03.29.19

Natural Resources Hearings for Week of April 1 Include Water Infrastructure, Offshore Drilling, Public Lands, Park Service Budget, Indian Water Rights

Washington, D.C. – The Natural Resources Committee is holding six hearings during the week of April 1. The full schedule is available below.

Tuesday, April 2

Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife

Hearing: The State of Western Water Infrastructure and Innovation

When: 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Witnesses

  • Dave Eggerton

Executive Director, Association of California Water Agencies

Representative of the National Water Resources Association

  • Vicente Sarmiento

President, Board of Directors, Orange County Water District

Council Member, City of Santa Ana, Calif.

  • Ellen Hanak

Public Policy Institute of California

  • Norman Semanko (minority witness)

Attorney

Parsons, Behle & Latimer

Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources

Hearing: Protecting Coastal Communities from Offshore Drilling, on the following bills.

  • H.R. 205 (Rep. Rooney): To amend the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to permanently extend the moratorium on leasing in certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico. “Protecting and Securing Florida’s Coastline Act”
  • H.R. 1149 (Rep. Van Drew): To prohibit the Department of the Interior from issuing certain geological and geophysical exploration permits under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, and for other purposes. “Atlantic Coastal Economies Protection Act”
  • H.R. 1941 (Rep. Cunningham): To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior including in any leasing program certain planning areas, and for other purposes. “Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act”

When: 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

Where: Longworth 1334 Longworth House Office Building

Witnesses

  • Jimmy Carroll 

Mayor 

City of Isle of Palms, S.C. 

  • Vipe Desai 

Founding Member, Business Alliance for Protecting the Pacific Coast

Owner, HDX Mix 

  • David Yates 

Executive Director & CEO 

Clearwater Marine Aquarium 

  • Sharon Hewitt (minority witness)

Louisiana State Senator 

District 1

Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands

Hearing: A legislative hearing on the following bills.

  • H.R. 823 (Rep. Joe Neguse), To provide for the designation of certain wilderness areas, recreation management areas, and conservation areas in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes. “Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act”
  • H.R. 1708 (Rep. Adam Schiff), To adjust the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor, and for other purposes. “Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act”
  • H.R. 434 (Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee), To designate the Emancipation National Historic Trail, and for other purposes. “Emancipation National Historic Trail Act”
  • H.R. 306 (Rep. Jody Hice), To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the site of the Kettle Creek Battlefield in Wilkes County, Georgia, and adjacent property, and for other purposes. “Kettle Creek Battlefield Park Study Act”

When: 2:00 p.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Witnesses

Panel I 

  • Chris French 

Acting Deputy Chief, National Forest System

USDA Forest Service 

  • Dan Smith 

Deputy Director, National Park Service

Department of the Interior 

Panel II 

  • Dan Gibbs 

Executive Director 

Department of Natural Resources, State of Colorado

  • Walker Chewning 

Chair 

Kettle Creek Battlefield Association 

  • Laurene Weste 

Councilmember 

City of Santa Clarita, Calif.

  • Eileen Lawal

President 

Houston Freedmen’s Conservancy

Wednesday, April 3

Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands

Hearing: Examining the Spending Priorities and Mission of the National Park Service

When: 9:00 a.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Witness

  • Dan Smith 

Deputy Director, National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Accompanied by 

Jessica Bowron 

Comptroller, National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States

Hearing: A legislative hearing on the following bills.

  • H.R. 375 (Rep. Cole), To amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  to  take  land  into  trust  for  Indian  Tribes,  and  for  other purposes. 
  • H.R. 312 (Rep. Keating), To reaffirm the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reservation, and for other purposes. ‘‘Mashpee Wampanoag 5 Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act’’
  • Discussion draft of RESPECT Act (Rep. Grijalva), To prescribe procedures for effective consultation and 

When: 2:00 p.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Thursday, April 4

Full Committee

Hearing: A legislative hearing on the following bill.

  • H.R. 1904 (Rep. Grijalva), To amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund permanent. “Indian Water Rights Settlement Extension Act” 

When: 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Witnesses

  • Alan Mikkelsen

Senior Advisor to the Secretary

Water and Western Resource Issues, Department of the Interior

  • John Echohawk

Executive Director

Native American Rights Fund

  • Michelle Bushman

Legal Counsel

Western States Water Council

  • Dave Roberts

Associate General Manager for Water Resources

Salt River Project

  • Edward D. Manuel

Chairman

Tohono O’odham Nation

Press Contact

Adam Sarvana

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