As Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, I would like to welcome you to the Committee’s Web site. This site is intended to provide the public with insight into the goals and objectives of the Committee, as well as to keep visitors informed of the progress we are making to address the legislative issues affecting our nation’s precious natural resources.

Having served on this Committee for half of my life and throughout my entire tenure in Congress, I am incredibly humbled by the opportunity to preside over it as Chairman. In so many ways, this Committee exercises responsibility over matters that enrich America and all Americans – from the natural and historic heritage of our National Parks and forests to the majesty of our oceans and wilderness areas.

As our nation continues to grow, facing a future of boundless potential, we have a duty to oversee development of energy sources and hardrock minerals while also ensuring that our natural treasures are preserved for our nation’s most precious resource of all – the people, the heart and soul of America.

Stone monuments are built to great men and women. But the monuments to the truly worthy of men and women, in public life at least, are those which celebrate and preserve this nation’s most significant and outstanding natural resources. They are monuments to those who have the courage, the conviction, and the vision to realize that while the wealth and prosperity of our country includes public works, wrought of concrete and steel, it also includes its wild lands, scenic vistas, and unique fish and wildlife.

By ensuring the responsible use and development of our natural landscape, we can also ensure the protection of God’s creations – the vital plant and animal life human society depends upon. Every time we honor the public’s right to know and to participate in federal actions that affect the people’s lives, we assert our commitment that honest and ethical management should prevail throughout the government agencies that have authority over our nation’s bounty.

In carrying out our responsibility to humankind, we must continue to ensure justice and vitality for Native Americans, who have nurtured and cherished our land from long ago, and who continue today as stewards of some of its greatest beauties and natural gifts. Likewise, we must ensure the same rights and democratic ideals for all American citizens, whether they reside in our territories or any of our nation’s regions.

In whole, our diverse natural resources perform countless functions that are too often taken for granted – providing water and sustenance for the body, solace for the spirit, inspiration for the mind, and beauty for the eyes. Our actions today determine our nation’s future and the futures of generations to come. Keeping those thoughts always close to our hearts, we can fulfill our God-given duty to be good stewards of our world, its people and its natural wonders.

With Warm Regards, I am

Sincerely,

Nick J. Rahall, II
Chairman

Jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural Resources

Rule X of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, 110th Congress

• Fisheries and wildlife, including research, restoration, refuges, and conservation.
• Forest reserves and national parks created from the public domain.
• Forfeiture of land grants and alien ownership, including alien ownership of mineral lands.
• Geological Survey.
• International fishing agreements.
• Interstate compacts relating to apportionment of waters for irrigation purposes.
• Irrigation and reclamation, including water supply for reclamation projects and easements of public lands for irrigation projects; and acquisition of private lands when necessary to complete irrigation projects.
• Native Americans generally, including the care and allotment of Native American lands and general and special measures relating to claims that are paid out of Native American funds.
• Insular possessions of the United States generally (except those affecting the revenue and appropriations).
• Military parks and battlefields, national cemeteries administered by the Secretary of the Interior, parks within the District of Columbia, and the erection of monuments to the memory of individuals.
• Mineral land laws and claims and entries thereunder.
• Mineral resources of public lands.
• Mining interests generally.
• Mining schools and experimental stations.
• Marine affairs, including coastal zone management (except for measures relating to oil and other pollution of navigable waters).
• Oceanography.
• Petroleum conservation on public lands and conservation of the radium supply in the United States.
• Preservation of prehistoric ruins and objects of interest on the public domain.
• Public lands generally, including entry, easements, and grazing thereon.
• Relations of the United States with Native Americans and Native American tribes.
• Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline (except ratemaking).

Rules for the Committee on Natural Resources U.S. House of Representatives, 110th Congress

RULE 1. RULES OF THE HOUSE; VICE CHAIRMEN.

(a) Applicability of House Rules.

(1) The Rules of the House of Representatives, so far as they are applicable, are the rules of the Committee and its Subcommit­tees.
(2) Each Subcommittee is part of the Committee and is subject to the authority, direction and rules of the Committee. References in these rules to "Committee" and "Chairman" shall apply to each Subcommittee and its Chairman wherever applicable.
(3) House Rule XI is incorporated and made a part of the rules of the Committee to the extent applicable.

(b) Vice Chairmen.--Unless inconsistent with other rules, the Chairman shall appoint a Vice Chairman of the Committee and the Subcommittee Chairmen will appoint Vice Chairmen of each of the Subcommittees. If the Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee is not present at any meeting of the Committee or Subcommittee, as the case may be, the Vice Chairman shall preside. If the Vice Chairman is not present, the ranking Member of the Majority party on the Committee or Subcommittee who is present shall preside at that meeting.

RULE 2. MEETINGS IN GENERAL.

(a) Scheduled Meetings.--The Committee shall meet at 10 a.m. every Wednesday when the House is in session, unless canceled by the Chairman. The Committee shall also meet at the call of the Chairman subject to advance notice to all Members of the Commit­tee. Special meetings shall be called and convened by the Chairman as provided in clause 2(c)(1) of House Rule XI. Any Committee meeting or hearing that conflicts with a party caucus, conference, or similar party meeting shall be resched­uled at the discretion of the Chairman, in consul­tation with the Ranking Minority Member. The Committee may not sit during a joint session of the House and Senate or during a recess when a joint meeting of the House and Senate is in progress.

(b) Open Meetings.--Each meeting for the transaction of business, including the markup of legislation, and each hearing of the Committee or a Subcommittee shall be open to the public, except as provided by clause 2(g) and clause 2(k) of House Rule XI.

(c) Broadcasting.--Whenever a meeting for the transaction of business, including the markup of legislation, or a hearing is open to the public, that meeting or hearing shall be open to coverage by television, radio, and still photography in accordance with clause 4 of House Rule XI. The provisions of clause 4(f) of House Rule XI are specifically made part of these rules by reference. Operation and use of any Committee Internet broadcast system shall be fair and nonpartisan and in accordance with clause 4(b) of House Rule XI and all other applicable rules of the Committee and the House.

(d) Oversight Plan.--No later than February 15 of the first session of each Congress, the Committee shall adopt its oversight plans for that Congress in accordance with clause 2(d)(1) of House Rule X.

RULE 3. PROCEDURES IN GENERAL.

(a) Agenda of Meetings; Information for Members.--An agenda of the business to be considered at meetings shall be delivered to the office of each Member of the Committee no later than 48 hours before the meeting. This requirement may be waived by a majority vote of the Committee at the time of the consideration of the measure or matter. To the extent practicable, a summary of the major provisions of any bill being considered by the Committee, including the need for the bill and its effect on current law, will be available for the Members of the Committee no later than 48 hours before the meeting.

