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Oversight and Investigations

Chairman Hastings Follow-up Letters to Director Mathews Burwell, Secretary Vilsack, and Chief Tidwell Regarding Decision Making on the Secure Rural Schools Program

| Posted in Letters

Dear Director Mathews Burwell, Secretary Vilsack, and Chief Tidwell: A letter was sent to the Office of Management and Budget ("OMB") on May 20, 2013 requesting information about the Forest Service's ("Service") decision demanding that states repay Secure Rural Schools Program ("SRS") funds. OMB missed the Committee's June 3, 2013 deadline for response. The original letter sought…

ICYMI – Protests Prompt Delay of Yosemite Overhaul Plan

| Posted in Blog

The National Park Service (NPS) is currently drafting a plan to determine the future of the Merced River in Yosemite National Park. Earlier this week, the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation heard from witnesses regarding this plan that could permanently remove several recreational amenities that have long been a staple for visitors to the Merced River floodplain.…

Responsible Forest Management Helps Prevents Catastrophic Wildfires

| Posted in Resourceful Information

National forests are in an unhealthy and dangerous state resulting in larger and more intense wildfires. In 2012, wildfires burned 9.3 million acres, while the U.S. Forest Service only harvested approximately 200,000 acres. This means that 44 times as many acres burned as were responsibly harvested and restored. According to the U.S. Forest Service, 65-82 million acres of Forest Service…

Witnesses Agree Closing Access to Yosemite a Public Disservice

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation held an oversight hearing on the “Public Impact of Closing Amenities at Yosemite National Park.” The hearing examined the impact of the Merced River Plan on tourists, local economies and the environment. Yosemite National Park, formally established in 1890, is an American recreational treasure.…