September 15, 2021
Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter with Reps. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) today to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm expressing concerns about the potential for a new domestic uranium reserve to harm tribal communities still suffering from previous domestic uranium mining efforts. The letter, available online at https://bit.ly/3ChGXrC… Continue Reading
September 13, 2021
House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) on Friday introduced the bipartisan Urban Indian Health Confer Act to require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to confer with urban Indian organizations (UIOs) on health care policies and initiatives for American Indians and Alaska Natives living in urban areas. Currently, only the Indian Health Service (IHS) is required to confer with UIOs despite the fact that the vast majority of American Indians a… Continue Reading
September 09, 2021
The House Natural Resources Committee, led by Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), today approved its piece of the 10-year budget reconciliation package now before the House of Representatives. The markup, which began on Sept. 2, saw a second full day of debate and concluded in a 24-13 vote to approve the measure. All relevant documents are publicly available online through the Committee Repository.
Among other measures, the Committee approved historic investments in protecting the Arctic N… Continue Reading
July 07, 2021
Environmentalists are ramping up their criticism of the oil and gas industry following revelations last week from an Exxon Mobil lobbyist on climate change and a viral "eye of fire" video from the Gulf of Mexico caused by a pipeline leak.
Progressives on Capitol Hill seized on the two events by pushing for robust climate provisions in forthcoming infrastructure legislation and renewing threats to haul company executives before Congress to testify.
Longtime congressional critics of the industry… Continue Reading
January 12, 2021
When Scott Angelle, an oil drilling advocate-turned-industry regulator, finished a hearing before the House Natural Resources Committee last March, lawmakers had some follow-up questions for him - a standard part of the congressional oversight process.
The Interior Department's response to the inquiries, however, was anything but routine.
It took nearly nine months for the department to address committee members' requests for more information about the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforc… Continue Reading
December 23, 2020
A Montana tribe is having a "once in a lifetime moment" after a water compact with the federal government passed Monday night, tucked inside the massive spending and pandemic aid package.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Montana (CSKT) compact, amounting to $1.9 billion, is the largest tribal water rights settlement in history by total federal cost.
The year-end package also advanced other tribal water rights settlements, including for the Pueblos of Nambé, Pojoaque, Tesuq… Continue Reading
July 28, 2021
As a pandemic safety measure, the U.S. House of Representatives began in May 2020 to hold committee hearings remotely so that witnesses could testify from home rather than in a crowded hearing room. This allowed people of all backgrounds, not just those who already live near Washington or who are able to fly there on short notice, to have their say before Congress.
The results suggest this needs to become the new standard. After hearing from a broad range of speakers over the past year - people… Continue Reading
July 02, 2021
The world's oceans have until recently been an overlooked piece of the climate policy puzzle - a serious omission, since oceans cover more than 70 percent of earth's surface and absorb approximately a quarter of humanity's annual carbon dioxide emissions. Steps as simple as switching to cleaner shipping fuel would have tremendous climate benefits, but the impetus to take them has been lacking.
On June 8, I introduced the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act to put marine health and ocean managemen… Continue Reading
June 12, 2021
Representative Paul Gosar has supported the January 6 insurrection from the beginning.
He has since found that it's tougher for him to get things done in Congress.
Let this be a lesson to Republicans: undermining our democracy has consequences.… 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
September 15, 2021
September 08, 2021
August 04, 2021
December 18, 2020
October 28, 2020
October 05, 2020
May 22, 2018
October 03, 2017
June 14, 2017
September 09, 2021
September 02, 2021
July 29, 2021
July 28, 2021
