Press Releases

Chairman Hastings: 30 Days to Review Final Hydro-Fracking Rule is Unacceptable
Press Release
May 24, 2013 - Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement today calling on the Obama Administration to allow more time to review and comment on its final rule on hydraulic fracturing. “Since the Obama Administration has now released its final proposed rule on hydraulic fracturing, the c... More

Witnesses Stress Importance of Hydropower Development for Job Creation & Economic Growth
Press Release
May 23, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held a legislative hearing on H.R. 1963, The Bureau of Reclamation Conduit Hydropower Development Equity and Jobs Act. Sponsored by Rep. Steve Daines (MT-At Large), this bill would create new American jobs and expand production of clean, renewable hydro... More

Hastings: Keystone XL Pipeline Vital to America’s Energy Future
Press Release
May 22, 2013 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings delivered the following statement on the House floor in support of H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act. “I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act. This important legislation would remove roadblocks to allow for the approval and... More

Witnesses Highlight the Importance of Onshore Energy Development for Jobs, Economic Growth, & Energy Security
Press Release
May 22, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on four bills that would streamline government red tape and expand development of America’s onshore oil, natural gas, and renewable energy resources as part of a true all-of-the-above approach to energy production... More

Utah Governor Herbert Emphasizes Success of Western States in Land Management
Press Release
May 21, 2013 - Today, the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation held an oversight hearing featuring testimony by Utah Governor Gary Herbert, Chairman of the Western Governors’ Association. The hearing highlighted the challenges of western states regarding federal and state land management. At the hearing, Members ... More

Documents Sought on High Costs Associated with Eisenhower Memorial Gehry Design
Press Release
May 17, 2013 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) and Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation Chairman Rob Bishop (UT-01) sent letters to the National Park Service, General Services Administration, and Eisenhower Memorial Commission seeking information about the activities and costs asso... More

Witnesses: 2008 Lacey Amendments’ Unintended Consequences are Raising Costs, Threatening Jobs and Small Business
Press Release
May 16, 2013 - Today, the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs held an oversight hearing entitled “The 2008 Lacey Act Amendments.” The hearing focused on the significant May 2008 expansion of the Lacey Act to include all plants and plant products. “The full House was never given the opportunity to debate or... More

Chairman Hastings: Obama Administration’s Proposed Hydraulic Fracturing Rule Imposes New Layers of Red-Tape, Duplicates States’ Efforts
Press Release
May 16, 2013 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement on the proposed regulations of hydraulic fracturing on federal lands announced today by the Department of the Interior: “The Obama Administration is once again choosing costly red tape at the expense of American jobs and Am... More

House Committee Approves Legislation to Approve Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement with Mexico
Press Release
May 15, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Committee approved H.R. 1613, the “Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act” with a bipartisan vote of 25-16. This important legislation would approve and implement the terms of the U.S. - Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement that governs t... More

Natural Resources Committee Approves Three Bills to Help Develop Rare Earth and Critical Materials in the United States
Press Release
May 15, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Committee approved three bills with bipartisan support that will create jobs, streamline government red-tape, and make America less dependent on foreign critical and strategic minerals. Critical and strategic minerals are vital to our everyday lives and are essential components of ren... More

Legislation Introduced to Protect and Expand Energy Production on Federal Lands
Press Release
May 15, 2013 - Members of the House Natural Resources Committee introduced two bills to protect and expand U.S. onshore energy production on federal lands. The bills would remove government roadblocks and hurdles that delay American energy production, promote production of our oil shale resources, and ensure that oil and natural gas ... More

Hastings Joins Endangered Species Act Working Group
Press Release
May 9, 2013 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today joined other Members of the House of Representatives in announcing the creation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Working Group. Throughout this year, the Working Group will hold a series of events, forums, and hearings that will invite discussion ... More

