House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) sent a letter yesterday to Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (KY-05) asking that each appropriations bill include language to prohibit the use of funds for the implementation of President Obama’s ocean zoning and National Ocean Policy. “The Natural Resources Committee has undertaken oversight over this… Read more »

TO:                   Members, Committee on Natural Resources FROM:             Doc Hastings, Chairman RE:                   Subpoena issued Pursuant to the authority granted me by a vote of the Committee on March 28, 2012, I… Read more »

Dear Chairman Rogers: The Obama Administration continues to move forward with zoning the oceans through implementation of the President's National Ocean Policy (Policy) without requesting funding specifically for this broad initiative and without answering basic questions about how funds are currently being diverted from other missions to fund this initiative. Therefore, I ask that you… Read more »

Dear Administrator Lubchenco: As you may know, the Committee on Natural Resources ("Committee") has been monitoring the Office of Inspector General's ("OIG") investigations into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's ("NOAA") mismanagement of the Asset Forfeiture Fund. Under section 311 (e)(l) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NOAA is authorized to seize assets from violators… Read more »

House panel clears way for administration subpoenas on drilling, coal reg probes Published March 28, 2012 FoxNews.com A House Committee voted Wednesday to clear the way to subpoena the Obama administration over two separate probes -- one concerning allegations dating back to the BP spill that it misrepresented a report on the temporary offshore drilling ban. The 23-17 vote along… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today received notice from the Obama Administration that they will not agree to his request for a 90-day extension of the public comment period on the draft National Ocean Policy Implementation plan. “President Obama issued an Executive Order imposing a new bureaucracy to zone the oceans that threatens to deter new economic… Read more »

Obama OKs Oil Exploration Along Atlantic Coast, But Not Drilling By Devin Dwyer ABC News March 28, 2012 The Obama administration today endorsed new oil and gas exploration along the Atlantic Coast, setting the stage for possible future drilling lease sales. The announcement by the Interior Department sets into motion what will be at least a five year environmental survey to determine… Read more »

On the Motion to Authorize the Issuance of Subpoenas (Passed 23-17. View Roll Call Vote) This motion provided the Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee with authority to issue subpoenas related to two ongoing oversight investigations: 1) regarding the Secretary of the Interior’s decision and the process to rewrite a coal production regulation; and 2) regarding a Department of the… Read more »

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee approved a motion (23-17) to provide the Chairman with authority to issue subpoenas related to two ongoing oversight investigations: 1) regarding the Secretary of the Interior’s decision and the process to rewrite a coal production regulation; and 2) regarding a Department of the Interior report that implied that peer reviewers from the… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement regarding reports that the Obama Administration will today announce plans for seismic studies for possible future drilling lease sales off Virginia and the Atlantic Coast. President Obama is responsible for delaying and then outright canceling the Virginia lease sale that was scheduled to take… Read more »