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September 2008 |
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As Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, I would like to welcome you to the Committee’s Web site. This site is intended to provide the public with insight into the goals and objectives of the Committee, as well as to keep visitors informed of the progress we are making to address the legislative issues affecting our nation’s precious natural resources.
Having served on this Committee for half of my life and throughout my entire tenure in Congress, I am incredibly humbled by the opportunity to preside over it as Chairman. In so many ways, this Committee exercises responsibility over matters that enrich America and all Americans – from the natural and historic heritage of our National Parks and forests to the majesty of our oceans and wilderness areas.
As our nation continues to grow, facing a future of boundless potential, we have a duty to oversee development of energy sources and hardrock minerals while also ensuring that our natural treasures are preserved for our nation’s most precious resource of all – the people, the heart and soul of America.
Stone monuments are built to great men and women. But the monuments to the truly worthy of men and women, in public life at least, are those which celebrate and preserve this nation’s most significant and outstanding natural resources. They are monuments to those who have the courage, the conviction, and the vision to realize that while the wealth and prosperity of our country includes public works, wrought of concrete and steel, it also includes its wild lands, scenic vistas, and unique fish and wildlife.
By ensuring the responsible use and development of our natural landscape, we can also ensure the protection of God’s creations – the vital plant and animal life human society depends upon. Every time we honor the public’s right to know and to participate in federal actions that affect the people’s lives, we assert our commitment that honest and ethical management should prevail throughout the government agencies that have authority over our nation’s bounty.
In carrying out our responsibility to humankind, we must continue to ensure justice and vitality for Native Americans, who have nurtured and cherished our land from long ago, and who continue today as stewards of some of its greatest beauties and natural gifts. Likewise, we must ensure the same rights and democratic ideals for all American citizens, whether they reside in our territories or any of our nation’s regions.
In whole, our diverse natural resources perform countless functions that are too often taken for granted – providing water and sustenance for the body, solace for the spirit, inspiration for the mind, and beauty for the eyes. Our actions today determine our nation’s future and the futures of generations to come. Keeping those thoughts always close to our hearts, we can fulfill our God-given duty to be good stewards of our world, its people and its natural wonders.
With Warm Regards, I am
Sincerely,
Nick J. Rahall, II
Chairman
U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall II, a West Virginia native who represents his state's third Congressional district, has served on the House Natural Resources Committee for over 30 years - his entire tenure in Congress. After serving as the Committee's ranking member for six years, Rahall was selected to serve as the Committee's Chairman at the start of the 110th Congress.
First elected in 1976, Chairman Rahall is currently serving his 16th term in the House of Representatives, and is recognized as the youngest elected longest serving member in the history of the House. He has received national recognition for his strong dedication to protecting and preserving our nation's environment.
As Chairman, Rep. Rahall led efforts in the House in 2007 to secure passage of legislation to reform the antiquated Hardrock Mining Law of 1872 - a quest Rahall has pursued for 20 years. The legislation provides a new framework to guide in the mining of valuable hardrock minerals, such as gold, silver and copper, on federal lands. For the past 135 years, the law has allowed these minerals to be extracted with no royalty paid to the American people - unlike oil and gas and coal developers.
Rahall is also a longtime champion of protecting landmark environmental and public participation laws, such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which gives the American people the right to know about and participate in proposed federal actions. In 2006, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report requested by Rep. Rahall and several of his House and Senate colleagues confirmed the success of the ESA, which has an almost 100 percent effectiveness rate of preventing the demise of plants and animals that are so vital to human society.
In 2007, Rahall led the Committee in a series of visibility-raising oversight hearings on the endangered species program, which revealed political tampering within Interior's ranks. At Rahall's repeated urging, the agency reversed its course and conceded that a number of critical endangered species decisions made under Julie MacDonald, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, were "inappropriately influenced" and warrant revision.
Long a leader in the effort to end royalty holidays and giveaways to big oil companies who have reaped record profits while American taxpayers continue to experience skyrocketing gas prices, Chairman Rahall has led Committee efforts to conduct extensive oversight of mismanagement allegations within the Minerals Management Service's royalty collection program. A series of Inspector General (IG) and GAO reports revealed rampant fraud and failure in the collection of oil and gas royalties - costing American taxpayers millions, perhaps billions, of dollars in lost royalties owed to the Federal Treasury.
As Chairman, Rahall is committed to conducting oversight of these issues, and ensuring accountability and integrity at the Department of the Interior. Additionally, Rahall has actively promoted legislation that would correct loopholes in oil and gas leases issued by the Interior Department between 1998 and 1999.
Among his other accomplishments, Rahall has been a Congressional leader on mining-related issues. In 1985, he assumed the chairmanship of the House Subcommittee on Mining and Natural Resources, a position he held until 1993. As Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. Rahall transformed what had been a moribund panel into one engaged in the aggressive oversight and reform of many of the nation's antiquated federal mining laws to bring them in line with public interest. During this period, Rahall also led the enactment of legislation overhauling the federal onshore oil and gas and geothermal stream leasing systems. In 2006, Rahall worked to ensure passage of legislation that extended authorization of the Abandoned Mine Lands program, one of his long-running priorities.
Rahall has also long been a leading voice in the successful effort to defeat the Administration's proposed overhaul of the National Park Service's (NPS) Management Policies of 2001, which would have dramatically altered the long-standing interpretation of laws governing the National Parks. The manual covers all park planning and management issues, including land acquisition, fire management, wilderness, law enforcement, concessions, and a range of other issues.
He is additionally the author of 1978 legislation establishing the New River Gorge National River as a unit of the National Park System in southern West Virginia. Ten years later, he gained enactment of legislation to designate the Gauley River National Recreation Area and the Bluestone National Scenic River, in the process creating the largest network of federally protected rivers in the eastern United States.
Numerous national organizations have recognized Rahall for his work. He is the recipient of the International Fund for Animal Welfare's 2007 "U.S. Animal Action Award," as well as the Sierra Club's 1988 "Seneca Award" for Outstanding Environmental Stewardship, American River's 1988 "River Conservation Award," the Ansel Adams Award from the Wilderness Society in 2004, and the Mountaineer Conservation Leadership Award from the West Virginia Wilderness Coalition on Earth Day 2005.
A 33rd degree Mason, Rep. Rahall is a life member of the National Rifle Association, Elks, Moose, and the NAACP, and was made an honorary member of the United Mine Workers of America in 2003. Before his election to Congress, Rahall served as staff assistant to U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, and also made a career as a businessman. Chairman Rahall has three children: Rebecca, Nick Joe, III, and Suzanne Nicole, married to S.Sgt. U.S. Navy Chris Brown. He has one granddaughter, Madison Kaylee, and is married to the former Melinda Ross of Ashland, Kentucky.
Jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural Resources
Rule X of the Rules of the U.S.
House of Representatives, 110th Congress
- Fisheries and wildlife,
including research, restoration, refuges, and conservation.
- Forest reserves and national
parks created from the public domain.
- Forfeiture of land grants and
alien ownership, including alien ownership of mineral lands.
- Geological Survey.
- International fishing
agreements.
- Interstate compacts relating
to apportionment of waters for irrigation purposes.
- Irrigation and reclamation,
including water supply for reclamation projects and easements of public
lands for irrigation projects; and acquisition of private lands when
necessary to complete irrigation projects.
- Native Americans generally,
including the care and allotment of Native American lands and general and
special measures relating to claims that are paid out of Native American
funds.
- Insular possessions of the
United States generally (except those affecting the revenue and
appropriations).
- Military parks and
battlefields, national cemeteries administered by the Secretary of the
Interior, parks within the District of Columbia, and the erection of
monuments to the memory of individuals.
- Mineral land laws and claims
and entries thereunder.
- Mineral resources of public
lands.
- Mining interests generally.
- Mining schools and
experimental stations.
- Marine affairs, including
coastal zone management (except for measures relating to oil and other
pollution of navigable waters).
- Oceanography.
- Petroleum conservation on
public lands and conservation of the radium supply in the United States.
- Preservation of prehistoric
ruins and objects of interest on the public domain.
- Public lands generally,
including entry, easements, and grazing thereon.
- Relations of the United
States with Native Americans and Native American tribes.
- Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline
(except ratemaking).
Rules for the Committee on Natural Resources U.S.
House of Representatives, 110th Congress
RULE 1. RULES OF THE HOUSE; VICE CHAIRMEN.
(a) Applicability of House Rules.
(1) The Rules of the House of Representatives, so far as
they are applicable, are the rules of the Committee and its Subcommittees.
(2) Each Subcommittee is part of the Committee and is subject to the authority,
direction and rules of the Committee. References in these rules to
"Committee" and "Chairman" shall apply to each Subcommittee
and its Chairman wherever applicable.
(3) House Rule XI is incorporated and made a part of the rules of the Committee
to the extent applicable.
(b) Vice Chairmen.--Unless inconsistent with other rules,
the Chairman shall appoint a Vice Chairman of the Committee and the
Subcommittee Chairmen will appoint Vice Chairmen of each of the Subcommittees.
If the Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee is not present at any meeting
of the Committee or Subcommittee, as the case may be, the Vice Chairman shall
preside. If the Vice Chairman is not present, the ranking Member of the
Majority party on the Committee or Subcommittee who is present shall preside at
that meeting.
RULE 2. MEETINGS IN GENERAL.
(a) Scheduled Meetings.--The Committee
shall meet at 10 a.m. every Wednesday when the House is in session, unless
canceled by the Chairman. The Committee shall also meet at the call of the
Chairman subject to advance notice to all Members of the Committee. Special
meetings shall be called and convened by the Chairman as provided in clause
2(c)(1) of House Rule XI. Any Committee meeting or hearing that conflicts with
a party caucus, conference, or similar party meeting shall be rescheduled at
the discretion of the Chairman, in consultation with the Ranking Minority
Member. The Committee may not sit during a joint session of the House and
Senate or during a recess when a joint meeting of the House and Senate is in
progress.
(b) Open Meetings.--Each meeting for the transaction of
business, including the markup of legislation, and each hearing of the
Committee or a Subcommittee shall be open to the public, except as provided by
clause 2(g) and clause 2(k) of House Rule XI.
(c) Broadcasting.--Whenever a meeting for the transaction
of business, including the markup of legislation, or a hearing is open to the
public, that meeting or hearing shall be open to coverage by television, radio,
and still photography in accordance with clause 4 of House Rule XI. The
provisions of clause 4(f) of House Rule XI are specifically made part of these
rules by reference. Operation and use of any Committee Internet broadcast
system shall be fair and nonpartisan and in accordance with clause 4(b) of
House Rule XI and all other applicable rules of the Committee and the House.
