Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on onshore oil and gas development in Alaska. Panel members highlighted the many benefits for Alaska and the Lower 48 if the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) were opened for responsible exploration and development.
“Energy development in the State of… Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on federal offshore oil and gas development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Panel members discussed the benefits of expanding access to the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific and Alaska for coastal communities, job creation nationally, and increased revenues for both states and the U.S. Treasury.
“For… Read more »
Today, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke signed Secretarial Order 3354 to identify solutions to streamline the permitting process for mineral leases on federal lands. Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement:
“Secretary Zinke’s commitment to foster regulatory certainty and unleash our energy potential is a welcome shift in priorities at Interior. We will be working in close… Read more »
Today, Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) announced updated assignments and subcommittee leadership appointments for the House Committee on Natural Resources during the 115th Congress.
Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) will serve as the new Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) will serve as the new Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.… Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on the status of onshore oil and gas leasing and drill permitting processes on federal lands. Members and witnesses discussed improvements to the duplicative and costly bureaucratic policies discouraging operators from leasing federal minerals.
“[N]onfederal production far outpaces federal production… Read more »
Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed a slate of mining reform bills: H.R. 1731, the “Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More Act of 2017” or the “RECLAIM Act,” H.R. 2053, the “Mining School Enhancement Act,” and H.R. 2937, the “Community Reclamation Partnerships Act.”
“The last eight years have wreaked havoc… Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on a discussion draft of the “Helium Extraction Act of 2017.” The bill authorizes the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to lease federal land for the purpose of helium production under the same lease terms as oil and gas.
“[M]ajor concerns remain regarding the future of the domestic helium market,”… Read more »
Yesterday, Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) introduced H.R. 2937, the “Community Reclamation Partnerships Act.” This bill authorizes partnerships between states and non-governmental entities for the purposes of expanding abandoned mine reclamation projects.
“I commend Rep. LaHood for his leadership to build bipartisan consensus on legislation that will help solve a pressing national challenge.… Read more »
Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’s (OSMRE) Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Program.
The Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Act of 1977 (SMCRA), which created the AML program, is the primary federal law regulating the environmental effects of coal mining in the United States.… Read more »
Yesterday, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke signed a Secretarial Order to jump-start oil and gas production in Alaska and update resource assessments in the North Slope. Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement:
“This Order further demonstrates the Trump administration’s commitment to harnessing America’s domestic energy resources to support economic growth, empower local… Read more »
