Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after the U.S. Forest Service announced their final rule to reform their National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementation regulations. “The final rule announced today by the Forest Service is a giant leap forward in protecting communities from catastrophic wildfire. The current NEPA process has become too cumbersome and a barrier to forest management projects that protect our forests and save lives, this rule changes t...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after the Department of the Interior announced the final rule to update E-Bike regulations on federal lands. “Recreational access and multiple use are core principles of public lands management in the United States. Today’s announcement by DOI shows this Administrations commitment to these two core principles and will open our public lands to an even greater audience. I thank Secretary Bernhardt and his team for their hard wo...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after President Trump signed an Executive Order on addressing the threat to the domestic supply chain from reliance on critical minerals from foreign adversaries. “The Executive Order signed by President Trump yesterday is a great step in the right direction. The Congressional Western Caucus has been at the forefront of highlighting our unsustainable reliance on foreign adversaries in our critical minerals supply chain and th...
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Today, members of the Western Caucus released the following statements after EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the creation of the Office of Mountains, Deserts, and Plains to be located in Lakewood, Colorado. “Today is an important day for the future of the West as EPA is finally recognizing the important regional and geographical challenges we face. For too long, the EPA has ignored the priorities of Western States, the creation of the Office of Mountains, Deserts, and Plains within th...
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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 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 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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