(b) Meetings and Hearings to Begin Promptly.--Each meeting or hearing of the Committee shall begin promptly at the time stipulated in the public announcement of the meeting or hearing.

(c) Addressing the Committee.--A Committee Member may address the Committee or a Subcommittee on any bill, motion, or other matter under consideration or may question a witness at a hearing only when recognized by the Chairman for that purpose. The time a Member may address the Committee or Subcommittee for any purpose or to question a witness shall be limited to five minutes, except as provided in Committee Rule 4(g). A Member shall limit his remarks to the subject matter under consideration. The Chairman shall enforce the preceding provision.

(d) Quorums.
(1) A majority of the Members shall constitute a quorum for the reporting of any measure or recommendation, the authorizing of a subpoena, the closing of any meeting or hearing to the public under clause 2(g)(1), clause 2(g)(2)(A) and clause 2(k)(5)(B) of House Rule XI, and the releasing of executive session materials under clause 2(k)(7) of House Rule X. Testimony and evidence may be received at any hearing at which there are at least two Members of the Committee present. For the purpose of transacting all other business of the Committee, one third of the Members shall constitute a quorum.
(2) When a call of the roll is required to ascertain the presence of a quorum, the offices of all Members shall be notified and the Members shall have not less than 15 minutes to prove their attendance. The Chairman shall have the discretion to waive this requirement when a quorum is actually present or whenever a quorum is secured and may direct the Chief Clerk to note the names of all Members present within the 15-minute period.

(e) Participation of Members in Committee and Subcommittees.--All Members of the Committee may sit with any Subcommittee during any hearing, and by unanimous consent of the Members of the Subcommittee may participate in any meeting or hearing. However, a Member who is not a Member of the Subcommittee may not vote on any matter before the Subcommittee, be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum or raise points of order.

(f) Proxies.--No vote in the Committee or its Subcommittees may be cast by proxy.

(g) Record Votes.-Record votes shall be ordered on the demand of one-fifth of the Members present, or by any Member in the apparent absence of a quorum.

(h) Postponed Record Votes.

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Chairman may, after consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, postpone further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on the question of approving any measure or matter or adopting an amendment. The Chairman shall resume proceedings on a postponed request at any time after reasonable notice, but no later than the next meeting day.
(2) Notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous question, when proceedings resume on a postponed question under paragraph (1), an underlying proposition shall remain subject to further debate or amendment to the same extent as when the question was postponed.
(3) This rule shall apply to Subcommittee proceedings.

(i) Privileged Motions.--A motion to recess from day to day, a motion to recess subject to the call of the Chairman (within 24 hours), and a motion to dispense with the first reading (in full) of a bill or resolution if printed copies are available, are nondebatable motions of high privilege.

(j) Layover and Copy of Bill.--No measure or recommendation reported by a Subcommittee shall be considered by the Committee until two calendar days from the time of Subcommittee action. No bill shall be considered by the Committee unless a copy has been delivered to the office of each Member of the Committee requesting a copy. These requirements may be waived by a majority vote of the Committee at the time of consideration of the measure or recommendation.

(k) Access to Dais and Conference Room.--Access to the hearing rooms' daises [and to the conference rooms adjacent to the Committee hearing rooms] shall be limited to Members of Congress and employees of the Committee during a meeting of the Committee, except that Committee Members' personal staff may be present on the daises if their employing Member is the author of a bill or amendment under consideration by the Committee, but only during the time that the bill or amendment is under active consideration by the Committee. Access to the conference rooms adjacent to the Committee hearing rooms shall be limited to Members of Congress and employees of Congress during a meeting of the Committee.

(l) Cellular Telephones.--The use of cellular telephones is prohibited on the Committee dais or in the Committee hearing rooms during a meeting of the Committee.

(m) Motion to go to Conference with the Senate. The Chairman may offer a motion under clause 1 of Rule XXII whenever the Chairman considers it appropriate.

RULE 4. HEARING PROCEDURES.

(a) Announcement.--The Chairman shall publicly announce the date, place, and subject matter of any hearing at least one week before the hearing unless the Chairman, with the concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member, determines that there is good cause to begin the hearing sooner, or if the Committee so determines by majority vote. In these cases, the Chairman shall publicly announce the hearing at the earliest possible date. The Chief Clerk of the Committee shall promptly notify the Daily Digest Clerk of the Congressional Record and shall promptly enter the appropriate information on the Committee's web site as soon as possible after the public announcement is made.

(b) Written Statement; Oral Testimony.--Each witness who is to appear before the Committee or a Subcommittee shall file with the Chief Clerk of the Committee or Subcommittee Clerk, at least two working days before the day of his or her appearance, a written statement of proposed testimony. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the exclusion of the written testimony from the hearing record and/or the barring of an oral presentation of the testimony. Each witness shall limit his or her oral presentation to a five-minute summary of the written statement, unless the Chairman, in consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, extends this time period. In addition, all witnesses shall be required to submit with their testimony a resume or other statement describing their education, employment, professional affiliations and other background information pertinent to their testimony.

(c) Minority Witnesses.--When any hearing is conducted by the Committee or any Subcommittee upon any measure or matter, the Minority party Members on the Committee or Subcommittee shall be entitled, upon request to the Chairman by a majority of those Minority Members before the completion of the hearing, to call witnesses selected by the Minority to testify with respect to that measure or matter during at least one day of hearings thereon.

(d) Information for Members.--After announcement of a hearing, the Committee shall make available as soon as practicable to all Members of the Committee a tentative witness list and to the extent practicable a memorandum explaining the subject matter of the hearing (including relevant legislative reports and other necessary material). In addition, the Chairman shall make available to the Members of the Committee any official reports from departments and agencies on the subject matter as they are received.

(e) Subpoenas.--The Committee or a Subcommittee may authorize and issue a subpoena under clause 2(m) of House Rule XI if authorized by a majority of the Members voting. In addition, the Chairman of the Committee may authorize and issue subpoenas during any period of time in which the House of Representatives has adjourned for more than three days. Subpoenas shall be signed only by the Chairman of the Committee, or any Member of the Committee authorized by the Committee, and may be served by any person designated by the Chairman or Member.

(f) Oaths.--The Chairman of the Committee or any Member designated by the Chairman may administer oaths to any witness before the Committee. All witnesses appearing in hearings may be administered the following oath by the Chairman or his designee prior to receiving the testimony: "Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony that you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?".

