Press Releases
New Report Torches Republican Myths on Wildfire
Citizen Challenges of Minimal Impedance, Climate Change Influence Growing WASHINGTON (July 24, 2012) - Looking for a convenient scapegoat for the recent wildfires in the Western United States, House Republicans have predictably turned to endangered species as the cause of the destruction. A new report released today by the Democratic staff of the Natural Resources Committee, at the direction of Ranking Member Ed Markey (D-Mass.), torches the myth that citizen challenges to forest-thinning and o… Continue Reading
07.24.12
Markey: GOP’s Dubious Drilling Debate Streak Sets New Records for Repetition
Natural Resources Dems Release Big Oil Vote Count Website as GOP Nears 100 Hours of Drilling Debate Time WASHINGTON (July 24, 2012) - House Republicans have stalled Congress with nearly 100 hours of debate on oil drilling bills, passing 11 drilling bills out of the Natural Resources Committee and turning them into 6 massive packages of giveaways to Big Oil. Today's Republican "Oil Above All" monstrosity, the sixth package to be voted on in the House this Congress, opens up America's coasts to d… Continue Reading
07.24.12
Markey on Interior Dept. Solar Plan: Let’s Develop the World’s Best Solar Resources
Let's Develop the World's Best Solar Resources WASHINGTON (July 24, 2012) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, today praised the Interior Department's final Environmental Impact Statement for solar energy development on public lands across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The plan identifies 17 priority solar energy zones that are proximate to current and future transmission corridors and which could be developed with… Continue Reading
07.19.12
Markey Releases Report on Increase in Coal Exports
"Our Pain, Their Gain" As Mountains Destroyed to Ship Coal Abroad WASHINGTON (July 19, 2012) - An analysis of coal mine data released today shows that coal exports have exploded from Appalachian operations over the last few years, with some mines exporting 100 percent of their coal abroad. The report, prepared by the Democratic staff of the Natural Resources Committee, at the direction of Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), calls into question the benefits to America to allow destructive mining practices… Continue Reading
07.18.12
Markey Calls for Caution on Coal Ash Disposal in Mine Shafts, Mountaintop Recovery
Toxic Coal Waste Could Taint Water if Safety Rules Too Weak, Congressman Tells Interior Dept. WASHINGTON (July 18, 2012) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today called on the Department of Interior to ensure the protection of communities in their current consideration of the rules that will govern the potential disposal of coal ash in abandoned mine shafts and to fill and reshape mountaintops destroyed by mining operations. In a letter sent to Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Rep. Markey … Continue Reading
07.18.12
Markey: Greenland Iceberg Another Blockbuster in Summer’s Global Warming Extreme Weather Season
As Batman Rises, Icebergs Fall and Romney and GOP Ignore Climate Warnings WASHINGTON (July 18, 2012) - A section twice the size of the island of Manhattan has broken off of the Petermann glacier in Greenland due to warmer ocean temperatures in the latest event in what has been a dangerous, destructive and troubling season of extreme weather. Heat waves have gripped the United States, breaking records. Extreme storms have knocked out power and cost lives. Wildfires have consumed parts of the Wes… Continue Reading
07.18.12
Markey Statement on Exoneration of Climate Scientists in Email Hacking Incident, Failure to Find Real Culprits
WASHINGTON (July 18, 2012) - British investigators closed their investigation today to find the culprits who stole and distributed emails from East Anglia University related to work and discussions of climate change science. The investigators found that the hacking incident was not conducted within the university, and abandoned efforts to bring the real culprits to justice. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the co-author of the only climate change bill to pass Congress and the top Democrat on the Natur… Continue Reading
07.17.12
Markey Praises Passage of HEARTH Act
Markey Praises Passage of HEARTH Act WASHINGTON (July 17, 2012)-- Today the Senate passed by unanimous consent H.R. 205, the HEARTH Act, which allows Indian tribes to lease their lands for residential, business and other economic development purposes without federal oversight under certain circumstances. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee, praised the passage of the bill, which was authored by Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). "Passage of HEART… Continue Reading
07.12.12
GOP Mining Bill Brings U.S. Back to “Stone Age”
Gravel, Sand, Clay Count as "Strategic Minerals"; Latest GOP Giveaway Cheats Taxpayers, Provides Windfall for Mining Industry WASHINGTON (July 12, 2012) - House Republicans today passed their latest giveaway to highly profitable companies - this time to the mining industry - while allowing the industry to skirt tax and royalty payments to the American people. The bill would short circuit proper environmental review and therefore provide a financial windfall for large companies mining for gol… Continue Reading
07.02.12
Markey on Interior Dept. Wind Energy Announcements: “New England One Step Closer to Being Wind Energy Pioneer”
Tax Credits, Transmission Key to American Wind Energy, Yet GOP Attempting to Kill Both WASHINGTON (July 2, 2012) - The U.S. Department of Interior today announced the permitting of a huge wind energy facility in Wyoming as a responsible and job-producing way of using America's public lands, and the advancement of more offshore wind energy in New England by releasing an environmental assessment for a planned offshore wind area. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the Natural Resources… Continue Reading
07.02.12
Markey: How Will Mitt Romney Etch-a-sketch Away Extreme Weather?
