Yesterday, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held a field hearing in West Plains, Missouri on “Stopping Federal Land and Water Grabs: Protecting Property Rights from Washington, DC Edicts.” The hearing examined the harmful effects of the Obama Administration’s National Blueways Order that imposes a unilateral federal watershed designation process with… Read more »
Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held a field hearing in West Plains, Missouri on “Stopping Federal Land and Water Grabs: Protecting Property Rights from Washington, DC Edicts.” The hearing examined the harmful effects of the Obama Administration’s National Blueways Order that imposes a unilateral federal watershed designation process with questionable… Read more »
For several months, many Members of Congress have opposed or had concerns with the Interior Department's National Blueways System (Secretarial Order 3321) due to the lack of transparency, accountability and communication. Indeed, you recently placed a "pause" on the implementation of this administratively created program. While we appreciate your action, it is clear that the Department's… Read more »
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell seeking further information about the implementation of the National Blueways Secretarial Order. Signed by Secretary Salazar in 2012, this Order establishes a National Blueways System and gives authority to the Secretary to designate entire watersheds as “National… Read more »
Dear Secretary Jewell,
We are concerned by the continuing lack of transparency and public process in your Department's implementation of Secretarial Order 3321 (Order), which claims the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to designate entire river watersheds as "National Blueways."
We believe this Order is fundamentally flawed, runs counter to local conservation efforts, and… Read more »
Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held a legislative hearing on H.R. 1963, The Bureau of Reclamation Conduit Hydropower Development Equity and Jobs Act. Sponsored by Rep. Steve Daines (MT-At Large), this bill would create new American jobs and expand production of clean, renewable hydropower by removing outdated federal statutory barriers and… Read more »
Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held an oversight hearing entitled “Federal Impediments to Water Rights, Job Creation and Recreation: A Local Perspective." The hearing examined growing federal intrusion that costs American jobs and threatens to divert water supplies away from agricultural, recreational, and municipal water use. The hearing focused… Read more »
Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held an oversight hearing examining the spending priorities outlined in the President’s FY2014 budget requests for the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the four Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs), and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Program. At the hearing, Members discussed the importance of restoring abundance… Read more »
Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 678, the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act, with a bipartisan vote of 416-7. This legislation, sponsored by Rep. Scott Tipton (CO-03), would create new American jobs and expand production of clean, renewable hydropower by eliminating bureaucratic and regulatory hurdles.
Specifically, the bill… Read more »
