"Another contrast is that most Texas oil is on private lands, which owners are willing to lease at a price. In California much of the oil-rich areas are state or federally owned, and leasing doesn't happen because of political constraints. In California it can take weeks or even months to get approval for an oil rig. The average in Texas? Four days." Editorial: A Tale of Two Oil States Wall Street Journal May 6, 2013 Texas and California have been competing for years as U.S. growth models, and one of the less discussed comparisons is on energy. The Golden State has long been one of America's b... Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Politico – Jake Sherman: “Democrats Peter DeFazio, Raul Grijalva vie for Ed Markey’s Natural Resources Committee post” Fuel Fix – Jennifer A. Dlouhy: “New Interior secretary makes first offshore rig visit” The Hill – Zack Colman: “House to vote on Keystone XL bill in May” Associated Press- Jonathan Fahey: “Oil drilling technology leaps while clean energy lags” Associated Press: “Fishermen Want Humpback Whales Off Endangered List” Los Angeles Times – Christine Mai-Duc: “California wildfires: Weather remains big factor, officials say” Read More »

Today’s report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirmed that U.S. energy production is a job creator. Employment in oil and natural gas production rose 4.3% in the last year. This can largely be attributed to new energy production on state and private lands, which are significantly out producing federally permitted lands, as noted by the Congressional Research Service. Unfortunately, mining jobs have decreased 5.4% since April of last year, in large part due to the Obama Administration’s war on coal. One example of this is the Administration’s decision to rewrite a coal mining regulation ... Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Energy Guardian – Edward Felker: “API calls on Jewell to make fracking reg deals with states” Associated Press – Jonathan Fahey: “Oil drilling technology leaps, clean energy lags” Los Angeles Times – Anthony York: “Assembly approves off-reservation tribal casino” Indian Country Today: “Energy Department To Pump $7 Million Into Tribal Clean Energy Projects” Associated Press: “GOP Congressional members review forest health” Washington Post – Lisa Rein: “Sequester takes its toll on Mall, park police and Smithsonian museums” Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Washington Examiner – Sean Higgins: “Feds triple estimates for recoverable natural gas in plains states” Fox News: “Park Service creating new monuments, landmarks despite sequester cutbacks” E&E - Phil Taylor: “Alaska refuses to repay Secure Rural Schools money” ABC – Alan Farnham: “Sale of 'Wounded Knee' Massacre Site Extended” Indian Country Today – Anne Minard: “Navajo Generating Station Lease Approved, 15 Amendments Attached” Read More »

Yesterday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) released its updated assessment of America’s oil and natural gas resources in the Bakken and Three Forks formations. The new assessment shows that the United States has double the amount of oil and triple the amount of natural gas than previously thought. The new information comes from a survey of data on two shale formations that run under the states of North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. The formations contain an estimated 7.4 billion barrels (BBO) of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and an estimated 6.7 trillion cubic feet o... Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Energy Guardian – Edward Felker: “House GOP to highlight support for fracking, nat gas exports” Fuel Fix – Jennifer A. Dlouhy: “Feds set to unveil hydraulic fracturing rule within weeks” National Journal – Amy Harder: “The U.S. Has Much, Much More Gas and Oil Than We Thought” Times-Picayune – Richard Thompson: “Pace of permitting for deepwater Gulf drilling leveling off, experts say” Northwest Public Radio – Aaron Kunz: “Reaction Is Mixed To Federal Government Blanket Delisting Of Gray Wolf” The Guardian – Leslie MacMillan: “Grand Canyon uranium mi... Read More »

Cynthia Lummis returns to the Natural Resources Committee representing the At-Large district of Wyoming, the ninth largest state in the US. Did you know Representative Lummis grew up on a ranch? Check out the video to learn more about Representative Lummis and her take on Wyoming's abundant natural resources in the state of "high altitudes, low multitudes, and great attitudes." Be sure to check out Representative Lummis on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. You can also stay updated with the Committee by following us on Twitter and visiting our Facebook page to check out more Meet our Member... Read More »

Today, The Hill newspaper published an article on the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell’s proposed federal rules on hydraulic fracturing (fracking). In this article, Secretary Jewell states that it will be a matter of weeks not months before new federal rules on fracking will be released. Since November of 2010 when the Obama administration mentioned possible new federal regulation of fracking, House Natural Resources Committee Republicans have conducted oversight of this issue with multiple hearings about the possible effects of a federal rule on fracking. The Hill Fracking rules coming 'in wee... Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: New York Times – John M. Broder: “New Interior Chief Savors a Steep Learning Curve” Oak Ridger – Donna Smith: “Manhattan Project Park bill moves on” Greenwire – Phil Taylor: “New House bill would allow Va. leasing, share revenues with states” The Hill – Julian Hattem: “Administration limits mining on renewable energy sites” Associated Press: “Invasive snail spreading in Southern California” National Public Radio – Molly Messick: “Idaho Farmers Make Adjustments As Dry Conditions Set In” Read More »