Press Releases
Lawmakers and auditors slam BLM for not keeping a closer eye on market for helium
E&E News By Joshua Learn July 16, 2014 Lawmakers and the Government Accountability Office put the Bureau of Land Management in the hot seat yesterday, accusing the agency of failing to monitor the sales of helium from federal reserves to distributors without refining capabilities. "BLM has a number of challenges -- the primary challenge is breaking the hold that helium refiners located along the pipeline have had on access to the helium reserve," House Natural Resources Subco… Continue Reading
07.15.14
Wolves hang in balance
The Register Guard, Editorial July 15, 2014 It's a curious disconnect: At the same time federal officials are celebrating the recovery of gray wolves as one of the great victories of the Endangered Species Act and are preparing to remove protections for Canis lupus in the lower 48 states, the population of the species in the strategically important Yellowstone National Park region has declined in recent years because of hunting. It's also curious that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is pr… Continue Reading
07.15.14
Reform 1872 mining law
The Register Guard, Editorial July 14, 2014 The nation's General Mining Act recently celebrated its 141st birthday. Congress should make certain this fossilized law, which provides minimal environmental protections and allows hard-rock mining companies to remove billions of dollars of minerals from public lands without paying royalties, doesn't make it to age 142. Federal lawmakers should do so by approving a bill introduced last week by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore. The legislation, co-sponsor… Continue Reading
07.14.14
Geothermal leasing reform bill clears Senate, may spur action in House
SNL By Corbin Hiar July 10, 2014 In a rare moment of bipartisan action, U.S. senators briefly set aside their differences on July 9 and passed a bill promoting geothermal energy development on federal lands by a voice vote. The move raised hopes within the industry that the recurring legislation can finally clear a sharply divided Congress. The Geothermal Production Expansion Act, or S. 363, would allow a developer to make a noncompetitive, fair market value bid on up to 640 acres of feder… Continue Reading
07.14.14
US lawmakers introduce Bill to reform 142-year-old mining law
Mining Weekly Henry Lazenby July 12, 2014 TORONTO (miningweekly.com) - Twenty US legislators had this week introduced a Bill in the House of Representatives looking for reforms to the General Mining Act of 1872, proposing higher royalties for mining companies. The Bill suggests that mining companies be charged a royalty of 8% on new mines and 4% on existing properties for mining on public land. The Bill was introduced on Thursday by the US House of Representatives natural resources commit… Continue Reading
07.14.14
DeFazio introduces bill to reform mining laws
The News Review By Carisa Cegavske July 10, 2014 Legislation to collect royalties from companies mining on federal lands and to ensure they won't leave a mess behind was introduced Thursday by 20 House Democrats, including Peter DeFazio. The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act would charge owners of existing mines a 4 percent royalty and levy an 8 percent royalty on new mines. It would also set some wilderness areas off-limits to mining and allow communities to petition against new mines.… Continue Reading
07.11.14
House Dems launch bid to force vote on bipartisan disaster funding bill
E&E News By Phil Taylor July 11. 2014 House Democrats this morning announced a plan to force House leaders to bring a bipartisan wildfire funding bill to the floor for a vote. The procedural maneuver known as a discharge petition is likely a long shot, given that it would require roughly 20 Republicans to vote against their party's leadership. But it reflects growing frustration among Democrats and some Western Republicans at the chamber's inaction on H.R. 3992, a bill to overh… Continue Reading
07.11.14
House Dems file discharge petition for wildfire funding bill
The Hill By Timothy Cama July 11, 2014 House Democrats have filed a discharge petition in an attempt to push through a bill to allow the Obama administration to dip into contingency funds when wildfire fighting budgets get out of hand. Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) announced the petition Friday morning along with other Democrats from western states. If the petition gets 218 signatures, it would allow the House to vote on the bill, even if Republican leade… Continue Reading
07.11.14
DeFazio bill would create royalty, reclamation fee for hardrock mining
E&E News By Manuel Quinones July 11, 2014 Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio, top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced legislation yesterday to dramatically reform the nation's non-coal mining laws. Updating the 1872 Mining Law has been on the congressional radar screen for decades, especially among Democrats, but has not seen significant action since a reform proposal passed the House in 2007. DeFazio's proposal would create an 8 percent royalty on gross incom… Continue Reading
07.11.14
Bill to expand Oregon Caves passes Senate
Statesman Journal By Zach Urness July 10, 2014 A bill that would expand the Oregon Caves National Monument by 4,070 acres and grant a subterranean river Wild and Scenic protection passed the U.S. Senate Wednesday night. The Oregon Caves Revitalization Act would increase the monument's size by almost nine times - its only 488 acres currently - and apply federal protection to the River Styx, which travels through the marble caves 20 miles east of Cave Junction. The bill's supporters… Continue Reading
07.11.14