(g) Opening Statements; Questioning of Witnesses.
(1) Opening statements by Members may not be presented orally, unless the Chairman or his designee makes a statement, in which case the Ranking Minority Member or his designee may also make a statement. If a witness scheduled to testify at any hearing of the Committee is a constituent of a Member of the Committee, that Member shall be entitled to introduce the witness at the hearing.
(2) The questioning of witnesses in Committee and Subcommittee hearings shall be initiated by the Chairman, followed by the Ranking Minority Member and all other Members alternating between the Majority and Minority parties. In recognizing Members to question witnesses, the Chairman shall take into consideration the ratio of the Majority to Minority Members present and shall establish the order of recognition for questioning in a manner so as not to disadvan­tage the Members of the Majority or the Members of the Minority. A motion is in order to allow designated Majority and Minority party Members to question a witness for a specified period to be equally divided between the Majority and Minority parties. This period shall not exceed one hour in the aggregate.

(h) Materials for Hearing Record.-Any materials submitted specifically for inclusion in the hearing record must address the announced subject matter of the hearing and be submitted to the relevant Subcommittee Clerk or Chief Clerk no later than 10 business days following the last day of the hearing.

(i) Claims of Privilege.-Claims of common-law privileges made by witnesses in hearings, or by interviewees or deponents in investigations or inquiries, are applicable only at the discretion of the Chairman, subject to appeal to the Committee.

RULE 5. FILING OF COMMITTEE REPORTS.

(a) Duty of Chairman.--Whenever the Committee authorizes the favorable reporting of a measure from the Committee, the Chairman or his designee shall report the same to the House of Representatives and shall take all steps necessary to secure its passage without any additional authority needing to be set forth in the motion to report each individual measure. In appropriate cases, the authority set forth in this rule shall extend to moving in accordance with the Rules of the House of Representatives that the House be resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the measure; and to moving in accordance with the Rules of the House of Representatives for the disposition of a Senate measure that is substantially the same as the House measure as reported.

(b) Filing.--A report on a measure which has been approved by the Committee shall be filed within seven calendar days (exclusive of days on which the House of Representatives is not in session) after the day on which there has been filed with the Committee Chief Clerk a written request, signed by a majority of the Members of the Committee, for the reporting of that measure. Upon the filing with the Committee Chief Clerk of this request, the Chief Clerk shall transmit immediately to the Chairman notice of the filing of that request.

(c) Supplemental, Additional or Minority Views.--Any Member may, if notice is given at the time a bill or resolution is approved by the Committee, file supplemental, additional, or minority views. These views must be in writing and signed by each Member joining therein and be filed with the Committee Chief Clerk not less than two additional calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays except when the House is in session on those days) of the time the bill or resolution is approved by the Committee. This paragraph shall not preclude the filing of any supplemental report on any bill or resolution that may be required for the correction of any technical error in a previous report made by the Committee on that bill or resolution.

(d) Review by Members.--Each Member of the Committee shall be given an opportunity to review each proposed Committee report before it is filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Nothing in this paragraph extends the time allowed for filing supplemental, additional or minority views under paragraph (c).

(e) Disclaimer.--All Committee or Subcommittee reports printed and not approved by a majority vote of the Committee or Subcommittee, as appropriate, shall contain the following disclaimer on the cover of the report: "This report has not been officially adopted by the {Committee on Natural Resources} {Subcommittee} and may not therefore necessarily reflect the views of its Members.".

RULE 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF SUBCOMMITTEES; FULL COMMITTEE JURISDICTION; BILL REFERRALS.

(a) Subcommittees.--There shall be five standing Subcommittees of the Committee, with the following jurisdiction and responsibilities:

Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
(1) Measures and matters related to the National Park System and its units, including Federal reserved water rights.
(2) The National Wilderness Preservation System.
(3) Wild and Scenic Rivers System, National Trails System, national heritage areas and other national units established for protection, conservation, preservation or recreational development, other than coastal barriers.
(4) Military parks and battlefields, national cemeteries administered by the Secretary of the Interior, parks in and within the vicinity of the District of Columbia and the erection of monuments to the memory of individuals.
(5) Federal outdoor recreation plans, programs and administration including the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
(6) Plans and programs concerning non-Federal outdoor recreation and land use, including related plans and programs authorized by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 and the Outdoor Recreation Act of 1963.
(7) Preservation of prehistoric ruins and objects of interest on the public domain and other historic preservation programs and activities, including national monuments, historic sites and programs for international cooperation in the field of historic preservation.
(8) Matters concerning the following agencies and programs: Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Program, Historic American Buildings Survey, Historic American Engineering Record, and U.S. Holocaust Memorial.
(9) Public lands generally, including measures or matters relating to entry, easements, withdrawals, grazing and Federal reserved water rights.
(10) Forfeiture of land grants and alien ownership, including alien ownership of mineral lands.
(11) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
(12) Forest reservations, including management thereof, created from the public domain.
(13) Public forest lands generally, including measures or matters related to entry, easements, withdrawals, grazing and Federal reserved water rights.
(14) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.

Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans
(1) Fisheries management and fisheries research generally, including the management of all commercial and recreational fisheries, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, interjurisdictional fisheries, international fisheries agreements, aquaculture, seafood safety and fisheries promotion.
(2) Wildlife resources, including research, restoration, refuges and conservation.
(3) All matters pertaining to the protection of coastal and marine environments, including estuarine protection.
(4) Coastal barriers.
(5) Oceanography.
(6) Ocean engineering, including materials, technology and systems.
(7) Coastal zone management.
(8) Marine sanctuaries.
(9) U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.
(10) Sea Grant programs and marine extension services.
(11) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
(12) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.

Subcommittee on Water and Power
(1) Generation and marketing of electric power from Federal water projects by Federally chartered or Federal regional power marketing authorities.
(2) All measures and matters concerning water resources planning conducted pursuant to the Water Resources Planning Act, water resource research and development programs and saline water research and development.
(3) Compacts relating to the use and apportionment of interstate waters, water rights and major interbasin water or power movement programs.
(4) All measures and matters pertaining to irrigation and reclamation projects and other water resources development and recycling programs, including policies and procedures.
(5) Indian water rights and settlements.
(6) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
(7) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.

Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
(1) All measures and matters concerning the U.S. Geological Survey, except for the activities and programs of the Water Resources Division or its successor.
(2) All measures and matters affecting geothermal resources.
(3) Conservation of United States uranium supply.
(4) Mining interests generally, including all matters involving mining regulation and enforcement, including the reclamation of mined lands, the environmental effects of mining, and the management of mineral receipts, mineral land laws and claims, long-range mineral programs and deep seabed mining.
(5) Mining schools, experimental stations and long-range mineral programs.
(6) Mineral resources on public lands.
(7) Conservation and development of oil and gas resources of the Outer Continental Shelf.
(8) Petroleum conservation on the public lands and conservation of the radium supply in the United States.
(9) Measures and matters concerning the transportation of natural gas from or within Alaska and disposition of oil transported by the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.
(10) Rights of way over public lands for underground energy-related transportation.
(11) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
(12) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.

