{"id":18878,"date":"2022-06-06T16:46:26","date_gmt":"2022-06-06T16:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/?p=18878"},"modified":"2022-06-06T16:56:27","modified_gmt":"2022-06-06T16:56:27","slug":"policy-news-june-6-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/2022\/06\/06\/policy-news-june-6-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Policy News: June 6, 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this issue:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Apply for a Badge to Attend COP27 as an Observer via ESA<\/strong><\/a>
\nESA is accepting expressions of interest from members to receive an ESA \u201cobserver status\u201d badge to attend COP27 in Egypt.<\/p>\n

U.S. Global Change Research Program Seeks Comments about Decadal Strategic Plan, Review Editors for National Climate Assessment
\n<\/strong><\/a>Nominations for review editors must be submitted by July 1.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Congress<\/strong><\/a>
\nSenate confirms Christopher Frey as the EPA\u2019s assistant administrator for research and development.<\/p>\n

Executive Branch<\/strong><\/a>
\nEPA moves toward stopping proposed Bristol Bay gold and copper mine.<\/p>\n

Courts<\/strong><\/a>
\nSupreme Court upholds social cost of carbon metric.<\/p>\n

States<\/strong><\/a>
\nPennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection secretary to step down.<\/p>\n

International
\n<\/strong><\/a>Egypt promises to allow protest during COP27.<\/p>\n

Scientific Community<\/strong><\/a>
\nScientific academies release statements ahead of G-7 summit.<\/p>\n

Federal Register opportunities<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Apply for a Badge to Attend COP27 as an Observer via ESA<\/h2>\n

ESA is accepting expression of interest from members to receive an ESA \u201cobserver status\u201d badge to attend the\u00a0Conference of Parties (COP) 27 Climate Change Conference<\/a>, which will take place from Nov. 7-18 in Sharm el-Sheikh, South Sinai, Egypt.<\/p>\n

ESA may be able to issue a limited number of \u201cobserver status\u201d badges to ESA members. Those receiving a badge would not be formally representing ESA. This summer, the UN will inform ESA about the number of observer badges it will provide. Last year, ESA received 5 badges to share for the two weeks and we were able to give 10 members a badge for one week.<\/p>\n

Members would be responsible for all associated travel costs and expenses to attend COP27 if offered an ESA badge. Additionally, those selected to receive a badge would be required to meet all vaccine and other requirements set by the COP27 organizers and the host country and to submit any information that organizers request to register recipients such as passport information.<\/p>\n

Please complete\u00a0this form<\/a>\u00a0to express your interest in receiving an ESA badge. This form can be used for groups of individuals interested in receiving an ESA \u201cobserver status\u201d badge led by an ESA member.<\/p>\n

ESA held a Water Cooler chat with ESA members who attend COP 26, the recording is linked\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ESA member Andrew Barton posted blogs from COP26, which ESA reposted\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

View the COP27 website\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/a>U.S. Global Change Research Program Seeks Comments about Decadal Strategic Plan, Review Editors for National Climate Assessment<\/h2>\n

The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), in collaboration with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, is\u00a0requesting comment<\/a>\u00a0from the public on its draft Decadal Strategic Plan.<\/p>\n

USGCRP seeks feedback on program priorities and accompanying narrative in the strategic pillar sections. Respondents should consider (i) ideas on emerging, large-scale scientific questions related to global change and\/or societal response, especially those where interagency collaboration will be critical; (ii) specific information on how science is or is not being used to inform societal response to global change, and why; and (iii) knowledge gaps and obstacles to implementing scientific tools or knowledge.<\/p>\n

Individuals wishing to participate in the public review of the draft 2022\u20132031 USGCRP Strategic Plan must register via the USGCRP Review and Comment System to access the draft. The deadline to\u00a0submit comments<\/a>\u00a0is 11:59 PM ET on July 15, 2022.<\/p>\n

USGRP is also seeking review editors for the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). Review editors play a critical role in the assessment, ensuring that the author teams appropriately consider and respond to all public and peer review comments. Nominees should be technical experts with climate-related proficiency in at least one of the regions, sectors, or response topics outlined in the\u00a0NCA5 Table of Contents<\/a>.\u00a0 Nominations must be submitted via the\u00a0USGCRP\u00a0Contribute site<\/a>\u00a0by 11:59 PM ET on July 1, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Congress<\/h2>\n

Nominations:<\/strong>\u00a0The full Senate narrowly voted to confirm Christopher Frey as the EPA\u2019s assistant administrator for research and development. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Rob Portman (R-OH) joined all Senate Democrats in voting in favor of Frey\u2019s confirmation. Frey is a former chair of the EPAs Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and he was a member of the CASAC Particulate Matter Review Panel that former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler dismissed in 2018. He is the first Senate-confirmed leader of the EPA\u2019s Office of Research and Development in over ten years.<\/p>\n

Legislative Updates:<\/strong><\/p>\n