07.19.19

NEXT WEEK: Democrats Push to Protect Scientific Integrity, Restore Miner Benefits, Develop Renewable Energy on Public Lands

Washington, D.C. – The Committee on Natural Resources is holding a full Committee hearing next Thursday, July 25, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on scientific integrity at the Department of the Interior.

The Committee will hold three subcommittee legislative hearings on a total of 12 bills, including H.R. 3794, Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif) and Rep. Paul Gosar’s (R-Ariz.) measure to increase renewable energy development on federal public lands. The Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee will take a close look at the status of the Reclamation Fund and the Bureau of Reclamation’s future infrastructure funding needs.

The Committee’s full schedule and witness lists are available below. As with all hearings, these events are open to media and the public. All hearings will be livestreamed on our Facebook page.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer recently announced that during the week of Sept. 9, following the August recess, the House will vote on a series of three bills restricting onshore and offshore drilling:

1)            HR 1146 - Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act (Rep. Huffman)

2)            HR 1941 - Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act (Rep. Cunningham)

3)            HR 205 - Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act of 2019 (Rep. Rooney)

Full Committee Oversight Hearing

Hearing: When Science Gets Trumped: Scientific Integrity at the Department of the Interior

When: Thursday, July 25, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Witness List

Maria Caffrey, PhD

Former Partner

National Park Service

Joel Clement 

Senior Fellow, Arctic Initiative

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

Harvard University

Andrew Rosenberg, PhD

Director, Center for Science and Democracy

Union of Concerned Scientists

William Werkheiser (Invited)

Science Advisor to the Deputy Secretary

U.S. Department of the Interior

Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Hearing

Hearing: Legislative Hearing on H.R. 934, H.R. 935

When: Wednesday, July 24, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Bills Considered

  • H.R. 934 (Rep. Scott), To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to include certain retirees in the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan, and for other purposes. “Health Benefits for Miners Act of 2019
  • H.R. 935 (Rep. McKinley), To provide for transfers to the 1974 UMWA pension plan and a reduction in the minimum age for allowable in-service distributions. “Miners Pension Protection Act

Witness List

Mr. Cecil Roberts

International President

United Mine Workers of America

Triangle, VA

Ms. Lorraine Lewis

Executive Director

UMWA Health and Retirement Fund

Washington, DC

Mr. Sam Ball

Westmoreland Coal Co. Retiree

St. Charles, VA

Ms. Rachel Greszler

Research Fellow in Economics, Budget and Entitlements

The Heritage Foundation

Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee Hearing

Hearing:The Status of the Reclamation Fund and the Bureau of Reclamation’s Future Infrastructure Funding Needs.”

When: Wednesday, July 24, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Witness List

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (specific witness to be announced)

Mr. Tony Willardson

Executive Director

Western States Water Council

Murray, UT

Mr. Federico Barajas

Executive Director

San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority

Los Baños, CA

Mr. Paul Arrington

Executive Director

Idaho Water Users Association

Boise, ID

Water, Oceans and Wildlife

Hearing: Legislative Hearing on H.R. 335, H.R.729, H.R. 2185, H.R. 3115, H.R. 3237, H.R. 3510, H.R. 3541, H.R. 3596, H.R. 3723

When: Thursday, July 18, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

Where: 1334 Longworth House Office Building

Bills Considered

  • H.R. 335 (Rep. Mast), To require the Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia to develop a plan for reducing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in South Florida, and for other purposes, “South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2019.
  • H.R. 729 (Rep. Kilmer), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to authorize grants to Indian Tribes to further achievement of Tribal coastal zone objectives, and for other purposes. “Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act.
  • H.R. 2185 (Rep. Holmes Norton), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to allow the District of Columbia to receive Federal funding under such Act, and for other purposes. “District of Columbia Flood Prevention Act of 2019.”
  • H.R. 3115 (Rep. Pallone), To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to make grants to State and local governments and nongovernmental organizations for purposes of carrying out climate-resilient living shoreline projects that protect coastal communities by supporting ecosystem functions and habitats with the use of natural materials and systems, and for other purposes. “Living Shorelines Act of 2019.
  • H.R. 3237  (Rep. Neguse), To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the implementation of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program First Increment Extension for threatened and endangered species in the Central and Lower Platte River Basin, and for other purposes. “Platte River Recovery Implementation Program Extension Act.”
  • H.R. 3510 (Rep. Harder), To amend the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to reauthorize grants for and require applied water supply research regarding the water resources research and technology institutes established under that Act. “Water Resources Research Amendments Act”
  • H.R. 3541 (Rep. Carbajal), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a coastal climate change adaptation preparedness and response program, and for other purposes. “Coastal State Climate Preparedness Act.”
  • H.R. 3596 (Rep. Pingree), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to establish a Working Waterfront Task Force and a working waterfronts grant program, and for other purposes. “Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act.”
  • H.R. 3723 (Rep. Levin), To promote desalination project development and drought resilience, and for other purposes. “Desalination Development Act.”

Witness List

Panel I: Member Panel

Representative Brian Mast (H.R. 335)

Florida, 18th District

Representative Derek Kilmer (H.R. 729)

Washington, 6th District

Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (H.R. 2185)

District of Columbia, At Large

Representative Frank Pallone (H.R. 3115)

New Jersey, 3rd District

Representative Salud Carbajal (H.R.3541)

California, 24th District

Representative Chellie Pingree (H.R. 3596)

Maine, 1st District

Representative Joe Neguse (H.R. 3237)

Colorado, 2nd District

Panel II: Administration Witness

RDML Timothy Gallaudet, Ph.D., USN Ret.

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere

Deputy NOAA Administrator

Washington, D.C.

Karl Stock

Acting Director of Policy and Administration

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Washington, D.C.

Panel III: Expert Witnesses

Fawn Sharp, JD (H.R. 729)

President

Quinault Indian Nation

Taholah, WA

Emily E. Steinhilber, JD (H.R. 3115, H.R. 3541, H.R. 3596)

Research Assistant Professor

Commonwealth Center for Recurrent Flooding Resiliency

Norfolk, VA

Jon Paul (J.P.) Brooker, JD (H.R.335, H.R.3115, H.R.3541, H.R.3596)

Senior Manager and Policy Counsel for Florida Conservation

Ocean Conservancy

St. Petersburg, FL

Rich Walters (H.R. 3237)

Director of Conservation

The Nature Conservancy (Nebraska)

Omaha, NE

Rick Shintaku (H.R. 3723)

General Manager

South Coast Water District

Laguna Beach, CA

 

Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Hearing

Hearing: Legislative hearing on “Increasing Renewable Energy on Public Lands”

When: Thursday, July 25, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Bills Considered

  • H.R. 3794 (Rep. Gosar for himself and Rep. Levin), To promote the development of renewable energy on public lands, and for other purposes. “Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act of 2019”

Witness List

Ms. Abigail Hopper

President and CEO

Solar Energy Industries Association

Washington, DC

Mr. David Bobzien

Director

Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy

Carson City, NV

Mr. Chris Wood

President and CEO

Trout Unlimited

Arlington, VA 

Mr. Robert Lovingood

San Bernardino County Supervisor, First District

San Bernardino, CA

Press Contact

Media Contact: Adam Sarvana

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