Subcommittee on Insular Affairs
(1) All matters regarding insular areas of the United States.
(2) All measures or matters regarding the Freely Associated States and Antarctica.
(3) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
(4) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.

(b) Full Committee.--The Full Committee shall have the following jurisdiction and responsibilities:
(1) Environmental and habitat measures of general applicability.
(2) Measures relating to the welfare of Native Americans, including management of Indian lands in general and special measures relating to claims which are paid out of Indian funds.
(3) All matters regarding the relations of the United States with Native Americans and Native American tribes, including special oversight functions under Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
(4) All matters regarding Native Alaskans and Native Hawaiians.
(5) All matters related to the Federal trust responsibility to Native Americans and the sovereignty of Native Americans.
(6) Cooperative efforts to encourage, enhance and improve international programs for the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural resources otherwise within the jurisdiction of the Full Committee under this paragraph.
(7) All measures and matters retained by the Full Committee, including those retained under Committee Rule 6(e).
(8) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Committee under House Rule X.

(c) Ex-officio Members.--The Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee may serve as ex-officio Members of each standing Subcommittee to which the Chairman or the Ranking Minority Member have not been assigned. Ex-officio Members shall have the right to fully participate in Subcom­mittee activities but may not vote and may not be counted in establishing a quorum.

(d) Powers and Duties of Subcommittees.--Each Subcommittee is authorized to meet, hold hearings, receive evidence and report to the Committee on all matters within its jurisdiction. Each Subcommittee shall review and study, on a continuing basis, the application, administration, execution and effectiveness of those statutes, or parts of statutes, the subject matter of which is within that Subcommittee's jurisdiction; and the organization, opera­tion, and regula­tions of any Federal agency or entity having responsibilities in or for the administra­tion of such statutes, to determine whether these statutes are being implemented and carried out in accordance with the intent of Congress. Each Subcommittee shall review and study any conditions or circumstanc­es indicating the need of enacting new or supplemental legislation within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee. Each Subcommittee shall have general and continuing oversight and investigative authority over activities, policies and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcom­mittee.

(e) Referral to Subcommittees; Recall.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) and for those matters within the jurisdiction of the Full Committee, every legislative measure or other matter referred to the Commit­tee shall be referred to the Subcommittee of jurisdiction within two weeks of the date of its referral to the Committee. If any measure or matter is within or affects the jurisdiction of one or more Subcommittees, the Chairman may refer that measure or matter simultaneously to two or more Subcommittees for concurrent consideration or for consideration in sequence subject to appropriate time limits, or divide the matter into two or more parts and refer each part to a Subcommittee.
(2) The Chairman, with the approval of a majority of the Majority Members of the Committee, may refer a legislative measure or other matter to a select or special Subcommittee. A legislative measure or other matter referred by the Chairman to a Subcommittee may be recalled from the Subcommittee for direct consideration by the Full Committee, or for referral to another Subcommittee, provided Members of the Committee receive one week written notice of the recall and a majority of the Members of the Committee do not object. In addition, a legislative measure or other matter referred by the Chairman to a Subcommittee may be recalled from the Subcommittee at any time by majority vote of the Committee for direct consideration by the Full Committee or for referral to another Subcommittee.

(f) Consultation.--Each Subcommittee Chairman shall consult with the Chairman of the Full Committee prior to setting dates for Subcommittee meetings with a view towards avoiding whenever possible conflicting Committee and Subcommittee meetings.

(g) Vacancy.--A vacancy in the membership of a Subcommittee shall not affect the power of the remaining Members to execute the functions of the Subcommittee.

RULE 7. TASK FORCES, SPECIAL OR SELECT SUBCOMMITTEES.

(a) Appointment.--The Chairman of the Committee is authorized, after consultation with the Ranking Minority Member, to appoint Task Forces, or special or select Subcommittees, to carry out the duties and functions of the Committee.

(b) Ex-Officio Members.--The Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee may serve as ex-officio Members of each Task Force, or special or select Subcommittee if they are not otherwise members. Ex-officio Members shall have the right to fully participate ­in activities but may not vote and may not be counted in establishing a quorum.

(c) Party Ratios.--The ratio of Majority Members to Minority Members, excluding ex-officio Members, on each Task Force, special or select Subcommittee shall be as close as practicable to the ratio on the Full Committee.

(d) Temporary Resignation.--A Member can temporarily resign his or her position on a Subcommittee to serve on a Task Force, special or select Subcommittee without prejudice to the Member's seniority on the Subcommittee.

(e) Chairman and Ranking Minority Member.--The Chairman of any Task Force, or special or select Subcommittee shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Committee. The Ranking Minority Member shall select a Ranking Minority Member for each Task Force, or standing, special or select Subcommittee.

RULE 8. RECOMMENDATION OF CONFEREES.

Whenever it becomes necessary to appoint conferees on a particular measure, the Chairman shall recommend to the Speaker as conferees those Majority Members, as well as those Minority Members recommended to the Chairman by the Ranking Minority Member, primarily responsible for the measure. The ratio of Majority Members to Minority Members recommended for conferences shall be no greater than the ratio on the Committee.

RULE 9. COMMITTEE RECORDS.

(a) Segregation of Records.--All Committee records shall be kept separate and distinct from the office records of individual Committee Members serving as Chairmen or Ranking Minority Members. These records shall be the property of the House and all Members shall have access to them in accordance with clause 2(e)(2) of House Rule XI.

(b) Availability.--The Committee shall make available to the public for review at reasonable times in the Committee office the following records:
(1) transcripts of public meetings and hearings, except those that are unrevised or unedited and intended solely for the use of the Committee; and
(2) the result of each rollcall vote taken in the Committee, including a description of the amendment, motion, order or other proposition voted on, the name of each Committee Member voting for or against a proposition, and the name of each Member present but not voting.

(c) Archived Records.--Records of the Committee which are deposited with the National Archives shall be made available for public use pursuant to House Rule VII. The Chairman of the Committee shall notify the Ranking Minority Member of any decision, pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) or clause 4(b) of House Rule VII, to withhold, or to provide a time, schedule or condition for availability of any record otherwise available. At the written request of any Member of the Committee, the matter shall be presented to the Committee for a determination and shall be subject to the same notice and quorum requirements for the conduct of business under Committee Rule 3.

(d) Records of Closed Meetings.--Notwithstanding the other provisions of this rule, no records of Committee meetings or hearings which were closed to the public pursuant to the Rules of the House of Representatives shall be released to the public unless the Committee votes to release those records in accordance with the procedure used to close the Committee meeting.

