In This Issue:

- Energy and Climate Debate

- Congress

- Administration

- Department of Commerce

- Department of Energy

- Department of Health and Human Services

- Department of Interior

- Department of State

- Environmental Protection Agency

- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

- International

- States

- Miscellaneous

- Excerpt from Energy and Climate Debate:

The House Appropriations Committee approved July 15 a fiscal year 2015 spending bill for the Interior Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, and related agencies after Republicans opposed Democratic attempts to remove 24 legislative riders. The measure would increase Interior Department funding for oil and gas permitting and inspections on Bureau of Land Management land, as well as funding for fighting and preventing wildfires. The package would reduce the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget by $717 million, about nine percent. The overall bill would amount to $30.2 billion, a $162 million increase from the fiscal year 2014 enacted level. The riders are designed to halt some agency initiatives, including greenhouse gas regulations, a new definition of Clean Water Act jurisdiction, revised water pollution rules for surface coal mining, and the possibility of an Endangered Species Act listing next year of the greater sage grouse.