Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Federal Lands
Chair Grijalva: New Federal Fossil Fuel Leasing Report Shows Why Admin Must Move Forward With Rulemakings While Congress Advances Reform Bills
Tucson, Ariz. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said today that the newly released Biden administration report on updating the federal oil and gas leasing program shows the need for the administration to initiate rulemakings as soon as possible to reduce public subsidies for the fossil fuel industry, increase royalties for the public and increase public transparency in the leasing process. Grijalva said the report shows Congress must pass leasing reform bills to make necessary changes as… Continue Reading
11.19.21
Grijalva Praises Sec. Haaland for Removing Outdated and Derogatory Place Names from Federal Lands
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) praised Interior Secretary Deb Haaland today for announcing that she will take action to remove derogatory names from federal lands. Secretary Haaland issued two Secretarial Orders that would immediately remove the word "squaw" from more than 650 federal sites and establish an Advisory Committee to solicit public input on the fate of other potentially offensive place names. "Today's decisions by Secretary Haaland are timely and welcome.… Continue Reading
11.19.21
Grijalva Praises Passage of Build Back Better Act, Cites Strong Environmental Provisions
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) issued the following statement following the House passage of the Build Back Better Act, highlighting the Act's strong conservation provisions, including funding for climate adaptation and firefighting, drought relief, and coastal restoration similar to the provisions passed by the Committee in September. Chair Grijalva noted the bill's strong investments in environmental justice and funding to increase community input on major federal … Continue Reading
11.16.21
Grijalva Touts USGS Findings, Demonstration that Grand Canyon Withdrawal is Working, Calls for Permanent Withdrawal
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today hailed the release of a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report on uranium impacts to groundwater in the Grand Canyon region. The report found generally low concentrations of uranium but did identify uranium hotspots near active and abandoned uranium mining sites. Sampling sites in the Horn Creek Area, downstream from the abandoned Orphan Lode Mine, showed uranium concentrations nearly 10 times the Environmental Protection Agency's … Continue Reading
11.16.21
Chair Grijalva Statement on Biden Administration’s Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Lease Sale
Washington, D.C. - Ahead of the Department of the Interior's (DOI) Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale tomorrow-the first new fossil fuel lease sale in 2021-Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today criticized the Biden administration's choice to hold the sale without first explaining in detail to the American people how it intends to reform and modernize the federal oil and gas program, which DOI itself has described as riddled with financial and environmental flaws. As DOI noted in Aug… Continue Reading
11.15.21
Following Discussions at COP26, Grijalva Calls for Increased Federal Funding for Research on Public Health Impacts of Pollution
Washington, D.C. - Following his return from the recently concluded United Nations climate conference in Scotland, Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today called for increased funding and administrative support for human health risk analyses and environmental impact assessments across federal agencies. Analysts at the Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, U.S. Forest Service and other federal departments and agencies, he said, need more money, st… Continue Reading
11.15.21
Chair Grijalva Applauds Historic Actions by Biden Administration on Chaco Canyon, MMIW Crisis
Washington, D.C. - Today, Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz) applauded several new Biden administration initiatives to strengthen the federal government’s nation-to-nation relationship with Tribal governments. President Biden announced these initiatives at the start of the two-day White House Tribal Nations Summit, the first formal convening of tribes by the U.S. government since 2016. The initiatives announced included a 20-year moratorium on oil and gas leasing on … Continue Reading
10.07.21
Chair Grijalva Praises Biden Admin Move to Restore Original Boundaries, Protections for Bears Ears, Other National Monuments Trump Had Targeted
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today praised the Biden administration's decision to restore Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monuments. The move comes on the eve of Indigenous Peoples' Day on Monday, Oct. 11. President Biden's action reverses the Trump administration's illegal reduction of the national monuments, which remain the subject of ongoing litigation. Grijalva previously led an amicus brief with then-Senator U… Continue Reading
06.16.21
In New Letter, Chair Grijalva and Congressional Dems Support Biden Conservation Efforts, Urge Stronger “America The Beautiful” to Fight Climate Change
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) led a letter with 17 House Democratic colleagues today to President Joe Biden in support of the administration's climate-focused America the Beautiful Initiative and to offer suggestions to strengthen the program. The full letter is available online at https://bit.ly/3gu6HJ6. The lawmakers offer full support for the new direction laid out in the administration's America the Beautiful initiative to fight the climate crisis by restorin… Continue Reading
06.09.21
Chair Grijalva, Senator Wyden: Interior Department Inspector General’s Review of Lafayette Square Crackdown Lacks Clarity, Leaves Unanswered Questions
Washington, D.C. – House Committee on Natural Resources Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today said the new Department of the Interior inspector general report on the violent crackdown against peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020, lacks clear explanations for the key issues surrounding the event, including how and why law enforcement officers were authorized to use violent tactics, and leaves unanswered questions that will have to b… Continue Reading
05.05.21
