Today, the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs held an oversight hearing on, “Florida Everglades Restoration: What are the Priorities?” The hearing focused on how the Obama Administration’s proposed establishment of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area will contribute to the overall goal of restoring the Florida… Read more »

Today, the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands held a legislative hearing on four bills including H.R. 3155, the “Northern Arizona Mining Continuity Act of 2011.” Introduced by Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02), H.R. 3155 would prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from banning uranium mining on 1 million acres outside the borders of the Grand Canyon National… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement following the conclusion of today’s hearing: “Let me be very clear, if the companies officially cited for the oil spill had outright refused to provide witnesses, testimony or answers to the Committee, then I would be leading the effort to compel them to appear, by subpoena if necessary. But… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today released the following statement in response to President Obama’s announcement to use presidential powers granted under the 1906 Antiquities Act to designate part of Fort Monroe as a National Monument: “In contrast to prior uses of the Antiquities Act that were done unilaterally and in the dark of night, this national… Read more »

Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1904, the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act, with a bipartisan vote of 235-186. Sponsored by Natural Resources Committee Member Paul Gosar (AZ-01), H.R. 1904 authorizes a fair value land exchange that will unlock the third largest undeveloped copper resource in the world. The bill will create thousands of jobs, generate… Read more »

Today, the Natural Resources Committee held the second oversight hearing in a series on, “The President’s New National Ocean Policy - A Plan for Further Restrictions on Ocean, Coastal and Inland Activities.” At the hearing, Members questioned the Administration about President Obama’s Executive Order 13547 that imposed a mandatory ocean zoning initiative. A second panel of witnesses… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement regarding Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s Order to merge the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Office of Surface Mining (OSM): “I have serious concerns about this Secretarial Order to suddenly and dramatically alter the management of coal mining and the multiple-use of Western… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement announcing the departure of Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) and the addition of Mark Amodei (NV-02) to the Natural Resources Committee: “Chuck brought the perspective of East Tennessee to the Committee and was a great asset this Congress as he worked to create American jobs and get our economy… Read more »

Today, the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands held a legislative hearing on eight bills related to Wilderness and public lands. The bills included measures to modify the boundaries of current federal land holdings, establish new Wilderness areas, and allow for the disposal of surplus federal lands. “Monuments, Wilderness and other land-use designations have… Read more »

Today, the House Subcommittee on Water and Power held a field oversight hearing in Highland, California on, “Questionable Fish Science and Environmental Lawsuits: Jobs and Water Supplies at Risk in the Inland Empire.” Chairman Tom McClintock (CA-4), and Reps. Jerry Lewis (CA-41) and Ken Calvert (CA-44) heard from local officials, stakeholders and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on how… Read more »