Today, the House will take up H.R. 2584, the FY 2012 Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which includes language to restrict the listing of endangered species and habitat designations to allow for the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to be updated and reauthorized. This provision will refocus efforts on endangered species recovery and help… Read more »
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings today released a YouTube video unveiling discussion draft legislation to reorganize and reform the Interior Department’s offshore energy oversight. The draft proposal officially abolishes the Minerals Management Service to create three separate agencies and establishes a new Under Secretary of Energy, Lands and Minerals in order to… Read more »
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings released the following statement regarding the delay of the U.S. Coast Guard/BOEMRE report on the Deepwater Horizon spill:
"From day one, I’ve said that we need all the facts surrounding the cause of this tragic event before jumping to conclusions and passing reforms with long-term consequences. The government has repeatedly delayed… Read more »
The Gulf Economic Survival Team (GEST) today released a nationwide study on the devastating job losses and economic impacts as a result of the significant slowdown in drilling activity in the Gulf of Mexico. The study observed the pace and volume of offshore plans and examined the economic consequences of slowed energy production in the Gulf created by the Obama Administration’s de facto… Read more »
The House Natural Resources Committee today unanimously agreed to pass H.R. 1158, the Montana Mineral Conveyance Act, a vital bill for the economic development of Montana’s Northern Cheyenne Tribe. Introduced by Rep. Denny Rehberg (MT-At Large), the bill would transfer ownership of a mineral estate on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation allowing the Tribe to control the development of the… Read more »
Following up on concerns raised during the Senate confirmation hearing on Ms. Rebecca Wodder, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) and 38 House Republicans sent a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Senate Environment & Public Works and Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committees raising more questions over her nomination as Assistant… Read more »
Today, the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved by voice vote H.R. 2011, the “National Strategic and Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2011.” As part of House Republicans’ American Energy Initiative, this bill aims to improve our American mineral policy by coordinating a government-wide survey of American mineral resources, demands and factors impacting mineral… Read more »
Dear Senators Boxer, Bingaman, Inhofe, and Murkowski:
As you consider President Obama's nomination of Ms. Rebecca Wodder as Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks at the Department of the Interior, we respectfully write to let you know of our serious concerns with her record as the head of American Rivers, a single purpose interest group focused on litigating against the… Read more »