Hastings Commends Decision to Delist the Gray Wolf as an Endangered Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced its decision Friday to remove the Gray Wolf from the endangered species list, leaving future management and conservation efforts to the states for all gray wolf populations in the lower 48 states. “The Service’s decision today to delist gray wolves only makes sense, and is long overdue. This untangles the ridiculous situation in Washington, Oregon, and Utah, where wolves had been listed one side of a highway, and not on the other,” said Hastings. “Private landowners, local governments and states should not be subjected to federal wolf listings when wolf populations are thriving, up as much as 300 percent in some areas, and will be managed much more effectively at the state level.” Hastings, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, has promised continued oversight of the Service’s closed-door Endangered Species Act (ESA) settlements and the countless arbitrary deadlines for potentially hundreds of species listings and critical habitat designations set to go into effect this year without sufficient state and local input.

Public Comment Period Extended for Proposed Endangered Species Listing

Last month, Hastings received a response from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe in response to his May 15th letter requesting an extension for meaningful public comment on the endangered species designation of two plants. The designation of the Umtanum desert buckwheat and the White Bluffs bladderpod, two plants that are found on thousands of acres in Franklin County and Benton County, could impact private property landowners and cost local farmers thousands of dollars. The Service’s decision to hastily list two plants as endangered, without giving a meaningful opportunity for those impacted to submit comments, raises serious concerns on the decision-making process for these designations. Click here to submit your comments to the Fish and Wildlife Service on the proposed status and designation of critical habitat for the White Bluffs bladderpod.

House Approves 2014 Appropriations Bills for Veterans, Homeland Security

On Tuesday, June 4, with my support, the House passed H.R. 2216, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014, which provides $73.3 to support the military and their families and to provide benefits and medical care for our nation’s veterans. On Thursday, June 6, the House approved H.R. 2217, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2014, which provides $38.9 billion for the Department of Homeland Security. The funding is intended to prioritize operations, provide sufficient resources to fulfill essential missions, reduce bureaucratic overhead, and administer greater oversight and accountability.

House Scheduled to Consider Two of Hastings’ Bills Important to Central Washington

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote this week on two of Hastings’ bills that improve public access in Central Washington. The Rattlesnake Mountain Public Access Act (H.R. 1157) would allow public access to the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain located on the Hanford Reach National Monument in Benton County. The North Cascades National Park Service Complex Fish Stocking Act (H.R. 1158) would allow the practice of fish stocking in North Cascades lakes to continue, a tradition that has been in place for more than a century. These bills will provide greater recreational access to the public, increase tourism, and create new fishing opportunities in Central Washington.

Send Me Your Scenic Photos of Central Washington

From the Yakima Valley to the Columbia River, Central Washington is full of beauty. That is why I would like you to send me your favorite photos of scenic Central Washington to share on my Facebook page as my cover photo. Each month I will select a picture that is sent from you to exhibit at the top of my Facebook page. This is a great way to show off the stunning images of Washington’s 4th Congressional District. Please submit your photos to docscoverphotos@gmail.com.

My current Facebook cover photo is a scenic photo of Rattlesnake Mountain, submitted by Lloyd in Richland.

TOP NEWS

Committee Approves Three Hastings’ Bills to Improve Public Access in Washington

On Wednesday, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed three pieces of legislation authored by Hastings that would provide greater recreational access to the public, increase tourism, and create new fishing opportunities in Central Washington. The three bipartisan bills, pertaining to Rattlesnake Mountain, Stehekin Road, and North Cascades fish stocking, passed the full Committee by unanimous consent. Hastings, who chairs the Committee, reintroduced the three bills last month for the 113th Congress. All three of Hastings’ bills passed the House of Representatives with broad, bipartisan support in the 112th Congress (2011-2012). The bills are now ready for consideration by the full House of Representatives.