(d) Oversight Plan.--No later than February 15 of the
first session of each Congress, the Committee shall adopt its oversight plans
for that Congress in accordance with clause 2(d)(1) of House Rule X.
RULE 3. PROCEDURES IN GENERAL.
(a) Agenda of Meetings; Information for Members.--An agenda of the business to be considered at meetings shall be
delivered to the office of each Member of the Committee no later than 48 hours
before the meeting. This requirement may be waived by a majority vote of the
Committee at the time of the consideration of the measure or matter. To the
extent practicable, a summary of the major provisions of any bill being
considered by the Committee, including the need for the bill and its effect on
current law, will be available for the Members of the Committee no later than
48 hours before the meeting.
(b) Meetings and Hearings to Begin Promptly.--Each meeting
or hearing of the Committee shall begin promptly at the time stipulated in the
public announcement of the meeting or hearing.
(c) Addressing the Committee.--A
Committee Member may address the Committee or a Subcommittee on any bill,
motion, or other matter under consideration or may question a witness at a
hearing only when recognized by the Chairman for that purpose. The time a
Member may address the Committee or Subcommittee for any purpose or to question
a witness shall be limited to five minutes, except as provided in Committee
Rule 4(g). A Member shall limit his remarks to the subject matter under
consideration. The Chairman shall enforce the preceding provision.
(d) Quorums.
(1) A majority of the Members shall constitute a quorum for the reporting of
any measure or recommendation, the authorizing of a subpoena, the closing of
any meeting or hearing to the public under clause 2(g)(1), clause 2(g)(2)(A)
and clause 2(k)(5)(B) of House Rule XI, and the releasing of executive session
materials under clause 2(k)(7) of House Rule X. Testimony and evidence may be
received at any hearing at which there are at least two Members of the
Committee present. For the purpose of transacting all other business of the
Committee, one third of the Members shall constitute a quorum.
(2) When a call of the roll is required to ascertain the presence of a quorum,
the offices of all Members shall be notified and the Members shall have not
less than 15 minutes to prove their attendance. The Chairman shall have the
discretion to waive this requirement when a quorum is actually present or
whenever a quorum is secured and may direct the Chief Clerk to note the names
of all Members present within the 15-minute period.
(e) Participation of Members in Committee and Subcommittees.--All
Members of the Committee may sit with any Subcommittee during any hearing, and
by unanimous consent of the Members of the Subcommittee may participate in any
meeting or hearing. However, a Member who is not a Member of the Subcommittee
may not vote on any matter before the Subcommittee, be counted for purposes of
establishing a quorum or raise points of order.
(f) Proxies.--No vote in the Committee or its
Subcommittees may be cast by proxy.
(g) Record Votes.-Record votes shall be ordered on the
demand of one-fifth of the Members present, or by any Member in the apparent
absence of a quorum.
(h) Postponed Record Votes.
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Chairman may, after consultation with the
Ranking Minority Member, postpone further proceedings when a record vote is
ordered on the question of approving any measure or matter or adopting an
amendment. The Chairman shall resume proceedings on a postponed request at any
time after reasonable notice, but no later than the next meeting day.
(2) Notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous question, when
proceedings resume on a postponed question under paragraph (1), an underlying
proposition shall remain subject to further debate or amendment to the same
extent as when the question was postponed.
(3) This rule shall apply to Subcommittee proceedings.
(i) Privileged Motions.--A motion to recess from day to
day, a motion to recess subject to the call of the Chairman (within 24 hours),
and a motion to dispense with the first reading (in full) of a bill or
resolution if printed copies are available, are nondebatable motions of high
privilege.
(j) Layover and Copy of Bill.--No
measure or recommendation reported by a Subcommittee shall be considered by the
Committee until two calendar days from the time of Subcommittee action. No bill
shall be considered by the Committee unless a copy has been delivered to the
office of each Member of the Committee requesting a copy. These requirements
may be waived by a majority vote of the Committee at the time of consideration
of the measure or recommendation.
(k) Access to Dais and Conference Room.--Access to the
hearing rooms' daises [and to the conference rooms adjacent to the Committee
hearing rooms] shall be limited to Members of Congress and employees of the
Committee during a meeting of the Committee, except that Committee Members'
personal staff may be present on the daises if their employing Member is the
author of a bill or amendment under consideration by the Committee, but only
during the time that the bill or amendment is under active consideration by the
Committee. Access to the conference rooms adjacent to the Committee hearing
rooms shall be limited to Members of Congress and employees of Congress during
a meeting of the Committee.
(l) Cellular Telephones.--The use of cellular telephones
is prohibited on the Committee dais or in the Committee hearing rooms during a
meeting of the Committee.
(m) Motion to go to Conference with the Senate. The Chairman may offer a motion under clause 1 of Rule XXII
whenever the Chairman considers it appropriate.
RULE 4. HEARING PROCEDURES.
(a) Announcement.--The Chairman shall
publicly announce the date, place, and subject matter of any hearing at least
one week before the hearing unless the Chairman, with the concurrence of the
Ranking Minority Member, determines that there is good cause to begin the
hearing sooner, or if the Committee so determines by majority vote. In these
cases, the Chairman shall publicly announce the hearing at the earliest
possible date. The Chief Clerk of the Committee shall promptly notify the Daily
Digest Clerk of the Congressional Record and shall promptly enter the
appropriate information on the Committee's web site as soon as possible after
the public announcement is made.
(b) Written Statement; Oral Testimony.--Each witness who
is to appear before the Committee or a Subcommittee shall file with the Chief
Clerk of the Committee or Subcommittee Clerk, at least two working days before
the day of his or her appearance, a written statement of proposed testimony.
Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the exclusion of the
written testimony from the hearing record and/or the barring of an oral
presentation of the testimony. Each witness shall limit his or her oral
presentation to a five-minute summary of the written statement, unless the
Chairman, in consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, extends this time
period. In addition, all witnesses shall be required to submit with their
testimony a resume or other statement describing their education, employment,
professional affiliations and other background information pertinent to their
testimony.
(c) Minority Witnesses.--When any hearing is conducted by
the Committee or any Subcommittee upon any measure or matter, the Minority
party Members on the Committee or Subcommittee shall be entitled, upon request
to the Chairman by a majority of those Minority Members before the completion
of the hearing, to call witnesses selected by the Minority to testify with
respect to that measure or matter during at least one day of hearings thereon.
(d) Information for Members.--After announcement of a
hearing, the Committee shall make available as soon as practicable to all
Members of the Committee a tentative witness list and to the extent practicable
a memorandum explaining the subject matter of the hearing (including relevant
legislative reports and other necessary material). In addition, the Chairman
shall make available to the Members of the Committee any official reports from
departments and agencies on the subject matter as they are received.
(e) Subpoenas.--The Committee or a
Subcommittee may authorize and issue a subpoena under clause 2(m) of House Rule
XI if authorized by a majority of the Members voting. In addition, the Chairman
of the Committee may authorize and issue subpoenas during any period of time in
which the House of Representatives has adjourned for more than three days.
Subpoenas shall be signed only by the Chairman of the Committee, or any Member
of the Committee authorized by the Committee, and may be served by any person
designated by the Chairman or Member.
(f) Oaths.--The Chairman of the Committee or any Member
designated by the Chairman may administer oaths to any witness before the
Committee. All witnesses appearing in hearings may be administered the
following oath by the Chairman or his designee prior to receiving the
testimony: "Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony that you are
about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help
you God?".
(g) Opening Statements; Questioning of Witnesses.
(1) Opening statements by Members may not be presented
orally, unless the Chairman or his designee makes a statement, in which case
the Ranking Minority Member or his designee may also make a statement. If a
witness scheduled to testify at any hearing of the Committee is a constituent
of a Member of the Committee, that Member shall be entitled to introduce the
witness at the hearing.
(2) The questioning of witnesses in Committee and Subcommittee hearings shall
be initiated by the Chairman, followed by the Ranking Minority Member and all
other Members alternating between the Majority and Minority parties. In
recognizing Members to question witnesses, the Chairman shall take into
consideration the ratio of the Majority to Minority Members present and shall
establish the order of recognition for questioning in a manner so as not to disadvantage
the Members of the Majority or the Members of the Minority. A motion is in
order to allow designated Majority and Minority party Members to question a
witness for a specified period to be equally divided between the Majority and
Minority parties. This period shall not exceed one hour in the aggregate.
(h) Materials for Hearing Record.-Any materials submitted
specifically for inclusion in the hearing record must address the announced
subject matter of the hearing and be submitted to the relevant Subcommittee
Clerk or Chief Clerk no later than 10 business days following the last day of
the hearing.
(i) Claims of Privilege.-Claims of common-law privileges
made by witnesses in hearings, or by interviewees or deponents in
investigations or inquiries, are applicable only at the discretion of the
Chairman, subject to appeal to the Committee.
RULE 5. FILING OF COMMITTEE REPORTS.
(a) Duty of Chairman.--Whenever the
Committee authorizes the favorable reporting of a measure from the Committee,
the Chairman or his designee shall report the same to the House of
Representatives and shall take all steps necessary to secure its passage
without any additional authority needing to be set forth in the motion to
report each individual measure. In appropriate cases, the authority set forth
in this rule shall extend to moving in accordance with the Rules of the House
of Representatives that the House be resolved into the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the measure; and to
moving in accordance with the Rules of the House of Representatives for the
disposition of a Senate measure that is substantially the same as the House
measure as reported.
(b) Filing.--A report on a measure which has been approved
by the Committee shall be filed within seven calendar days (exclusive of days
on which the House of Representatives is not in session) after the day on which
there has been filed with the Committee Chief Clerk a written request, signed
by a majority of the Members of the Committee, for the reporting of that
measure. Upon the filing with the Committee Chief Clerk of this request, the
Chief Clerk shall transmit immediately to the Chairman notice of the filing of
that request.
(c) Supplemental, Additional or Minority Views.--Any
Member may, if notice is given at the time a bill or resolution is approved by
the Committee, file supplemental, additional, or minority views. These views
must be in writing and signed by each Member joining therein and be filed with the
Committee Chief Clerk not less than two additional calendar days (excluding
Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays except when the House is in session on
those days) of the time the bill or resolution is approved by the Committee.
This paragraph shall not preclude the filing of any supplemental report on any
bill or resolution that may be required for the correction of any technical
error in a previous report made by the Committee on that bill or resolution.
(d) Review by Members.--Each Member of the Committee shall
be given an opportunity to review each proposed Committee report before it is
filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Nothing in this paragraph
extends the time allowed for filing supplemental, additional or minority views
under paragraph (c).
