(ii) 2 nominated for that appointment 
by the chairman of the Committee Natural 
Resources of the House of Representatives. 
(C) 2 members appointed by the majority 
leader of the Senate from a list of 4 individ-
uals— 
(i) 2 nominated for that appointment 
by the chairman of the Committee on Envi-
ronment and Public Works of the Senate; 
and 
(ii) 2 nominated for that appointment 
by the chairman of the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate. 
(D) One member appointed by the minority 
leader of the House of Representatives from a list 
of 2 individuals— 
(i) one nominated for that appoint-
ment by the ranking member of the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives; and 
(ii) one nominated for that appoint-
ment by the ranking member of the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources of the Senate. 
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(E) 1 member appointed by the minority 
leader of the Senate from a list of 2 individ-
uals— 
(i) one nominated for that appoint-
ment by the ranking member of the Com-
mittee on Environment and Public Works of 
the Senate; and 
(ii) one nominated for that appoint-
ment by the ranking member of the Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate. 
(2) QUALIFICATIONS.— 
(A) RECOGNIZED STANDING AND DISTINC-
TION.—Members shall be appointed to the Com-
mission from among individuals who are of rec-
ognized standing and distinction in water policy 
issues. 
(B) LIMITATION.—A person while serving 
as a member of the Commission may not hold 
any other position as an officer or employee of 
the United States, except as a retired officer or 
retired civilian employee of the United States. 
(C) OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.—In appoint-
ing members of the Commission, every effort 
shall be made to ensure that the members rep-
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resent a broad cross section of regional and geo-
graphical perspectives in the United States. 
(3) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the 
Commission shall be elected by a majority vote of the 
members of the Commission. 
(4) TERMS.—Members of the Commission shall 
serve for the life of the Commission. 
(5) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Commission 
shall not affect its operation and shall be filled in the 
manner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
(6) COMPENSATION
AND
TRAVEL
EXPENSES.— 
Members of the Commission shall serve without com-
pensation; except that members shall receive travel ex-
penses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
accordance with applicable provisions under sub-
chapter I of chapter 57, United States Code. 
(d) MEETINGS AND QUORUM.— 
(1) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall hold its 
first meeting not later than 60 days after the date on 
which all original members are appointed under sub-
section (c) and shall hold additional meetings at the 
call of the Chairperson or a majority of its members. 
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(2) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the 
Commission shall constitute a quorum for the trans-
action of business. 
(e) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.— 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a 
Director who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives and the majority leader of 
the Senate, in consultation with the minority leader 
of the House of Representatives, the chairmen of the 
Committees on Resources and Transportation and In-
frastructure of the House of Representatives, the mi-
nority leader of the Senate, and the chairmen of the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and 
Environment and Public Works of the Senate. 
(2) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE 
LAWS.—The Director and staff of the Commission 
may be appointed without regard to the provisions of 
title 5, United States Code, governing appointments 
in the competitive service, and may be paid without 
regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter 
III of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification 
and General Schedule pay rates; except that an indi-
vidual so appointed may not receive pay in excess of 
the annual rate of basic pay for GS–15 of the General 
Schedule. 
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(f) HEARINGS.— 
(1) MINIMUM NUMBER.—The Commission shall 
hold no fewer than 10 hearings during the life of the 
Commission. 
(2) IN
CONJUNCTION
WITH
MEETINGS.—Hear-
ings may be held in conjunction with meetings of the 
Commission. 
(3) TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE.—The Commis-
sion may take such testimony and receive such evi-
dence as the Commission considers appropriate to 
carry out this section. 
(4) SPECIFIED.—At least one hearing shall be 
held in Washington, District of Columbia, for the 
purpose of taking testimony of representatives of Fed-
eral agencies, national organizations, and Members of 
Congress. At least one hearing shall focus on potential 
water resource issues relating to climate change and 
how to mitigate the harms of climate change-related 
weather events. 
(5) NONSPECIFIED.—Hearings, other than those 
referred to in paragraph (4), shall be scheduled in 
distinct geographical regions of the United States. In 
conducting such hearings, the Commission should seek 
to ensure testimony from individuals with a diversity 
of experiences, including those who work on water 
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issues at all levels of government and in the private 
sector. 
(g) INFORMATION
AND SUPPORT FROM FEDERAL 
AGENCIES.—Upon request of the Commission, the head of 
a Federal department or agency shall— 
(1) provide to the Commission, within 30 days 
of the request, such information as the Commission 
considers necessary to carry out this section; and 
(2) detail to temporary duty with the Commis-
sion on a reimbursable basis such personnel as the 
Commission considers necessary to carry out this sec-
tion. 