Bipartisan Bill to Create a Manhattan Project National Historic Park Passes Committee

Also this week, the Natural Resources Committee approved by unanimous consent H.R. 1208, the “Manhattan Project National Historical Park Act” – bipartisan legislation authored by Hastings that would establish a Manhattan Project National Historical Park including facilities at Hanford. The Manhattan Project was an unprecedented top-secret program to produce an atomic bomb before Nazi Germany. The action taken by the Committee this week makes the bill eligible for consideration by the full House. “Today the Manhattan Project National Historic Park is one step closer to becoming a reality. I’m committed to bringing the bill to the House floor this Congress and working with the Senate to get it signed into law. These facilities have an important, interesting, and historic story to tell and this bill would ensure that their doors remain open to visitors for years to come,” said Hastings.

Hastings Tours Pacific Coast Canola Facility in Warden

On Monday, April 22nd, Hastings met with Matt Upmeyer at Pacific Coast Canola and toured their state-of-the-art “canola seed to canola oil” facility that recently opened in Warden. Pacific Coast Canola produces food-grade canola oil and canola meal. The Warden crusher is the first commercial-scale canola crushing operation west of the Rockies.

Hastings Meets with Members of the Northwest Public Power Association

Last Wednesday, Hastings met with members of the Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) in his D.C. office. NWPPA is a not-for-profit trade association of nearly 160 public utility districts, including several in Central Washington, electric cooperatives, and municipalities in the Pacific Northwest. The NWPPA members discussed their concerns with Hastings regarding former Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s memo, which could significantly increase electricity rates on 40 million Americans. They also discussed the importance of protecting our region’s hydropower system, as well as Hastings’ bill to protect endangered Columbia River salmon and other fish species from California and Steller sea lions.

 Chairman Hastings Unveils Draft Proposal to Restore Active Forest Management and Help Rural Schools & Counties

Legislative hearing scheduled for April 11^th

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today unveiled a draft proposal to address the expiration of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program.   The draft proposal, Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, renews the federal government’s commitment to manage forest resources for the benefit of rural schools and counties by allowing active forest management projects to take place in areas specifically identified by the U.S. Forest Service as capable of timber production.

The Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation will hold a legislative hearing on the draft bill, and others, on Thursday, April 11^th 2013 at 10:00 A.M.

“The federal government made a promise over 100 years ago to actively manage our forests and provide a stable revenue stream for counties containing National Forest land.  The federal government’s inability to uphold this promise and tie our forest lands up in bureaucratic red tape has left counties without sufficient funds to pay for teachers, police officers and emergency services; devastated local economies and cost thousands of jobs throughout rural America; and left our forests susceptible to deadly wildfires.  Due to the lack of healthy forest management, last year 44 times as many acres of U.S. Forest land burned in wildfires than were responsibly harvested.  This is unacceptable and exposes the fundamental failure of the federal government to keep our forests healthy,” said Chairman Hastings. “There are timber lands that have already been specifically identified by the Forest Service as areas capable of timber production.  This draft proposal would simply cut through red tape to allow responsible timber production to occur in those areas and make the federal government uphold its commitment to rural schools and counties.”

·         Specifically, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act:

o    Requires that the Forest Service actively manage its commercial timber lands to produce revenues.

o    Requires the Forest Service to produce at least half of the sustainable yield of timber each year and, as required by law since 1908, share 25 percent of receipts with the counties.

o    Protects the environment by requiring projects to complete National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultations, but streamlines the process to avoid frivolous and lengthy delays, lawsuits, and bureaucratic red tape.

o    Will provide an extension of SRS payments to allow counties to transition back to payments from active forest management.

Background:

Under federal law passed in 1908, the U.S. Forest Service has historically shared 25 percent of all timber revenues with rural counties containing National Forest land to compensate them for large amounts of federal land that cannot be taxed.  Since that time, these “25 percent payments” have provided counties with much-needed funding for essential services such as education and infrastructure.  Yet by the late 1990s timber harvests dramatically declined due to federal overregulation and harmful lawsuits, prompting Congress in 2000 to pass the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS).  SRS was created to provide “transition payments” over a six year period while Congress worked to increase timber production, or rural counties found an alternative source of revenue.