Congressional initiative would end billions in public land and mineral giveaways, protect scarce water, create jobs
By: Earthworks July 10, 2014 Washington, D.C. July 10, 2014 - U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (OR-4) and Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation Ranking Member Raul Grijalva today introduced a long-needed overhaul of the 142-year-old law governing mining of minerals such as gold, copper and uranium on federally-managed public lands. "This bill is a win-win for taxpayers and the environment," said Lauren Pa… Continue Reading
07.10.14
State sues to block coastal seismic testing
The Independent By GREG KENNELTY July 10, 2014 The state of New Jersey is seeking an injunction to block the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from proceeding with planned seismic testing off the coast of Barnegat. The motion for an injunction, dated July 3, was filed on behalf of the state, the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and DEP Commissioner Bob Martin on the grounds that the state did not … Continue Reading
07.10.14
Senate approves national monument expansion, historic park creation bills
E&E News By Jessica Estepa July 10, 2014 The Senate yesterday passed a slew of natural resources bills, including measures that would increase the size of an Oregon national monument and create a new national park in Maryland. Among the 15 bills passed was Sen. Ron Wyden's (D-Ore.) S. 354, which would modify the boundary of the Oregon Caves National Monument by adding 4,000 acres of what is currently Forest Service land to the monument. The Interior Department has supported the… Continue Reading
07.10.14
Bill would expand federal mining royalties to hard minerals
The Hill By Timothy Cama July 10, 2014 Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) is sponsoring a bill to require that mining companies pay royalties to the federal government when they mine hardrock minerals like gold and ore on federal land. The royalties would put hardrock mining on the playing field as coal, oil and gas developers using federal land. The bill would charge an 8 percent royalty on new mines and 4 percent on existing ones. "For over 140 years, the federal government h… Continue Reading
07.09.14
DeFazio slams FWS for delisting, calls for 'safety zone' near Yellowstone
E&E News By Scott Streater July 9, 2014 Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio (D) ripped the Fish and Wildlife Service's handling of gray wolves, urging Interior Secretary Sally Jewell yesterday to establish buffer zones around Yellowstone National Park to protect wolves that wander beyond the park. DeFazio, ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, wrote in a three-page letter to Jewell that Fish and Wildlife's proposal last year to remove Endangered Species Act protect… Continue Reading
07.09.14
Congressman wants buffer for wolves around park
Associated Press By Matthew Brown July 8, 2014 BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - An Oregon congressman is asking the Interior Department to work with states to curb gray wolf hunting around Yellowstone National Park. Rep. Peter DeFazio is the ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. He said in a Tuesday letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell that hunters killing wolves just outside Yellowstone's boundary could hurt the overall health of the park's ecosystem. DeFaz… Continue Reading
07.08.14
A Fair Price for Extracting America's Resources | Commentary
The Hill, Opinion By Reps. Peter A. DeFazio, Rush D. Holt and Alan Lowenthal July 8, 2014, 5 a.m. Oil and gas companies are not paying their fair share for extracting our public resources. Right now, companies hold roughly 50,000 oil and gas leases on more than 37 million acres of onshore federal land - a footprint larger than the state of Georgia. These leases allow companies to reap tremendous profits from the development of oil and gas on the public's land. Unfortunately, the American … Continue Reading
07.08.14
Pallone Calls for Renewed Efforts to Stop Seismic Blasting off Jersey Coast
The New Jersey Newsroom BY CHRISTINE BRENNAN July 4, 2014 LONG BRANCH, NJ - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) called for renewed efforts to stop the seismic airgun testing that is set to begin off the coast of New Jersey. He expressed support for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's (NJDEP) decision to seek legal recourse in order to stop the blasting. This comes in response to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) approval this week of the Inc… Continue Reading
07.02.14
Mitchell proposes changes as Magnuson-Stevens Act heads for reauthorization
South Coast Today By JONATHAN CARVALHO July 2, 2014 GLOUCESTER - New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell has proposed three major changes to the Magnuson-Stevens Act as the fisheries legislation nears reauthorization by Congress. At a listening session Tuesday in Gloucester hosted by Rep. John Tierney and Rep. Peter DeFazio, an Oregon congressman who serves as ranking member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, the mayor outlined the proposals he said would strengthen the fisheries law. Mi… Continue Reading
07.02.14
Sounding off on Magnuson
Gloucester Times By Sean Horgan July 2, 2014 The final word fell to Gloucester fisherman Paul Vitale, the last speaker of the day at the fisheries listening session on the reauthorization of Magnuson-Stevens, held Tuesday at City Hall and organized by U.S. Rep. John Tierney. Up to that point, Tierney and his House colleague, Oregon Democrat Peter DeFazio, had been treated to many of the same comments and critiques of U.S. fisheries management that have peppered the debate since the cur… Continue Reading