02.21.20

NEXT WEEK: Hearing on Chair Grijalva’s Public Lands and Waters Climate Change Bill, Border Wall Destruction to Sacred Sites

Washington, D.C. – The Committee on Natural Resources will hold four hearings next week. On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Full Committee will meet to consider Chair Raúl M. Grijalva’s (D-Ariz.) landmark climate change legislation, the American Public Lands and Waters Climate Solution Act of 2019, to achieve net-zero climate pollution on public lands and waters by 2040, and the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States will hold an oversight hearing on Trump’s border wall construction that is destroying Native American sacred sites.

On Thursday, the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands will hold a legislative hearing on four bills that enhance park sustainability and access, and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing on sexual harassment at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Additionally, on Thursday, Democratic members of the Committee will host a Black History Month forum to discuss the problematic nature of Confederate monuments.

The Committee’s full schedule and witness lists are available below. As with all hearings and markups, these events are open to media and the public. The events will be livestreamed at http://facebook.com/nrdems

Full Committee Legislative Hearing

When: Wednesday, February 26, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Bills Considered 

  • H.R. 5435 (Rep. Grijalva), To require the Secretary of the Interior and the Chief of the United States Forest Service to meet certain targets for the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases, and for other purposes. “American Public Lands and Waters Climate Solution Act of 2019.”
  • H.R. 5859 (Rep. Westerman), To establish forest management, reforestation, and utilization practices which lead to the sequestration of greenhouse gases, and for other purposes. “Trillion Trees Act.”

Witness List

Ms. Caroline Gleich

Professional Ski Mountaineer and Adventurer

Ambassador for “Protect Our Winters”

Salt Lake City, Utah

 

Mr. Bill Ritter, Jr.

Former Governor of Colorado (2007-2011)

Founder and Director of the Center for the New Energy Economy

Colorado State University

 

Mr. Jason Walsh

Executive Director

BlueGreen Alliance

Washington, D.C.

 

Ms. Carla Staver, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Yale University

New Haven, CT

 

Mr. Derrick Hollie (minority witness)

President                                           

Reaching America

 

Additional witnesses to be announced

Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States Hearing

Hearing: Destroying Sacred Sites and Erasing Tribal Culture: The Trump Administration’s Construction of the Border Wall

When: Wednesday, February 26, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Panel I

The Honorable Tara Sweeney (Invited)

Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs

U.S. Department of the Interior

Washington, D.C.

Dr. Anna Maria Ortiz

Director, Natural Resources and Environment

U.S. Government Accountability Office

Washington, D.C.

Panel II

The Honorable Ned Norris, Jr.

Chairman
The Tohono O’odham Nation

Sells, AZ

Ms. Shannon Keller O’Loughlin

Executive Director

Association on American Indian Affairs

Rockville, MD

Additional witnesses to be announced

Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Legislative Hearing

Hearing: Policy Priorities for the Administration’s FY 2021 Budget for the Insular Areas

When: Thursday, February 27, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Bills Considered 

  • H.R. 3651 (Rep. Jeff Fortenberry), To facilitate the use of certain lands in Nebraska for public outdoor recreational opportunities, and for other purposes.
  • H.R. 3681 (Rep. Mike Levin), To establish the Green Spaces, Green Vehicles Initiative to facilitate the installation of zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure on National Forest System land, National Park System land, and certain related land, and for other purposes. “Green Spaces, Green Vehicles Act of 2019.”
  • H.R. 4236 (Rep. Mike Quigley), To encourage recycling and reduction of disposable plastic bottles in units of the National Park System, and for other purposes. “Reducing Waste in National Parks Act.”
  • H.R. 4512 (Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán), To provide grants for projects to acquire land and water for parks and other outdoor recreation purposes and to develop new or renovate existing outdoor recreation facilities. “Outdoors for All Act.”

Witness List

Ms. Lena McDowall

Deputy Director

Management and Administration

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

 

Ms. Jennie Romer

Legal Associate

Plastic Pollution Initiative

The Surfrider Foundation

 

Ms. Lauren Cosgrove

Senior Program Manager

Northeast Region

National Parks Conservation Association

 

Ms. Allegra “Happy” Haynes

Executive Director

Department of Parks and Recreation

City and County of Denver, Colorado

 

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing

Hearing: Sexual Harassment at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

When: Thursday, February 27, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time

Where: 1324 Longworth House Office Building

  

Dr. Neil Jacobs

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction, preforming the duties of Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

 

Ms. Linda Seabrook

General Counsel and Director of Workplace Safety & Equity Futures Without Violence

 

Ms. Julie Dale

Manager of Prevention and Education

Standing Together Against Rape, Inc.

 

Democratic Forum 

Topic: Black History Month

When: Thursday, February 27, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Where: 1334 Longworth House Office Building

 

Participants to be announced

Press Contact

Media Contact: Monica Sanchez, (202) 225-6065