(h) INTERIM REPORTS.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the first meeting of the Commission, and every 
year thereafter, the Commission shall submit an interim re-
port containing a detailed summary of its progress, includ-
ing meetings held and hearings conducted before the date 
of the report, to— 
(1) the President; and 
(2) Congress. 
(i) FINAL REPORT.—As soon as practicable, but not 
later than 5 years after the date of the first meeting of the 
Commission, the Commission shall submit a final report 
containing a detailed statement of the findings and conclu-
sions of the Commission and recommendations for legisla-
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tion and other policies to implement such findings and con-
clusions to— 
(1) the President; 
(2) the Committee on Resources and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(3) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources and the Committee on the Environment and 
Public Works of the Senate. 
(j) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 
not later than 30 days after the date on which the Commis-
sion transmits a final report under subsection (h)(1). 
(k) APPLICABILITY
OF FEDERAL ADVISORY COM-
MITTEE ACT.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
U.S.C. App. 1 et seq.) shall not apply to the Commission. 
(l) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $12,000,000 to carry out this 
section. 
SEC. 703. IMPROVING HYDROPOWER CAPABILITIES. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of the Army shall conduct 
a study on the potential for reduced fossil fuel consumption 
through an increase in hydropower capabilities of the Corps 
of Engineers. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The study shall include an examina-
tion of the potential for improving hydropower capabilities 
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at dams owned or operated by the Corps of Engineers, in-
cluding the ecological impacts of such capabilities. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Con-
gress a report containing the results of the study conducted 
under this section. 
SEC. 704. STUDY OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE 
CHANGE ON WATER RESOURCES AND WATER 
QUALITY. 
(a) NATIONAL ACADEMY STUDY.—The Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences under 
which the Academy shall— 
(1) identify the potential impacts of climate 
change on the Nation’s water resources, watersheds, 
and water quality, including the potential for im-
pacts to wetlands, shoreline erosion, and saltwater in-
trusion as a result of sea level rise, and the potential 
for significant regional variation in precipitation 
events to impact Federal, State, and local efforts to 
attain or maintain water quality; 
(2) assess the extent to which Federal and State 
efforts under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
(33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) and other ocean and coastal 
laws may be affected by climate change; 
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(3) identify prudent steps to assess emerging in-
formation and identify appropriate response actions 
to meet the requirements of such Act, including provi-
sions to attain or maintain water quality standards 
and for adequate stream flows for wetlands and 
aquatic resources; and 
(4) recommend, if necessary, potential legislative 
or regulatory changes to address impacts of global cli-
mate change on efforts to restore and maintain the 
chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Na-
tion’s waters. 
(b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the 
study under this section. 
SEC. 705. IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON CORPS OF EN-
GINEERS PROJECTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Army shall en-
sure that water resources projects and studies carried out 
by the Corps of Engineers after the date of enactment of 
this Act take into account the potential short and long term 
effects of climate change on such projects. 
(b) CONSIDERATION.—In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall utilize a representative range of climate 
change scenarios, including the current analyses of the 
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United States Climate Change Science Program and the 
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than one year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report on 
the implementation of this section. 
Subtitle B—Emergency 
Management 
SEC. 731. EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FEMA PRE-
PAREDNESS, 
RESPONSE, 
RECOVERY, 
AND 
MITIGATION PROGRAMS. 
(a) STUDY.—The Administrator of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency shall conduct a comprehensive 
study of the increase in demand for the Agency’s emergency 
preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation programs 
and services that may be reasonably anticipated as a result 
of an increased number and intensity of natural disasters 
affected by climate change, including hurricanes, floods, tor-
nadoes, fires, droughts, and severe storms. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The study shall include an analysis 
of the budgetary and personnel needs of meeting the in-
creased demand for Agency services referred to in subsection 
(a). 
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(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Home-
land Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a 
report and any legislative recommendations on the study 
conducted under this section. 
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Union Calendar No. 581 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 2701 
[Report No. 110-904] 
A BILL 
To strengthen our Nation’s energy security and 
mitigate the effects of climate change by pro-
moting energy efficient transportation and public 
buildings, creating incentives for the use of alter-
native fuel vehicles and renewable energy, and 
ensuring sound water resource and natural dis-
aster preparedness planning, and for other pur-
poses. 
SEPTEMBER 29, 2008 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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