Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) sent a letter to Department of Interior Secretary Salazar requesting a 60-day extension of the public comment period on U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s draft proposal to revise the critical habitat designation for bull trout in streams, lakes and reservoirs in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Nevada. In the… Read more »

The Subcommittee on Water and Power held an oversight hearing today on the FY 2011 Administration Budget Request for the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). Subcommittee Ranking Republican Tom McClintock (CA-04) highlighted concerns that the agency’s chief mission has shifted away from its traditional mission of providing abundant water supplies for humans to one that embraces expensive… Read more »

Click to enlarge Map Key: -- “Off Limits” signs = Land Designated Wilderness Area Under H.R. 4289 (Rep. DeGette) -- Numbers 1-7 and corresponding colors distinguish CO Congressional Districts -- CO Congressional District 1, Rep. Dianna DeGette–NOT affected by… Read more »

An Energy Head Fake The Administration is still hostile to oil drilling and nuclear power. Wall Street Journal Editorial March 11, 2010 President Obama used his January State of the Union speech to promise "a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants" and "new offshore areas for oil and gas development." Judging by its recent decisions, we'd say his Cabinet hasn't… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee hearing on “The Proposed Settlement of the Cobell v. Salazar Litigation”: “I want to thank Chairman Rahall for scheduling this hearing on the Cobell v. Salazar Settlement Agreement. It was on December 7th of last year that this Settlement was… Read more »

After more than a year of delays, Secretary of the Interior quietly announced last week that the Obama Administration will discard the 2010-2015 lease plan for new development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and wait until 2012 to put a new plan in the place. This means that the Administration’s initial six-month delay has turned into a three-year moratorium on new offshore drilling.… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after today’s unemployment numbers showed 36,000 jobs were lost in the month of February: “The American people have grown weary of waiting for this Administration to enact policies that will actually help create jobs. It’s been over a year since the nearly one trillion dollar stimulus… Read more »

At the last minute, the Democrat Majority on the House Natural Resources Committee unexpectedly and suddenly canceled tomorrow’s Energy and Minerals Subcommittee oversight hearing on the President's Fiscal Year 2011 budget requests. The leaders of federal agencies that oversee offshore and onshore energy and mineral production on federal lands, including Minerals Management Service, the… Read more »

On Thursday, March 4, 2009, the House Natural Resources Energy and Minerals Subcommittee will hold an oversight hearing on the President's Fiscal Year 2011 budget requests. The Administration’s budget establishes a dangerous national energy policy that will increase energy costs for American families and businesses, hinder American energy production and send American jobs overseas. Taken… Read more »

Obama's budget reveals true agenda on energy By Rep. Doc Hastings Washington Times March 3, 2010 For the past two years, President Obama has given Americans mixed signals regarding his position on offshore energy production. Sen. Obama opposed it. Candidate Obama changed his mind when gas prices soared. President Obama has stalled efforts to expand it, but then seemingly promoted… Read more »