The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up:  E&E – John McArdle: “Administration's final ocean plan sparks Hill debate on whether it streamlines or burdens agencies” E&E – Phil Taylor: “House Republicans introduce bill to approve U.S.-Mexico transboundary agreement” Billings Gazette – Rob Chaney: “Tribal ownership,… Read more »

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing on "State Lands vs. Federal Lands Oil and Gas Production: What State Regulators are doing right.” This hearing examined the disparity between oil and natural gas production on state and private lands versus production on federal lands. President Obama has touted that U.S. oil and natural gas production is at its… Read more »

Today the House Natural Resources Committee held a Full Committee oversight hearing to examine the difference in energy production and permitting on federal lands versus state and private lands. While energy production on state and federal lands is flourishing, regulatory red tape and bureaucratic hurdles imposed by the Obama Administration are hindering energy production on federal… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced onerous new government red tape that will discourage production of 1.5 trillion barrels of American oil shale. “Since taking office, President Obama has stalled, delayed and hindered oil shale research and development projects… Read more »

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) yesterday released disturbing new data that shows the United States has been increasing its dependence on oil from one of the most unstable regions in the world. Middle Eastern oil now accounts for more than 25 percent of American oil imports—a nine year high that has come at the same time as record gasoline prices. No wonder gasoline… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today released the following statement after the Department of the Interior finalized plans to lock up the majority of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) from energy production.  “As gasoline prices continue to increase for the 34th day in a row, the Obama Administration has responded by locking up a majority… Read more »

Yesterday marked 32 days in a row of increased gasoline prices, a 13 percent jump, according to the Automobile Association of America (AAA), which estimates the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.74. When President Obama took office in January 2009, the average price for gallon of gasoline was $1.84. Since taking office, President Obama has prevented new American… Read more »

During last night’s State of the Union, President Obama claimed his Administration has been actively working to speed up Applications for Permits to Drill (APDs) for energy producers on federal lands: “That’s why my Administration will keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits.” But facts are stubborn things and that statement simply is not true. Under President… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after reviewing Dr. Joseph R. Mason’s report on the “Economic Effects of Immediately Opening Federal Lands to Oil and Gas Leasing: A Response to the Congressional Budget Office.” The report projects significant growth in jobs and economic activity—$14.4 trillion GDP increase, almost 2 million… Read more »

As many media outlets have pointed out, the one issue most notably absent from President Obama’s inaugural address this week was jobs. With unemployment at 7.8 percent and the economy and jobs still topping the list of Americans’ greatest concerns, it’s baffling why the President chose not to mention this in his first speech of his second term.   Even more baffling, is why the Obama… Read more »