United States House Committee on Natural Resources Wikipedia

Table Of Content

• Federal Lands
• California Natural Resources Agency
• Oversight & Investigations October 18, 2023
• Feds say he masterminded an epic California water heist. Some farmers say he’s their Robin Hood
• H.R. 4219, H.R. 5770, H.R. 6107 and H.R. 6127 Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee Field Hearing on Critical Minerals Access

The Committee's responsibilities include promoting environmental stewardship, sustainable resource management, and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. By conducting oversight, writing legislation, and engaging in bipartisan collaboration, the House Committee on Natural Resources aims to ensure the responsible and equitable use of the United States' natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations. Settlements quantify and secure legal recognition of these rights, protecting the water supply for tribes and providing certainty to all water users in a basin. Indian water rights settlements help ensure water security for entire communities, a matter of paramount importance for regions combating severe drought exacerbated by climate change. To improve clean water access and address the federal government’s legal obligations, Congress has historically approved and funded Indian water rights settlements, which are negotiated legal agreements that secure tribal water rights and provide the water infrastructure needed to treat and deliver water.

Federal Lands

The ocean regulates global temperature, generates oxygen, provides essential food supplies and is the planet’s largest carbon sink. But  climate change from the burning of fossil fuels poses significant risks to the health of our oceans. The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee explored the potential for wildlife-borne diseases like Avian flu, COVID, Lyme Disease, and Ebola to cause outbreaks or even pandemics in people. The Committee hosted a hearing in 2019 on chronic wasting disease, a roundtable in 2020 on the impacts of wildlife-borne diseases on human health, and a hearing in 2022 on the importance of monitoring wildlife diseases and preventing public health crises.

California Natural Resources Agency

It is a fundamental principle of American law and our system of separation of powers that citizens can turn to the legal system to hold the government accountable. Citizen action can ensure agency compliance with statutory mandates that Congress enacted, such as requiring public input and participation. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands oversees this collection of crown jewels, and the federal agencies tasked with their protection. Even urgently needed local initiatives, such as the long-delayed Northern Corridor in St. George and carefully considered water resource planning in Washington County, have been thwarted by federal land managers, who habitually disregard state and local input. To ensure availability of these services, please make sure your request is submitted at least 15 business days prior to the comment period deadline by contacting The Natural Resources Agency will be soliciting public input to inform the updated strategy over the coming months through a series of public workshops and tribal roundtables.

Oversight & Investigations October 18, 2023

This work includes upholding the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and supporting other legislation and agency actions that protect and conserve our natural resources for future generations. Indian water rights settlements have been the preferred alternative to litigation for tribes, states, and the federal government, including every Republican and Democratic administration, for decades. Negotiated settlements relieve taxpayers from significant legal liability; support cooperative solutions that benefit all stakeholders; and prevent costly, protracted, and divisive water rights litigation across the western states. Settlements also help tribal communities move past the health and economic consequences caused by a lack of secure access to water.

The space includes a public auditorium (capacity of 300), indoor bicycle and scooter storage, and indoor and outdoor gathering locations throughout. Further, opening soon is a multi-option food court, fitness center, and child-care facility. Although the new committee chairs reflect a diversity of backgrounds, the speaker’s core leadership team no longer includes any Black Assembly members with the removal of Bryan as majority leader. Groundbreaking for Caltrans District 7 Clean California “State Route 170 North Hollywood Beautification” project.This project will enhance interchanges at Victory Boulevard, Sherman Way, Roscoe Boulevard, and US 101 at Lankershim Boulevard. Security fencing, native plants, rock blankets, and decorative metal artwork will be applied, including the pedestrian overcrossing that connects to the Valley Plaza Sports Complex.

Not every recipient of a new leadership role supported Rivas, signaling that he and state lawmakers are willing to forgive and forget after this year’s political drama. The criminal referral to the Department of Justice outlines evidence of a likely criminal quid pro quo between Trump administration officials, including former U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, and Arizona real estate developer Mike Ingram. The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee has jurisdiction over each agency and program overseen by the full Committee. The Subcommittees on Insular Affairs and Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans were merged into the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife. In the 112th Congress, the number was again increased to 5, adding the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs.

House Passes Bipartisan Bills Investing in Outdoor Recreation, Promoting Tribal Sovereignty - Hearing Committee Activity The House Committee on Natural Resources

House Passes Bipartisan Bills Investing in Outdoor Recreation, Promoting Tribal Sovereignty.

Posted: Wed, 20 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Fish and wildlife, and the people whose livelihoods depend on them, need water to survive and thrive. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (also referred to as the Magnuson-Stevens Act or MSA) is the preeminent law governing the management and conservation of our fisheries in federal waters, which generally extend between 3 and 200 nautical miles offshore. International wildlife conservation can be complicated because countries, nonprofits, and indigenous people have to work together. No matter what, Committee Democrats believe that human rights and the safety and prosperity of indigenous people should take utmost precedent.

