Letters
Grijalva Letter to Ross and Sessions on Carlos Rafael Prosecution Sept. 21 2017
09.18.17
Letter to Zinke on Reorganizing DOI for the Next 100 Years
Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) sent a letter to Secretary Ryan Zinke requesting his reorganization plan for the Department of Interior (DOI) for the next 100 years. Secretary Zinke has repeatedly mentioned a plan that reorganizes DOI, but the actual memo has not been shared with Congress.… Continue Reading
09.18.17
Grijalva Letter to Zinke on the DOI Re-organization Plan
Ranking Member Grijalva sent a letter to Secretary Zinke requesting a copy of the plan to execute an unprecedented reorganization of DOI after DOI rescinded the recently finalized 100-year plan for NPS.… Continue Reading
09.18.17
Letter to Secretary Zinke on DOI Order to Steamroll National Environmental Policy Act
On August 31, 2017, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI) issued an Order to steamroll National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementation and review processes. Calling NEPA analyses "needlessly complex," the Order issued arbitrary page number limitations and time limits for NEPA documentation, namely environmental impact statements. The page limits were not met routinely during the last two administrations, mostly to avoid lawsuits because the NEPA analyses were inade… Continue Reading
09.08.17
GAO Acceptance Letter on Legal Opinion for Threatening Zinke Calls to Sens. Murkowski and Sullivan
A Sept. 8, 2017, letter from the Government Accountability Office confirming it will prepare a formal legal opinion on Secretary Zinke's phone call to Sens. Lisa Murkowski allegedly threatening funding for the state of Alaska unless Murkowski voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act.… Continue Reading
09.06.17
Grijalva Lowenthal Letter to Zinke on Royalty Policy Committee September 6 2017
A letter from Ranking Member Grijalva and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) challenging Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on his decision to establish a Royalty Policy Committee that ignores conservation, snubs states with Democratic governors and is dominated by the oil and gas industry.… Continue Reading
08.30.17
Interior Department Inspector General Letter on Secretary Zinke's Threats Against Senator Murkowski
08.25.17
Grijalva Pallone Letter to Zinke on Halting NAS Mountaintop Removal Mining Study August 25
A letter from Ranking Members Grijalva, Frank Pallone (Energy and Commerce), John Yarmuth (Budget), Donald McEachin (Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations) and Don Beyer (Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Oversight) urging Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to reinstate a National Academy of Sciences study on the health impacts of mountaintop removal mining. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, a part of the Interior Department, had canceled t… Continue Reading
08.03.17
DOI IG Confirmation of Preliminary Investigation on Zinke Call to Murkowski Aug 3 2017
An Aug. 3, 2017, letter from the Interior Department Office of Inspector General confirming a preliminary investigation into whether Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke violated laws or standards in contacting Sen. Lisa Murkowski to threaten the state of Alaska over her vote against destroying the Affordable Care Act.… Continue Reading
07.27.17
Grijalva Pallone DOI IG Investigation Request
Ranking Member Grijalva and Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) request a Department of the Interior Inspector General investigation of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's threats against Sen. Lisa Murkowski and the state of Alaska over Murkowski's vote against Trumpcare.… Continue Reading
07.27.17
Grijalva Pallone GAO Investigation Request
Ranking Member Grijalva and Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) request a Government Accountability Office investigation of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's threats against Sen. Lisa Murkowski and the state of Alaska over Murkowski's vote against Trumpcare.… Continue Reading
07.25.17
Letter to Secretary Ross on National Marine Sanctuaries and Marine National Monuments
More than 60 House Democrats sent a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to express their strong support for the 11 national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments under review as part of Executive Order 13795, "Implementing an America-First Offshore Energy Strategy."… Continue Reading
07.21.17
Restaurant Industry Shows Support For a Strong Fisheries Management System
Nearly 300 chefs, restauranteurs and seafood suppliers from 24 states signed onto a letter, stating their unequivocal support for a strong fisheries management system that addresses 21st-century challenges.… Continue Reading
07.06.17
Grijalva Letter to Zinke Requesting Explanation of Energy Dominance and FLPMA July 6 2017
Ranking Member Grijalva writes to Secretary Zinke to ask him to explain how "energy dominance" will be implemented given the mandate in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act to manage public lands "on the basis of multiple use and sustained yield." Zinke and his staff have emphasized in recent weeks their intention to let "the market" rather than environmental laws dictate oil and gas drilling on public lands.… Continue Reading
06.30.17
Grijalva Letter Requesting GAO Review of Attacks on Land Management People and Property
Ranking Member Grijalva's June 30, 2017, letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting a report on threats and attacks against federal land management officials and federal property.… Continue Reading
06.29.17
2017-06-29_RG and McEachin ltr to Pres. Trump re_permanent IG for DOI
A letter from Ranking Member Grijalva and Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) urging President Trump to appoint a permanent inspector general for the Interior Department, which hasn't had a fully confirmed IG in more than eight years.… Continue Reading
06.23.17
Letter to Secretary Ross and NOAA on Allowing Red Snapper Overfishing June 23
A June 23, 2017, letter to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross seeking information on the administration's decision to allow drastic overfishing of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico.… Continue Reading
06.20.17
Letter to Bishop Urging Hearing on Wilbur Ross and NOAA Budget June 20 2017
A letter to Chairman Bishop (R-Utah) calling for a hearing on the Trump administration's budget proposal for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The proposal would severely hurt the agency's ability to protect our oceans, monitor climate change and conduct other basic functions -- but Chairman Bishop has shown no interest in an oversight hearing despite NOAA being part of the Committee's jurisdiction.… Continue Reading
06.15.17
Request for Chairman Bishop to Join Requesting Information on Red Snapper Overfishing June 15
June 15, 2017, letter from Ranking Member Grijalva asking Chairman Bishop to cosign a letter requesting information from the Trump administration on allowing overfishing of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. The letter never received a reply.… Continue Reading
06.13.17
Grijalva Letter to Zinke Requesting Info on National Monuments Review June 13
Ranking Member Grijalva's June 13, 2017, letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke asking for information about public comments on the administration's "review" of national monuments and Zinke's travel and meeting itinerary as part of the review.… Continue Reading