The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up:  Arizona Republic OpEd by Rep. Paul Gosar: “Wildfire policy must shift from reactive to proactive” Salt Lake Tribune – Thomas Burr: “Bishop seeks grand bargain on public lands” The Hill – Ben Geman: “New Interior chief takes to Twitter” Associated Press: “Saving endangered… Read more »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Los Angeles Times – Phil Willon: “Joshua Tree targeted by graffiti vandals using social media” The Philadelphia Inquirer – Sandy Bauers: "White-nose syndrome that kills bats continues to spread” Kansas City Star: “Will Obama establish 'Idaho's Yellowstone' as a national… Read more »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: The Hill – Pete Kasperowicz: "House votes 416-7 in favor of easing hydropower regs" Roll Call – Niels Lesniewski: "Interior Pick Moves Forward After Sage Grouse Dispute" New York Times – Matthew Wald: "New Solar Process Gets More Out of Natural Gas" Bonner County Daily Bee: "Tribe working to put land into reservation… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04), Senator Orin Hatch (UT), Senator John Barrasso and Rep. Cynthia Lummis (WY) today, along with 68 other Members of Congress, sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Director Dan Ashe urging support for the delisting of the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in all lower 48… Read more »

Dear Director Ashe: We understand the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is in the process of reviewing the Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery status of the gray wolf in the lower 48 States and is preparing to announce the delisting of the species. We support the nationwide delisting of wolves and urge you to move as quickly as possible on making this a real ity.… Read more »

"The Interior Department's Fish and Wildlife Service has resurrected a Clinton-era tactic known as 'sue and settle.' With this strategy, outside green groups friendly to the Administration sue the government, demanding a particular regulatory action. The agency happily forswears court and sits down with the plaintiffs to reach a settlement." Fishing for Wildlife Lawsuits March 10,… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent a letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Dan Ashe raising concerns of scientific integrity and the imposition of arbitrary deadlines surrounding the decision to potentially list the sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  The letter requests… Read more »

At the beginning of this Administration, President Obama placed significant emphasis on the importance of scientific integrity in his Administration's policies and practices. In the President's March 9, 2009 Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, he stated that "[t]he public must be able to trust the science and scientific process informing public policy… Read more »

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today released the following statement after receiving a partial response from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe to his February 7th request for an extended public comment period for Lesser Prairie Chicken designation under the Endangered Species Act and to approve state and local plans to protect the Lesser… Read more »

In a major victory for American agriculture, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a landmark ruling Thursday in the case Dow AgroSciences LLC v. National Marine Fisheries Service reaffirming that government decision-making must be based on science and not the misguided agenda of activist groups. House Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings, House Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas, and… Read more »