Support Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Worldwide Helium Shortage April 24, 2013 Dear Colleague, This week the House will vote on H.R. 527, The Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act. This bipartisan legislation is a common sense plan to prevent a global helium shortage, protect jobs and the economy, and ensure a fairer return for taxpayers. From high-tech… Read more »

Dear Chairwoman Sutley and Director Holdren: Over the past two years, the Obama Administration has repeatedly limited public transparency and frustrated attempts to obtain information about the cost, legal authority, activities, and staffing involved with developing and implementing regional ocean zoning plans and other parts of the National Ocean Policy. The Administration's final plan… Read more »

Dear Ms. Kendall: On February 7, 2013, the Office of Inspector General ("IG") issued a final report of its investigation into a scientific integrity complaint associated with the Department of the Interior's (" Department") September 2011 Draft Environmental Impact Statement ("DEIS") for the Drakes Bay Oyster Company Special Use Permit. For several years, serious… Read more »

This letter seeks information about the Department of the Interior's ("Department") November 29,2012, decision not to allow an oyster farm to continue operating within the Point Reyes National Seashore. The National Park Service ("NPS") has for years been dogged by allegations that the science used to estimate harbor seal disturbances and more recently impacts on the… Read more »

Dear Secretary Vilsack and Director Zients, We have been informed that the Forest Service has recently proclaimed that funds already distributed under the most recent extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS) or payments based on revenue generated in fiscal year 2012 are subject to the fiscal year 2013 sequester, and the agency will be requesting… Read more »

Dear Secretary Salazar: As you know, for more than two years the Committee on Natural Resources ("Committee") has been conducting oversight on issues regarding the Department of the Interior's and the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement's ("OSM") handling of the decision to toss aside and ultimately rewrite the 2008 Stream Buffer Zone Rule.… Read more »

Dear Director Ashe: We understand the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is in the process of reviewing the Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery status of the gray wolf in the lower 48 States and is preparing to announce the delisting of the species. We support the nationwide delisting of wolves and urge you to move as quickly as possible on making this a real ity.… Read more »

Dear Secretary Salazar: It is paramount that the American people have confidence that the Department of the Interior (“Department”) officials who manage federal lands and resources on their behalf are acting with the highest of ethical standards. Since last year, the Committee on Natural Resources (“Committee”) has been conducting oversight of how political appointees and senior career… Read more »

At the beginning of this Administration, President Obama placed significant emphasis on the importance of scientific integrity in his Administration's policies and practices. In the President's March 9, 2009 Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, he stated that "[t]he public must be able to trust the science and scientific process informing public policy… Read more »

Dear Secretary Salazar: The Department of the Interior ("Department") established the Investigations and Review Unit ("IRU") in 2010, reportedly to respond to allegations of wrongdoing and unethical behavior by the offshore oil and gas industry and the Department officials who regulate those activities and to help coordinate the Department's response to significant… Read more »