Dear Director Matthews 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… Read more »

President Obama’s low-ball estimate for Keystone XL jobs By Glenn Kessler 7/30/2013  “My hope would be that any reporter who is looking at the facts would take the time to confirm that the most realistic estimates are this might create maybe 2,000 jobs during the construction of the pipeline — which might take a year or two — and then after that we’re talking about somewhere… Read more »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Fuel Fix – Jennifer A. Dlouhy: “Flores: Fracturing rules would give feds a foot in the door” Washington Times – Ben Wolfgang and Dave Boyer: “Keystone pipeline supporters slam Obama’s skeptical comments on economic impact” Fuel Fix – Emily Pickrell: “Texas will continue to lead US oil boom” Cortez Journal – Jim Mimiaga:… Read more »

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 »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: The Hill – Ben Geman: “GOP lawmaker warns Interior’s fracking rule could lead to cascade of new regs” Oregonian – Scott Learn: “Interior Department extends Chetco River gold mining withdrawal for five years” The Hill – Ben Geman: “Obama criticizes pro-Keystone pipeline jobs, gas price claims” New York Times – Norimitsu… 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 »

A House Natural Resources subcommittee heard testimony yesterday on four bills on a variety of wildlife species -- one to lift restrictions on polar bear trophies, another to allow the export of certain protected snakes and two to combat an invasion of Asian carp. The Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs took up Alaska Republican Don Young's H.R. 1818, which… Read more »

Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on H.R. 2728, the Protecting States’ Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Representative Bill Flores (TX-17), would protect state rights, American jobs and American energy production by limiting the Obama Administration’s ability… Read more »

Representative Bill Johnson (OH-06) and Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Chairman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) today introduced H.R. 2824, the Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America Act. This legislation would protect American jobs, save taxpayer dollars, and support U.S. energy production by stopping the Obama Administration from imposing coal regulations… Read more »