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Summary:
The 109th Congress is likely to consider a number of natural resource management issues involving how the federal government should balance multiple uses and invest in resource development and protection. Decisions on these issues affect local communities, industries, ecosystems, and the nation. This report introduces 30 key policy issues in five broad categories that may be addressed by the 109th Congress by authorizations, appropriations, or oversight. While this report will be updated occasionally, many of the cited CRS products are updated more frequently. Although there is no central natural resource issue, certain themes often are prevalent during consideration of resource questions. Many natural resource conflicts center on balancing resource use and protection. The desirability of current versus alternative uses and protection programs, and whether natural resources should be managed to produce national or local benefits, are also common themes. Other resource questions involve the effect of federal resource management on privately owned lands and the role of scientific data in decision making. For federal lands, questions before the 109th Congress may include how much and which land the federal government should own, how to prioritize multiple uses (e.g., grazing, timber, habitat, recreation), who should manage the lands, and whether to designate additional lands. There are financial questions as well, such as whether and how to collect or change fees for land uses and the disposition of collected funds. The 109th Congress may consider recommendations from two ocean commissions for a more coordinated national ocean policy and a reorganization of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Congress also may debate reauthorization of fishing, marine mammal, and coastal zone management legislation and the Senate may address the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. Federal species management and ecosystem protection are likely to be a focus during the 109th Congress. Topics include whether to: amend the Endangered Species Act, develop legislation to prevent or respond to invasive species, alter the approach to protection for international species, support efforts to protect and restore wetlands, and expand or curtail specific large-scale ecosystem restoration efforts. Increased competition for water has fostered interest in evaluating the federal policy and role in water resources, particularly for water supply and river management. The 109th Congress is likely to consider transboundary water resource management and assistance for rural and municipal water supply and for aging dams. An array of other natural resource policy issues may be debated in the 109th Congress. They include whether to expand access to federal lands for development of energy and mineral resources and whether to alter the federal role in natural disaster mitigation. Questions on federal involvement in managing natural resources on private and Indian lands and tribal uses of non-Indian resources also are likely.
