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Subcommittee Members

Democrats:

Brian Baird (Washington),
Chair

Jerry F. Costello (Illinois)
Lynn Woolsey (California)
Ben Ray Luján (New Mexico)
Paul D. Tonko (New York)
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Texas)
Daniel Lipinski (Illinois)
Gabrielle Giffords (Arizona)
Jim Matheson (Utah)
Lincoln Davis (Tennessee)
Ben Chandler (Kentucky)
John Garamendi
(California)

Bart Gordon (Tennessee),
ex officio

Republicans:

Bob Inglis (South Carolina),
Ranking Member

Roscoe G. Bartlett (Maryland)
Vernon J. Ehlers (Michigan)
Judy Biggert (Illinois)
W. Todd Akin (Missouri)
Randy Neugebauer (Texas)
Mario Diaz-Balart (Florida)

Ralph M. Hall (Texas),
ex officio

 

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Energy and Environment News

Subcommittee Discusses Oil Spill Research, Cleanup Technologies, and the Environment

Chairman Brian Baird

On April 20, 2010, an explosion and fire occurred on the BP Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. This resulted in the death of eleven workers, a massive oil release, and a national response effort in the Gulf of Mexico by the federal, state, and local governments as well as BP. The response to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill is the largest operation of its kind in U.S. history; however, our current response tools have limited effectiveness in a spill of this magnitude.

On June 9th, the Energy and Environment Subcommittee explored the research, development, and technology needs for the recovery of oil and effective cleanup of oil spills. Members and witnesses discussed lessons learned from the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989. Additionally, concern was expressed about the effectiveness of currently deployed technologies such as booms, skimmers, in situ burns and dispersants. Members consulted witnesses about the barriers to the development and use of transformational technologies for oil spill cleanup.

“Like most Americans, I’m frustrated. We have a massive response effort going on right now with tens of thousands of people working in the Gulf to clean up this oil. Unfortunately, our response tools need improving. We are essentially using the same tools in the Gulf as we were using in 1989 with the Exxon Valdez spill, and those tools were lacking, even back then,” said Subcommittee Chairman Brian Baird.

Read more about the Committee’s work on the oil spill >>

Read more about this hearing >>

Recent Energy and Environment Hearings and Markups

Subcommittee Jurisdiction

Committee Rule 11(a)(1)

Legislative jurisdiction and general oversight and investigative authority on all matters relating to energy research, development, and demonstration and projects therefor, commercial application of energy technology, and environmental research, including:

  1. Department of Energy research, development, and demonstration programs;
  2. Department of Energy laboratories;
  3. Department of Energy science activities;
  4. energy supply activities;
  5. nuclear, solar and renewable energy, and other advanced energy technologies;
  6. uranium supply and enrichment, and Department of Energy waste management and environment, safety, and health activities, as appropriate;
  7. fossil energy research and development;
  8. clean coal technology;
  9. energy conservation research and development;
  10. energy aspects of climate change;
  11. pipeline research, development, and demonstration projects;
  12. energy and environmental standards;
  13. energy conservation, including building performance, alternate fuels for and improved efficiency of vehicles, distributed power systems, and industrial process improvements;
  14. Environmental Protection Agency research and development programs;
  15. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including all activities related to weather, weather services, climate, the atmosphere, marine fisheries, and oceanic research;
  16. risk assessment activities; and
  17. scientific issues related to environmental policy, including climate change.

 

Subcommittee Quick Links
[technology]  [energy]  [oversight]  [research]  [space]

technology and innovation

energy and environment

Investigations and Oversight

research and science education

space and aeronautics


Press Releases

(November 17, 2010Subcommittee Chairman Baird Makes Science the Focus of Climate Change Debate

(October 29, 2010Chairman Gordon Releases Report on Climate Engineering


Correspondence

Letters From:

(May 23, 2007Department of Energy Officials Respond to Chairmen's Request Regarding SREL

Letters From the Committee:

(April 2, 2008Lampson Letter to DOE Questioning Changes to FutureGen

(May 29, 2007Lampson, Miller Press for More Information in Keeping SREL Open


Speeches

(June 2, 2009Rep. Ben Ray Luján's remarks on the introduction of H.R.2729, to authorize the designation of National Environmental Research Parks by the Secretary of Energy

(May 7, 2009E&E; Subcommittee Chairman Baird’s remarks on the Floor on loss of Aquanaut at NOAA Undersea Research Center


Legislation

(September 29, 2009Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010

(September 29, 2009Solar Technology Roadmap Act


Multimedia

(March 24, 2008Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Discusses the Opportunites and Obstacles of Solar Power on NPR's Science Friday

(December 6, 2007Chairman Gordon Speaks on Behalf of Energy Bill


Op-Eds

(March 17, 2008Say No to Reneging on Energy Standards [Giffords]

(September 20, 2007Watching Over Spending Is Our Job [Miller, Lampson]


Requested Reports

(October 29, 2010[GAO] CLIMATE CHANGE: A Coordinated Strategy Could Focus Federal Geoengineering Research and Inform Governance Efforts

(March 11, 2010[CRS] International Governance of Geoengineering

The 111TH CONGRESS (2009-2010) The Library of Congress: THOMAS



 

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