03.04.21

Livestreams Next Week: Hearing on Fossil Fuel Industry Reform Bills on Tuesday, Hearing on Infrastructure Rebuilding on Thursday

Washington, D.C. – The Natural Resources Committee is holding two livestreamed events next week.

Tuesday, March 9

The Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, led by Chair Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), will hold a hearing on the following bills:

  • H.R. 1492 (Rep. Diana DeGette), Methane Waste Prevention Act
  • H.R.1503 (Rep. Mike Levin), Restoring Community Input and Public Protections in Oil and Gas Leasing Act
  • H.R. 1505 (Rep. Alan Lowenthal), Bonding Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act
  • H.R. 1506 (Rep. Alan Lowenthal), Transparency in Energy Production Act
  • H.R. 1517 (Rep. Katie Porter), Ending Taxpayer Welfare for Oil and Gas Companies Act

Taken together, the bills represent the most significant update to the laws governing fossil fuel extraction on public lands in decades.

The package is consistent with the Committee’s longstanding emphasis on public benefits for the use of public resources. Royalties for oil and gas drilling on public land haven’t increased from their 12.5 percent baseline since 1920, which many observers even in fossil-heavy states have recognized is no longer politically or economically defensible. Texas charges royalties between 20 to 25 percent for drilling on state land, generating billions of dollars for schools and other public services. Rep. Porter’s bill increases the royalty rate to better match what companies pay to drill offshore and on state lands.

The other bills create new bonding requirements to prevent polluters from charging the public to clean up after fossil fuel development projects; set stronger limits on venting and flaring methane during fossil fuel extraction, one of the strongest and most immediate climate protection steps the Interior Department can take; and strengthen public input and transparency in fossil fuel development projects.

Witnesses include:

  • Tracy Stone-Manning

Associate Vice President, Public Lands

National Wildlife Federation

  • Hilary Cooper

Commissioner, District 1

San Miguel County, Colorado

  • Dr. Brian Prest

Fellow, Resources for the Future

  • Mark Murphy (minority witness)

President, Strata Production Company

When: 12:00 p.m. Eastern time

Watch Live: http://bit.ly/3c62NCM (Facebook) or https://youtu.be/8LdrYlJ9COE (YouTube)

Thursday, March 11

The Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee, led by Chair Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), will hold a hearing titled Building Back Better: Building Resilience for the Economy, Climate, and Ecosystems. The event will focus on the need to build modern, sustainable infrastructure and ways to create jobs that protect American lands, waters and infrastructure from the damaging impacts of climate change, improving quality of life for communities around the country.

Witnesses include:

  • Dr. Cassandra Moseley

Research Professor and Senior Policy Advisor

Ecosystem Workforce Program

University of Oregon

  • Captain Aleksandr Modjeski

Habitat Restoration Program Director

American Littoral Society

  • Laura Ziemer

Senior Counsel and Water Policy Advisor

Trout Unlimited

  • Minority witness TBA

When: 2:00 p.m. Eastern time

Watch Live: http://bit.ly/3sP6i7l (Facebook) or https://youtu.be/cVhBMirxCOE (YouTube)

Press Contact

Media Contact: Adam Sarvana

(202) 225-6065 or (202) 578-6626 mobile