NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Today, the Full Committee on Natural Resources is holding a markup on 18 bills including legislation that will help develop critical and strategic minerals. Critical and strategic minerals are fundamental components of technologies and everyday items ranging from cell phones, building materials and motor vehicles to personal hygiene products.

	Over 66 individual minerals are used to make the typical computer, including silver, aluminum, copper and gold.
	Four rare earth minerals are required to make a hybrid vehicle: dysprosium, lanthanum, neodymium and praseodymium.
	Energy-efficient light bulbs use europium, terbium and yttrium.
	iPods require five rare earth minerals: dysprosium, neodymium, praseodymium, samarium and terbium.
	Deodorant contains aluminum and the container is made of petroleum products.
	A clock includes iron, nickel, petroleum products and silica.
	Lipstick and makeup include clay, mica, talc, limestone and petroleum products.
	Mail boxes are made of copper and zinc, which make brass.
	Pens are made out of limestone, mica, petroleum products, clays, silica and talc.
	Toilets are made of clays, silica, copper, zinc, petroleum products and borates.

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The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up:

• Associated Press: “Wind farms get pass on eagle deaths”
• Associated Press – Ben Neary: “Western lawmakers push to restore mineral funds”
• Reuters – Alex Lawler: “IEA urges swift U.S. decision on allowing crude oil exports”
• Associated Press: “Ark. mountain snail dropped from endangered list”
• Associated Press: “US Indian affairs official to attend SD summit on tribal children placed in foster care”
• Los Angeles Times – Julie Cart: “Federal omission in closing oyster farm broke law, court told”

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up:

• Politico – Darren Goode: “Key natural gas rules may be in the pipeline”
• Associated Press – Dina Capiello: “Wind farms get pass on eagle deaths”
• Bloomberg: “Gasoline rises most in three months at U.S. pumps”
• Wall Street Journal – Ben Kesling: “The Few, the Proud, the Tortoises: Marines Protect Endangered Species”
• Associated Press: “Health reforms penalize some Indians, Native Alaskans”
• The Hill – Zack Colman: “Feds warn sequester cuts weakened readiness for wildfire season”

Today during a visit to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, Interior Secretary Jewell and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack highlighted steps the federal government is taking to prepare for the wildfire season. Both Secretary Jewell and Secretary Vilsack highlighted the ongoing effort for collaboration between federal, state, local governments and private citizens.

But there is more that the federal government can be doing. This year, the fire potential is predicted to be above normal in much of the West. Active forest management is a key to fire prevention.   According to DOI’s own press release, “more than 590 million acres of public lands are in significant need of restoration, including thinning and prescribed burning.” Chairman Hastings and members of the Committee on Natural Resources have been advocating for better forest management that would significantly lessen the threat of wildfires. Active forest management costs far less than fighting wildfires.  

Last month, Chairman Hastings introduced H.R. 1526, the “Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act.”  This legislation renews the federal government’s commitment to manage forest resources for the benefit of rural schools and counties by allowing active forest management. Due to the lack of healthy forest management, last year 44 times as many acres of U.S. Forest land burned in wildfire than were responsibly harvested.

At a Committee hearing on April 11^th, witnesses agreed that healthy forest management will create jobs and prevent catastrophic wildfires. At the hearing, two additional bills to help prevent forest fires H.R. 1345, “Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act of 2013” by Representative Paul Gosar and H.R. 818, “Healthy Forest Wildfire Prevention Act of 2013” by Representative Tipton were examined. These common sense bills are a positive step forward to managing America’s forests in a safe, healthy, and productive manner that allows communities to grow their economies while at the same time protecting them from devastating wildfires.

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up:

• Associated Press: “Oil industry: BLM is preventing job creation in Calif. by postponing oil, gas lease auctions”
• Elko Daily News editorial: “Amodei, GOP to tackle Endangered Species Act”
• Greenwire – Phil Taylor: “House GOP forms working group to overhaul ESA”
• Fuel Fix – Jennifer A. Dlouhy: "U.S.-Mexico collaboration seen necessary on Eagle Ford drilling"
• Washington Post blog – Emily Heil: “DOI official overspent on Washington detail, IG says”
• Char-Koosta News – Lailani Upham: “Sequester threatens tribal programs”
• Times-Independent – Steve Kadel: “Utah congressman seeks federal land compromise”