On the Hill in March and April 2024: A Breakdown of Climate, Energy, and Environmental Hearings | Article

Congress held a total of 37 hearings on climate, energy, and environmental topics across March and April of 2024. The Republican-led House of Representatives held 25 of these hearings, while the Democrat-led Senate held 12. Ten of the 26 House committees and eight of the 24 Senate committees have covered climate, energy, and environmental issues, ranging from packaging and plastics to electric vehicles.

The appropriations process was a major driver of hearings in March and April. Eight environment-related hearings in total were held by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees (six in the House and two in the Senate). The House and Senate Armed Services Committees and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee also held budget-related hearings regarding energy and environmental programs.

Beyond budget and appropriations matters, the House Natural Resources Committee held six climate, energy, and environment hearings, the most of any committee. It was followed by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (four hearings) and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (three hearings).

Several climate, energy, and environmental hearings were held by committees not traditionally associated with such issues. The Senate Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on the increasing wildfire threat due to climate change, and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on climate costs. On the House side, the Oversight and Accountability Committee held hearings on grid security and the liquified natural gas export pause.

Energy production, distribution, and reliability were a major focus over the past two months, with six hearings dedicated to these issues. All six of these were held by House committees, including the Natural Resources Committee, the Energy and Commerce Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Oversight and Accountability Committee. Several of the hearings focused on increasing production from existing energy sources. Two of the hearings, Assessing Domestic Offshore Energy Reserves & Ensuring U.S. Energy Dominance and Assessing Solutions to Secure America's Offshore Energy Future, focused on U.S. energy production sourced from offshore oil and gas, while two others, Going Nuclear on Rosatom: Ending Global Dependence on Putin’s Nuclear Energy Sector, and American Nuclear Energy Expansion: Spent Fuel Policy and Innovation, spotlighted nuclear energy production.

The House also prioritized transportation—particularly public transportation. Committees held three hearings in March and April of 2024 covering rural transportation challenges, commuter rail, and fleet electrification.

Other recent topics of hearings on the Hill include wildland fires (1, 2), agriculture (1, 2), and the impact of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on human health and the environment.

View all climate, energy, and environmental hearings held in 2024 here. To keep up with these hearings, get EESI’s weekly Environmental and Energy Congressional Round-Up by subscribing to our biweekly newsletter, Climate Change Solutions.

Author: Emily Phillips