Climate Change Supercharging Storms, Wildfires, Yet GOP Prez Candidate Disavows Former Position on Global Warming WASHINGTON (July 2, 2012) -Wildfires in the West, fueled by record heat and extensive drought, have displaced tens of thousands of Americans. Deadly heat waves have blanketed tens of millions of Americans, and Friday's massively destructive "derecho" storm has left millions without power. Scientists say that these events fit into the larger pattern of an unstable climate supercharge… Continue Reading
06.28.12
Markey Praises Obama Admin. 5-year Drilling Plan
Markey Praises Obama Admin. 5-year Drilling Plan WASHINGTON (June 28, 2012) -Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, today praised the Obama administration's Interior Department for offering a balanced five year oil and gas drilling plan for America's oceans. The plan would continue to offer new lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and in Alaska, but would keep the East Coast free from drilling and postpone the Alaskan lease sales so that more scientific data… Continue Reading
06.27.12
As Wildfires Burn West, Natural Resources Committee Democrats Demand Hearing on Reducing Wildfire Risk
Important safety information regarding the ongoing Wildfires devastating the Western United States: Incident Information System Latest Wildfire Perimeter Maps USDA Forest Service Active Fire Map Help Coloradans affected by Wildfires Wildfires & Climate Change “ Colorado’s table was set for monster fire ”- Washington Post, July 1, 2012 “ Climate Change shares blame in wildfires ” - Salt Lake Tribune, June 30, 2012 “ West’s wildfires a preview of changed climate : scien… Continue Reading
06.27.12
House Dems to Oil Companies: Show us the Money Trail
Legislation Introduced Today Would Require Disclosure of Secret Campaign Contributions for Access to Taxpayer-owned Lands WASHINGTON (June 27, 2012) - With the Supreme Court’s decision this week to continue to defend secret campaign contributions from corporations, three House Democrats today introduced legislation that would demand oil companies disclose their political contributions to gain access to new taxpayer-owned lands. Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Rush Holt (D-N.J.) and Paul Tonko (D-N.… Continue Reading
06.26.12
Markey, Napolitano Introduce HYDRO 2.0
Legislation Would Improve Efficiency of Hydropower Dams WASHINGTON (June 26, 2012) -- Today, Natural Resources Democratic Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Subcommittee on Water and Power Ranking Member Grace F. Napolitano (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to improve the performance of federally-owned and operated hydroelectric dams across America. The "Hydro 2.0 Act" would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to utilize revenues from new power production at existing sites to upgrade… Continue Reading
06.26.12
Markey Applauds Appeals Court Ruling on Global Warming Pollution
Ruling Comes on Third Anniversary of Waxman-Markey House Passage WASHINGTON (June 26, 2012) - On the third anniversary of House passage of the historic Waxman-Markey climate and clean energy bill, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit today defended the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate heat-trapping emissions, and the sound science behind dangerous climate change. The court denied four petitions from the fossil fuel industry seeking to invali… Continue Reading
06.25.12
Markey Calls for Congressional Oversight of State Sea Level Shenanigans
Dangerous Denial of Science Puts American Communities, Security at Risk WASHINGTON (June 25, 2012) - Today Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) delivered a letter to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings, requesting an oversight hearing on the dangers of sea level rise and recent proposals in state legislatures to ignore sea level rise science. Markey, the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, noted that reports released last week by the National Research Council and the U.S. … Continue Reading
06.22.12
Bipartisan Delegation of 58 Members of Congress Call on the SEC to Release Key Rules to Reverse the “Resource Curse” that Plagues the Developing World
Bipartisan Delegation of 58 Members of Congress Call on the SEC to Release Key Rules to Reverse the "Resource Curse" that Plagues the Developing World WASHINGTON (June 22, 2012) -- A bipartisan contingent of 58 members of Congress today sent a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission asking for the status of two key rules to combat the developing world's so-called "resource curse", where natural resources are squandered by ineffectual or corrupt governments or for other reasons. The sco… Continue Reading
06.21.12
Markey, Waxman Denounce GOP’s Giveaways to Big Oil, Protection of Subsidies
House GOP Bill Holds America's Lands and Oil Hostage, Reduces Drilling Safety, Includes Unconstitutional Petroleum Poll Tax; Republicans Put "Gag Order" on Clean Energy Debate WASHINGTON (June 21, 2012) - House Republicans today passed a bill that would transfer hundreds of thousands of square miles of America's public lands to oil companies, while protecting the $4 billion in subsidies the biggest oil companies receive from taxpayers each year. Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Henry A. Waxman (D-… Continue Reading
06.19.12
GOP’s Border Bill Asks Americans: Are You In the #DRONEZONE?
Dangerous Anti-Immigrant, Anti-Environment Bill Set for Vote Today in House; Natural Resources Democrats Launch #DRONEZONE Website to Alert Americans; Broad Coalition Fighting Bill WASHINGTON (June 19, 2012) - On Friday, President Obama took steps to create a path to citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants. Today, House Republicans will advance their anti-immigrant and anti-environmental policies with a bill that will expand the scope of the Department of Homeland Security's aut… Continue Reading