Witnesses to House Committee: Federal Government Must Stay Out of Hydro-Fracking Regulation
Press Release
May 8, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing entitled “DOI Fracturing Rule: A Recipe for Government Waste, Duplication, and Delay.” This hearing focused on the potential impact that the Obama Administration’s proposed hydraulic fracturing regulations on federal lands would have on job creation... More

Chairman Hastings Discusses Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization at Fisheries Conference
Press Release
May 7, 2013 - Today, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA -04) spoke at the third Managing Our Nation’s Fisheries Conference coordinated by the Regional Fishery Management Councils and hosted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. During his remarks, Chairman Hastings discussed the reauthorization of the M... More

House Subcommittee Examines Federal Impediments to Job Creation, Economic Growth, & Recreation on Public Lands
Press Release
May 7, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation held an oversight hearing on “Impediments to Public Recreation on Public Lands.” This hearing examined obstacles put in place by the federal government that put more costs and burdens on small businesses and limit public access... More

House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Global Helium Shortage, Protect Jobs, & Ensure a Fair Return for Taxpayers
Press Release
Apr 26, 2013 - Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 527, the “Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act” by a vote of 394– 1. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA), Ranking Member Ed Markey (D-MA), Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), and Rep. Bill Flores (R... More

Chairman Hastings: Congress Must Take Action Now to Prevent Helium Shortage, Protect Jobs and Economy
Floor Statements
Apr 25, 2013 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) delivered the following statement on the House floor in support on H.R. 527, the Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act. “I rise today in strong support of H.R. 527, the Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act. This bill is nec... More

Witnesses Highlight the Importance of Water Rights For Job Creation & Economic Growth and Local Control
Press Release
Apr 25, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held an oversight hearing entitled “Federal Impediments to Water Rights, Job Creation and Recreation: A Local Perspective." The hearing examined growing federal intrusion that costs American jobs and threatens to divert water supplies away from agricult... More

Witnesses Stress Importance of Transboundary Agreement, Developing Shared Energy Reserves
Press Release
Apr 25, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on the U.S. - Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement to examine steps needed for its implementation and a legislative hearing on H.R. 1613, the “Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Auth... More

Committee Passes Bipartisan Bill to Establish Manhattan Project National Historical Park
Press Release
Apr 24, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Committee approved by unanimous consent H.R. 1208, a bipartisan bill introduced by Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04), Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) and Congressman Ben Lujan (NM-03) to establish a Manhattan Project National Historical Park that will include facil... More

Committee Approves Keystone XL Pipeline Bill to Create Jobs, Lower Energy Prices, & Increase America’s Energy Security
Press Release
Apr 24, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Committee approved H.R. 3, the "Northern Route Approval Act" by a bipartisan vote of 24-17. This legislation would remove roadblocks to allow for the approval and construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline energy project. The bill was approved last week by the Energy and Commerce Commit... More

CEQ Chair Dodges Questions on Obama Admin Plan to Zone the Oceans
Press Release
Apr 19, 2013 - Yesterday, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs held an oversight hearing examining the spending priorities outlined in the President’s FY2014 budget requests for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)... More

Bill Introduced to Approve Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement with Mexico
Press Release
Apr 18, 2013 - Congressman Jeff Duncan (SC-03), House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04), and House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Chairman Matt Salmon (AZ-05) today introduced H.R. 1613, the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act. The bill would appro... More

Witnesses Hail State Energy Policies, Discuss how Federal Red Tape Blocks Much-Needed Energy Production
Press Release
Apr 17, 2013 - Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing on "State Lands vs. Federal Lands Oil and Gas Production: What State Regulators are doing right.” This hearing examined the disparity between oil and natural gas production on state and private lands versus production on federal lands. President Oba... More

What Can You Do in the Time it Takes to Get a Federal Onshore Drilling Permit Approved?
Resourceful Information
Apr 17, 2013 - While the average time to get a permit to drill approved on state lands is 12-15 days, according the Bureau of Land Management the average time to get a permit approved on federal lands is a whopping 307 days. ### Printable PDF of this document More

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Press Releases