Washington, D.C. (August 24th, 2016)–Today, President Barack Obama ignored local and state input by using the Antiquities Act to unilaterally designate 87,500 acres of lands in Maine as the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument. President Obama and Secretary Jewell have backpedaled on their own promise to conduct a robust public process prior to making any decision.
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Washington, D.C. (August 2nd, 2016) – Yesterday, President Obama’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) finalized guidance directing all federal agencies to incorporate climate change into their decision-making processes under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This guidance applies to a broad swath of federal actions and permits, including public land and resource management, transportation, energy, forestry, and a host of other activities important to the West and the American eco...
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Washington, D.C. (July 14th, 2016) – Today, after working late into the night, the U.S. House passed H.R.5538: the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017. Western Caucus Members secured a host of provisions reining in Obama Administration regulatory overreach and ensuring more responsible stewardship of western lands and natural resources. In response Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (WY-At large), Vice Chairmen Scott Tipton (CO-03) and Paul ...
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Washington, D.C. (June 30, 2016) –Today the Department of the Interior released the final rule for assessing the value of the coal, oil, and natural gas produced on federal and tribal lands. The new regulations, combined with other actions taken by the Obama Administration, will lead to lost jobs and a decline in energy production. Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (WY-At large) issued the following statement in response: “These regulations mark the latest attack by the Obama Administration...
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Washington, D.C. (June 22, 2016) – Today President Obama released a report from the White House ironically titled, “The Economics of Coal Leasing on Federal Lands: Ensuring a Fair Return to Taxpayers”. The irony being that this President and his Administration have been dead set on keeping coal in the ground from the very beginning. Regulation after regulation has deliberately crushed the demand for coal and then, in an attempt to finish the industry off, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell a...
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Washington, D.C. (June 21st, 2016) – Today in Wyoming, US District Court Judge John Skavdahl struck down the Bureau of Land Management’s final rule on hydraulic fracturing. Judge Skavdahl agreed with western states, tribes, and industry that the BLM lacked the authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing. Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (WY-At large) issued the following statement in response: “Today is a victory not only for state management and responsible stewardship of our...
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Washington, D.C. (June 10th, 2016) –Today the U.S. House of Representatives voted to condemn proposals to tax carbon emissions and raise taxes on oil. In his FY 2017 budget, President Obama proposed a $10 tax hike on every barrel of oil and has often spoken of taxing carbon emissions. These taxes would burden American energy consumers and stifle the energy renaissance that is responsible for helping pull America back from recession. Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (WY-At large), Vice Chai...
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Washington, D.C. (June 8th, 2016) – Today the U.S. House passed H.R. 4775: Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2016. The legislation ensures states have time to implement ozone restrictions at a more realistic pace, saving jobs and economies from being hamstrung by unattainable mandates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the process. Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (WY-At large), Vice Chairman Paul Gosar (AZ-04), and caucus member Rep. Kevin Cramer (ND-At la...
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Washington, D.C. (May 25th, 2016) – Today the U.S. House passed an energy policy and natural resources package and motioned to go to conference with the U.S. Senate on the legislation. Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (WY-At large), Vice Chairmen Mark Amodei (NV-02) and Paul Gosar (AZ-04), and caucus member Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-04) issued the following statements in response: “The House energy package would reinvigorate America as a global energy leader while ensuring rel...
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Washington, D.C. (May 16th, 2016) – The federal government owns 85 percent of Nevada, and the state faces unnecessary and burdensome federal restrictions on responsible mineral development that will severely impact local economies.
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