(e) Disclaimer.--All Committee or
Subcommittee reports printed and not approved by a majority vote of the
Committee or Subcommittee, as appropriate, shall contain the following
disclaimer on the cover of the report: "This report has not been
officially adopted by the {Committee on Natural Resources} {Subcommittee} and
may not therefore necessarily reflect the views of its Members.".
RULE 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF SUBCOMMITTEES; FULL COMMITTEE
JURISDICTION; BILL REFERRALS.
(a) Subcommittees.--There shall be five
standing Subcommittees of the Committee, with the following jurisdiction and
responsibilities:
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public
Lands
(1) Measures and matters related to the National Park System and its units,
including Federal reserved water rights.
(2) The National Wilderness Preservation System.
(3) Wild and Scenic Rivers System, National Trails System, national heritage
areas and other national units established for protection, conservation, preservation
or recreational development, other than coastal barriers.
(4) Military parks and battlefields, national cemeteries administered by the
Secretary of the Interior, parks in and within the vicinity of the District of
Columbia and the erection of monuments to the memory of individuals.
(5) Federal outdoor recreation plans, programs and administration including the
Land and Water Conservation Fund.
(6) Plans and programs concerning non-Federal outdoor recreation and land use,
including related plans and programs authorized by the Land and Water
Conservation Fund Act of 1965 and the Outdoor Recreation Act of 1963.
(7) Preservation of prehistoric ruins and objects of interest on the public
domain and other historic preservation programs and activities, including
national monuments, historic sites and programs for international cooperation
in the field of historic preservation.
(8) Matters concerning the following agencies and programs: Urban Parks and
Recreation Recovery Program, Historic American Buildings Survey, Historic
American Engineering Record, and U.S. Holocaust Memorial.
(9) Public lands generally, including measures or matters relating to entry,
easements, withdrawals, grazing and Federal reserved water rights.
(10) Forfeiture of land grants and alien ownership, including alien ownership
of mineral lands.
(11) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international
programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural
resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
(12) Forest reservations, including management thereof, created from the public
domain.
(13) Public forest lands generally, including measures or matters related to
entry, easements, withdrawals, grazing and Federal reserved water rights.
(14) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over
activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans
(1) Fisheries management and fisheries research generally, including the
management of all commercial and recreational fisheries, the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, interjurisdictional fisheries,
international fisheries agreements, aquaculture, seafood safety and fisheries
promotion.
(2) Wildlife resources, including research, restoration, refuges and
conservation.
(3) All matters pertaining to the protection of coastal and marine
environments, including estuarine protection.
(4) Coastal barriers.
(5) Oceanography.
(6) Ocean engineering, including materials, technology and systems.
(7) Coastal zone management.
(8) Marine sanctuaries.
(9) U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.
(10) Sea Grant programs and marine extension services.
(11) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international
programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural
resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
(12) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over
activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
Subcommittee on Water and Power
(1) Generation and marketing of electric power from Federal water projects by
Federally chartered or Federal regional power marketing authorities.
(2) All measures and matters concerning water resources planning conducted
pursuant to the Water Resources Planning Act, water resource research and
development programs and saline water research and development.
(3) Compacts relating to the use and apportionment of interstate waters, water
rights and major interbasin water or power movement programs.
(4) All measures and matters pertaining to irrigation and reclamation projects
and other water resources development and recycling programs, including
policies and procedures.
(5) Indian water rights and settlements.
(6) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international
programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural
resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
(7) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over
activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
(1) All measures and matters concerning the U.S. Geological Survey, except for
the activities and programs of the Water Resources Division or its successor.
(2) All measures and matters affecting geothermal resources.
(3) Conservation of United States uranium supply.
(4) Mining interests generally, including all matters involving mining
regulation and enforcement, including the reclamation of mined lands, the
environmental effects of mining, and the management of mineral receipts,
mineral land laws and claims, long-range mineral programs and deep seabed
mining.
(5) Mining schools, experimental stations and long-range mineral programs.
(6) Mineral resources on public lands.
(7) Conservation and development of oil and gas resources of the Outer
Continental Shelf.
(8) Petroleum conservation on the public lands and conservation of the
radium supply in the United States.
(9) Measures and matters concerning the transportation of natural gas from or
within Alaska and disposition of oil transported by the trans-Alaska oil
pipeline.
(10) Rights of way over public lands for underground energy-related
transportation.
(11) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international
programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural
resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
(12) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over
activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
Subcommittee on Insular Affairs
(1) All matters regarding insular areas of the United
States.
(2) All measures or matters regarding the Freely Associated States and
Antarctica.
(3) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international
programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural
resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the
Subcommittee.
(4) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over
activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
(b) Full Committee.--The Full Committee shall have the
following jurisdiction and responsibilities:
(1) Environmental and habitat measures of general applicability.
(2) Measures relating to the welfare of Native Americans, including management
of Indian lands in general and special measures relating to claims which are
paid out of Indian funds.
(3) All matters regarding the relations of the United States with Native
Americans and Native American tribes, including special oversight functions
under Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
(4) All matters regarding Native Alaskans and Native Hawaiians.
(5) All matters related to the Federal trust responsibility to Native Americans
and the sovereignty of Native Americans.
(6) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international
programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural
resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Full Committee under this
paragraph.
(7) All measures and matters retained by the Full Committee, including those
retained under Committee Rule 6(e).
(8) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over
activities, policies and programs within the
jurisdiction of the Committee under House Rule X.
(c) Ex-officio Members.--The Chairman and Ranking Minority
Member of the Committee may serve as ex-officio Members of each standing
Subcommittee to which the Chairman or the Ranking Minority Member have not been
assigned. Ex-officio Members shall have the right to fully participate in
Subcommittee activities but may not vote and may not be counted in
establishing a quorum.
(d) Powers and Duties of Subcommittees.--Each
Subcommittee is authorized to meet, hold hearings, receive evidence and report
to the Committee on all matters within its jurisdiction. Each Subcommittee
shall review and study, on a continuing basis, the application, administration,
execution and effectiveness of those statutes, or parts of statutes, the
subject matter of which is within that Subcommittee's jurisdiction; and the
organization, operation, and regulations of any Federal agency or entity
having responsibilities in or for the administration of such statutes, to
determine whether these statutes are being implemented and carried out in
accordance with the intent of Congress. Each Subcommittee shall review and
study any conditions or circumstances indicating the need of enacting new or
supplemental legislation within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee. Each
Subcommittee shall have general and continuing oversight and investigative
authority over activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the
Subcommittee.
(e) Referral to Subcommittees; Recall.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) and for those matters within the
jurisdiction of the Full Committee, every legislative measure or other matter
referred to the Committee shall be referred to the Subcommittee of
jurisdiction within two weeks of the date of its referral to the Committee. If
any measure or matter is within or affects the jurisdiction of one or more
Subcommittees, the Chairman may refer that measure or matter simultaneously to
two or more Subcommittees for concurrent consideration or for consideration in
sequence subject to appropriate time limits, or divide the matter into two or
more parts and refer each part to a Subcommittee.
(2) The Chairman, with the approval of a majority of the Majority Members of
the Committee, may refer a legislative measure or other matter to a select or
special Subcommittee. A legislative measure or other matter referred by the
Chairman to a Subcommittee may be recalled from the Subcommittee for direct
consideration by the Full Committee, or for referral to another Subcommittee,
provided Members of the Committee receive one week written notice of the recall
and a majority of the Members of the Committee do not object. In addition, a
legislative measure or other matter referred by the Chairman to a Subcommittee
may be recalled from the Subcommittee at any time by majority vote of the
Committee for direct consideration by the Full Committee or for referral to
another Subcommittee.
(f) Consultation.--Each Subcommittee Chairman shall
consult with the Chairman of the Full Committee prior to setting dates for
Subcommittee meetings with a view towards avoiding whenever possible
conflicting Committee and Subcommittee meetings.
(g) Vacancy.--A vacancy in the
membership of a Subcommittee shall not affect the power of the remaining
Members to execute the functions of the Subcommittee.
RULE 7. TASK FORCES, SPECIAL OR SELECT SUBCOMMITTEES.
(a) Appointment.--The Chairman of the
Committee is authorized, after consultation with the Ranking Minority Member,
to appoint Task Forces, or special or select Subcommittees, to carry out the
duties and functions of the Committee.
(b) Ex-Officio Members.--The Chairman and Ranking Minority
Member of the Committee may serve as ex-officio Members of each Task Force, or
special or select Subcommittee if they are not otherwise members. Ex-officio
Members shall have the right to fully participate in activities but may not
vote and may not be counted in establishing a quorum.
(c) Party Ratios.--The ratio of Majority Members to Minority
Members, excluding ex-officio Members, on each Task Force, special or select
Subcommittee shall be as close as practicable to the ratio on the Full
Committee.
(d) Temporary Resignation.--A Member can temporarily
resign his or her position on a Subcommittee to serve on a Task Force, special
or select Subcommittee without prejudice to the Member's seniority on the
Subcommittee.
(e) Chairman and Ranking Minority Member.--The Chairman of
any Task Force, or special or select Subcommittee shall be appointed by the
Chairman of the Committee. The Ranking Minority Member shall select a Ranking
Minority Member for each Task Force, or standing, special or select
Subcommittee.
RULE 8. RECOMMENDATION OF CONFEREES.
Whenever it becomes necessary to appoint conferees on a
particular measure, the Chairman shall recommend to the Speaker as conferees
those Majority Members, as well as those Minority Members recommended to the
Chairman by the Ranking Minority Member, primarily responsible for the measure.
The ratio of Majority Members to Minority Members recommended for conferences
shall be no greater than the ratio on the Committee.
RULE 9. COMMITTEE RECORDS.
(a) Segregation of Records.--All
Committee records shall be kept separate and distinct from the office records
of individual Committee Members serving as Chairmen or Ranking Minority
Members. These records shall be the property of the House and all Members shall
have access to them in accordance with clause 2(e)(2) of House Rule XI.
(b) Availability.--The Committee shall make available to
the public for review at reasonable times in the Committee office the following
records:
(1) transcripts of public meetings and hearings, except those that are
unrevised or unedited and intended solely for the use of the Committee; and
(2) the result of each rollcall vote taken in the Committee, including a
description of the amendment, motion, order or other proposition voted on, the
name of each Committee Member voting for or against a proposition, and the name
of each Member present but not voting.
