Conservation Report National Wildlife Federation Weekly Update - Report No.22 - August 8,1980

Sep 21, 2026

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Conservation Report National Wildlife Federation Weekly Update details U.S. congressional developments in August 1980, including Senate action on the Alaska lands bill, debate closure procedures, and recorded positions of key senators. It also summarizes approval of the Administration’s standby gasoline rationing plan, with vote margins and rationing mechanics. Additional sections cover committee reporting on a Colorado wilderness bill, including acreage and environmental impact considerations, and a Superfund-related committee report addressing liability, cleanup, and funding allocation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Alaska Bill Left Hanging Over Senate Recess

President's Gas Rationing Plan Approved

Senate Committee Reports Colorado Wilderness Bill

Senate Committee Clears Superfund

Conservation Report National Wildlife Federation's WEEKLY UPDATE OF Report No.22 96th Congress August 8,1980 2nd Sesston # Alaska Bill Left Hanging Over Senate Recess When the Senate returns August 18 from Its break for the Democratic NationalConvention,the first item on the agenda is a vote to cloture(shut off floor debate on)the Alaska lands b111.The three-fifths acquiescence requfred to defuse a f11ibuster byAlaska's Sen.Mike Gravel is expected.If cloture 1s invoked,the Senate will continueaction on the committee substitute,a version negotiated during 10 days of off-the-floormeetings among the principle Senators,"to the exclusion of all other business unti1final action on that committee substitute." Following repeated quorum cal1s and rollcal1 votes from Sen.Gravel on August 5,Majortty Leader Robert c.Byrd(W.Va.)stated that "it is obviously futile to remain onthe bi11 any longer today because we are getting nowhere…so I am going to enter acloture motion on the committee substitute…I only want to see the Senate work itswill on the bill one way or the other." The motion to bring debate on the committee substitute to H.R.39 to a close wassigned by 24 Senators:Byrd(W.Va.),Tsongas (Mass.),R1bicoff(Conn.),Ford(Ky.),Goldwater(Ariz.),Hatfield(Oreg.),Metzenbaum(Ohio),Mathias (Md.),Cohen(Me.),Exon(Nebr.),Jackson (Wash.),Mitchell (Me.),Baucus (Mont.),Pryor (Ark.),Cranston(Calif.),Boschwitz(Minn.),Randolph(W.Va.),Huddleston(Ky.),Nelson(Wisc.),Stone(F1a.),Levin (Mich.),Bayh(Ind.),Leahy(Vt.)and Magnuson(Wash.). # President's Gas Rationing Plan Approved On July 30,both houses of Congress chose not to disapprove the Administration'sstandby gasoline rationing plan.The vote in the Senate was 60-31,in the House,209-205. The plan would go into effect in the event of a.20 percent shortage if both housesoffered no objection.Ration coupons would be issued for each registered auto,up tothree per family,with a predicted average allocation of 45 gallons a month. Supporters stressed the importance of having a plan ready in case of emergency,while admitting that no rationing scheme could be completely equitable.Opponents judgedit too expensive and complicated. # Senate Committee Reports Colorado Wilderness Bil1 On July 30;the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee favorably reported aHouse last December,emerged from the committee after months of negotiatfons betweenColorado Senators Gary Hart and Wi1liam Armstrong. The wilderness acreage designated by the bil11s 63,800 acres less than thatproposed by Sen.Hart's s.2123,but 190,000 acres more than was contained in Sen.Armstrong's s.2741. It includes the 134,000-acre Holy Cross W1lderness in themountainous country separating Aspen and Vail,and a 130,000-acre wilderness in thesouthern San Juan Mountains. The major point of contention in the Colorado delegation had been over languageconcerning the "release"of 1ands not designated as wilderness in the bil1 from any further consideration for wilderness status.The bi11 directs the Forest Service to planand administer for multiple use lands which the bi11 does not designate as wilderness.While conservationists strongly oppose"release"language,they v1ew this provisfon asacceptable because it allows the Forest Service to continue to manage some mu1t1ple-use1ands as de-facto wilderness and it does not preclude future wilderness designations, The bi₁1 also includes language designed to head off any court action challengingthe adequacy of the Forest Service environmental fmpact statement(EIS)forits RARE IIpropo8a18 in Colorado.A recent Ca11fornia court dec1s1on found that the Forest Servicedid not meet NEPA requirements in preparing its RARE II EIS in that state. The b1l11s not expected to come to the floor unt11 after the August recess. # Senate Committee Clears Superfund The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works has issued a favorable report(S.Rept.96-848)on s.1480,the "Environmental Emergency Respo

FAQs

What Senate process is discussed for the Alaska lands bill?

The update describes a planned vote to invoke cloture to shut off floor debate, enabling continued Senate action on the committee substitute version.

What are the key elements of the approved gasoline rationing plan?

Congress chose not to disapprove the standby rationing plan, which would activate during a 20% shortage, issuing ration coupons per registered auto with up to three per family and an average allocation of 45 gallons a month.

What does the Superfund bill (S.1480) provide for?

S.1480 establishes strict liability, compensation, cleanup, and emergency response for hazardous substances and inactive disposal sites, supported by a six-year fund financed through industry fees and appropriations.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Noah