WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senate Western Caucus Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY), Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statements after members of the Senate and Congressional Western Caucuses were successful in securing provisions in the Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015 to help increase water storage, streamline water permitting and protect water rights in the West. The bill was introduced today by U.S. Representative David G. Valadao (R-CA) in part to address issues related to the drought in California. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (June 23, 2015) – Today the U.S. House passed H.R. 2042: the Ratepayer Protection Act. This legislation would suspend enforcement of the EPA’s rule to force the closure of coal-fired power plants until the resolution of the numerous legal challenges to the rule. The bill would also allow state governors to opt out of the rule should the governor determine the rule would have a significant adverse effect on electricity ratepayers or the reliability of the state’s power grid. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (June 24, 2015) - A federal BLM Hydraulic Fracturing rule was set to go into effect today. If allowed to go forward, this rule would duplicate active state management that has been effectively regulating hydraulic fracturing for decades and responding in recent years to advancing drilling technologies. Yesterday, however, a federal judge in Wyoming district court ordered a stay of the rule until he is able to hear further arguments in pending litigation over the validity of the rule. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (June 19, 2015) – Today the U.S. Forest Service announced full withdrawal of the Proposed Directive on Groundwater Management. The directive, which was proposed in May of 2014, was finally withdrawn after a bipartisan effort to stop the directive and protect the longstanding and effective state management of these waters. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (June 4, 2015) – Today in a press release the EPA announced a draft assessment conducted at the request of Congress to study the potential impacts to drinking water resources from hydraulic fracturing. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (June 1, 2015) – Today the U.S. House passed H.R. 1335, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act. This bill reauthorizes the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management program through fiscal year 2019, refocusing authority in the regional fishery management councils instead of continuing with a federal one-size-fits-all approach. The bill also enhances transparency in the science and development of fisheries management plans, and streamlines the regulatory process to avoid duplication while still retaining consistency with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Read more »
Washington, D.C. (May 27, 2015) – Today in spite of thousands of public comments raising serious concerns, including from governors and on-the-ground stakeholders throughout the country, the Environmental Protection Agency has finalized the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. This rule marks an unprecedented federal seizure of management and control over waters previously under state jurisdiction. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (May 20, 2015) – Today the U.S. House passed the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015. This bill reauthorizes federal research programs, emphasizing basic research and fundamental discovery and increasing support for affordable domestic energy resources. The bill also re-prioritizes funding, increasing the share of nuclear and fossil fuels research, while ensuring that grants are publicly determined by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to be in the national interest. It requires the NSF maintain U.S. leadership in science, technology and innovation, and promote science, technology, engineering and math education while reducing duplication. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (May 14, 2015) – Today the U.S. House voted for and passed H.R. 1735 – the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, which, in addition to setting annual policy for our military, addresses federal species listings that will negatively impact military training and readiness. Read more »
Washington, D.C. (May 12, 2015) – Today the U.S. House passed the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015, which orders the EPA to withdraw its Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. The bill directs EPA to issue a new rule based on input from the public, states, and stakeholders and consistent with Supreme Court precedent. The rule, if left unchecked, would lead to a massive seizure of states’ waters throughout the country. Read more »