(c) Archived Records.--Records of the Committee which are
deposited with the National Archives shall be made available for public use
pursuant to House Rule VII. The Chairman of the Committee shall notify the
Ranking Minority Member of any decision, pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) or clause
4(b) of House Rule VII, to withhold, or to provide a time, schedule or
condition for availability of any record otherwise available. At the written
request of any Member of the Committee, the matter shall be presented to the
Committee for a determination and shall be subject to the same notice and
quorum requirements for the conduct of business under Committee Rule 3.
(d) Records of Closed Meetings.--Notwithstanding the other
provisions of this rule, no records of Committee meetings or hearings which
were closed to the public pursuant to the Rules of the House of Representatives
shall be released to the public unless the Committee votes to release those
records in accordance with the procedure used to close the Committee meeting.
(e) Classified Materials.--All classified materials shall
be maintained in an appropriately secured location and shall be released only
to authorized persons for review, who shall not remove the material from the
Committee offices without the written permission of the Chairman.
RULE 10. COMMITTEE BUDGET AND EXPENSES.
(a) Budget.--At the beginning of each
Congress, after consultation with the Chairman of each Subcommittee and the
Ranking Minority Member, the Chairman shall present to the Committee for its
approval a budget covering the funding required for staff, travel, and
miscellaneous expenses.
(b) Expense Resolution.-Upon approval by the Committee of
each budget, the Chairman, acting pursuant to clause 6 of House Rule X, shall
prepare and introduce in the House a supporting expense resolution, and take
all action necessary to bring about its approval by the Committee on House
Administration and by the House of Representatives.
(c) Amendments.--The Chairman shall report to the
Committee any amendments to each expense resolution and any related changes in
the budget.
(d) Additional Expenses.--Authorization for the payment of
additional or unforeseen Committee expenses may be procured by one or more
additional expense resolutions processed in the same manner as set out under
this rule.
(e) Monthly Reports.--Copies of each monthly report,
prepared by the Chairman for the Committee on House Administration, which shows
expenditures made during the reporting period and cumulative for the year,
anticipated expenditures for the projected Committee program, and detailed
information on travel, shall be available to each Member.
RULE 11. COMMITTEE STAFF.
(a) Rules and Policies.--Committee
staff members are subject to the provisions of clause 9 of House Rule X, as
well as any written personnel policies the Committee may from time to time
adopt.
(b) Majority and Nonpartisan Staff.--The Chairman shall
appoint, determine the remuneration of, and may remove, the legislative and
administrative employees of the Committee not assigned to the Minority. The
legislative and administrative staff of the Committee not assigned to the
Minority shall be under the general supervision and direction of the Chairman,
who shall establish and assign the duties and responsibilities of these staff
members and delegate any authority he determines appropriate.
(c) Minority Staff.--The Ranking Minority Member of the
Committee shall appoint, determine the remuneration of, and may remove, the
legislative and administrative staff assigned to the Minority within the budget
approved for those purposes. The legislative and administrative staff assigned
to the Minority shall be under the general supervision and direction of the
Ranking Minority Member of the Committee who may delegate any authority he
determines appropriate.
(d) Availability.--The skills and services of all
Committee staff shall be available to all Members of the Committee.
RULE 12. COMMITTEE TRAVEL.
In addition to any written travel policies the Committee may
from time to time adopt, all travel of Members and staff of the Committee or
its Subcommittees, to hearings, meetings, conferences and investigations,
including all foreign travel, must be authorized by the Full Committee Chairman
prior to any public notice of the travel and prior to the actual travel. In the
case of Minority staff, all travel shall first be approved by the Ranking
Minority Member. Funds authorized for the Committee under clauses 6 and 7 of
House Rule X are for expenses incurred in the Committee's activities within the
United States.
RULE 13. CHANGES TO COMMITTEE RULES.
The rules of the Committee may be modified, amended, or
repealed, by a majority vote of the Committee, provided that 48 hours' written
notice of the proposed change has been provided each Member of the Committee
prior to the meeting date on which the changes are to be discussed and voted
on. A change to the rules of the Committee shall be published in the
Congressional Record no later than 30 days after its approval.
RULE 14. OTHER PROCEDURES.
The Chairman may establish procedures and take actions as
may be necessary to carry out the rules of the Committee or to facilitate the
effective administration of the Committee, in accordance with the rules of the
Committee and the Rules of the House of Representatives.
Oversight Plan for the Committee on Natural Resources U.S.
House of Representatives, 110th Congress
Under House of Representatives Rule
X, clause 2, each standing committee
of the House has general oversight responsibilities to determine whether laws
and programs addressing subjects within its jurisdiction are being implemented
in accordance with the intent of Congress and to determine whether they should
be continued, curtailed or eliminated.
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Budget Overview: The Committee will review the President's budget
request for programs and activities related to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and
other Department of the Interior agencies with tribal-related programs.
Reorganization of Bureau of Indian
Affairs (BIA): The Department of the Interior (DOI) has moved
several programs and millions of dollars out of the BIA and into the Office of
Special Trustee (OST). The Office of Special Trustee was established by the
American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994 to oversee trust fund
management reform throughout the DOI. The Committee will conduct a series of
hearings on the effect this expansion of OST has had on Indian tribes,
including resource and trust management, trust fund management, appraisals, and
probate.
Homeland Security:
Twenty-five Indian tribes govern over 260 miles of land that is either adjacent
to, or directly accessible, by boat, to international borders. In addition,
tribal lands are home to several potential terrorist targets such as dams, hydroelectric
systems, and oil and gas pipelines, but Indian tribes have been excluded from
receiving direct funding under the Homeland Security Act. The Committee will
conduct a hearing on the efforts of Indian tribes to protect the US/tribal
borders with little or no federal help. The Committee will explore the effects
of placing this responsibility on Indian tribes, while providing few resources
or assistance. The Tohono O'Odham reservation in Arizona
shares 75 miles of border with Mexico
and is a prime location from which to investigate the issue.
Economic Development Non-Gaming:
Congress has spent a great deal of time looking into issues of Indian gaming
enterprises over the last several years, but has devoted little attention to
all other forms of economic development in Indian country. The Committee will
look into what is needed to spur development on Indian reservations. This
endeavor will extend in several directions including: the need for
infrastructure conducive to development; established tribal plans, tribal laws
and regulations relating to business operations and possible environmental
effects; incentives that would encourage businesses to locate on Indian
reservations; effective tribal court systems; and increased access for tribes
to financial capital seed money. In short, the Committee will examine is needed
to ensure strong, stable tribal government structures that are prepared to
operate business development and foster relationships with outside businesses
for the betterment of all involved.
Cultural and Sacred Land
Protection: The Committee will continue its efforts to protect
Native American cultural and sacred lands. Each year sites that are integral to
the practice of Native American religions are defaced or destroyed. There is no
comprehensive policy or law to prevent this destruction. Consultation with
Indian tribes over encroachment of sacred lands by federal agencies is tenuous
at best. Each new administration that comes to power is able to strengthen or
weaken the protections that do exist. Over the last six years, numerous sites
that had been placed under federal protection by the Clinton Administration
have been leased for mining or opened to other destructive activities.
Oversight would include exploring the rights of tribes to collect needed
berries, fruits, and fauna, as well as special access to eagles if needed.
Protection of and access to cultural and sacred sites must be provided while,
at the same time, honoring the mores of Indian religions.
Law Enforcement and Personal Safety
Issues: Tribal governments are the primary law enforcement
agents and emergency responders for over 56 million acres, or 2%, of the United States.
With staggering rates of unemployment (over 80% on some reservations),
devastating poverty, and underfunded police and rescue agencies, many Indian
reservations are prime targets for crime. The Committee will conduct hearings
to explore the funding shortages that cause some tribal police forces to
severely restrict activities part way through the fiscal year. In addition, the
issue of gangs on reservations and how to address the violence they bring must
be considered. Over the last several years, the influx of methamphetamine to
Indian reservations has become a major problem on some reservations. Oftentimes
the drug dealers are aliens or non Indians who have found the undeveloped
Indian lands as a safe haven from which to peddle their poison.
Detention Centers: The
Committee will examine the status of detention facilities throughout Indian
Country. In September of 2004, the DOI Office of Inspector General (IG)
released a report entitled, Neither Safe
nor Secure - an Assessment of Indian Detention Facilities. This
report found longstanding neglect and BIA indifference toward safety and
security concerns at the detention centers. Almost all facilities were found to
be operating below minimum staffing levels. All aspects -- from funding, to
staffing, to maintenance, to training, to record-keeping -- were found wanting.
The IG report stated, "BIA's detention program is riddled with problems and, in
our opinion, is a national disgrace with many facilities having conditions
comparable to those found in third-world countries. In short, our assessment
found evidence of a continuing crisis of inaction, indifference, and
mismanagement throughout the BIA detention program." It is anticipated that
oversight activities will also include a review of the response of BIA to the
report, including what, if any, improvements have been made since 2004.
Tribal Courts and Jurisdiction:
The Committee will undertake an assessment and oversight of tribal court
systems will be undertaken by the Committee. Indian tribal courts across the
country operate with various degrees of competency and support. Strengthening
tribal court systems and clarifying court jurisdiction is paramount to the
operation of strong tribal governments and vibrant, self-sufficient Indian
economies. Unfortunately, for decades there has existed a lack of clarity
regarding the jurisdiction of tribal courts that is impeding the delivery of
justice to Indian communities. For example, according to the National Congress
of American Indians, one in every three American Indian or Alaska Native women
will be raped during their lifetime. Nine out of ten of those rapes will be
perpetrated by a non Indian. But prosecuting these cases is unfairly
complicated by the fact that Tribal courts do not have jurisdiction over non
Indians.
Youth Issues: The
Committee will hold an oversight hearing on issues faced by Indian youths and
steps which can be taken to address those challenges. Indian youth are very
often faced with violence, drugs, poverty and unhealthy lifestyles that are
anathema to their cultural beliefs. Oversight will include finding ways to
empower Indian youth and teenagers to turn against the negative and turn toward
healthy living through strong cultural identity.
Native Hawaiians: The
Committee will oversee the trust responsibility that the federal government
established under the Hawaii Statehood Act. This will include enactment of the
Hawaiian Homelands Act, the distribution of Hawaiian homelands and status of
infrastructure on the lands. It will also include examining the need for
legislation to establish a process through which the Native Hawaiian government
could reorganize.
Rights of Way: The
Department of the Interior is expected to release a Congressionally mandated
report in March 2007 on what authority Indian tribes should have over utility
rights-of-way that cross Indian lands. The Committee will conduct a hearing on
the findings of that report. The hearing will include an Administration witness
to explain the process used to compile the report and conclusions, as well as
representatives of Indian tribes with rights-of-way issues. Depending on the results
of the expected report, the Committee will also explore alternatives for
Congressional action.
