Subcommittee Hearing: Fossil Fuel Development: Protecting Taxpayers and Eliminating Industry Giveaways

Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2019 Time: 10:00 AM Location: Longworth House Office Building 1324 Presiding: The Hon. Alan Lowenthal

On Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 10:00 a.m., in Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will hold a legislative hearing titled, “Fossil Fuel Development: Protecting Taxpayers and Eliminating Industry Giveaways,” including the following bills, and other related measures:

  • H.R. 2711 (Rep. DeGette), To amend the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (30 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to require the Secretary of the Interior to issue regulations to reduce and prevent gas waste and to enhance gas measuring and reporting, to codify a final rule of the Environmental Protection Agency regarding certain emission standards for the oil and natural gas sector, and for other purposes. “Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2019”
  • H.R. 4346 (Rep. Lowenthal), To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to make certain adjustments to the regulation of surface-disturbing activities and to protect taxpayers from unduly bearing the reclamation costs of oil and gas development, and for other purposes. “Bonding Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2019”
  • H.R. 4364 (Rep. McAdams), To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to make certain adjustments to the fiscal terms for fossil fuel development and to make to make other reforms to improve returns to taxpayers for the development of Federal energy resources, and for other purposes. “Taxpayer Fairness for Resource Development Act of 2019”
  • H.R. 4435 (Rep. Cartwright), To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to protect taxpayers from liability associated with the reclamation of surface coal mining operations, and for other purposes, “Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act”

 Witness List 

Panel I 

Rep. Diana DeGette (H.R. 2711) 

Colorado, 1st District 

Rep. Cartwright (H.R. 4435) 

Pennsylvania, 8th District 

Rep. Ben McAdams (H.R. 4364) 

Utah, 4th District 

Panel II 

Mr. Frank Rusco (testimony)

Director 

Natural Resources and Environment 

U.S. Government Accountability Office 

Washington, DC 

Mr. John Putnam (testimony)

Director of Environmental Programs 

Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment 

Denver, CO 

Ms. Kathleen Sgamma (testimony)

President, Western Energy Alliance 

Denver, CO 

Mr. Dan Bucks (testimony)

Former Director 

Montana Dept. of Revenue (2005-2013) 

Milwaukee, WI 

Ms. Ryan Alexander (testimony)

President, Taxpayers for Common Sense 

Washington, DC