Dear Chairwoman Sutley, We write to express our concerns and request your immediate attention regarding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) flawed consultation process resulting in biological opinions (bi-ops) and regulations that will significantly restrict the use of critical crop… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today announced the subcommittee assignments for the Republican Members of the Natural Resources Committee for the 112th Congress. “The Natural Resources Committee has broad jurisdiction that allows our Members to use their individual talents and expertise to work on policies and issues that will help create jobs, grow the… Read more »

Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your December 1, 2010, letter regarding my recent forum on hydraulic fracturing on public lands. We brought together this group to discuss a way forward to allow the United States to continue to realize the benefits of oil and gas development in a safe and effective manner. Read the entire letter HERE. Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman-elect Doc Hastings (WA-04) today named subcommittee chairmen for the 112th Congress. He also announced the establishment a new Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the Constitution delegates to Congress the power to regulate trade with Indian tribes, and in the House of Representatives the Natural… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman-elect Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement regarding Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s Secretarial Order to allow the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to designate areas as “Wild Lands” – essentially giving the Administration the ability establish de facto Wilderness areas without Congressional approval: “The Administration… Read more »

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senator Barbara Boxer are moving forward with their plan to pass a massive land, wildlife and water omnibus package in the final days of the lame-duck Congress. This colossal bill will cost billions of dollars and include over a hundred measures that will create new spending programs, cost jobs, harm our economy, expand the power of the EPA,… Read more »

Natural Resources Committee Chairman-elect Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced intentions to pass a public lands and waterways omnibus bill crafted by himself and Senator Barbara Boxer during the final days of the lame-duck Democrat Congress: Read more »

Committee on public lands is created, Dec. 17, 1805 December 17, 2010 Politico Andrew Glass On this day in 1805, the House created a Committee on Public Lands to help manage the vast, newly acquired territory of the Louisiana Purchase. The acquisition in 1803 from Napoleonic France covered all or part of 14 current U.S. states and two Canadian provinces — nearly 830,000 square… Read more »

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today that Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry was shot and killed Tuesday night by bandits near Rio Rico, Arizona. Sources have confirmed that the shooting occurred on federal lands in the Coronado National Forest. This is the latest violent crime to occur on federal areas along the U.S. border where environmental policies, enforced by… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after the Republican Conference selected him to serve as Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee in the 112th Congress: “I’m honored to have been selected as Chairman and will work hard with my Republican colleagues to serve the American people and address their top priorities. … Read more »