House Republicans Press for Faster Action on Renewable Energy June 1, 2011 Bloomberg Jim Snyder U.S. House Republicans, who have sought to expedite offshore oil- and gas-drilling permits, pressed the Obama administration to act faster on renewable energy projects. Federal hurdles are slowing growth of solar and wind companies, industry executives said today at a House Natural… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Ken Salazar issued a memorandum to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Directory Bob Abbey on his decision to not implement DOI’s Wild Lands policy: “It’s welcome news that the Interior Department will follow the law. After this positive initial… Read more »

Dear Secretary Vilsack: We write to express our concern over the Proposed National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule published in the Federal Register on February 14,2011 (proposed rule) that would affect the management plans of the nation's 155 national forests and 20 grasslands. With a keen interest in the active management of our nation's federal forest resources and the… Read more »

Today, the House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs held a hearing titled “Buying More Land When We Can’t Maintain What We Already Own: The National Wildlife Refuge System’s Operations and Maintenance Backlog Story.” Members heard from the Administration and associated parties on the current state of the System, the affects of the maintenance and operations… Read more »

As part of House Republicans’ American Energy Initiative, the House Natural Resources Committee today held the first in a series of oversight hearings on “Identifying Roadblocks to Wind and Solar Energy on Public Lands and Waters.” House Republicans are committed to advancing an all-of-the-above energy approach, which includes renewable energy, in order to create jobs, lower energy costs… Read more »

Today, President Obama gave a speech at the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas touting the Administration’s improvements in border security and commitment to immigration reform. However, during the speech Obama failed to mention the continued security and safety issues on federal lands along the U.S. border. Despite the President’s claims of increased security, environmental restrictions on… Read more »

Today, the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands and the Security, Homeland Defense, and Foreign Operations Subcommittee held a joint oversight hearing on the impacts of environmental laws and federal regulations on border security and the environment. Members heard from former Border Patrol Officers and affected citizens who discussed how these regulations are impeding… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement today regarding passage of H.R. 1473, the Continuing Resolution that funds the federal government through FY2011 and cuts spending by nearly $40 billion: “This bill is the first step in getting our Nation’s fiscal house in order and sends a strong signal to the American people that Congress… Read more »

Today, House National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT), House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA), Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter T. King (R-NY), Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX), and House Republican Conference Secretary John Carter (R-TX) introduced H.R. 1505, the National Security and Federal Lands… Read more »

Dear Secretary Vilsack: In the Fall 2010 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, the U.S. Forest Service indicated its intention to promulgate new regulations on the "Management of National Forest System Surface Resources with Privately Held Mineral Estates." We are concerned that this rulemaking will dramatically increase the regulatory burden on oil and natural gas… Read more »