February 14, 2020
The Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on Feb. 26 at 10:00 a.m. in Longworth 1324 on two bills introduced by Committee members designed to address climate change.
H.R. 5435, the American Public Lands and Waters Climate Solution Act, was introduced on Dec. 16, 2019, by Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.). It requires public lands and waters to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
H.R. 5859, the Trillion Trees Act, was introduced on Feb. 12, 2020, by Rep. Bruce… Continue Reading
February 12, 2020
Natural Resources Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today hailed House passage of theProtecting America's Wilderness Act (H.R. 2546), which combines six previously separate bills that together recognize more than 1.3 million acres of wilderness across the West and protect more than 1,000 river miles under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The package, which passed by a 231-183 vote, will help prevent climate change by improving land management and by limiting resource extraction … Continue Reading
February 12, 2020
The House Natural Resources Committee today voted to grant Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) the authority to issue subpoenas, and approved several water and energy bills.
"This Committee, regardless of who is in power, cannot be an inconvenience to whatever administration happens to be in power," Chair Grijalva said. "And we have never confronted an administration like the Trump administration that sees the role of this branch of government as irrelevant and inconvenient. And they want t… Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Blasting operations for construction of President Trump's border wall in Arizona have begun to disrupt a UNESCO ecological preserve that encompasses Native American ancestral lands and burial grounds.
Construction crews have been blasting at Monument Hill, a resting place for primarily Apache warriors, and bulldozing at Quitobaquito Springs, a pilgrimage site, according to the office of Representative Raúl M. Grijalva, who recently toured the area in his southern Arizona district.… Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Construction crews blowing up parts of a national monument to make way for the border wall could be on the verge of destroying sacred burial sites, an Arizona congressman who represents the area told CNN.
But Rep. Raúl Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, said he's still hoping the crews will change course before it's too late.
"You can't replace these things. You can't fix them once they're gone," Grijalva said. "And as someone that grew up in the borderlands, it's painful to know that this is occurring."… Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Democratic lawmakers have accused the Trump administration of blowing up indigenous burial sites at Arizona's Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for the sake of President Donald Trump's border wall.
Last week, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency confirmed to Newsweek that a construction contractor had begun "controlled blasting" in preparation for a new border wall system construction within the Roosevelt Reservation at Monument Mountain in the U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson Sector.… 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
April 19, 2019
See the report by the Government Accountablity Office here.… Continue Reading
October 31, 2018
September 05, 2018
See the report by the Government Accountablity Office here.… Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
October 03, 2017
June 14, 2017
February 12, 2020
February 12, 2020
February 11, 2020
February 05, 2020