House Natural Resources Subcommittee Field Hearing on Critical Minerals Access

In this workshop, CNRA staff provided an overview of SB 27, walked through the Concept Discussion Draft, and facilitated discussion among workshop participants. The Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy will drive implementation of the Governor’s Executive Order and expanded climate action in this sector, which has been called for in California’s Climate Change Scoping Plan and California’s recently updated Climate Adaptation Strategy. Our California Natural Resources Agency and many of its departments have moved homes for the first time in six decades! We are excited to welcome you to our interactive and environmentally friendly new campus at the corner of 8th and P Streets. Freshman lawmaker Liz Ortega (D-San Leandro) will helm the labor and employment committee on the heels of a remarkable year for union-backed policy. “We have transitioned and we are about looking forward,” Ward said in an interview Tuesday, adding that Rivas told him he was chosen for the role because of his background working on housing and homelessness issues as a member of the San Diego City Council.

Column: We’re wiping out the Southern California steelhead trout. Time to fix that

The large footprint of federal land in Southern Utah creates unique challenges for the region. The House Committee on Natural Resources considers legislation about American energy production, mineral lands and mining, fisheries and wildlife, public lands, oceans, Native Americans, irrigation and reclamation. Learn more about Republican Leader Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and meet all of the Committee Members.

Both Wicks and Gabriel hold power over the state’s purse strings in their new roles, and are allies of Rivas, helping him secure the speakership during chaotic jockeying in the Capitol. IUU fishing is estimated to account for 20% of fish catches globally, with an estimated annual economic loss of $26 to $50 billion. IUU fishing is a major driver in the decrease of global fish stocks, threatening marine ecosystems, and jeopardizing food security and the American economy.

Democratic Members will continue protecting marine ecosystems and increasing sustainability and transparency of our fisheries. Federal licenses for the construction and operation of nonfederal hydropower projects are typically issued for 50 years, meaning many dams across the country are currently operating on licenses granted prior to the passage of modern environmental laws. Dams undergoing the relicensing process are eligible for year-to-year license extensions, which allow aging dams to continue operating without the facility upgrades necessary to comply with current law. This issue will likely gain urgency in the years to come as nearly a fifth of all federal hydropower licenses are set to expire by December 2026. Committee Democrats are working to ensure robust environmental and tribal protections for existing and future hydropower projects.

Climate change-induced drought imperils our nation’s ecosystems and threatens to dramatically reduce drinking, industrial, and agricultural water supplies. The resulting impacts to water reliability disproportionately affect rural and tribal communities. In recent years, Republicans have worked to undermine our nation’s bedrock species protection laws, decrease funding for conservation initiatives and even permit drilling in precious places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Democrats are working to strengthen laws like the ESA and MBTA, increase funding for conservation efforts, expand the National Wildlife Refuge System, and secure funding for the recovery of imperiled species[MB1] . Committee Democrats are working to protect and promote healthy river ecosystems that support western state economies.

Examining the Opportunities and Challenges of Land Consolidation in Indian Country Indian and Insular Affairs ... - Hearing Committee Activity The House Committee on Natural Resources

Examining the Opportunities and Challenges of Land Consolidation in Indian Country Indian and Insular Affairs ....

Posted: Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Through hearings and legislation, they are seeking to chip away at citizens’ rights to access the courts and ensure environmental justice for their communities. Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing is any unlawful practice that does not comply with national, regional, or global fisheries management or conservation requirements. Species conservation is crucial not only for protecting ecosystems but also plays an important role in strengthening the resilience of the communities that depend upon them. Congress must continue to work towards protecting wildlife at home and abroad to preserve biodiversity for future generations. Proponents of trophy hunting argue that hunting fees benefit species conservation and support local communities.

But evidence for this is convoluted at best, and data shows that trophy hunting has low economic value as a wildlife-related activity. In reality, a study of eight African countries revealed that less than 1% of the $17 billion generated from tourism spending came from trophy hunters. Our oceans, which make up over 70% of the Earth’s surface, are vital to our economy and ecosystems.

Promoting outdoor activities, including ethical hunting and fishing, is key to encouraging Americans to spend time outdoors. To learn more about the role public land conservation plays in combating the climate crisis, as well as the Committee’s ongoing efforts to address climate change, check out our Medium post on climate solutions here. You can also learn more about the benefits of roadless areas and the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine this critical protection by checking out the Subcommittee’s hearing on the impacts of removing roadless protections here. House Republicans remain committed to advancing feasible, commonsense solutions that would increase access to public lands and empower local stakeholders to have more say in land use decisions.