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Oversight

Interior Department Officials Called to Publicly Answer Questions on Gulf Drilling Moratorium at Full Committee Hearing

| Posted in Committee Action

On Wednesday, July 25th the Committee on Natural Resources will hold an oversight hearing on “Investigation of President Obama’s Gulf Drilling Moratorium: Questioning of Key Department of the Interior Officials.” Due to the Department of the Interior’s failure to comply with an official Congressional subpoena issued in April for documents on the decision to impose the drilling moratorium…

Chairman Hastings Invitation Letter to Interior Department Officials to Testify at Full Committee Gulf Drilling Moratorium Oversight Hearing

| Posted in Letters

Dear Mr. Black / Mr. Kemkar / Ms. Ishee / Mr. Cruickshank / Ms. Hanley: The Committee on Natural Resources will hold an oversight hearing on July 25, 2012 to continue the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding 1) how a decision was made by the Obama Administration to impose a drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico that put thousands of people out of work and caused…

OSM Director Pizarchik to Testify at Thursday's Oversight Hearing on Status of Coal Regulations

| Posted in Press Release

The House Natural Resources Committee has confirmed that Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) Director Joseph Pizarchik will testify at a July 19th oversight hearing on the status of the Department of the Interior’s rewrite of a 2008 coal regulation that could cost thousands of jobs and economic harm in 22 states, as well as the failure of the Department to respond…

How Many Times Can the New York Times Get it Wrong?

| Posted in Hot Air Alert

On Sunday, the New York Times Editorial Board rushed to the defense of President Obama who’s feeling the pressure this election season for proposing an offshore drilling plan that keeps 85 percent of America’s offshore areas off-limits to energy production. The President’s plan, under law, is currently undergoing a mandatory 60-day Congressional review. As part of this review, House…

Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski Send Letters to BSEE Director Watson and NOAA Administrator Lubchenco on Greenpeace Protests in Arctic

| Posted in Letters

Dear Mr. Watson: Greenpeace is pledging to impede planned exploratory drilling operations in arctic waters off the north coast of Alaska this summer. A protest fleet, including a 216-foot ice class ship, two large rigid hull and four small inflatables, two submarines, and a drone is reportedly en route to participate in these activities. Allowing intrusions by any group to disrupt or…

Chairman Hastings Letter to Secretary Salazar Stating Intent to Call Officials to Testify at Full Committee Gulf Drilling Moratorium Oversight Hearing

| Posted in Letters

Dear Mr. Secretary: In a July 6, 2012, letter, the Department of the Interior (“Department”) was provided a final opportunity to establish by the close of business on July 12, 2012 a mutually agreed upon schedule for transcribed interviews of five Department officials by Committee on Natural Resources (“Committee”) majority oversight staff. These interviews were to be conducted the week…

Chairman Hastings Invitation Letter to Secretary Salazar and Director Pizarchik to Testify on Status of Coal Regulation Rewrite and Complying With Subpoenas for Documents

| Posted in Letters

Dear Secretary Salazar and Director Pizarchik: The Committee will hold an oversight hearing on July 19, 2012 to examine 1) the status of the proposed Stream Protection Rule rewrite and the lawsuit settlement agreement entered into on March 19, 2010 by the Department of the Interior (“Department”) and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (“OSM”) to complete the rewrite…

INVESTIGATION: Deadline Set on Request to Interview Interior Department Officials Involved in Drilling Moratorium Report

| Posted in Press Release

Today, as part of a more than yearlong investigation into the Obama Administration decision to impose a drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico through a report that was edited in a manner that misrepresented that the moratorium was supported by a panel of engineering experts, Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) sent a letter setting a deadline on the request to…

Chairman Hastings Follow-up Letter to Secretary Salazar Regarding Committee's Investigation on Drilling Moratorium Documents and Setting Deadline to Interview Officials

| Posted in Letters

Dear Mr. Secretary: For more than a year, the Department of the Interior ("Department") has consistently refused to provide documents and information that would allow Congress to conduct a thorough and independent review of the Obama Administration's decision imposing a Gulf of Mexico drilling moratorium and its drafting and editing of a May 2010 Department report ("Drilling Moratorium…