Environmental Safety:
One of every three homes in Indian Country does not have adequate solid waste
disposal systems. Lack of such systems results in open and illegal dumps
throughout Indian lands. The Committee will review health and safety effects
that open dumping has had on Indians near these sites. The Committee search for
new ways to address this growing problem and to dramatically increase the construction
of sanitation facilities.
INSULAR AFFAIRS
Budget Overview: The Committee will oversee that portion of the
President's budget which relates to the insular areas of the United States,
including five principal U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern
Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and three freely
associated states (Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, and Republic of Palau).
Regulation Reform: The
Committee will review the need for, and advisability of, reducing or enhancing
those federal rules and regulations falling within its jurisdiction which
relate to the insular areas of the United States.
Normalizing Immigration and Border
Security: The Committee recognizes that U.S., territories are also U.S. borders and that certain U.S. territories are viewed as more strategic
and vital to the defense of the U.S.
because of their locations. Two U.S.
territories ( American Samoa and the Northern
Mariana Islands) have been allowed local control over immigration policy by
Congress, and are, therefore, exempt from U.S., immigration law. The
Committee is aware that, in the case of the Northern Mariana Islands, local
control over immigration policy has resulted in a population imbalance between residents
and non-residents (2000 Census Bureau estimates about 55% of the nearly 70,000
population as non-residents primarily from Asia).
In stark contrast, Census Bureau 2000 estimates for Asian non-residents in
American Samoa is no more than 3% out of a total population of 57,000 (the
majority of American Samoa's non-resident workforce comes from the neighboring
and culturally aligned islands of the Independent State of Samoa). The
Committee will review and make recommendations to normalize immigration and
protect sensitive U.S.
territorial borders.
Puerto Rico Self-Determination:
The Committee will examine proposals to resolve Puerto
Rico's political status. In April 2006, the Committee convened an
Oversight Hearing on The Report by the
President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Political Status (Report)
released by the White House in December 2005. During the 109 th Congress, two
legislative proposals -- one to implement the recommendations made by the
Report and the other to authorize the calling of a constitutional convention
through the election of delegates -- were referred to the Committee and
received no further action.
General Oversight: The
Committee expects to review fundamental issues facing each of the territories
and the freely associated states. Some of these issues have recently been
researched by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in two December
2006 reports: Compacts of Free Association
- Micronesia and the Marshall Islands Face Challenges in Planning for
Sustainability, Measuring Progress; and Ensuring Accountability and U.S. Insular Areas - Economic, Fiscal, and Financial Accountability
Challenges.
Compacts of Free Association: The
Committee will exercise its oversight authority of funding and program
assistance to the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of
Micronesia; in accordance with the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act
of 2003 (P.L. 108-188). Additionally, Public Law 99-658, which established the
free association relationship between the United
States and the Republic
of Palau, contemplates a
review of the terms and related agreements of the Compact in the fifteenth year
of the political relationship. The Committee intends to oversee any formal
negotiations leading up to the fifteenth anniversary between the United States and the Republic of Palau.
ENERGY AND MINERALS
Budget
Oversight: The Committee
oversees energy and minerals related programs within the U.S. Geological
Survey, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Minerals
Management Service, Bureau of Land Management and the minerals and geology
program of the Forest Service. The Committee will closely examine the budgets
and programs of these agencies.
Federal Oil and Natural Gas Royalty
Program: The Committee will perform rigorous and comprehensive
oversight of the federal onshore and offshore oil and natural gas royalty
program managed by the Minerals Management Service. About one-quarter of U.S. oil and
gas production takes place on federal lands or in federal waters in the Outer
Continental Shelf. In Fiscal Year 2005, the U.S. collected approximately $10
billion in royalty payments from federal onshore and offshore oil and gas
leases. However, a series of reports and investigations conducted by the
Interior Department's Inspector General (IG), the Government Accountability
Office(GAO) and by the media paint a picture of gross mismanagement of the
royalty compliance and collection program, including under- reporting of
royalty payments, inadequate auditing, and outright fraud. In particular, the
Committee will focus on:
(1) Deepwater Oil and Gas Royalty Relief Act of 1995 - Under this law, leases
in the Gulf of Mexico issued during 1998-1999 are considered flawed because
they allowed waivers of royalty payments even when energy prices are high.
Potential losses from threshold provisions that were erroneously omitted from
the leases are estimated by the GAO to total $10 billion, largely from
production that has not yet occurred.
(2) Royalty Audit and
Inspection - In response to bipartisan criticism of the MMS audit program,
which was losing between $200 million and $500 million annually due to theft
and royalty underpayments by federal lessees, Congress enacted the Federal Oil
and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (FOGRMA), a law that reformed the system
for collecting royalties for oil and gas produced on federal lands and
tightened the government's grip on hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue
previously lost or stolen. In 1996, the Republican Majority enacted, over
Democratic objections, the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Simplification and
Fairness Act of 1996 (FRSSA), which has made it more difficult for the MMS to
aggressively audit and collect federal oil and gas royalties and other monies
owed the United States. According to a recent Interior Department IG report,
MMS is now auditing less than 10% of lessees -- completely reversing the gains
made as a result of the 1982 FOGRMA. In addition, there have been several
highly critical GAO, IG and media reports on the consistent under-performance
of the MMS audit and its enforcement functions.
(3) Oil and Gas
Royalty Rates - The Committee will review results of an ongoing GAO study into
royalty rates (requested by Senator Bingaman and Chairman Rahall) that is expected
to find that States generally charge higher royalty rates than the federal
government. In addition, industry analysts estimate that the U.S.,
"government take'' on oil and gas is lower than most other countries in
the world. According to this work, the U.S. "take" -- royalties
and taxes, etc. -- is about 40%. The worldwide average is about 60-65%, and
many countries have been demanding a bigger slice in recent years. The U.S., by
contrast, has actually decreased its slice through additional royalty relief
and tax breaks.
(4) Necessity of
Royalty Relief - A 2005 Minerals Management Service report found that royalty
relief provides only a marginal benefit increasing production by only 1.8%,
while, in exchange, the U.S. loses, on average, 10% of royalty revenue -- or
$40 billion over 40 years. The Committee will review the efficacy of royalty
relief. Additionally, the Committee will review the various royalty relief"
provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), including enhanced relief
for deep water leases in the Gulf of Mexico, new relief for "marginal wells,"
and new provisions added for deep drilling on previously issued "shallow" water
gas leases in the Gulf and for future leases in the Alaska OCS. By waiving
federal royalty collections on huge amounts of publicly owned oil and gas, the
bill constitutes a significant taxpayer subsidy that deserves Congressional
scrutiny.
(5) Royalty In-Kind
(RIK) - In June 2000 the Department of Interior implemented a final rule that
should have resulted in an additional $70 being collected annually in royalty
payments from companies drilling oil on federal and Indian lands. The rule came
after years of public debate and litigation that forced the industry to settle
several royalty underpayment lawsuits with the Justice Department for $425
million. During the oil rule battle, the industry began to promote "RIK" or
"royalty-in-kind" through which companies pay royalties in the form of oil or
gas instead of the more traditional cash payments. Despite Congressional concerns,
MMS undertook a pilot RIK program and over the years continued to expand the
RIK program until 2005, when Congress made the program permanent as part of the
EPAct. This action ignored a series of reports and investigations, including
one in 1998 by GAO, requested by Chairman Rahall, that concluded the RIK
program was unlikely to succeed. It projected losses of $140 million to $367
million annually if the program were taken nationwide. Finally, on December 30,
2006, The New York Times reported,
and the Committee has confirmed, that the head of the RIK program and 3
subordinates have been transferred out of the RIK program pending completion of
a criminal investigation by the Department's Inspector General into potential
widespread wrongdoing in the program. The Committee will closely investigate
the management of this program.
Reform of the 1872 Mining Law:
The Mining Law of 1872 is a relic of 19 th century land laws that is greatly in
need of reform and revision to bring it in line with modern-day land use and
hard rock mining practices. Under this law, valuable hardrock minerals such as
gold, silver, and copper are mined on public domain lands in the western states
without the payment of a royalty. Further, these lands can be patented (fee
simple title) by holders of mining claims for $2.50 or $5.00 an acre, depending
on the type of claim (an annual appropriations bill provision has temporarily
halted this practice). The Committee will conduct a full range of hearings and
field inspections with the intention of reporting reform legislation to the
House, including, but not limited to:
(1) No Royalty or Production Fee - As noted, the General Mining Law contains no
provision for royalty payments or production fees on hard rock minerals extracted
from the public domain. According to the non-profit organization, Earthworks,
since 1872, more than $245 billion in metals and minerals has been extracted
without payment to the American taxpayers, while the coal, oil and gas
industries paid $35 billion between 1994 and 2001 alone.
(2) Patchwork
Environmental Protection - The lack of environmental standards in the 1872
Mining Law also poses serious threats to lakes, rivers, streams and drinking
water in the west. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates hardrock
mining as the nation's top toxic polluter -- based on pollution levels reported
by the industry itself. The inherently destructive nature of modern hardrock
mining is exacerbated by the patchwork of federal and state mining and reclamation
standards that exist today. The Committee will review the laws and regulations
governing the environmental impacts of hardrock mining.
(3) Adequacy of
Bonding and Abandoned Hard Rock Mines - The Committee will review recent
hardrock mine bankruptcies and the adequacy of reclamation bonds associated
with those mine operations. A 2003 state-sponsored report, "Nevada Mining
Bonding Task Force Report", indicates that the problem of abandoned mines
is not limited to old, historic mines. All of these late-20th century mines
declared bankruptcy in the late 1990s, raising questions about the sufficiency
of performance bonds to reclaim these sites after those modern mines went out
of business.
(4) Uranium Mining -
Hardrock mineral claims on western public lands have increased almost 50% in
the past four years, in large part because a resurgence in nuclear power has
led to a renewed interest in uranium exploration. A recent review of BLM
records found that the number of metal mining claims jumped from 220,000 at the
end of 2002 to almost 325,000 in 2006. In Colorado,
Utah, Wyoming,
and New Mexico,
the total claims rose from just over 2,000 in 2001 to about 18,000 in 2005. In Arizona, a Canadian mining corporation has filed 616
claims, many within a few miles of the Grand Canyon's
north rim.