(e) Classified Materials.--All classified materials shall be maintained in an appropriately secured location and shall be released only to authorized persons for review, who shall not remove the material from the Committee offices without the written permission of the Chairman.

RULE 10. COMMITTEE BUDGET AND EXPENSES.

(a) Budget.--At the beginning of each Congress, after consultation with the Chairman of each Subcommittee and the Ranking Minority Member, the Chairman shall present to the Committee for its approval a budget covering the funding required for staff, travel, and miscellaneous expenses.

(b) Expense Resolution.-Upon approval by the Committee of each budget, the Chairman, acting pursuant to clause 6 of House Rule X, shall prepare and introduce in the House a supporting expense resolution, and take all action necessary to bring about its approval by the Committee on House Administration and by the House of Representatives.

(c) Amendments.--The Chairman shall report to the Committee any amendments to each expense resolution and any related changes in the budget.

(d) Additional Expenses.--Authorization for the payment of additional or unforeseen Committee expenses may be procured by one or more additional expense resolutions processed in the same manner as set out under this rule.

(e) Monthly Reports.--Copies of each monthly report, prepared by the Chairman for the Committee on House Administration, which shows expenditures made during the reporting period and cumulative for the year, anticipated expenditures for the projected Committee program, and detailed information on travel, shall be available to each Member.

RULE 11. COMMITTEE STAFF.

(a) Rules and Policies.--Committee staff members are subject to the provisions of clause 9 of House Rule X, as well as any written personnel policies the Committee may from time to time adopt.

(b) Majority and Nonpartisan Staff.--The Chairman shall appoint, determine the remuneration of, and may remove, the legislative and administrative employees of the Committee not assigned to the Minority. The legislative and administrative staff of the Committee not assigned to the Minority shall be under the general supervision and direction of the Chairman, who shall establish and assign the duties and responsibilities of these staff members and delegate any authority he determines appropriate.

(c) Minority Staff.--The Ranking Minority Member of the Committee shall appoint, determine the remuneration of, and may remove, the legislative and administrative staff assigned to the Minority within the budget approved for those purposes. The legislative and administrative staff assigned to the Minority shall be under the general supervision and direction of the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee who may delegate any authority he determines appropriate.

(d) Availability.--The skills and services of all Committee staff shall be available to all Members of the Committee.

RULE 12. COMMITTEE TRAVEL.

In addition to any written travel policies the Committee may from time to time adopt, all travel of Members and staff of the Committee or its Subcommittees, to hearings, meetings, conferences and investigations, including all foreign travel, must be authorized by the Full Committee Chairman prior to any public notice of the travel and prior to the actual travel. In the case of Minority staff, all travel shall first be approved by the Ranking Minority Member. Funds authorized for the Committee under clauses 6 and 7 of House Rule X are for expenses incurred in the Committee's activities within the United States.

RULE 13. CHANGES TO COMMITTEE RULES.

The rules of the Committee may be modified, amended, or repealed, by a majority vote of the Committee, provided that 48 hours' written notice of the proposed change has been provided each Member of the Committee prior to the meeting date on which the changes are to be discussed and voted on. A change to the rules of the Committee shall be published in the Congressional Record no later than 30 days after its approval.

RULE 14. OTHER PROCEDURES.

The Chairman may establish procedures and take actions as may be necessary to carry out the rules of the Committee or to facilitate the effective administration of the Committee, in accordance with the rules of the Committee and the Rules of the House of Representatives.

Oversight Plan for the Committee on Natural Resources U.S. House of Representatives, 110th Congress

Under House of Representatives Rule X, clause 2, each standing committee
of the House has general oversight responsibilities to determine whether laws
and programs addressing subjects within its jurisdiction are being implemented
in accordance with the intent of Congress and to determine whether they should be continued, curtailed or eliminated.

INDIAN AFFAIRS

Budget Overview: The Committee will review the President's budget request for programs and activities related to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other Department of the Interior agencies with tribal-related programs.

Reorganization of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): The Department of the Interior (DOI) has moved several programs and millions of dollars out of the BIA and into the Office of Special Trustee (OST). The Office of Special Trustee was established by the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994 to oversee trust fund management reform throughout the DOI. The Committee will conduct a series of hearings on the effect this expansion of OST has had on Indian tribes, including resource and trust management, trust fund management, appraisals, and probate.

Homeland Security: Twenty-five Indian tribes govern over 260 miles of land that is either adjacent to, or directly accessible, by boat, to international borders. In addition, tribal lands are home to several potential terrorist targets such as dams, hydroelectric systems, and oil and gas pipelines, but Indian tribes have been excluded from receiving direct funding under the Homeland Security Act. The Committee will conduct a hearing on the efforts of Indian tribes to protect the US/tribal borders with little or no federal help. The Committee will explore the effects of placing this responsibility on Indian tribes, while providing few resources or assistance. The Tohono O'Odham reservation in Arizona shares 75 miles of border with Mexico and is a prime location from which to investigate the issue.

Economic Development Non-Gaming: Congress has spent a great deal of time looking into issues of Indian gaming enterprises over the last several years, but has devoted little attention to all other forms of economic development in Indian country. The Committee will look into what is needed to spur development on Indian reservations. This endeavor will extend in several directions including: the need for infrastructure conducive to development; established tribal plans, tribal laws and regulations relating to business operations and possible environmental effects; incentives that would encourage businesses to locate on Indian reservations; effective tribal court systems; and increased access for tribes to financial capital seed money. In short, the Committee will examine is needed to ensure strong, stable tribal government structures that are prepared to operate business development and foster relationships with outside businesses for the betterment of all involved.

Cultural and Sacred Land Protection: The Committee will continue its efforts to protect Native American cultural and sacred lands. Each year sites that are integral to the practice of Native American religions are defaced or destroyed. There is no comprehensive policy or law to prevent this destruction. Consultation with Indian tribes over encroachment of sacred lands by federal agencies is tenuous at best. Each new administration that comes to power is able to strengthen or weaken the protections that do exist. Over the last six years, numerous sites that had been placed under federal protection by the Clinton Administration have been leased for mining or opened to other destructive activities. Oversight would include exploring the rights of tribes to collect needed berries, fruits, and fauna, as well as special access to eagles if needed. Protection of and access to cultural and sacred sites must be provided while, at the same time, honoring the mores of Indian religions.

Law Enforcement and Personal Safety Issues: Tribal governments are the primary law enforcement agents and emergency responders for over 56 million acres, or 2%, of the United States. With staggering rates of unemployment (over 80% on some reservations), devastating poverty, and underfunded police and rescue agencies, many Indian reservations are prime targets for crime. The Committee will conduct hearings to explore the funding shortages that cause some tribal police forces to severely restrict activities part way through the fiscal year. In addition, the issue of gangs on reservations and how to address the violence they bring must be considered. Over the last several years, the influx of methamphetamine to Indian reservations has become a major problem on some reservations. Oftentimes the drug dealers are aliens or non Indians who have found the undeveloped Indian lands as a safe haven from which to peddle their poison.