However, since the passage of SRS the federal government has failed to oversee a transition into increased timber production yet continued to provide money to these counties without ensuring the public land is properly managed.  Lack of active forest management inhibits job creation, deprives counties of revenue to fund schools and roads, and makes our National Forests increasingly susceptible to wildfires and invasive species.  As a result, many rural counties are suffering double-digit unemployment with little hope of creating meaningful jobs without access to common sense management of the public lands.

SRS payments were extended through fiscal year 2012.  Payments to counties will decline by 80 percent next year unless Congress takes action.  The Obama Administration has also notified States that it intends to retroactively subject SRS payments, which were made to counties in January based on fiscal year 2012 revenues, to the fiscal year 2013 sequester. It is requesting repayment of $17.9 million in SRS and 25 percent fund payments that have already been disbursed to States.

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Washington, D.C., Mar 21 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today reintroduced bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting endangered Columbia River salmon and other fish species from predation by California and steller sea lions. H.R. 1308, the Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Prevention Act would allow states and tribes to obtain permits for lethal removal of the most aggressive sea lions in order to deter predation and help protect endangered salmon as they return to spawn. Chairman Hastings is joined by bill cosponsors Reps. Greg Walden (OR-02), Michael K. Simpson (ID-02), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), and Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03).

“For years now, Northwest ratepayers have paid hundreds of millions of dollars every year on measures to protect endangered salmon migrating through our Columbia River dams, only to see a growing number fall prey to aggressive sea lions that camp out at the base of the Bonneville Dam and other places,” said Hastings. “I am pleased to once again introduce this bipartisan legislation to ensure that, despite endless litigation, federal and Northwest state agencies will be permitted to work with local tribes using all available methods, including lethal removal of the most aggressive of these predators, to protect this important resource.”

In recent years sea lions have been entering the lower 205 miles of the Columbia River and around Bonneville Dam and feasting on fish. According to previous state court filings, during winter and spring months, as many as 1,000 California Sea Lions can be in the lower Columbia River, each of which consumes fifteen to thirty pounds of fish per day. Conservative estimates show that sea lions during April and May, California Sea Lions eat 12,000 to 20,000 fish throughout the Columbia River and its tributaries, which comprise a significant percentage of the overall salmon runs.

As near-record runs of salmon are returning to the Columbia River to spawn, the sea lion populations have substantially increased and are a growing threat to endangered salmon runs and other fish species. Despite dramatic population increases in recent decades, sea lions enjoy strong federal protection making it virtually impossible to control them. Scientific task forces have been convened for several years and have concluded that non-lethal removal have not been effective.

Hastings’ bill, which is identical to legislation he introduced last Congress that passed the House of Representatives in June 2012 by a bipartisan vote of 232 to 188, allows for the issuance of state and tribal permits to lethally remove increasing predatory, sea lions that consume tens of thousands of endangered salmon and other fish species in the Columbia River and their tributaries. The bill only addresses sea lions that are not listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Last year, following another round of scientific determinations by technical review teams that lethal removal authority was needed, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration authorized the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho to permanently remove California sea lions between the months of March and May. Shortly thereafter, the Humane Society of the U.S., filed a complaint and motion for an injunction to block implementation of the states’ authority to lethally remove sea lions. An Oregon federal judge denied the injunction, and in February 2013, dismissed the Humane Society’s complaint, paving the way for the state permits to proceed this year. On March 12, 2013, the Humane Society filed another appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. H.R. 1308 would stop the continual yearly litigation.

PNP comment: This is not good. We do not want to be next with 600,000 acres put in the Siskiyou Crest Monument that straddles California and Oregon border. — Editor Liz Bowen

Chairman Hastings’ Statement on President Obama’s Plan to Use Antiquities Act to Unilaterally Designate Five New National Monuments

 WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement after President Obama announced his intentions to unilaterally designate five new National Monuments using presidential powers granted under the 1906 Antiquities Act.

“The Obama Administration not only sees the sequester as an opportunity to make automatic spending reductions as painful as possible on the American people, it’s also a good time for the President to dictate under a century-old law that the government spend money it doesn’t have on property it doesn’t even own.

