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North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act of 2013 (H.R. 2208)

| Posted in Committee Votes

Reporting H.R. 2208 Out of Committee (Approved by Voice Vote) This bill would extend the existing North American Wetlands Conservation program for an additional five years. Since its enactment nearly fifteen years ago, the North American Wetlands Conservation Program has acquired, conserved, enhanced, protected and restored nearly 30 million acres of wetlands in the United States, Canada…

American Energy Renaissance Will Create Well-Paying Jobs for Women and Minorities

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on “American Energy Jobs: Opportunities for Women and Minorities.” The energy sector provides stable, well-paying jobs with an average salary much higher than other sectors. The hearing examined the growing opportunities for women and minorities in the energy field and how their role will continue to…

Witnesses Stress Need for Increased Transparency & Species Recovery, Support Common Sense Endangered Species Act Proposals

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held a Full Committee legislative hearing on four straightforward bills to update the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the 21st century and improve species recovery. The bills are supported by all of the Members of the ESA Congressional Working Group, representing districts across the nation, and are based on the recommendations and findings of…

ICYMI: Federal Onshore Leasing and Permitting at Lowest Levels in Decades

| Posted in In Case You Missed It

This week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released new data showing that federal onshore oil and natural gas leases and permits are at the lowest levels in more than a decade. According to the data: BLM leased 1.2 million acres in 2013, down from 1.8 million acres leased the year before and the smallest area since at least 1988, the earliest year BLM reported data. …

Chairman Hastings Seeks Transparency on Science, Issues Subpoena on White Bluffs Bladderpod Listing Decision

| Posted in Press Release

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) issued a subpoena to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) seeking documents surrounding the process and science behind the decision to list the White Bluffs bladderpod as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The Committee first requested documents on March 7, 2014 and, after the FWS missed the…

Chairman Hastings Supports Passage of Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act

| Posted in Floor Statements

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) delivered the following statement on the House floor today in support of S. 404, the Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act. This important bipartisan legislation is similar to H.R. 908 that was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on February 20, 2014 as part of the Public Access and Lands Improvement…

Hastings: Full SRS Funding is Victory for Rural Counties that Faced Uncertainty Due to Obama Administration Political Games

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) issued the following statement on the announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on its plans to distribute the FY 2013 Secure Rural School (SRS) payments in full. “Today’s announcement is a victory for rural counties that have been faced with uncertainty of whether they would have enough funds to pay for schools,…

Members, Witnesses Agree California’s Abundant Oil and Natural Gas Reserves Would Create Jobs and Increase Energy Security

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on “Energy Independence: Domestic Opportunities to Reverse California’s Growing Dependence on Foreign Oil.” Overall, the United States is importing less oil than any point in the past decade, yet California’s foreign oil imports have dramatically increased. Today’s hearing focused on the drastic increase in…