ATLANTA – State Representative Lynn Smith (R-Newnan), chair of the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee, led a delegation of southern state lawmakers to Washington, D.C., from June 5 to June 6, 2018, to engage in meetings with senior officials from the Department of Energy (DOE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Interior (DOI). Rep. Smith is chair of the Energy & Environment Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) of the Council of State Governments, which sponsored the delegation.
“It was an honor to lead this delegation of seasoned policymakers from across the South,” said Rep Smith. “As chair of the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee, I have often been frustrated by these agencies’ top-down approach to regulation. However, I am encouraged by the spirit of openness and cooperation exhibited by the agencies during our briefings, and I look forward to working collaboratively with them in the future.”
During the meetings, delegates received targeted briefings from high-ranking officials from the DOE, the EPA and the DOI. As the nation’s energy infrastructure becomes increasingly interconnected, cybersecurity concerns persist. Doug Little, deputy assistant secretary of the DOE’s Intergovernmental and External Affairs office, provided an update on the DOE’s cybersecurity initiatives and the outcomes of GRIDEX IV, a biennial exercise designed to simulate a cyber/physical attack on electric and other critical infrastructures across the country. Preston Cory, director of the EPA’s Office of Intergovernmental Relations, briefed delegates on the agency’s regulatory reform agenda, including the repeal of the Clean Power Plan and forthcoming revisions to the Clean Water Rule. Delegates also received a briefing from Todd Wynn, director of the DOI’s Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, on the agency’s proposed expansion of the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, as well as the newly created Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council. Through meetings and dialogue with these officials, delegates gained a deeper understanding of each agency’s policy priorities and shared their state’s perspective on pressing energy and environmental issues.
Other delegation participants were Senator Ed Emery, Missouri, vice chair of the SLC’s Energy & Environment Committee; Representative William E. “Bill” Sandifer III, South Carolina; Senator Robin Webb, Kentucky; and Senator Dave Sypolt, West Virginia.
As part of the trip, Rep. Smith also visited with Congressman Drew Ferguson on June 5, 2018, to discuss several issues of concern expressed by Rep. Smith’s constituents.
Established in 1947, the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) is a member-driven, nonpartisan organization comprised of presiding officers and key legislators from 15 southern states, and the SLC is the largest of the four regional conferences of the Council of State Governments. The SLC’s mission to foster and encourage intergovernmental cooperation among its member states is achieved in large measure through the ongoing work of the conference’s six standing committees. Through member outreach in state capitols, policy research, international member delegations, staff exchange programs, meetings and fly-ins, the SLC supports state policymakers in their work to build a stronger region.
For more information, please contact Anne Roberts Brody at 404-633-1866 or aroberts@csg.org.
*Editor’s note: A photo of Rep. Smith with the SLC delegation in Washington, D.C. and a photo of Rep. Smith with Congressman Ferguson are attached to this press release for your convenience.
Representative Lynn Smith represents the citizens of District 70, which includes portions of Carroll and Coweta counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 and currently serves as Chairman of the Natural Resources & Environment Committee. She also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and the Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment and Rules committees.
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