Today during floor debate on the CLEAR Act, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) emphasized the lost jobs, increased spending and higher taxes that would result from passage of the bill.  He also questioned why an “oil spill response bill” would include a $22 billion energy tax and $30 billion in spending if BP is 100% accountable for paying for the… Read more »

Today, during a Natural Resources Water and Power Subcommittee hearing on “Investment in Small Hydropower: Prospects for Expanding Low Impact and Affordable Hydropower Generation in the West,” Republicans highlighted the necessity of protecting existing hydropower resources and making it an essential part of an all-of-the-above energy plan. Hydropower is a clean, renewable, non-emitting… Read more »

The CLEAR Act is being sold as a response to the Gulf oil spill crisis, yet the bill itself stretches far beyond addressing this tragedy to include page after page of provisions that are unrelated to the oil spill, will kill American jobs, and are premature by acting before Congress has the full facts from the numerous ongoing investigations into the Deepwater Horizon explosion and… Read more »

In the latest version of the CLEAR Act unveiled Monday night, House Democrats have deleted a provision offered by Rep. Bill Cassidy (LA-06) to establish a bipartisan, independent, National Commission on Outer Continental Shelf Oil Spill Prevention, comprised of technical experts to study the events leading up to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. This Amendment passed out of Natural… Read more »

Today, during Full Committee markup of H.R. 5388, a bill to expand boundaries of the Cibola National Forest in the State of New Mexico, Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Ranking Member Rob Bishop (UT-01) offered an amendment to allow hunters the use of wheeled, muscle-powered carts for the removal of game.  Shockingly, Resources Democrats unanimously voted… Read more »

In response to a letter from Natural Resources Committee Republicans, Department of Interior (DOI) Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall today confirmed she is conducting an open investigation into allegations that the Department altered the 30-day safety report to the President on Outer Continental Shelf drilling to include recommendation of a deepwater drilling moratorium after it was… Read more »

Today, during Full Committee markup of H.R. 4416, a bill to increase the authorization of the Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000 from $5 million to $7.5 million a year, Republicans offered a fiscally responsible amendment to freeze the authorization at the current level of $5 million.  The amendment to keep funds level for Great Ape conservation failed by a 14-21 vote.  Click… Read more »

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04), Energy and Minerals Subcommittee Ranking Member Doug Lamborn (CO-05), and Reps. John Duncan (TN-02), Bill Cassidy (LA-06), Paul Broun (GA-10), Jason Chaffetz (UT-03) and John Fleming (LA-04) sent a letter to Department of the Interior (DOI) Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall requesting an investigation into… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement today regarding the final recommendations of the President’s Ocean Policy Taskforce: “These final recommendations will significantly impact the economic and recreational uses of our oceans, ocean lands, and potentially all rivers, tributaries and lands that drain or adjoin our oceans.… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement regarding reports that oil has stopped flowing into the Gulf: “For the first time in months people in the Gulf have reason to be optimistic.   While this is encouraging news, the crisis is far from over.  The well still needs to be permanently sealed, the oil cleaned up, and people and… Read more »