Detention Centers: The Committee will examine the status of detention facilities throughout Indian Country. In September of 2004, the DOI Office of Inspector General (IG) released a report entitled, Neither Safe nor Secure - an Assessment of Indian Detention Facilities. This report found longstanding neglect and BIA indifference toward safety and security concerns at the detention centers. Almost all facilities were found to be operating below minimum staffing levels. All aspects -- from funding, to staffing, to maintenance, to training, to record-keeping -- were found wanting. The IG report stated, "BIA's detention program is riddled with problems and, in our opinion, is a national disgrace with many facilities having conditions comparable to those found in third-world countries. In short, our assessment found evidence of a continuing crisis of inaction, indifference, and mismanagement throughout the BIA detention program." It is anticipated that oversight activities will also include a review of the response of BIA to the report, including what, if any, improvements have been made since 2004.

Tribal Courts and Jurisdiction: The Committee will undertake an assessment and oversight of tribal court systems will be undertaken by the Committee. Indian tribal courts across the country operate with various degrees of competency and support. Strengthening tribal court systems and clarifying court jurisdiction is paramount to the operation of strong tribal governments and vibrant, self-sufficient Indian economies. Unfortunately, for decades there has existed a lack of clarity regarding the jurisdiction of tribal courts that is impeding the delivery of justice to Indian communities. For example, according to the National Congress of American Indians, one in every three American Indian or Alaska Native women will be raped during their lifetime. Nine out of ten of those rapes will be perpetrated by a non Indian. But prosecuting these cases is unfairly complicated by the fact that Tribal courts do not have jurisdiction over non Indians.

Youth Issues: The Committee will hold an oversight hearing on issues faced by Indian youths and steps which can be taken to address those challenges. Indian youth are very often faced with violence, drugs, poverty and unhealthy lifestyles that are anathema to their cultural beliefs. Oversight will include finding ways to empower Indian youth and teenagers to turn against the negative and turn toward healthy living through strong cultural identity.

Native Hawaiians: The Committee will oversee the trust responsibility that the federal government established under the Hawaii Statehood Act. This will include enactment of the Hawaiian Homelands Act, the distribution of Hawaiian homelands and status of infrastructure on the lands. It will also include examining the need for legislation to establish a process through which the Native Hawaiian government could reorganize.

Rights of Way: The Department of the Interior is expected to release a Congressionally mandated report in March 2007 on what authority Indian tribes should have over utility rights-of-way that cross Indian lands. The Committee will conduct a hearing on the findings of that report. The hearing will include an Administration witness to explain the process used to compile the report and conclusions, as well as representatives of Indian tribes with rights-of-way issues. Depending on the results of the expected report, the Committee will also explore alternatives for Congressional action.

Environmental Safety: One of every three homes in Indian Country does not have adequate solid waste disposal systems. Lack of such systems results in open and illegal dumps throughout Indian lands. The Committee will review health and safety effects that open dumping has had on Indians near these sites. The Committee search for new ways to address this growing problem and to dramatically increase the construction of sanitation facilities.

INSULAR AFFAIRS

Budget Overview: The Committee will oversee that portion of the President's budget which relates to the insular areas of the United States, including five principal U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and three freely associated states (Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau).

Regulation Reform: The Committee will review the need for, and advisability of, reducing or enhancing those federal rules and regulations falling within its jurisdiction which relate to the insular areas of the United States.

Normalizing Immigration and Border Security: The Committee recognizes that U.S., territories are also U.S. borders and that certain U.S. territories are viewed as more strategic and vital to the defense of the U.S. because of their locations. Two U.S. territories ( American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands) have been allowed local control over immigration policy by Congress, and are, therefore, exempt from U.S., immigration law. The Committee is aware that, in the case of the Northern Mariana Islands, local control over immigration policy has resulted in a population imbalance between residents and non-residents (2000 Census Bureau estimates about 55% of the nearly 70,000 population as non-residents primarily from Asia). In stark contrast, Census Bureau 2000 estimates for Asian non-residents in American Samoa is no more than 3% out of a total population of 57,000 (the majority of American Samoa's non-resident workforce comes from the neighboring and culturally aligned islands of the Independent State of Samoa). The Committee will review and make recommendations to normalize immigration and protect sensitive U.S. territorial borders.

Puerto Rico Self-Determination: The Committee will examine proposals to resolve Puerto Rico's political status. In April 2006, the Committee convened an Oversight Hearing on The Report by the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Political Status (Report) released by the White House in December 2005. During the 109 th Congress, two legislative proposals -- one to implement the recommendations made by the Report and the other to authorize the calling of a constitutional convention through the election of delegates -- were referred to the Committee and received no further action.

General Oversight: The Committee expects to review fundamental issues facing each of the territories and the freely associated states. Some of these issues have recently been researched by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in two December 2006 reports: Compacts of Free Association - Micronesia and the Marshall Islands Face Challenges in Planning for Sustainability, Measuring Progress; and Ensuring Accountability and U.S. Insular Areas - Economic, Fiscal, and Financial Accountability Challenges.

Compacts of Free Association: The Committee will exercise its oversight authority of funding and program assistance to the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia; in accordance with the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-188). Additionally, Public Law 99-658, which established the free association relationship between the United States and the Republic of Palau, contemplates a review of the terms and related agreements of the Compact in the fifteenth year of the political relationship. The Committee intends to oversee any formal negotiations leading up to the fifteenth anniversary between the United States and the Republic of Palau.

ENERGY AND MINERALS

Budget Oversight: The Committee oversees energy and minerals related programs within the U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Minerals Management Service, Bureau of Land Management and the minerals and geology program of the Forest Service. The Committee will closely examine the budgets and programs of these agencies.

Federal Oil and Natural Gas Royalty Program: The Committee will perform rigorous and comprehensive oversight of the federal onshore and offshore oil and natural gas royalty program managed by the Minerals Management Service. About one-quarter of U.S. oil and gas production takes place on federal lands or in federal waters in the Outer Continental Shelf. In Fiscal Year 2005, the U.S. collected approximately $10 billion in royalty payments from federal onshore and offshore oil and gas leases. However, a series of reports and investigations conducted by the Interior Department's Inspector General (IG), the Government Accountability Office(GAO) and by the media paint a picture of gross mismanagement of the royalty compliance and collection program, including under- reporting of royalty payments, inadequate auditing, and outright fraud. In particular, the Committee will focus on:

(1) Deepwater Oil and Gas Royalty Relief Act of 1995 - Under this law, leases in the Gulf of Mexico issued during 1998-1999 are considered flawed because they allowed waivers of royalty payments even when energy prices are high. Potential losses from threshold provisions that were erroneously omitted from the leases are estimated by the GAO to total $10 billion, largely from production that has not yet occurred.