Chair Grijalva: After Today’s Markup, The Democratic Path Forward on Conservation is Clear – Environmental Justice and Taxpayer Fairness are Key
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said after the conclusion of today's markup - which finished a process that began on April 28 - that the Democratic legislative strategy on national conservation policy is now clearly focused on environmental justice, taxpayer fairness and climate protection. The Committee advanced a series of bills that increase taxpayer return for the private use of public resources, protect marginalized communities from exploitation, and reduce wastef… Continue Reading
04.22.21
Chair Grijalva Encourages Sec. Haaland to Return Bureau of Land Management Headquarters to Washington, Reverse Trump-Era Effort to Undermine Morale
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today wrote to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland urging her to return Bureau of Land Management (BLM) headquarters to Washington, D.C., from Grand Junction, Colo., where former BLM Director William Perry Pendley moved it during the Trump administration as part of a largely successful effort to undermine staff morale and force career experts to leave the agency. The letter, available online at https://bit.ly/3elpaFD, underscores the importa… Continue Reading
04.16.21
Chair Grijalva Hails Climate Orders From Interior Secretary Haaland: “Real Solutions Require Long-Term Engagement, And This Is a Smart Approach”
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement on the two new orders signed by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland today to prioritize action on climate change and make policy decisions more transparent. "This administration understands that preventing climate collapse and putting our economy on a more sustainable path takes a lot of work and meaningful consultation with people impacted by federal policies. Today's secretarial orders set up our country fo… Continue Reading
03.29.21
Chair Grijalva, Rep. McEachin – Sponsors of Environmental Justice for All Act – Applaud White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council Members
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.), sponsors of the Environmental Justice for All Act, today hailed the announced membership of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC) and called for broad action by the executive branch to implement a strong environmental justice agenda at all levels of the federal government. Pointing to President Biden's Jan. 27 executive order - which begins by committing to the pursuit of en… Continue Reading
03.18.21
Chair Grijalva, Rep. McEachin Reintroduce Environmental Justice for All Act – Widely Supported Effort Comes as Congress Eyes New Investments
This release has been updated from its original version to reflect Rep. Yvette Clarke's (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández's (D-N.M.) status as original cosponsors of the House bill. Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) reintroduced their landmark Environmental Justice for All Act today, supported by a wide array of grassroots groups and environmental advocates from across the country. The bill, available online at http://bi… Continue Reading
03.16.21
Chair Grijalva, Rep. Neguse, Sens. Blumenthal and Luján Lead Bicameral Letter to Biden Urging Stakeholder-Driven Process to Meet Conservation Goals
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) today sent a bicameral letter, cosigned by 99 House and 17 Senate Democratic colleagues, to President Biden urging him to adopt a transparent, stakeholder-driven process in deciding how best to preserve American lands and waters as part of the administration's "30 by 30" initiative. Choosing which areas to preserve, the lawmakers write, sh… Continue Reading
03.15.21
Chair Grijalva on Confirmation of Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary: “A Historic Step Toward Redeeming Our Nation’s Relationship With First Americans”
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today released the following statement on the confirmation of Deb Haaland to be Secretary of the Interior. "The confirmation of Sec. Deb Haaland is a historic step toward redeeming our nation's relationship with first Americans. Sec. Haaland will bring to the Interior Department and the Biden administration a profound responsibility and commitment to climate change, equity, and public actions that all Americans will benefit from. Sec. H… Continue Reading
03.02.21
Chair Grijalva Welcomes Introduction of Clean Future Act, Hails Inclusion of Environmental Justice Measures, Looks Forward to Upcoming Collaboration
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today welcomed the introduction of the Clean Future Act by Chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The bill includes several environmental justice measures consistent with the approach outlined by Grijalva's and Rep. A. Donald McEachin's (D-Va.) Environmental Justice for All Act in the 116th Congress, including an effort to address the cumulative impacts of multiple pollution sources on environmental j… Continue Reading
03.01.21
Chair Grijalva, After Years of Highlighting Need for Tribal Consultation, Cheers Withdrawal of Key Federal Analysis for Exploitative Oak Flat Mining Project
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who has for many years highlighted the need for federal tribal consultation before moving forward with the Resolution Copper mining project in central Arizona, today hailed the news that the U.S. Forest Service is withdrawing its final environmental impact statement and draft record of decision issued on Jan. 15 and will conduct a thorough review before proceeding any further with the preparation of new analyses at the site. Grijal… Continue Reading
02.26.21
Chair Grijalva Hails Passage of Public Lands Bills, Looks Forward to Senate Action on Grand Canyon Protection Measure, Other Major Conservation Goals
Washington, D.C. - Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today hailed passage of the Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act, a package of Natural Resources Committee bills that includes Grijalva's Grand Canyon Protection Act; Rep. Joe Neguse's (D-Colo.) Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act; and a collection of bills introduced in the last Congress as a package by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) under the heading Protecting America's Wilderness Act. The Protecting America's W… Continue Reading