Today, President Trump signed five Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions reversing Biden-era Resource Management Plans (RMPs) that locked up millions of acres of land in Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

“Natural Resources Committee Republicans have been working hand in hand with the Trump administration to reopen public lands and deliver affordable energy to American families. I was proud to be there when President Trump signed these resolutions today to allow production and transportation of energy and mineral resources, which will in turn strengthen energy security, create jobs and spur economic growth in rural communities. This is great news for our country.”

Background

H.J. Res. 104, introduced by U.S. Rep. Troy Downing (R-Mont.), repeals the Biden-era Miles City Field Office RMP Amendment, which locks up more than 2.75 million acres of land and 11.7 million acres of mineral estate in Montana. The RMP Amendment restricted coal deposits along Montana’s entire Powder River Basin, which makes up about 30 percent of the entire nation's coal resources. This resolution advances President Trump's Executive Order (EO) 14261, "Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241," and EO 14154, "Unleashing American Energy."

H.J. Res. 105, introduced by U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-N.D.), repeals the Biden-era North Dakota RMP, which locks up more than four million acres of land in North Dakota. This RMP prohibited coal leasing on 99 percent of the state’s coal deposits and halted mineral leasing on 44 percent of oil and gas acreage. This resolution advances President Trump's EO 14261, "Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241," and EO 14154, "Unleashing American Energy."

H.J. Res. 106, introduced by U.S. Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska), repeals the Biden-era Central Yukon RMP, which locks up more than 13.3 million acres of land in Alaska and hinders national and economic prosperity. This CRA opens the door to repealing Public Land Order 5150, which is necessary for the construction of the Ambler Road and Alaska LNG pipeline project. This resolution advances President Trump's EO 14153, "Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential," and EO 14154, "Unleashing American Energy."

H.J.Res.130, introduced by U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), provides for congressional disapproval of the Biden administration’s Buffalo Field Office RMP Amendment. This RMP Amendment imposes sweeping land-use restrictions across Wyoming’s Powder River Basin, limiting access to millions of acres of federal land and mineral estate, and curbing future coal development in one of the nation’s most productive energy regions. The resolution advances President Trump’s EO 14261, “Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241” and EO 14154, “Unleashing American Energy.”

H.J.Res.131, introduced by U.S. Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaksa), provides for congressional disapproval of the Biden administration’s Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision. This rule abruptly finalized during the final days of the Biden administration, locked up over 1.16 million acres, halting responsible energy development in Alaska’s Coastal Plain. In addition, this decision disregarded tribal voices, undermining long-standing congressional directives and restricting access to critical oil and gas resources needed to support Alaskans, and American energy independence. The resolution advances President Trump’s EO 14153, “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential,” and EO 14154, “Unleashing American Energy.”