Today, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on “Local and State Perspectives on BLM’s Draft Planning 2.0 Rule.”
As proposed, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Planning 2.0 rule would significantly diminish local input and shift most public land use planning decisions to bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.
“Instead of keeping most planning activity at the… Read more »
Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) rejected a permit application for the Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point in Washington proposed by Pacific International Holdings, LLC. USACE cited interference with the Lummi Nation’s treaty fishing rights as a method of circumventing the private company’s efforts to prove otherwise through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)… Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a legislative hearing on the discussion draft of “Locally-elected Officials Cooperating with Agencies in Land Management Act (LOCAL Management Act).”
The enormity of federal land ownership in numerous states has caused immense problems for counties, contributing to diminished tax bases and a range of duplicative and costly regulations that… Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on impediments imposed by federal land management regimes in securing the international borders of the United States.
Federal land management regulations create obstacles for the United States Border Patrol in effectively securing the border. This leaves borderland communities both environmentally degraded and… Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on a recent regulation issued by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding methane on federal lands.
While the BLM has no authority under the Clean Air Act, the rule proposes to greatly expand BLM’s existing regulations to include duplicative measures that further regulate methane emissions under the… Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans held an oversight hearing to examine the limited growth of hydropower and barriers to expansion.
Hydropower is clean, renewable and emissions-free yet still faces large hurdles in the federal regulatory process. Washington state witness Jessica Matlock, Director of Government Relations for Snohomish County Public Utility District No. 1,… Read more »
House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement upon Senate passage of S.2012, the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015:
“I thank Senator Murkowski for her work on this legislation and congratulate the chamber for acting on a bill. There are a number of additions to the bill added last night through the amendment process that the… Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans held a legislative hearing on three bills: H.R. 1869, “Environmental Compliance Cost Transparency Act of 2015,” H.R. 2993, “Water Recycling Acceleration Act of 2015,” and H.R. 4582, “Save Our Salmon (SOS) Act."
H.R. 1869 (Rep. Paul Gosar, R-AZ) provides more transparency and reporting related to environmental costs incurred by the… Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held an oversight hearing on current research efforts and the future of America’s Land-Grant Colleges and Universities (LGU).
A panel of representatives from four LGUs discussed current research in natural resources fields they hope can tackle many of the country’s most pressing challenges, including combatting the spread of invasive plant… Read more »
Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources held an oversight hearing on the Obama Administration’s expansive new definitions and revised criteria for designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act.
Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) argued the new rules allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA)… Read more »
