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Hurricane Isaac Threatens Gulf Communities, U.S. Energy Production and Gas Prices

| Posted in Resourceful Information

While Gulf Coast communities brace for Hurricane Isaac, the storm has already had a significant impact on oil and natural gas production. According to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), over 93 percent of the current daily oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in and over 64 percent of the rigs have been evacuated. This highlights the threat posed to…

Witnesses Agree Federal Fishery Management is Flawed: Fishery Health, Small Businesses, Local Economies Hurt by Federal Overregulation, Lack of Accurate Data

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held a Full Committee oversight field hearing in Panama City, Florida entitled, “Fishing = Jobs: How Strengthening America’s Fisheries Strengthens Our Economy.” Florida’s fishing industry contributes billions of dollars in fishing–related expenditures each year and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs. The hearing today focused on the…

Hastings: Americans Need Governor Romney's Vision for American Energy Production, Can't Afford More Failed Obama Policies

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today released the following statement regarding Governor Mitt Romney’s comprehensive, true all-of-the-above energy plan to create millions of new jobs with American energy resources. “For the last three and half years out-of-work Americans have been ignored, consumers have seen gasoline prices skyrocket and the American…

Chairman Hastings Follow-up Letter to Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall on the Department of the Interior's Renewable Energy Programs

| Posted in Letters

Dear Ms. Kendall: For several months, the Committee on Natural Resources has been looking into questions about possible political interference, lack of independence, and conflict of interest involving an investigation by the Office of Inspector General (“IG”) into the editing of a Department of the Interior offshore drilling report in May 2010. In order to learn more about the…

Gasoline Prices Set Record High as U.S. Becomes More Dependent on Foreign Oil

| Posted in Resourceful Information

AAA announced today that the national average price of gasoline reached $3.72 per gallon– the highest price on record for August 20th and a 12 percent increase since July 1st. Unfortunately, gasoline prices aren’t the only thing increasing, so is our Nation’s dependence on foreign oil. The New York Times recently reported that: “The United States is increasing its dependence on oil…

Chairman Hastings Calls on the Obama Administration to Provide Transparent Answers to Outstanding Questions, Disclose Documents on National Ocean Policy Prior to Imposing Final Implementation Plan

| Posted in Press Release

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent a letter to the co-chairs of President Obama’s National Ocean Council to repeat his request that the Obama Administration answer outstanding questions and document requests regarding President Obama’s National Ocean Policy and mandatory ocean zoning initiative before finalizing the draft implementation plan. Click…

Hastings' Hydro Bill Will Protect and Promote Hydropower Dams

| Posted in Press Release

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held a legislative field hearing in Pasco, WA on H.R. 6247, the Saving Our Dams and Hydropower Development and Jobs Act of 2012. Introduced by Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04), the bill would protect America’s dams and promote new clean, low-cost hydropower to help create jobs and grow the economy. Hydropower accounts for 70 percent of electricity…

Chairman Hastings Letter to Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Nancy Sutley and Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John Holdren Requesting Answers to Outstanding Questions on National Ocean Policy Before Final Implementation

| Posted in Letters

Dear Chairwoman Sutley and Director Holdren: More than two years have passed since President Obama unilaterally issued a new National Ocean Policy that created an expansive federal bureaucracy to manage ocean activities and resources without any specific Congressional approval, and more than eight months have passed since a draft plan was released containing more than 50 proposed actions…

Gas Prices Rise as Obama Administration Continues to Block New Offshore Energy Projects

| Posted in Blog

Americans continue to face rising prices at the pump that are expected to climb even higher this year, according to the AAA report released Monday. Gasoline prices increased 18 cents this month and eight cents this past week alone. As of August 9, gasoline prices have exceeded prices on the same day last year and continue upward. As families struggle with rising energy expenses, the…

Chairman Hastings and Rep. David Rivera Letter to Secretary Salazar on Record-Keeping of Foreign-Owned Companies That Have U.S. Leases

| Posted in Letters

Dear Secretary Salazar: We write to draw your attention to two national security issues that have been raised in oversight hearings before the House Committee on Natural Resources in recent months. Foreign-multinational energy companies currently hold development leases and operate in the American Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and on Federal lands. One recent example is the move by…