On February 15, 2017, the House Agriculture Committee of the 115th Congress began laying the ground work for the next Farm Bill by holding a hearing to “review the economic challenges facing rural America.” Although the majority of federal agricultural appropriations are related to nutrition issues, the hearing signaled that the rural and farm economy are priorities for the Committee and current economic conditions in the heartland “must be front and center” as the Farm Bill process begins.
On January 26, 2017, the EPA published a final rulemaking extending the effective date of certain regulations to comply with a Presidential directive sent in a memorandum from the White House, entitled “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review.” The memorandum directed the heads of Executive Departments and Agencies to postpone for 60 days the effective dates of all regulations that had been published in the Federal Register but had not yet taken effect. The EPA identified 30 regulations that qualify under the directive, and it has delayed the effective date of those regulations until March 21, 2017. The EPA implemented this initial 60-day delay without public comment. However, if the delay were to extend beyond 60 days, public comment would be necessary.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has invited potential conservation partners, including private industry, non-government organizations, Indian tribes, state and local governments, water districts, and universities to submit project applications for federal funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).
SB114 (Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs) would end the requirement that counties publish in a local newspaper a list of people who are delinquent on paying taxes on mineral interests. The bill would require the counties to publish the list on a website. This bill is being supported by the Association of Arkansas Counties, and it is facing strong opposition from print media advocates.
On January 18, 2017 the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM), stating that the agency is considering amended the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to establish vapor pressure limits for the transportation of crude oil and potentially all Class 3 flammable liquid hazardous materials. The PHMSA issued the ANPRM in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by the New York Attorney General.
