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112th Congress Hearing Archives

Subcommittee on National Parks, Forest and Public Lands Legislative Hearing on H.R. 302, H.R. 758, H.R. 817, H.R. 845, H.R. 846 and H.R. 2147

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 | 10:00 AM 1334 Longworth House Office Building
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forest and Public Lands

SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, FOREST AND PUBLIC LANDS
1334 Longworth House Office Building
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
10:00 a.m.





LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON:

  • H.R. 302 (Foxx), To provide for State approval of national monuments, and for other purposes. “Preserve Land Freedom For Americans Act of 2011”
  • H.R. 758 (Nunes), To amend the Act popularly known as the Antiquities Act of 1906 to require certain procedures for designating national monuments, and for other purposes. “National Monument Designation Transparency and Accountability Act”
  • H.R. 817 (Herger), To amend the Antiquities Act of 1906 to place additional requirements on the establishment of national monuments under that Act, and for other purposes.
  • H.R. 845 (Rehberg), To prohibit the further extension or establishment of national monuments in Montana, except by express authorization of Congress, and for other purposes. “Montana Land Sovereignty Act”
  • H.R. 846 (Labrador), To prohibit the further extension or establishment of national monuments in Idaho, except by express authorization of Congress, and for other purposes. “Idaho Land Sovereignty Act”
  • H.R. 2147 (Bishop), To prohibit the further extension or establishment of national monuments in Utah except by express authorization of Congress. “Utah Land Sovereignty Act”

OPENING STATEMENT:

The Honorable Rob Bishop
Chairman

WITNESSES AND TESTIMONY:

Panel I

Senator Orrin Hatch, R-UT (H.R. 2147)

Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-MT (H.R. 845)

Rep. Wally Herger, R-CA (H.R. 817)

Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-NC (H.R. 302)

Rep. Raul Labrador, R-ID (H.R. 846)

Panel II (H.R. 302, H.R. 758, H.R. 817, H.R. 845, H.R. 846, H.R. 2147)

Jerry Taylor
Mayor
Escalante City, UT

Ray Rasker, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Headwaters Economics
(Truth in Testimony Form)

BACKGROUND:

The legislative hearing will focus on a series of bills intended to prevent the Obama Administration from unilaterally designating new National Monuments within certain states. Last year, an internal document from the Interior Department revealed the Obama Administration’s potential plans to designate new National Monuments under the Antiquities Act. The proposed designations would lock-up millions of acres of public lands in the West, without Congressional approval, and restrict access for energy production, recreation, and other job-creating economic activities. To prevent unilateral Administrative action, these bills would require either state approval or authorization by Congress prior to a National Monument designation.