This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed 14 House Committee on Natural Resources bills. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Today, the House passed bills that provide the solutions Americans need. They streamline bureaucratic processes, unleash American commercial fishing, energy, and water resources, incentivize abandoned mine remediation, conserve our natural resources, open our national parks to Gold Star families and advance locally driven solutions that spur economic development. I thank my colleagues for their work on these bills."

Background

H.R. 167, the Community Reclamation Partnerships Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), introduced by U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), would grant liability protection to third-party organizations that participate in clean-up projects of inactive and abandoned legacy coal mines. This bill creates a pathway for NGOs to contribute their resources to reclamation and lessens the burden on states and taxpayers.

H.R. 331, introduced by U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), will amend the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act to clarify and streamline the process for transporting water for aquifer recharge projects across federal land.

H.R. 531, the South Pacific Tuna Treaty Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa), would amend the South Pacific Tuna Act to update the text and extend the terms of fishing access for U.S. vessels.

H.R. 677, the Expedited Appeals Review Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), streamlines the Interior Board of Land Appeals processes for resolving disputes involving public lands and natural resources.

H.R. 1001, introduced by U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), will require the Western Area Power Administration and the Bureau of Reclamation to address the impacts of bypass flow experiments at Glen Canyon Dam on the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund. 

H.R. 1550, the Strengthening America's Turning Point Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), will redesignate the Saratoga National Historic Park as Saratoga National Battlefield Park to emphasize its place in the heroic struggle for American independence. 

H.R. 1612, the Flatside Wilderness Additions Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.), adds several parcels of Ouachita National Forest land to the existing Flatside Wilderness.

H.R. 1682, the Benefits that Endure for Lifetimes of Services, introduced by U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.), will expand access to free, lifetime America the Beautiful Passes to Gold Star Next of Kin family members and families of veterans who pass away due to a service-related illness.

H.R. 1829, the Apache County and Navajo County Conveyance Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), would convey small parcels of land within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests to Apache and Navajo Counties to expand existing cemeteries.

H.R. 249, introduced by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), will rename two sites in the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park to honor the late Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. of New Jersey.

H.R. 618, the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Stephen Horsford (D-Nev.), will amend the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989 to streamline the site's permitting process and further incentivize growth and development in North Las Vegas, Nev.

H.R. 952, the Reversionary Interest Conveyance Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), would remove a reversionary interest on a parcel of land in Sacramento, Calif. to allow the land to be developed without complications from the federal government. 

H.R. 2215, the Salem Maritime National Historical Park Redesignation and Boundary Study Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), will redesignate the Salem Maritime National Historic Site as the Salem Maritime National Historical Park and authorize a boundary survey.

H.R. 2492, the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), authorizes the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to permit utility companies to fully remove hazard trees and other vegetation within the vicinity of distribution or transmission lines without going through a separate timber sale.