President Obama has closed the White House to public tours but he’s unilaterally ordering the National Park Service to spend scarce dollars on little-known, privately-owned property in Delaware.

Over one hundred years ago the Antiquities Act was passed to allow a President to act when there was an emergency need to prevent destruction of a precious place – yet President Obama is acting on simple whim as no imminent threat of destruction or harm is posed at any of these five locations.

Several of these designations may merit preservation and be popular with some advocates in the local community, but this outdated law can be used by a President to unilaterally impose policies unwelcome and strongly opposed by local elected leaders and Governors for the economic harm caused to their small rural communities and states. Especially troubling are the inclusion of private property in these new monuments and the lack of transparency that surrounds monument designations where the White House and President work in secret and are able to thwart public review, public comment and consideration of environmental and economic impacts. The law is in need of review and reform to guarantee transparency and the approval of local communities and their elected leaders.”

  From Congressman Doc Hastings Newsletter

Washington, D.C.,                             Mar 14, 2013

Today, Congressman Doc Hastings (WA-04) introduced three pieces of legislation important to Washington state that provide recreational access, tourism and fishing opportunities. The bills will be referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources, where Hastings serves as Chairman. All three of Hastings’ bills passed the House of Representatives with broad, bipartisan support in the 112^th Congress (2011-2012), but the Senate failed to take a vote on the bills.

H.R. 1156 renews efforts that would allow the National Parks Service to relocate and rebuild the Upper Stehekin Valley Road in the North Cascades National Park. Over time, floods and the changing path of the Stehekin River has critically damaged significant sections of Stehekin Road. The Road occupies a narrow corridor within the borders of the Stephen Mather Wilderness Area. Congressional approval is required to modify the corridor prior to the National Park Service rebuilding the road.

“Stehekin Road was specifically protected when the Park and Wilderness areas were created, because of its value to local residents and tourists,” said Hastings. “For many years, Stehekin Road has been maintained and run by Park officials, but following extreme flooding and subsequent changes in the course of the river, much of it is now under water. My bill simply gives the Park Service the ability to restore the damaged sections of the road, while maintaining the integrity of the wilderness area surrounding the only route through the park for residents and visitors alike. A promise was made and it must be kept.”

Hastings’ bill would adjust the wilderness boundary for the sole purpose of rebuilding the closed section of road away from the Stehekin River, provided there is no net loss of wilderness acreage.

Hastings’ second bill, the North Cascades National Park Service Complex Fish Stocking Act (H.R. 1158), would allow the practice of fish stocking in North Cascades lakes to continue, a tradition that has been in place for more than a century, and which long predates the establishment of the National Parks Service. Without this legislative authority, the National Park Service has stopped and will not continue fish stocking.

“After years of consultation with local leaders on this issue, it is clear to me that communities in and around the North Cascades National Park Complex want fish stocking to continue,” said Hastings. “Fish stocking has encouraged tourism, recreation and the economy in these communities for over a century. Although I believe the National Park Service already has the authority to do this under the act that established the park in 1968, the Park Service is requiring further clarification from Congress.”

Hastings’ bill would permit the stocking of up to 42 of the lakes that have historically been stocked with fish located in the North Cascades National Park Complex. The Complex includes the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. The lakes in question are home to many recreational activities and draw Park visitors from around the state, region and beyond.

In addition to the 112^th Congress, both the Upper Stehekin Valley Road Access bill and the North Cascades National Park Service Complex Fish Stocking Act passed the House of Representatives in the 111^th Congress (2009-2010), but again were not voted upon by the Senate.

Hastings’ third bill, the Rattlesnake Mountain Public Access Act (H.R. 1157), would allow public access to the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain located on the Hanford Reach National Monument in Benton County, Washington. Currently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior responsible for managing the Hanford Reach National Monument, has refused even limited public access to the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain. Hastings’ legislation would require the Secretary of the Interior to provide reasonable public access to the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain in the Hanford Reach National Monument for educational, recreational, historical, scientific, cultural, and other purposes.

