act. H.R.9167/S.4455; Ruby Mountains Protection Act, S.1349; Santini-Burton Modernization Act, H.R.7255/S.3695; Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act, S.1341; Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act, S.945; Upper Price River Watershed Project Act, H.R.5752/S.3004; Upper Raritan River Watershed Wild and Scenic River Study Act, H.R.5852; Wabeno Economic Development Act, H.R. 3937; Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, S.1737; Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act, S.5045. Legislation regarding oil and gas leasing and mineral development and reclamation: Critical Minerals Security Act, S.789; Environmental Monitoring and Remediation Technology Assessment Initiative Authorization Act, H.R.9616; Legacy Mine Cleanup Act, H.R.3713/S.2741; Local Input Act, H.R. 9924/S.5118; MERICA Act, H.R.3872; Mining Regulatory Clarity Act, H.R.1366/S.544; Stop Orphaned Wells Act, H.R.10721/S.5630. Legislation to reauthorize a federal highway bill, the BUILD America 250 Act, H.R.8870; particularly programs to support fish and wildlife connectivity including the National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program and the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, as well as to improve resiliency such as the PROTECT Program. Also to reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and include the Sporting Goods Excise Tax Modernization Act, H.R.1494/S.1649. Colorado River, drought, and western water issues. This includes advocacy on current federal funding programs such as the Bureau of Reclamations WaterSMART programs and distribution of funds for the Colorado and other western rivers through the Inflation Reduction Act. Legislation including: Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act, H.R.7978/S.4041, Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, H.R.2025/S.953; Headwaters Protection Act, H.R.605/S.2701; Healthy Headwaters, Healthy Communities Act, S.4234; Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Reauthorization Act, H.R.3857/S.2437; Water Project Navigators Act, H.R.7408/3792; Western Water Reinvestment Act, S.5402. Legislation influencing fish and wildlife management. Aquatic Invasive Species Control and Prevention Act, H.R.8876; Fisheries Science Modernization Act, S.5273; To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide that artificially propagated animals shall be treated the same under that Act as naturally propagated animals, and for other purposes, H.R.181;

Client expense: $120,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Interior, Dept of (DOI), SENATE, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Forest Service