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 »

Dear Ms. Kendall: As you know, the Committee on Natural Resources ("Committee") has for almost two years been seeking information about how a May 27, 2010 Department of the Interior ("Department") report entitled "Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf" ("Drilling Moratorium Report") was drafted and then edited in a manner that misrepresented… Read more »

TO:                   Members, Committee on Natural Resources FROM:             Doc Hastings, Chairman RE:                   Subpoena issued I hereby give notice that I have issued a subpoena duces tecum (for documents) to the… Read more »

Dear Mr. Secretary: On April 5, 2012, a subpoena was issued and served on you, as Secretary of the Interior, for a complete and unredacted copy of specific documents, communications, and information related to the rewrite of the 2008 Stream Buffer Zone Rule by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, (“Subpoena”). The Department’s April 12 and April 27, 2012 responses… Read more »

Dear Ms. Kendall: Thank you for meeting with me recently to discuss your response to the April 12, 2012 subpoena for documents related to the Office of Inspector General's ("IG") investigation into the May 27, 2010 Department of the Interior ("Department") report entitled, "Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf' ("Drilling Moratorium… Read more »

Dear Mr. Chairman: This supplements our previous responses to your subpoena of April 12, 2012, and prior letters requesting documents related to the Department's ongoing Stream Protection rulemaking process. Read the entire letter HERE. Read more »

Dear Chairman Rogers: Our oceans support more than 28 million American jobs. This activity, along with Coastal and Great Lake States maritime activities contribute to more than 80% of our domestic economy. Proper stewardship of this vital resource will always remain a National interest. Concerns have been raised, however, that the National Ocean Policy, created by Executive Order 13547,… Read more »

Dear Mr. Secretary: One year ago today, the Department of the Interior ("Department") was first asked to provide documents and information relating to the Obama Administration's decision imposing a drilling moratorium and its drafting of a May 2010 report entitled, "Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf" ("Drilling Moratorium Report"). For 366… Read more »

Dear Mr. Chairmen: This is in response to your April 6, 2012 request for additional documents and information relating to the report from my office entitled, "Federal Moratorium on Deepwater Drilling." Read the entire letter HERE. Read more »

Dear Mr. Chairman: On April 11, 2012, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) received a subpoena from the House Committee on Natural Resources (Committee) commanding production of: Unredacted and complete copies of: All documents identified on the enclosure (Bates number 00032227 SOL-WDC-B01-00001-00000I) to the Department of the Interior's October 13, 2011 letter to the Committee… Read more »