“As I’ve said many times, people are permitted to scale the top of Mount Rainier and they should have the opportunity to take in the sights from the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain,” said Hastings. “Since the public owns these lands, everyone should be permitted safe, regular, and carefully managed access to the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain.”

Under Hastings’ bill, public access would include motor vehicles, pedestrians and other non-motorized transportation methods such as bicycles. The bill does not dictate how and when public access occurs, but does mandate that public access be permitted.

PNP comment: Read the letter send by Congressman Doc Hastings, WA State, to Dept. of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar citing wrong-doing. Doc Hastings is chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee and has the authority to demand such information. Deadline for the government to deliver on Congressman Hastings request is March 15, 2013. Bet the federal agency won’t comply by the deadline. What do you want to bet? — Editor Liz Bowen

Sent to Pie N Politics from Jacqui Krizo, Editor of Klamath Basin Crisis.org

 Letter from Chairman Houser of Representatives Natural Resources Committee Doc Hastings to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar regarding Klamath River Dam science misconduct by Interior in firing whistleblower Dr. Paul Houser. Hastings requests documents regarding communications by March 15.

Hastings, Lucas, Peterson Praise Federal Court Ruling on NOAA’s Salmon Opinion

Federal Appellate Court Affirms Bipartisan Concern BiOp Based on Flawed Science

WASHINGTON, D.C. – 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 House Agriculture Ranking Member Collin Peterson praised the ruling, which focuses on a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion (BiOp) relating to Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed salmon and use of agricultural crop protection products registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The appellate court found “arbitrary and capricious” data and conclusions in NOAA’s 482-page BiOp, issued in 2008, that 27 species of salmon were jeopardized by three widely- used crop protection products and that 500 to 1,000 foot buffers were required to mitigate use of those products.  The court’s stunning 23-page opinion concluded, “In sum, the Fisheries Service’s November 2008 BiOp relied on a selection of data, tests, and standards that did not always appear to be logical, obvious, or even rational.”  The Court also noted that NOAA’s BiOp lacked analyses of economic or technological feasibility of its proposed mitigation measures, as is required by ESA regulations.

“This Court ruling re-affirms what states, other federal agencies, and multiple House Committees have already found:  that NOAA’s salmon BiOps for crop protection products are based on flawed science, outdated data, and fail to consider the economic impact of buffers on as much as 60 percent of agriculture in Washington alone,” said House Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings.  “I am hopeful that this ruling, together with pending National Academy of Sciences’ peer review of these flawed BiOps, will force NOAA back to the drawing board to use sound science, current data and economic analyses it has ignored for too long.”  

“Whether we are talking about NOAA’s evaluation of pesticides in the Pacific Northwest, the Fish and Wildlife Service evaluation of the lesser prairie chicken in the southern Great Plains or countless other decisions, it amazes me how little regard there is within the Services for science and the economic consequences of their actions,” said House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas.  “It is my hope that the order of the Fourth Circuit will finally encourage the Services to balance the goals of species protection with the requirement that their decisions be technically and economically feasible.”

“The court’s decision reaffirms the need for science-based information within the regulatory process.  This is a long-needed step in the right direction,” said House Agriculture Ranking Member Collin Peterson.

The Court’s opinion identifies several specific concerns about NOAA’s BiOp, including:

• NOAA’s      Bi-Op includes questionable models that would impose “one-size-fits-all,”      500 to 1,000 foot buffers;

• NOAA’s      Bi-Op fails to analyze or consider the economic or technological      feasibility of any of its mitigation measures;

• NOAA’s      Bi-Op models are not based on “real-world conditions” of how these      products could potentially have on salmon;

• NOAA’s      Bi-Op relies on 20-year old, outdated water monitoring data that does not      accurately reflect current mitigation efforts, and ignores new data      provided by states and other entities.

Background

In March 2011, the EPA, NOAA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) contracted with the National Academies of Science (NAS) for a limited study of some minor scientific questions related to the Service’s biological opinions.  On May 3, 2011, the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committees held a joint hearing where a bipartisan group of Members asked that this study be expanded to include a comprehensive peer review of the service’s work, as well as an evaluation of the technical and economic feasibility of its opinions as is required under agency regulations.

