Today, Ranking Republican Rob Bishop (R-Utah) of the House Committee on Natural Resources released the following statement after the United States Bureau of Reclamation announced a plan to fulfill the title transfer requirements included in S.47. The “Public Lands Package” received broad bipartisan support in the House & Senate.  President Trump signed S. 47 into law on March 12. 

 “The speed at which the Bureau has taken action is commendable. These provisions are critical to supporting the lives and livelihoods of American westerners. This legislation and the Bureau’s swift action will empower locals to meet the needs of their neighbors and communities.”

 “Additionally, DOI Secretary Bernhardt deserves praise for crafting a ‘Categorical Exclusion’ to compliment this process. For too long, the National Environmental Policy Act has been a tool used by obstructionists to sabotage prosperity and responsible development. NEPA’s authors never intended the law to apply to every federal action. It’s refreshing to see this administration agrees.”