January 22, 2020
Today, Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalvasent a letter to Alexander H. Herrgott, the Executive Director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, opposing the Council's recent decision to expedite permit approvals for the hardrock mining industry. Chair Grijalva warns that this move demonstrates a disregard for public health and the environmental risks of these mining activities.
Despite evidence from the Environmental Protection Agency that the mining indu… Continue Reading
January 17, 2020
Chair Raúl M. Grijalva today said the Trump administration's five-day delay in responding to Puerto Rican Gov. Wanda Vazquez's request for a major disaster declaration - and its newly announced, completely unreasonable conditions for releasing the disaster relief aid it has illegally withheld from Puerto Rico since Hurricane Mariacaused $90 billion in damages in 2017 - are definitive proof that the island can expect no meaningful support from the White House or Republican leadership in Wa… Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today welcomed Rep. Jesús "Chuy" Garcia (D-Ill.) to the Natural Resources Committee, saying his decades of work on environmental justice will be a special asset to the entire Committee. Garcia joined the Committee after the departure of Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), who left the Democratic Party.
Environmental justice has been a point of emphasis for the Committee throughout Grijalva's chairmanship. Among other initiatives, Grijalva is preparing to … Continue Reading
December 11, 2019
"The more we drill, the more damage we do to our oceans and coastlines, and it's time fossilfuel corporations admitted it," House Natural Resources Chairman Raul M. Grijalva, said."The future of our energy supply can't rely on producing oil and gas indefinitely, and ifExxon, Chevron and BP don't have a better business model in mind, they're not going to bepart of that future."… Continue Reading
November 19, 2019
With its coal sector crumbling, Wyoming is leaning heavily on its oil industry to make up the difference. But experts are signaling that the boom times are truly over for Wyoming's fossil fuel-dependent economy, and some politicians are taking note.
Though largely off the national radar, the nation's least populous state is ground zero for a rapidly evolving energy transition its politically conservative leaders don't really want, driven by markets out of their control.… Continue Reading
November 08, 2019
Small, local groups pushing environmental justice issues are getting new attention from Washington lawmakers and major green groups - as well as Democratic presidential hopefuls who are eager to harness their grassroots activism.
Problems, like lead contamination in Flint, Mich., that affect low-income and minority communities can attract national attention, but the threats facing those communities from climate-related disasters are now mobilizing politicians and large environmental organizatio… Continue Reading
October 30, 2019
This year is the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Grand Canyon National Park. Even with former fossil fuel lobbyists in charge of Trump administration environmental policy, this should be a time to celebrate.
Instead, the administration is considering whether to open this internationally iconic landmark to new uranium mining claims. The president recently classified uranium as a "critical mineral," despite it not matching the definition of the term.
Opening protected land to the indus… Continue Reading
July 28, 2019
In August 1988, during his successful campaign for the presidency, George H.W. Bush promised a cheering crowd of Republican voters in Michigan that his first year in office would feature "a global conference on the environment at the White House."
He vowed to invite the Chinese, Soviets, and emerging nations to talks on "global warming, saving our oceans and preventing the loss of tropical forests."Most important, Bush said, "We will act."
It's hard to picture the Trump administration making t… Continue Reading
July 11, 2019
We traveled to Puerto Rico in March with several of our congressional colleagues to hear from the public on how best to rebuild civil society and a functioning economy. The same theme came up again and again: As much as anything, Puerto Rico needs relief from its crushing debt burden.
For a hurricane-ravaged community whose needs the Trump administration has neglected, the bloodless term "debt relief" might not sound to outside observers like a top priority. In fact, it is key to any hope for P… Continue Reading
May 14, 2018
Last week Ranking Member Grijalva and Rep Lowenthal, the top Democrat on the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, introduced the Hardrock Leasing and Reclamation Act of 2018.
The Grijalva-Lowenthal bill requires hardrock mining operations to meet some of the same requirements and standards that already apply to oil, gas, and coal development on public lands. Among other measures, the bill would:
Eliminate the antiquated use of mining claims, and create a leasing system for hardrock mi… Continue Reading
May 08, 2018
Today marks the 230th day since our fellow Americans living in Puerto Rico lost power and were devastated by Hurricane Maria. Many people living on the island are still lacking power and still need assistance from the federal government. Instead of addressing the immediate needs of the people, Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) traveled to Puerto Rico to promote oil and gas projects and discuss importing fossil fuels to the island. Bishop has continuously ignored the fact that renewable energy sources… Continue Reading
April 24, 2018
The House is voting on H.R. 3144 on Wednesday - also known as the Columbia River Salmon Extinction Act - which will drive the Pacific Northwest's salmon runs closer to extinction. Federal agencies have been ordered by the courts to develop a new salmon recovery plan to bring back dwindling salmon populations. H.R. 3144 attempts to mandate an outdated recovery plan that won't recover salmon and that has been deemed illegal by federal courts. Ranking Member Grijalva opposes the bill for the follow… Continue Reading
January 06, 2020
December 16, 2019
December 16, 2019
October 31, 2018
June 19, 2018
A June 19, 2018, report by the Government Accountability Office on the oil and gas industry frequently leasing public land and doing nothing with it.… Continue Reading
June 05, 2018
A June 5, 2018, GAO report on the high cost to taxpayers of orphaned oil and gas wells. The report finds that the Bureau of Land Management has not kept accurate records of such costs.… Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
October 03, 2017
June 14, 2017
January 23, 2020
January 15, 2020
January 14, 2020
December 20, 2019
