Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after Interior Secretary David Bernhardt signed a Record of Decision approving the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. “Today’s announcement by Secretary Bernhardt is another step towards American energy independence. Oil and gas development in ANWR will not only help fuel our country, but also provide thousands of good-paying jobs for hard working Americans. The ...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after Margaret Everson was named Acting Director of the National Park Service. “I congratulate Margaret Everson on becoming the new head of the National Park Service. National Parks have been one of the engines driving our nations return to normalcy and are essential to the economies of Western states. I look forward to working with her to ensure that our national parks continue to thrive and show our country's natural beauty...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service announced their definition of "habitat" to be used for critical habitat designations under the Endangered Species Act. “If there is something that I hear most from stakeholder groups about federal government regulations, it is that they lack consistency. Today’s announcement by the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service is ...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after the House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). “Today proves that Congress is still capable of going through a thorough and bi-partisan committee process to create a good piece of legislation. Water infrastructure is incredibly important for our economy, national security, and public health. The Water Resources Development Act makes important investments in our nation’s ports, inland wat...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after it was announced that the American Mineral Security Act would be included in the Senate COVID-19 relief package. “Including the Murkowski/Manchin language addressing our critical mineral shortage in the next COVID response package will be a win for the American people and our national security. We currently rely on China for 20 critical minerals that are essential for our daily lives, that is no longer sustainable. Chin...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after the Army Corps of Engineers published the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Pebble Mine project in Alaska. “Today's announcement by the Army Corps is a welcome one and is about fairness. The Pebble Mine should be given the same opportunity to go through the federal environmental review process as any other mining project. Regardless of whether this project meets the needed environmental qualification...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after President Trump announced the final rule to modernize the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA). “Today’s announcement by the President that we are updating NEPA is welcome news for everyone in America who likes to see America build things and grow. For too long, NEPA has grown stale, wrapped in judicial decisions, lengthy paperwork requirements and more. What was originally just a checklist for project take off has be...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after the U.S. Forest Service issued its final rule to manage vegetation inside utility corridors. “This year, fire season is already having a catastrophic effect across the West. As we see fire season after fire season, one of the many ways catastrophic wildfires can start is ignition from nearby utility infrastructure, such as power lines. Today’s announcement will bring much needed authority to local governments and utilit...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after the Department of the Interior announced the 2020 Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) distributions. These distributions go to over 1,900 local governments around the country to help pay for essential public services. “I welcome today’s announcement by the Department of the Interior. While not a perfect system, PILT is an integral part of supporting local governments in Arizona and across the West. I look forward to working...
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Today, Members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue signed a memorandum to the Chief of the Forest Service regarding forest management activities, public access, and wildfire prevention: "Today’s announcement is another important step is getting our nations forests and grasslands working again. For too long, the federal government has failed in its responsibility to actively management our nations forests and in return, they have become tinder...
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