Energy & Environment
Coverage of the congressional committees that write America’s energy, environment, water, lands and infrastructure law: Senate Environment and Public Works, Senate Energy and Natural Resources, House Natural Resources, House Energy and Commerce and House Transportation and Infrastructure, with a California lens.
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The water projects bill has passed the House and waits on the Senate. What WRDA 2026 holds for California’s dams, levees and rivers
The House approved the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 by 415 to 9 in September, with every California member who voted in favor; the bill orders faster Army Corps work on Lake Mendocino, Pine Flat…
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California’s senators voted against taking up the permitting bill. Now Schiff is trying to change it
The Senate advanced the bipartisan package 73 to 25 on Monday and 62 to 21 on Tuesday, with the White House’s support; Sen. Adam Schiff has offered an amendment to strike its historic-preservation changes, which the…
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Huffman, in line to chair House Natural Resources, asks 36 agencies and companies to preserve records as Westerman steps back
The California Democrat’s Nov. 9 letters seek to keep evidence for investigations he plans to pursue with a Democratic majority; the Interior Department calls reports of record destruction “100% false,” and Republicans are choosing a new…
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Senate environment committee holds a hearing Tuesday on Justin Schwab, the nominee to run EPA’s air office
Mr. Schwab, a senior adviser to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and a former deputy general counsel at the agency, would oversee the Clean Air Act programs behind California’s vehicle, smog and air-quality plans.
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The House takes up six Energy and Commerce nuclear bills on Monday. What they would change for licensing, and for California
Six bipartisan bills from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, scheduled for votes under suspension of the rules on Monday, would loosen hearing and review requirements at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and ease licensing for fuel…
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The Senate’s first test of the permitting deal comes Monday. What it would change for California projects
Senators are scheduled to vote about 5:30 p.m. Eastern on whether to begin debate on a bipartisan package that would rewrite environmental reviews, shorten lawsuit windows and require large data centers to pay for the power…
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Appeals court expedites EPA’s bid to treat California clean-air waivers as rules Congress can overturn
The D.C. Circuit will hear on a fast track the EPA’s appeal of two injunctions protecting six California waivers, while House-passed resolutions targeting two port-pollution rules wait in the Senate.
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FEMA housing aid for LA fire renters has ended as California seeks more federal recovery money
FEMA extended rent help for displaced homeowners to July 2027 but not for renters, citing the rental market. The state says $732 million in approved public-works money awaits Washington’s sign-off.
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California adopts a new Bay-Delta water plan, and Washington’s part in it is now the open question
The State Water Board voted 4-1 to build Gov. Gavin Newsom’s voluntary agreements into the rules for the Delta, but the Bureau of Reclamation, which runs the Central Valley Project, has said it will pull out…
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In the Sable pipeline appeal, the Ninth Circuit will test how far the Defense Production Act reaches
The Trump administration says its Defense Production Act order to restart a Santa Barbara County oil pipeline protects fuel supplies for West Coast military bases, California says the order goes beyond what the law allows, and…