In an apparent attempt to shield itself from scientific scrutiny, the NOAA has repeatedly refused to allow the NAS to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of its work which unfortunately calls into question the value and utility of its soon to be released report.  A follow-up letter to the various agencies from Chairmen Lucas and Hastings, as well as Chairman Mike Simpson of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, outlined a number of questions that the NAS study must include for the work to be of value in this policy debate.

On July 12, 2012, the House Committee on Agriculture reported out legislation (H.R. 6083) which would prohibit the EPA from acting on the NOAA’s biological opinions until such time as the NOAA contracts with the NAS for a comprehensive peer review and economic analysis of its work.

The House Natural Resources Committee has also probed the Administration’s adherence to transparency and data quality relating to ESA decisions and has held three full committee hearings on litigation’s impact on the ESA.

WA. State Congressman Doc Hastings Newsletter –
Washington, D.C., 

 Feb 5, 2013 -

 Today, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) sent a letter to the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, expressing concerns over a costly contract the agency has signed with entities to conduct closed interviews with individuals about their opinions of ongoing salmon recovery activities in the Columbia Basin. Funded by taxpayer money, NOAA has provided no clear explanation of the timing, need for, or defined scope of the planning exercise.

“With data showing several years of near-record Columbia Basin salmon runs, I request that NOAA postpone this effort and instead re-double this Administration’s commitment and focus to defend the Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion crafted with the support of three Northwest states, numerous tribes and other stakeholders, rather than create another distractive process that could engender divisive proposals, such as dam removal, and provide fodder for new costly and unproductive litigation, all to the detriment of the listed stocks and the region’s economy,” wrote Chairman Hastings.

The House Natural Resources Committee has oversight responsibilities over the Endangered Species Act and Northwest salmon programs. In the letter, Chairman Hastings assured that the Committee will review NOAA’s process for pursuing and carrying out the “situation assessment” contracts.

Background:

Last December, NOAA negotiated a contract with two university-based entities, the Oregon Consensus Program and the Ruckelshaus Center, to interview individuals, including a number of environmental groups that favor dam removal to conduct a “situation assessment” on how Chinook salmon should be recovered in the Columbia Basin. However, according to publicly available data, for each of the past five years Chinook salmon runs have ranged between 480,000 to 850,000 and steelhead have numbered between 235,000 to 600,000. NOAA’s timing and rationale for launching yet another costly exercise could potentially undermine the successful collaboration of federal agencies, states and several tribes to develop a legally-sound Biological Opinion, allowing for operations of the Northwest’s vital federal hydropower dams to continue.

                                                                                    
Hastings to Continue Service as Natural Resources Committee Chairman

 On Tuesday, Congressman Doc Hastings accepted the post of House Natural Resources Committee Chairman for the 113th Congress. Of particular importance to the Pacific Northwest, the Committee has jurisdiction over the Bonneville Power Administration, Bureau of Reclamation irrigation projects (including the Columbia Basin Project and the Yakima River Basin projects), endangered species policies, federal hydropower projects, Payment-In-Lieu-Of-Taxes (PILT) payments and firefighting on federal lands.

Hastings began his service as the top Republican on the Committee in the 111th Congress prior to being selected Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee for the 112th Congress.

Hastings Remains Concerned about Obama Administration’s Release of Final Northern Spotted Owl Critical Habitat Rule

On November 21, the Department of Interior released its final critical habitat rule for the Northern Spotted Owl. Hastings is concerned that this rule locks up large portions of federal lands without addressing the impact of the predatory Barred Owl. Read Hastings’ statement here. In May, the Natural Resources Committee, which Hastings chairs, held a hearing in Longview on, “Failed Federal Forest Policies: Endangering Jobs, Forests and Species,”  which addressed the failed recovery of the Northern Spotted Owl.

On November 20, Hastings released a statement in response to a Department of Energy proposal that could increase energy prices for Pacific Northwest residents. The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on this proposal in March. Click here to read Hastings’ statement.