(2) Royalty Audit and Inspection - In response to bipartisan criticism of the MMS audit program, which was losing between $200 million and $500 million annually due to theft and royalty underpayments by federal lessees, Congress enacted the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (FOGRMA), a law that reformed the system for collecting royalties for oil and gas produced on federal lands and tightened the government's grip on hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue previously lost or stolen. In 1996, the Republican Majority enacted, over Democratic objections, the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Simplification and Fairness Act of 1996 (FRSSA), which has made it more difficult for the MMS to aggressively audit and collect federal oil and gas royalties and other monies owed the United States. According to a recent Interior Department IG report, MMS is now auditing less than 10% of lessees -- completely reversing the gains made as a result of the 1982 FOGRMA. In addition, there have been several highly critical GAO, IG and media reports on the consistent under-performance of the MMS audit and its enforcement functions.

(3) Oil and Gas Royalty Rates - The Committee will review results of an ongoing GAO study into royalty rates (requested by Senator Bingaman and Chairman Rahall) that is expected to find that States generally charge higher royalty rates than the federal government. In addition, industry analysts estimate that the U.S., "government take'' on oil and gas is lower than most other countries in the world. According to this work, the U.S. "take" -- royalties and taxes, etc. -- is about 40%. The worldwide average is about 60-65%, and many countries have been demanding a bigger slice in recent years. The U.S., by contrast, has actually decreased its slice through additional royalty relief and tax breaks.

(4) Necessity of Royalty Relief - A 2005 Minerals Management Service report found that royalty relief provides only a marginal benefit increasing production by only 1.8%, while, in exchange, the U.S. loses, on average, 10% of royalty revenue -- or $40 billion over 40 years. The Committee will review the efficacy of royalty relief. Additionally, the Committee will review the various royalty relief" provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), including enhanced relief for deep water leases in the Gulf of Mexico, new relief for "marginal wells," and new provisions added for deep drilling on previously issued "shallow" water gas leases in the Gulf and for future leases in the Alaska OCS. By waiving federal royalty collections on huge amounts of publicly owned oil and gas, the bill constitutes a significant taxpayer subsidy that deserves Congressional scrutiny.

(5) Royalty In-Kind (RIK) - In June 2000 the Department of Interior implemented a final rule that should have resulted in an additional $70 being collected annually in royalty payments from companies drilling oil on federal and Indian lands. The rule came after years of public debate and litigation that forced the industry to settle several royalty underpayment lawsuits with the Justice Department for $425 million. During the oil rule battle, the industry began to promote "RIK" or "royalty-in-kind" through which companies pay royalties in the form of oil or gas instead of the more traditional cash payments. Despite Congressional concerns, MMS undertook a pilot RIK program and over the years continued to expand the RIK program until 2005, when Congress made the program permanent as part of the EPAct. This action ignored a series of reports and investigations, including one in 1998 by GAO, requested by Chairman Rahall, that concluded the RIK program was unlikely to succeed. It projected losses of $140 million to $367 million annually if the program were taken nationwide. Finally, on December 30, 2006, The New York Times reported, and the Committee has confirmed, that the head of the RIK program and 3 subordinates have been transferred out of the RIK program pending completion of a criminal investigation by the Department's Inspector General into potential widespread wrongdoing in the program. The Committee will closely investigate the management of this program.

Reform of the 1872 Mining Law: The Mining Law of 1872 is a relic of 19 th century land laws that is greatly in need of reform and revision to bring it in line with modern-day land use and hard rock mining practices. Under this law, valuable hardrock minerals such as gold, silver, and copper are mined on public domain lands in the western states without the payment of a royalty. Further, these lands can be patented (fee simple title) by holders of mining claims for $2.50 or $5.00 an acre, depending on the type of claim (an annual appropriations bill provision has temporarily halted this practice). The Committee will conduct a full range of hearings and field inspections with the intention of reporting reform legislation to the House, including, but not limited to:

(1) No Royalty or Production Fee - As noted, the General Mining Law contains no provision for royalty payments or production fees on hard rock minerals extracted from the public domain. According to the non-profit organization, Earthworks, since 1872, more than $245 billion in metals and minerals has been extracted without payment to the American taxpayers, while the coal, oil and gas industries paid $35 billion between 1994 and 2001 alone.

(2) Patchwork Environmental Protection - The lack of environmental standards in the 1872 Mining Law also poses serious threats to lakes, rivers, streams and drinking water in the west. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates hardrock mining as the nation's top toxic polluter -- based on pollution levels reported by the industry itself. The inherently destructive nature of modern hardrock mining is exacerbated by the patchwork of federal and state mining and reclamation standards that exist today. The Committee will review the laws and regulations governing the environmental impacts of hardrock mining.

(3) Adequacy of Bonding and Abandoned Hard Rock Mines - The Committee will review recent hardrock mine bankruptcies and the adequacy of reclamation bonds associated with those mine operations. A 2003 state-sponsored report, "Nevada Mining Bonding Task Force Report", indicates that the problem of abandoned mines is not limited to old, historic mines. All of these late-20th century mines declared bankruptcy in the late 1990s, raising questions about the sufficiency of performance bonds to reclaim these sites after those modern mines went out of business.

(4) Uranium Mining - Hardrock mineral claims on western public lands have increased almost 50% in the past four years, in large part because a resurgence in nuclear power has led to a renewed interest in uranium exploration. A recent review of BLM records found that the number of metal mining claims jumped from 220,000 at the end of 2002 to almost 325,000 in 2006. In Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico, the total claims rose from just over 2,000 in 2001 to about 18,000 in 2005. In Arizona, a Canadian mining corporation has filed 616 claims, many within a few miles of the Grand Canyon's north rim.

Implementation of Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct): The Committee will conduct oversight into a number of implementation issues related to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, including:

(1) Availability of Oil and Gas Resources - Section 364 of the EPAct required BLM to review and update an earlier 2003 report on domestic oil and gas resources and impediments to development. The new study expanded the review to include 6 additional areas: Northern Alaska (the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 1002 area only; the Wyoming Thrust Belt; the Denver, Appalachian, and Black Warrior Basins; and the Florida Peninsula. The new study found that, in the inventory areas, 51% of the oil and 27 % of the gas are presently closed to leasing. The Committee will review the findings of the report to determine their accuracy and reliability.

