Dear Mr. Chairman: This responds to your letter of May 30, 2012, in which you requested the following information... The lists you requested are enclosed. We also enclose lists of other energy-related IG reviews that are not specifically focused on renewable energy, as these reflect a significant body of our work. You will notice that an evaluation conducted in 2010 on renewable energy… Read more »

Dear Mr. Black / Mr. Kemkar / Ms. Ishee / Mr. Cruickshank / Ms. Hanley: The Committee on Natural Resources will hold an oversight hearing on July 25, 2012 to continue the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding 1) how a decision was made by the Obama Administration to impose a drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico that put thousands of people out of work and caused… Read more »

Dear Mr. Watson: Greenpeace is pledging to impede planned exploratory drilling operations in arctic waters off the north coast of Alaska this summer. A protest fleet, including a 216-foot ice class ship, two large rigid hull and four small inflatables, two submarines, and a drone is reportedly en route to participate in these activities. Allowing intrusions by any group to disrupt or… Read more »

Dear Mr. Secretary: In a July 6, 2012, letter, the Department of the Interior (“Department”) was provided a final opportunity to establish by the close of business on July 12, 2012 a mutually agreed upon schedule for transcribed interviews of five Department officials by Committee on Natural Resources (“Committee”) majority oversight staff. These interviews were to be conducted the week… Read more »

Dear Secretary Salazar and Director Pizarchik: The Committee will hold an oversight hearing on July 19, 2012 to examine 1) the status of the proposed Stream Protection Rule rewrite and the lawsuit settlement agreement entered into on March 19, 2010 by the Department of the Interior (“Department”) and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (“OSM”) to complete the rewrite… Read more »

Dear Mr. Secretary: For more than a year, the Department of the Interior ("Department") has consistently refused to provide documents and information that would allow Congress to conduct a thorough and independent review of the Obama Administration's decision imposing a Gulf of Mexico drilling moratorium and its drafting and editing of a May 2010 Department report ("Drilling Moratorium… Read more »

Dear Administrator Lubchenco: I am writing to follow up on my April 2, 2012 request for information about the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's ("NOAA") response to the mismanagement of the Asset Forfeiture Fund that was recently identified by the Department of Commerce's Office of Inspector General's ("IG"). The response, dated May 7, 2012 but not received by the… Read more »

Dear Secretary Salazar and Director Ashe: The Committee on Natural Resources (“Committee”) has jurisdiction over matters involving fisheries and wildlife, including the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (“ESA”), 16 U.S.C. §§ 1531-1599. The goal of the ESA was to preserve, protect and recover key domestic species. However, today the law is failing to achieve its primary purpose of species… Read more »

Dear Ms. Kendall: According to the Inspector General Act of 1978 ("IG Act"), each Inspector General is responsible for conducting, supervising, and coordinating audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations of their respective agency or department. Although intended to be an independent watchdog against waste, fraud, and abuse, an Inspector General is also expected to… Read more »

Dear Secretary Salazar: Earlier this year, the Department of the Interior ("Department") withdrew 1 million acres in northern Arizona from new uranium mining claims. By taking this action, the Obama Administration voided a bipartisan agreement partially codified in law that has been respected for nearly three decades. In making this decision, you argued the withdrawal was necessary to… Read more »