Implementation of Energy Policy Act of
2005 (EPAct): The Committee will conduct oversight into a
number of implementation issues related to the Energy Policy Act of 2005,
including:
(1) Availability of Oil and Gas Resources - Section 364 of the EPAct required
BLM to review and update an earlier 2003 report on domestic oil and gas
resources and impediments to development. The new study expanded the review to
include 6 additional areas: Northern Alaska (the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 1002 area
only; the Wyoming Thrust Belt; the Denver,
Appalachian, and Black Warrior Basins;
and the Florida Peninsula. The new study found that, in
the inventory areas, 51% of the oil and 27 % of the gas are presently closed to
leasing. The Committee will review the findings of the report to determine
their accuracy and reliability.
(2) Energy Corridors
- Under section 368 of the EPAct, several federal agencies undertook a process
to identify energy corridors in the Western United States
for oil, gas, and hydrogen pipelines, and electricity transmission and
distribution facilities on federal lands. The proposed corridors are two-thirds
of a mile wide and cross through, or are adjacent to, numerous specially
protected areas of federal public lands. The designation of energy corridors
for eleven Western States will be completed by August of 2007 and will be
followed by a designation process for the Eastern States, Alaska, and Hawaii in August of
2009. The designation of energy corridors has the potential to impact thousands
of Americans. Moreover, because it will affect our nation's treasured natural,
cultural, and historical resources, it is essential that, through this process,
Congress ensure that the Administration take special care and use diligence in
determining the location of corridors.
(3) Alternative
Renewable Energy OCS Projects - Also as a result of the EPAct, the MMS now has
lead authority for renewable energy projects -- such as wave, wind, or solar
energy on offshore lands -- and other projects that make alternative use of
existing oil and natural gas platforms. MMS issued regulations for carrying out
its new authority in May 2006. The Act also directed that the coastal States
will share in 27% of the revenues generated from alternative energy activities
within the area extending three nautical miles seaward of a State's submerged
lands. MMS has established a formula for sharing this revenue among coastal
states within 15 miles of a renewable energy project.
(4) Split-Estate Lands
and Energy Development - As required by Section 1835 of the EPAct, the DOI has
reviewed and issued a report in December 2006 on the policies and practices of
federal subsurface oil and gas development activities and their effects on the
privately owned surface --known as split estate lands. In split-estate
situations, mineral rights dominate, or take precedence over, other rights
associated with the property, including those associated with owning the
surface, which causes to tensions between surface and subsurface owners,
particularly in the West. Congress directed BLM to consult with the public in
preparing this report; BLM held listening sessions in four Western States
and the District of Columbia.
More than 360 people attended the listening sessions, and 102 speakers offered
comments to the panel. As a result, BLM has come up with 13 recommendations for
outreach, policy, and regulatory action, all of which, according to BLM, are
under its authority to implement and will not require legislative action.
Oil Shale R & D Program:
In November 2006, the Bush administration authorized oil-shale leases for five
sites on public land in western Colorado,
the first leases since the shale bust of the 1980s wrenched the region's
economy. The approval was for relatively small-scale "research and
development" leases, but it was the government's biggest endorsement yet
of oil shale, a vast petroleum resource with a checkered past.
Environmentalists say the impact on wildlife and water quality has not been
sufficiently taken into account. Additionally, the BLM has ignored concerns
about potential impacts as expressed not only by conservationists, but by the
State of Colorado and the White River National Forest,
as well. Further, USGS noted in its comments that potential impacts to
groundwater resources need to be addressed, a concern which , may have been
ignored by the BLM.
Multiple Use Mandate and Energy
Development: The Committee will perform necessary oversight
into the way BLM has allowed its oil and gas program to dominate other public
land uses to the detriment of BLM's other management responsibilities. As an
example, a section of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), directed BLM to
increase staff sizes in seven regional offices in the Rockies
to handle the explosive increase in applications to drill on federal land. The
pilot program, designed to facilitate the oil and gas industry's acquisition of
federal permits, has drawn sharp criticism from Western residents. Additionally,
the Bush Administration is putting plans in place to approve more than 118,000
new gas and oil wells on public lands in Utah,
Wyoming, New Mexico,
Colorado, and Montana
over the next two decades, which is nearly double the current total number of
producing wells on public lands throughout the Rocky
Mountains.
Regulation of Coal Ash Placement:
EPA is promulgating regulations to govern the disposal of coal combustion waste
in landfills, surface impoundments, and mines. This is critical in view of the
growing body of data that indicates increasing threats to health and the
environment from unregulated disposal of coal combustion waste. The question of
coal waste management, whether regulated by EPA or the Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, will be reviewed by the Committee.
Abandoned Mined Coal Lands: The
Committee will perform oversight on the 2006 Reauthorization of the Abandoned
Mines Lands Program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of
1977.
National Geologic Mapping
Reauthorization: A legislative proposal to amend the National
Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 to extend deadlines for development of a five-year
strategic plan for the geologic mapping program and for appointment of the
advisory committee was passed by both Chambers during the 109 th Congress,
although not enacted into law. The Committee will reconsider and move the
reauthorization of this valuable program.
FISHERIES, WILDLIFE AND OCEANS
Department of
Commerce - National Marine Fisheries Service:
Budget
Oversight: The Committee will
review the President's budget request relevant programs and activities of the
National Marine Fisheries Service.
Recommendations of the Joint Ocean
Commissions Initiative (JOCI): In 2003 and 2004, two major,
national, bipartisan commissions - - the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy
(established by federal law) and the Pew Oceans Commission - - released reports
making recommendations for improving federal policies related to the management
and conservation of fisheries, other ocean resources, and the marine
environment generally. In late 2004, the two commissions formed one entity, the
Joint Ocean Commissions Initiative, to pursue these recommendations. The
Committee will hold hearings on JOCI's findings and recommendations, prior to
considering legislation implementing appropriate recommendations.
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA):
Marine mammals are protected under the MMPA. With few exceptions, the law
prohibits harm or harassment of marine mammals without a permit. The authorization
for appropriations expired on September 30, 1999. The Committee expects to hold
hearings on implementation and enforcement of the MMPA, with the goal of
updating and reauthorizing the Act.
Implementation of 2006 Amendments to
the Magnuson Act: In 2006, the Congress reauthorized the
Magnuson Act, adopting the first substantive changes to the law in more than a
decade. These changes will require federal agencies and regional fishery
management councils to change their operations. The Committee will conduct
oversight to ensure that changes to the law are implemented as Congress
intended. The Committee will also examine the appropriate levels of funding
needed to implement the law effectively.
Administration of the Endangered
Species Act (ESA): The ESA provides for the conservation and
management of threatened and endangered species. The Secretary of Commerce,
through NMFS, is charged with implementing this law for marine species. The
Committee will hold oversight hearings on the status of listed marine species
and prospects for recovery, as well as on the agency's implementation of the
Act and funding levels.
Overfishing on the High Seas: The
Committee will hold oversight hearings on incentives to reduce overfishing in
international waters and eliminate bycatch, including gear modification to
reduce seabird, sea turtle and shark bycatch.
Invasive Species: The
Committee will examine the impact that invasive species have on the marine and
aquatic environments, and ways to address this growing national problem.
Department of Commerce - National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
Budget
Oversight: The Committee will
review the President's budget request for relevant programs and activities of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Northwest Hawaiian Islands
Marine National
Monument: On June 15, 2006, the Northwest Hawaiian Islands Marine
National Monument was
established by Presidential decree. The monument will be jointly managed by
NOAA and the Fish and Wildlife Service. The Committee will hold oversight
hearings on the management and operations of this important new monument.
National Marine Sanctuaries Act:
There are 13 sanctuaries nationwide, in addition to the new monument in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. The Committee will examine
opportunities to improve the law in addition to reauthorizing the
appropriations which expired in 1999.
Marine Protected Areas: Both
NOAA and the Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service and
the Fish and Wildlife Service, are authorized to develop and implement marine
protected areas. If properly managed, marine protected areas can be tools to
promote the sustainable use of oceans. Last year, NOAA and DOI released a joint
framework for the development of a comprehensive system of marine protected
areas. The Committee anticipates holding hearings on this issue.
Ocean Health: The
Committee will hold oversight hearings on issues affecting the health of our
oceans, such as coral degradation, acidification, marine debris, dead zones,
and red tides. The Committee will examine the science surrounding these issues
and opportunities to improve ocean health.
Coastal Zone Management in the 21 st
Century: In 2006, NOAA, through its National Ocean Service and
in consultation with the Coastal States Organization, initiated a visioning
process to engage stakeholders on the federal, state, and local levels in
redefining our national approach to managing the Nation's coastal zone. The
Committee will hold oversight hearings on their findings and gather insights
into potential amendments to the Coastal Zone Management Act.
Department of the Interior - Fish and
Wildlife Service:
Budget
Oversight: The Committee will
review the President's budget request for the programs and activities of the
Fish and Wildlife Service.
Endangered Species Act Implementation:
The Committee will hold oversight hearings examining the
science behind decisions to list, not list, and delist endangered and
threatened species. The Committee will also examine the appropriate levels of
funding need to implement the law effectively.
Migratory Bird Treaty Act Enforcement
and Bird and Bat Mortality: The Committee will hold oversight
hearings on enforcement of incidental take of birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty
Act, particularly the impacts that wind turbine development has on birds and
bat mortality.
National Wildlife Refuge Operations
and Maintenance Backlog: The Committee will examine how the
operations and maintenance backlog is impacting the public's use of refuges.
Fish Hatcheries:
Nationwide there are 69 federal fish hatcheries, seven Fish Technology Centers
and a Historic National Fish Hatchery. The Committee will look at the condition
of these facilities and explore opportunities to modernize them and recover
costs for their operations and maintenance. The Committee also will address the
role of the National Fish Hatchery System within the Fish and Wildlife
Service's fisheries program.
Lacey Act Enforcement:
The Lacey Act, enacted in 1900 and subsequently amended over the last century,
was the first federal law to control trade in wildlife and wildlife products.
The Committee will examine the adequacy of this venerable Act's existing
authority to control the burgeoning multibillion dollar trade of threatened and
endangered or otherwise illegal wildlife into and out of the United States.
Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan
(CCP) Development: Under the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge
Improvement Act, the Fish and Wildlife Service is required to develop CCPs for
all refuges no later than October 9, 2012. With approximately six years
remaining before the deadline, the Service has failed to complete CCPs for over
half of the Refuge System. The Committee will examine the status of CCP
development and resources and strategies that might be employed to meet this
critical conservation requirement.
Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species: About 169 countries are party to this
international agreement providing for the worldwide protection of endangered
plants and animals by ensuring that trade does not threaten their survival. In
2007, member countries will assemble in the Netherlands for their regular
meeting. The Committee will hold hearings on changes proposed by the United
States and other countries, and will examine strategies the United States
intends to pursue to achieve and promote species conservation.
NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS AND PUBLIC
LANDS
Forest Service:
Budget
Oversight: The Committee will
review the President's budget request for the programs and activities of the
Forest Service.
Forest Planning and NEPA: The
recent announcement by the Administration to exempt national forest plans from
NEPA is only the latest in a series of administrative moves to scale back or
exclude the public from Forest Service planning. The Committee will examine
these changes and their impact on our natural resources and the public's right
to know about and participate in the management of our national forests.
Hazardous Fuel Costs:
Both the GAO and the USDA Inspector General have issued reports documenting
problems with the Forest Service's handling of the hundreds of millions of
dollars they have received for hazardous fuels reduction. The Committee will
examine the issues identified in these reports, including agency failures to
control costs, prioritize projects, and deliver value in its hazardous fuels
program.
Healthy Forest Act Implementation: In
2003, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management were given
significant new authority to expedite the removal of dead and dying timber from
national forests and public lands. The Committee will examine the agencies' use
of this new authority.
Roadless Rule: In 2004
the Bush Administration overturned the Clinton Administration Roadless Rule and
instituted its own directive. This new rule was subsequently put on hold by a
U.S. District Court. The Administration is now trying to get around this court
ruling by using a petition procedure under the Administrative Procedures Act.
The Committee will review the Bush Administrations's actions on this matter.
Campground Closures: The
Forest Service has ordered a nationwide assessment of all national forest
campgrounds. In some areas, they are proposing to shut down or scale back
one-third or more of all campgrounds. The Committee will examine the potential
impact this assessment could have on public recreation in our national forests.
Timber Program: No
activity of the Forest Service is more controversial than the timber program.
Below-cost sales, salvage sales, and thinning have generated significant public
concern. The Committee will examine the timber sale program to assess the
program's impact on forest resources and to assure that it is managed in the
public's interest.
Bureau of Land Management:
Budget
Oversight: The Committee will
review the President's budget request for programs and activities of the Bureau
of Land Management.
Oil and Gas Development Impacts on
Public Lands: This Administration has fast-tracked the
extraction of oil and gas from public lands, with thousands of new drilling
permits issued annually. This development has, in certain places, negatively
impacted the natural, scenic, historical, cultural, and recreational resources
that exist on public lands. The Committee will undertake an extensive review of
this matter.
Wild Horse and Burro Program:
With the repeal of the prohibition on the sale and commercial slaughter of wild
horses and burros, public attention has been focused on the many problems with
the BLM's administration of the program. The Committee will examine the program
with an eye toward moving legislation to prohibit the slaughter of these
symbols of the American West.
Grazing Program: For
the past several years, the Administration has been attempting to roll back
reforms to the grazing program that were instituted in 1995. In 2006 the
Administration issued a rule that repealed or undercut a number of the 1995
reforms. Implementation of this rule was subsequently enjoined by a U.S.
District Court. The Committee will examine the changes being proposed and their
impact on the long-term health of our public lands.
National Landscape Conservation
System: In the late 1990's, the National Landscape
Conservation System was established within the Bureau of Land Management to
pull together under one umbrella the national monuments, national conservation
areas, wilderness, and other conservation units administered by the BLM. Many
of these conservation units were established only in the past decade and their
management plans are new or in the process of being finalized. The Committee
will examine the agency's management of the system and the numerous significant
resources the system contains.
RS 2477: For several
years, the Administration has been methodically moving to relinquish control of
certain federal lands using a legislative statute known as RS 2477, which was
repealed nearly 30 years ago. The potential relinquishment of these federal
lands could significantly complicate the management of important public
resources and adversely affect not only public lands but private lands as well.
The Committee will examine the Administration's actions.
National Park Service:
Budget: The Committee will examine the President's budget
request for the programs and activities of the National Park Service.
Yellowstone Bison: After
six years and millions of dollars, implementation of the 2000 Yellowstone Bison
Management Plan has not proceeded beyond the first phase of the plan. Thousands
of bison have been slaughtered under the plan and the Committee will explore
ways to protect and properly mange these living symbols of America.
Centennial Challenge:
In August 2006, the President called on Americans to enhance our national parks
and directed the NPS to come up with a plan to achieve this. The so-called
"Centennial Challenge" is lacking in details and little appears to have been
done thus far. The Committee will examine the program to determine how the
Administration is meeting its responsibility as stewards of some of the most
important elements of our national heritage.
Outsourcing of Federal Jobs: Despite
the outpouring of negative reaction by Congress and the public to the
Administration's plan to outsource jobs at federal land management agencies,
the Administration is still proceeding methodically, but quietly, on
outsourcing. The Committee will examine the Administration's efforts in this
regard and their impact on public employees and the resources they protect day
in and day out.
Recreation Fees: On
January 1 st, federal agencies rolled out a new "America the Beautiful Pass."
That pass replaces others that were less costly to visitors to our National
Parks and public lands attractions. The result is that individuals who want to
continue to enjoy these American treasures are having to play 23% to 60% more
than in the past to do so. The National Park Service is the largest collector
of recreation fees but the Committee will look at the fee programs of all
agencies to see where, why, and how such fees are being collected and used.
WATER AND POWER
Budget
Reviews: The Water and Power
Subcommittee will hold hearings to review the spending priorities of the Bureau
of Reclamation, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, and
the Power Marketing Administrations. How can Congress work more effectively
with the agencies and their limited budgets to encourage efficient, sustainable
water supply and use in the West, including conservation and recycling of water
for growing urban areas? What response can mayors, tribal leaders, governors,
natural resource managers, and the business community expect when they ask the
Bureau of Reclamation to help them solve water resource problems? What possibilities,
if any, exist to reform agency budgets, and why do the agencies resist funding
for clearly defined Congressional priorities and directives? How will increased
emphasis on production of biofuels affect agency priorities?
Water Recycling: Congress
in 1992 provided the Bureau of Reclamation with broad authority and specific
direction to create a comprehensive water recycling program to serve
communities in the 17 Western states and the Insular Areas. Unfortunately, the
Executive Branch generally has not been responsive to "Title XVI" water
recycling initiatives and has resisted full implementation of the authorized
water recycling program. There is a consistent pattern demonstrating an
inability to meet statutorily imposed deadlines, and to respond to bipartisan
Congressional and committee inquiries. Subcommittee hearings will examine
various legislative proposals to reform the Title XVI water recycling program,
the Office of Management and Budget's "PART" reviews, and new membrane
technologies for recycling and desalination.
Sustainable Water Supplies and the
Bureau of Reclamation: The 17 Western states served by the
Bureau of Reclamation have changed dramatically since enactment of the
Reclamation Act of 1902. Hearings will explore the 21 st Century federal role
in providing assistance for drought protection and water supply development to
communities, agricultural water users, and state governments. Does the current
"mission" of the Bureau of Reclamation serve the contemporary water needs of
the Western states? Does the Bureau of Reclamation's mission complement or
complicate the goals of the states' water plans? How should the Bureau of
Reclamation address changing water use patterns in the West and the transfer of
water from irrigation to urban uses? What do the Western Governors, tribal
leaders, local governments, and natural resource managers expect from the
Bureau of Reclamation? Who should pay for projects, and how should they be
financed? Additionally the Committee will consider groundwater supplies and how
the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation might more effectively
assist state, tribal, and local governments to study, develop, and conserve
groundwater supplies for agricultural, municipal, and environmental uses.
Changing Conditions are Affecting
Western Water Supplies: The 2004 report of the National Science
and Technology Council found that water managers in most states expect
freshwater shortages in the near future, and the consequences may be severe.
"In future years ¼ changes in the amount, timing, and distribution of rain,
snowfall and runoff are probable, leading to changes in water availability as
well as in competition for water resources." Understanding the natural
variability of our water resources, which are affected by both precipitation
and temperature, is critical to hydrologic forecasting. The Western States
Water Council, the Western Governors' Association, and others have stressed the
importance of considering climate variability when planning for drought. Timing
and type of precipitation are as important as the amount. Recent observations
show that diminished snow accumulation and earlier snowmelt can have profound
implications for the amount of water that can be delivered to users or to
aquatic ecosystems. Hearings will consider how state and local water managers
are dealing with drought planning and water supply variability, and how the
Bureau of Reclamation and the Geological Survey are responding to the changing
water supply picture. Hearings will also consider the impact on agency programs
of increased presence of nanoparticles and pharmaceutical chemicals in Bureau
administered water supply systems.
Klamath River, California and Oregon: The Klamath
River is heavily impacted by a Bureau of Reclamation irrigation
project and federally-licensed hydropower projects. Salmon populations of vital
importance to Indian Tribes and non-Indian fisheries have reached historically
low levels. The river has been the source of controversy for years. Recently,
some affected interests and the governors of California
and Oregon
have worked toward settlement of river management disputes. The Committee
expects to conduct hearings on a settlement proposal, should one emerge from
current negotiations, and will consider, among other things, the relationship
of a Klamath River settlement to other fishery
restoration and river management initiatives in the region.
Trinity River Restoration, California: The fishery resources of the
Trinity River have been devastated by construction of Trinity Dam (completed in
1963) and the subsequent diversion of most of the river's flows for irrigated
farms of the San Joaquin
Valley and power
generation. Despite specific legislative direction to restore the flows and
fishery habitat that have been damaged by many years of reduced flows, as well
as decades of studies, administrative restoration decisions based on best
available science, and judicial rulings in favor of the restoration program,
restoration work for the Trinity River has been frustrated and repeatedly
delayed by aggressive actions by water and power contractors and bureaucratic
inertia. Hearings will examine: (1) the status and funding of restoration work;
(2) the management of the restoration work by the Secretary of the Interior as
trustee for the Hoopa Valley Tribe; (3) the Hoopa Valley Tribe's conduct of its
co-management responsibility for restoration; and (4) the potential effects of
Central Valley Project long-term water service contracts on Trinity River
restoration.
CALFED, OCAP, and the Bay-Delta
Conservation Plan: The severe decline in the ecological health
of California's
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has not been corrected. The Commmittee will
conduct oversight on the California Bay-Delta Program (CALFED), the Central
Valley Project Operations Criteria and Plan (OCAP), and the newer Bay-Delta
Conservation Plan (BDCP). The 2004 CALFED authorization provided specific
authorities to the federal CALFED agencies regarding ecosystem restoration,
water supply, water quality, water use efficiency, and other categories. Four
independent reviews conducted by the State of California found common agreement that the
current CALFED governance structure is not working well, priorities for CALFED
are not clear, and meaningful performance measures for the program are lacking.
