House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings released the following statement today regarding Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s decision to maintain the final 4(d) special rule for polar bears.  This ensures that the listing of the polar bear as a “threatened” species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is not used to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from… Read more »

Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings called upon Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to maintain the final 4(d) special rule for polar bears, which states that the listing of the polar bear as a “threatened” species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) should not be used to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from lawful activities, such as the… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings released the following statement regarding the Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service about a project’s potential impact on endangered plants and wildlife: “Our country is in the midst of a terrible economic recession and… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) spoke on the House floor today against the rule for H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, highlighting a secret Democrat policy rider (Sec. 429) that threatens job creation and economic growth across the country. Hastings yesterday attempted to offer an amendment to remove this rider, but was blocked by the… Read more »

Congressional Democrats have inserted a dangerous rider (Sec. 429) into the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill that would allow the Department of Interior to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Section 429 allows the Interior Department to withdraw two Endangered Species Act rules (one on Section 7 consultation and another on polar bears) within 60 days of… Read more »