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
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