The objective of the CVP-OCAP is to document the operation of the Central
Valley Project as part of the Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultation
process. The OCAP process has been criticized as being subject to political
pressure. The BDCP is intended to result in an approved Habitat Conservation
Plan (HCP) to provide for the conservation and management of aquatic species
and regulatory (Endangered Species Act) assurances related to water supply
reliability and water quality. The Committee will consider whether the BDCP as
currently structured will achieve these goals.
Lower Colorado River Basin Operation and Management:
The Colorado River Basin states have demonstrated
their ability to work together to resolve complex water management problems,
but many challenges remain. Committee oversight activities will include an
examination of the fiscal and environmental impacts of operating the Yuma
Desalting Plant and the impact of its operation on the Cienega de Santa Clara
in Mexico; drought and water supply variability in the Basin; the Lower
Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program; transboundary water supplies
and issues with the Government of Mexico; implementation plans for lining the
All-American Canal and constructing new regulated storage at or near the
All-American Canal; and the potential for adverse effects on water supplies
from proposed new and widespread uranium development in the Basin. The
Committee expects to consider how California's changing administration of its
share of the Colorado River will affect the agriculture-dependent communities
and coastal urban areas that are dependent on, or expect to use Colorado River
water, and the relationship of those uses to federal and state efforts to
protect and restore the environmental values of the Salton Sea.
Indian Water Settlements:
Indian water settlements will play a crucial role in shaping the future of
tribal and non-Indian communities throughout the West. There are increasing
pressures to resolve tribal water claims, including the rapid growth of urban
areas in the West, the over-appropriation of dependable surface water supplies,
declining groundwater levels and environmental opposition to new water
development projects. Indian tribes control large amounts of land and have vast
entitlements to water resources. Federal Indian policy is to settle Indian
water claims by negotiation rather than by litigation wherever possible, and to
promote Indian self-determination through the development of diversified
reservation economies. The United
States, as trustee for Indian tribes and as
a funding source, is a necessary party to water litigation, as well as to any
efforts to settle litigation out of court. The Committee will consider the
current status of Indian water settlement negotiations, how settlements should
be structured in light of increasingly uncertain and variable water supplies,
the impact of federal water projects on tribal resources, and whether a
permanent funding source for Indian water settlements is appropriate.
Power Marketing Administrations: The
Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of the
Army's Corps of Engineers generate electricity at hydropower plants located at
major federal water projects. The Department of Energy's four Power Marketing
Administrations (PMAs) generally sell this electricity in wholesale markets
mostly to publicly and cooperatively owned utilities that, in turn, sell the
electricity to retail consumers. As utilities expand their energy portfolios to
include a higher percentage of renewables, the federal PMAs are developing new
partnerships with utilities and non-governmental organizations. An example is
the Public Renewables Partnership, an initiative dedicated to enabling public
organizations, co-operatives, and Tribal utility authorities to effectively
integrate renewable energy into their power portfolios and business strategies.
Committee PMA hearings will review the PMAs' existing authorities and consider
ways in which the PMAs might provide additional assistance and incentives to
encourage utilities to reduce energy demand and increase the percentage of
renewable energy in their portfolios, as has been successfully demonstrated in
the Pacific Northwest. The Committee will also
consider the PMAs' role in improving the nation's transmission infrastructure
and current policies for siting transmission corridors on public lands and
Indian reservations.
Members of the
Committee on Natural Resources
U.S. House of Representatives
110th Congress
1324 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-6065 Fax: (202) 225-1931
MR. NICK J. RAHALL, II, West Virginia, Chairman
MR. DON YOUNG, Alaska, Ranking Republican Member
(Ratio 27-22)
Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa
Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii
Solomon P. Ortiz, Texas
Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey
Donna M. Christensen, Virgin Islands
Grace F. Napolitano, California
Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona
Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam
Jim Costa, California
Dan Boren, Oklahoma
John P. Sarbanes, Maryland
George Miller, California
Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts
Peter A. DeFazio, Oregon
Maurice D. Hinchey, New York
Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Island
Ron Kind, Wisconsin
Lois Capps, California
Jay Inslee, Washington
Mark Udall, Colorado
Joe Baca, California
Hilda L. Solis, California
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota
Heath Shuler, North Carolina
|
Jim Saxton, New Jersey
Elton Gallegly, California
John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee
Wayne T. Gilchrest, Maryland
Chris Cannon, Utah
Thomas G. Tancredo, Colorado
Jeff Flake, Arizona
Stevan Pearce, New Mexico
Henry E. Brown, Jr., South Carolina
Luis G. Fortuño, Puerto Rico
Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington
Louie Gohmert, Texas
Tom Cole, Oklahoma
Rob Bishop, Utah
Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania
Bill Sali, Idaho
Doug Lamborn, Colorado
Mary Fallin, Oklahoma
Adrian Smith, Nebraska
Robert J. Wittman, Virginia
Steve Scalise, Louisiana
|
Members of the
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
1626 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-9287 Fax: (202) 225-5255
Mr. Jim Costa, California, Chairman
Mr. Stevan Pearce, New Mexico, Ranking Republican Member
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa
Solomon P. Ortiz, Texas
Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Dan Boren, Oklahoma
Maurice D. Hinchey, New York
Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Island
Hilda L. Solis, California
Nick J. Rahall, II, West Virginia (ex officio)
|
Louie Gohmert, Texas
Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania
Bill Sali, Idaho
Adrian Smith, Nebraska
Steve Scalise, Louisiana
Don Young, Alaska (ex officio)
|
Members of the
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans
187 Ford House Office Building
(202) 226-0200 Fax: (202) 225-1542
Ms. Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam, Chairwoman
Mr. Henry E. Brown, Jr., South Carolina, Ranking Republican Member
Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa
Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii
Solomon P. Ortiz, Texas
Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey
Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Island
Ron Kind, Wisconsin
Lois Capps, California
Nick J. Rahall, II, West Virginia (ex officio)
|
Jim Saxton, New Jersey
Wayne Gilchrest, Maryland
Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington
Tom Cole, Oklahoma
Bill Sali, Idaho
Robert J. Wittman, Virginia
Don Young, Alaska (ex officio)
|
Members of the
Subcommittee on Insular Affairs
1337 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-0691 Fax: (202) 225-0521
Mrs. Donna M. Christensen, Virgin Islands, Chairwoman
Mr. Luis G. Fortuño, Puerto Rico, Ranking Republican Member
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa
Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona
Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam
Nick J. Rahall, II, West Virginia (ex officio)
|
Elton Gallegly, California
Jeff Flake, Arizona
Don Young, Alaska (ex officio)
|
Members of the
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
1333 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 226-7736 Fax: (202) 226-2301
Mr. Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona, Chairman
Mr. Rob Bishop, Utah, Ranking Republican Member
Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii
Donna M. Christensen, Virgin Islands
Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Dan Boren, Oklahoma
John P. Sarbanes, Maryland
Peter M. DeFazio, Oregon
Maurice D. Hinchey, New York
Ron Kind, Wisconsin
Lois Capps, California
Jay Inslee, Washington
Mark Udall, Colorado
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota
Heath Shuler, North Carolina
Nick J. Rahall, II, West Virginia (ex officio) |
John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee
Chris Cannon, Utah
Thomas G. Tancredo, Colorado
Jeff Flake, Arizona
Stevan Pearce, New Mexico
Henry E. Brown, Jr., South Carolina
Louie Gohmert, Texas
Tom Cole, Oklahoma
Bill Sali, Idaho
Doug Lamborn, Colorado
Robert J. Wittman, Virginia
Vacancy
Don Young, Alaska (ex officio)
|
Members of the
Subcommittee on Water and Power
1522 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-8331 Fax: (202) 226-6953
Mrs. Grace F. Napolitano, California, Chairwoman
Mrs. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington, Ranking Republican Member
Jim Costa, California
George Miller, California
Mark Udall, Colorado
Joe Baca, California
Vacancy
Nick J. Rahall, II, West Virginia (ex officio)
|
Doug Lamborn, Colorado
Mary Fallin, Oklahoma
Adrian Smith, Nebraska
Don Young, Alaska (ex officio)
|
Staff of the
Committee on Natural Resources
U.S. House of Representatives
110th Congress
1324 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-6065 Fax: (202) 225-1931
Office of the Staff Director
Staff Director – Jim Zoia
Executive Assistant – Lisa James
Office of the Chief Counsel
Chief Counsel – Rick Healy
Legislative Operations Advisor – Amy Haskell
Clerk – Emily Lande
Policy Office
Deputy Chief of Staff – Ann Adler
Senior Policy Director – Lori Sonken
Research Assistant – Katherine Romans
Communications Office
(202) 226-9019 Fax: (202) 226-4631
Communications Director – Allyson Groff
Deputy Communications Director – Blake Androff
Press Assistant – Amanda Greenberg
Administration Office
Chief Administrator – Linda Livingston
Chief Clerk – Nancy Locke
Legislative Calendar Clerk – Joycelyn Coleman
IT – Matt Vaccaro
IT – Ed Van Scoyoc
Editor/Printer – Kathy Miller
Staff Assistant – Kim Le
Administrative Assistant – Heather Warren
Chief Financial Officer
Linda Booth
Office of Indian Affairs
140 Cannon House Office Building
(202) 226-9725 Fax: (202) 225-7094
Staff Director – Marie Howard
Counsel – Janet Erickson
Legislative Staff – Joshua Pitre
Clerk – Cynthia Freeman
Subcommittee on Insular Affairs
1337 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-0691 Fax: (202) 225-0521
Staff Director – Tony Babauta
Counsel – Brian Modeste
Clerk – Rebecca Zepeda
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans
187 Ford House Office Building
(202) 226-0200 Fax: (202) 225-1542
Staff Director – Jean Flemma
Legislative Staff – Dave Jansen
Legislative Staff – Julia Hathaway
Clerk – Megan Maassen
Sea Grant Fellow – Karen Hyun
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands
1333 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 226-7736 Fax: (202) 226-2301
Staff Director – David Watkins
Legislative Staff – Meghan Conklin
Legislative Staff – Leslie Duncan
Legislative Staff – Laurel Angell
Clerk – Domenick Carroll
National Park Service Fellow – Rick Kendall
Subcommittee on Water and Power
1522 Longworth House Office Building
(202)225-8331 Fax: (2020 226-6953
Staff Director – Amelia Jenkins
Legislative Staff – Camille Calimlim
Legislative Staff – David Zacher
Clerk – Emily Knight
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
1626 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-9297 Fax: (202) 225-5255
Staff Director – Deborah Lanzone
Legislative Staff – Wendy Van Asselt
Legislative Staff – Steve Feldgus
Clerk – Marcie Cooperman
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