This Week on the Hill
This week both Senate and House committees will have hearings concerning global climate change and rising energy costs. These hearings begin on Wednesday in both the House Transportation and Infrastructure and Small Business Committees.
The Transportation Committee will be holding a hearing on Metropolitan Transportation Challenges, a focus of the hearing will likely be congestion pricing plans, with specific focus on the impending decision on New York City’s proposal.
The Small Business Committee will have a hearing on rising gas prices. The witness list has not yet been posted.
Also, Wednesday at 2:30pm, the Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on coal gasification technologies. Dr. John Marburger, the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology; James Childress, exec. Director of the Gasification Technology Council; Michael Mudd, from the FutureGen Alliance; and David Hawkins of the NRDC are all slated to appear.
On Thursday at 10am, the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on possible EPA greenhouse gas regulations. Witnesses will include: Robert Meyers, principal deputy assistant administrator, U.S. EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation; David Doniger, policy director, Natural Resources Defense Council’s Climate Center; and Lisa Heinzerling, professor of law, Georgetown University Law Center.
At the same time, the Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing on the FY2009 NOAA budget.
Across the Capitol, the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee will hold a confirmation hearing on David Hill, who has been nominated to be the new Inspector General for the EPA.
Finally, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will hold a hearing on the public health implications of climate change on Thursday at 10am. Scheduled to appear are Jonathan Patz, professor of environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin; John Balbus of Environmental Defense; and Kristie Ebi, president of ESS, LLC.