04.22.22

LIVESTREAMS NEXT WEEK: Tribal Bills on Wednesday, Offshore Carbon Storage, Wildlife Disease Surveillance, and Public Lands Bills on Thursday

Washington, D.C. – Happy Earth Day! The Natural Resources Committee is holding four livestreamed events next week.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27

Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States

The Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, led by Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:

  • H.R. 437 (Young), To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to exclude certain payments to Alaska Native elders for determining eligibility for certain programs, and for other purposes.
  • H.R. 6063?(McCollum), To provide for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois, and for other purposes. 
  • Discussion Draft ANS - H.R. 6181?(Gallego), To reaffirm that certain land has been taken into trust for the benefit of the Samish Indian Nation, and for other purposes. Samish Indian Nation Land Reaffirmation Act.
  • S. 314?(Merkley), To repeal the Klamath Tribe Judgment Fund Act. Klamath Tribe Judgment Fund Repeal Act.
  • S. 559?(Merkley),?To amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act, and for other purposes. 
  • S. 789?(Rounds), To repeal certain obsolete laws relating to Indians. Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes Act.

Witnesses

  • The Honorable Douglas G. Lankford (H.R. 6063), Chief, The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
  • The Honorable Tom Wooten (H.R. 6181), Chairman, Samish Indian Nation
  • The Honorable Donald Gentry (S. 314), Chairman, The Klamath Tribes
  • The Honorable Cheryle A. Kennedy (S. 559), Chairwoman, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
  • The Honorable Tamara St. John (S. 789), South Dakota State Representative, 1st District
  • The Honorable Sheri Buretta (H.R. 437), Chairman of the Board, Chugach Alaska Corporation, (Minority Witness)
  • The Honorable Teri Gobin (H.R. 6181), Chairwoman, Tulalip Tribes, (Minority Witness)

When: 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Watch Live: https://youtu.be/nwDueRDhi5w

 

THURSDAY, APRIL 28

Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources

The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, led by Chair Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), will hold an oversight hearing titled, The Opportunities and Risks of Offshore Carbon Storage in the Gulf of Mexico.

To combat climate change and achieve the Biden administration’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions no later than 2050, carbon dioxide (CO2) capture, removal, and storage is necessary. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law dedicates funds towards new and existing carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) projects and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to grant leases, easements, and rights-of-way to support CCUS activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

The Gulf of Mexico OCS is well suited to support long-term, underground storage of carbon dioxide and holds the potential to help reduce U.S. emissions. Carbon storage in the Gulf of Mexico offers several benefits compared to other potential locations, including geology capable of large-scale CO2 storage, proximity to abundant point-source carbon emissions, and an experienced oil and gas workforce.

However, there are risks associated with CCS and offshore carbon storage in the Gulf of Mexico. Fluids can leak into the ocean and coastal environments, CO2 pipelines can create safety hazards, and further industrialization will affect environmental justice communities. As the federal government develops a regulatory framework to facilitate OCS carbon storage, the Department of the Interior must prioritize public health, protect coastal and marine resources, ensure a fair return to taxpayers, and set robust monitoring and verification standards for industry.

Witnesses

  • Dr. Tip Meckel, Senior Research Scientist, Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin
  • Mr. Carroll Muffett, President and CEO, Center for International Environmental Law
  • Ms. Nichole Saunders, Director & Senior Attorney, Energy Transition, Environmental Defense Fund
  • Mr. Erik Milito, President, National Ocean Industries Association (Minority Witness)

When: 9:30 a.m. Eastern time

Watch Live: https://youtu.be/c087wEhr2fE

 

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led by Chair Katie Porter (D-Calif.), will hold an oversight hearing titled, Preventing Pandemics Through US Wildlife-borne Disease Surveillance. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) both point to scientific analyses showing that 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases originate from animals, with over 70 percent of these emerging diseases from animals originating in wildlife. Current trends in climate change and frequency of human-wildlife interactions indicate a growing risk for transmission of wildlife-borne diseases to people over time.

COVID-19 is a zoonotic disease believed to have originated in bats and then transmitted to humans in Wuhan, China. It is now found in 29 species, including deer and mink, both of which have now transmitted COVID-19 back to humans in the U.S and Canada. Viruses can evolve while being transmitted among wildlife, and then be introduced into humans. A growing outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu, which is being transmitted in the U.S. by migratory birds, has necessitated the depopulation of millions of fowl in an effort to stop the spread. As we have seen in recent years, the spread of an emerging zoonotic disease among humans can be rapid since there is often no vaccine or herd immunity.

Although funding secured by the House Natural Resources Committee in the American Rescue Plan has helped to improve wildlife-borne disease surveillance in the U.S., it is still significantly underfunded and poorly coordinated.  

Witnesses

Panel I

  • Ms. Anne Kinsinger, Associate Director for Ecosystems, U.S. Geological Survey

Panel II

  • Dr. David E. Stallknecht, Director, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine Professor in Wildlife Health
  • Dr. Colin J. Carlson, Assistant Research Professor, Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University Medical Center
  • Dr. Julie Thorstenson, Executive Director, Native American Fish and Wildlife Society
  • Ms. Catherine Semcer, Research Fellow, Property and Environmental Research Center (Minority Witness)

When: 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

Watch Live: https://youtu.be/z1pgeX-p-go

 

Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands

The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands, led by Chair Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:

  • H.R. 4878 (DeSaulnier), To amend the National Trails System Act to include national discovery trails and designate the American Discovery Trail, and for other purposes. National Discovery Trails Act.
  • H.R. 6589 (Fernández), To amend title 54, United States Code, to increase amounts deposited in the Historic Preservation Fund, and for other purposes. Historic Preservation Enhancement Act.
  • H.R. 6805 (Adams), To amend title 54, United States Code, to establish within the National Park Service the United States African-American Burial Grounds Preservation Program, and for other purposes. African-American Burial Grounds Preservation Act.
  • H.R. 7002 (Wagner), To authorize the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, to be illuminated by blue and yellow lights in support of Ukraine. Gateway Solidarity Act.
  • H.R. 7075 (Spartz), To designate Ukrainian Independence Park in Washington, District of Columbia, and for other purposes. Ukrainian Independence Park Act.
  • H.R. 7218 (Neguse), To amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to reauthorize the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, Cache La Poudre National Heritage Area, and South Park National Heritage Area in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes. Colorado National Heritage Areas Reauthorization Act.

Witnesses

Panel I: Congressional Panel

  • Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, California, 11th District
  • Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, New Mexico, 3rd District
  • Rep. Ann Wagner, Missouri, 2nd District
  • Rep. Victoria Spartz, Indiana, 5th District
  • Rep. Joe Neguse, Colorado, 2nd District

Panel II: Administration Panel

  • Ms. Joy Beasley (All Bills), Associate Director, Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science, National Park Service

Panel III: Expert Witness Panel

  • Mr. Reno Keoni Franklin (H.R. 6589), Chairman, Kashia Pomo Tribe
  • Ms. Angela M. Thorpe (H.R. 6805), Director, North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
  • Ms. Sabrina Stoker (H.R. 7218), Executive Director, Poudre Heritage Alliance
  • Minority Witness TBD (H.R. 7003)
  • Minority Witness TBD (H.R. 7075)

When: 2:00 p.m. Eastern time

Watch Live: https://youtu.be/TS9WLvqUt9c

Press Contact

Media Contact: Lindsay Gressard

(202) 225-6065 or (202) 740-4715 mobile