(2) Energy Corridors - Under section 368 of the EPAct, several federal agencies undertook a process to identify energy corridors in the Western United States for oil, gas, and hydrogen pipelines, and electricity transmission and distribution facilities on federal lands. The proposed corridors are two-thirds of a mile wide and cross through, or are adjacent to, numerous specially protected areas of federal public lands. The designation of energy corridors for eleven Western States will be completed by August of 2007 and will be followed by a designation process for the Eastern States, Alaska, and Hawaii in August of 2009. The designation of energy corridors has the potential to impact thousands of Americans. Moreover, because it will affect our nation's treasured natural, cultural, and historical resources, it is essential that, through this process, Congress ensure that the Administration take special care and use diligence in determining the location of corridors.

(3) Alternative Renewable Energy OCS Projects - Also as a result of the EPAct, the MMS now has lead authority for renewable energy projects -- such as wave, wind, or solar energy on offshore lands -- and other projects that make alternative use of existing oil and natural gas platforms. MMS issued regulations for carrying out its new authority in May 2006. The Act also directed that the coastal States will share in 27% of the revenues generated from alternative energy activities within the area extending three nautical miles seaward of a State's submerged lands. MMS has established a formula for sharing this revenue among coastal states within 15 miles of a renewable energy project.

(4) Split-Estate Lands and Energy Development - As required by Section 1835 of the EPAct, the DOI has reviewed and issued a report in December 2006 on the policies and practices of federal subsurface oil and gas development activities and their effects on the privately owned surface --known as split estate lands. In split-estate situations, mineral rights dominate, or take precedence over, other rights associated with the property, including those associated with owning the surface, which causes to tensions between surface and subsurface owners, particularly in the West. Congress directed BLM to consult with the public in preparing this report; BLM held listening sessions in four Western States and the District of Columbia. More than 360 people attended the listening sessions, and 102 speakers offered comments to the panel. As a result, BLM has come up with 13 recommendations for outreach, policy, and regulatory action, all of which, according to BLM, are under its authority to implement and will not require legislative action.

Oil Shale R & D Program: In November 2006, the Bush administration authorized oil-shale leases for five sites on public land in western Colorado, the first leases since the shale bust of the 1980s wrenched the region's economy. The approval was for relatively small-scale "research and development" leases, but it was the government's biggest endorsement yet of oil shale, a vast petroleum resource with a checkered past. Environmentalists say the impact on wildlife and water quality has not been sufficiently taken into account. Additionally, the BLM has ignored concerns about potential impacts as expressed not only by conservationists, but by the State of Colorado and the White River National Forest, as well. Further, USGS noted in its comments that potential impacts to groundwater resources need to be addressed, a concern which , may have been ignored by the BLM.

Multiple Use Mandate and Energy Development: The Committee will perform necessary oversight into the way BLM has allowed its oil and gas program to dominate other public land uses to the detriment of BLM's other management responsibilities. As an example, a section of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), directed BLM to increase staff sizes in seven regional offices in the Rockies to handle the explosive increase in applications to drill on federal land. The pilot program, designed to facilitate the oil and gas industry's acquisition of federal permits, has drawn sharp criticism from Western residents. Additionally, the Bush Administration is putting plans in place to approve more than 118,000 new gas and oil wells on public lands in Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, and Montana over the next two decades, which is nearly double the current total number of producing wells on public lands throughout the Rocky Mountains.

Regulation of Coal Ash Placement: EPA is promulgating regulations to govern the disposal of coal combustion waste in landfills, surface impoundments, and mines. This is critical in view of the growing body of data that indicates increasing threats to health and the environment from unregulated disposal of coal combustion waste. The question of coal waste management, whether regulated by EPA or the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, will be reviewed by the Committee.

Abandoned Mined Coal Lands: The Committee will perform oversight on the 2006 Reauthorization of the Abandoned Mines Lands Program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization: A legislative proposal to amend the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 to extend deadlines for development of a five-year strategic plan for the geologic mapping program and for appointment of the advisory committee was passed by both Chambers during the 109 th Congress, although not enacted into law. The Committee will reconsider and move the reauthorization of this valuable program.

FISHERIES, WILDLIFE AND OCEANS

Department of Commerce - National Marine Fisheries Service:

Budget Oversight: The Committee will review the President's budget request relevant programs and activities of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Recommendations of the Joint Ocean Commissions Initiative (JOCI): In 2003 and 2004, two major, national, bipartisan commissions - - the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy (established by federal law) and the Pew Oceans Commission - - released reports making recommendations for improving federal policies related to the management and conservation of fisheries, other ocean resources, and the marine environment generally. In late 2004, the two commissions formed one entity, the Joint Ocean Commissions Initiative, to pursue these recommendations. The Committee will hold hearings on JOCI's findings and recommendations, prior to considering legislation implementing appropriate recommendations.

Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA): Marine mammals are protected under the MMPA. With few exceptions, the law prohibits harm or harassment of marine mammals without a permit. The authorization for appropriations expired on September 30, 1999. The Committee expects to hold hearings on implementation and enforcement of the MMPA, with the goal of updating and reauthorizing the Act.

Implementation of 2006 Amendments to the Magnuson Act: In 2006, the Congress reauthorized the Magnuson Act, adopting the first substantive changes to the law in more than a decade. These changes will require federal agencies and regional fishery management councils to change their operations. The Committee will conduct oversight to ensure that changes to the law are implemented as Congress intended. The Committee will also examine the appropriate levels of funding needed to implement the law effectively.

Administration of the Endangered Species Act (ESA): The ESA provides for the conservation and management of threatened and endangered species. The Secretary of Commerce, through NMFS, is charged with implementing this law for marine species. The Committee will hold oversight hearings on the status of listed marine species and prospects for recovery, as well as on the agency's implementation of the Act and funding levels.

Overfishing on the High Seas: The Committee will hold oversight hearings on incentives to reduce overfishing in international waters and eliminate bycatch, including gear modification to reduce seabird, sea turtle and shark bycatch.

Invasive Species: The Committee will examine the impact that invasive species have on the marine and aquatic environments, and ways to address this growing national problem.

Department of Commerce - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):

Budget Oversight: The Committee will review the President's budget request for relevant programs and activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Northwest Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument: On June 15, 2006, the Northwest Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument was established by Presidential decree. The monument will be jointly managed by NOAA and the Fish and Wildlife Service. The Committee will hold oversight hearings on the management and operations of this important new monument.

National Marine Sanctuaries Act: There are 13 sanctuaries nationwide, in addition to the new monument in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. The Committee will examine opportunities to improve the law in addition to reauthorizing the appropriations which expired in 1999.

Marine Protected Areas: Both NOAA and the Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service, are authorized to develop and implement marine protected areas. If properly managed, marine protected areas can be tools to promote the sustainable use of oceans. Last year, NOAA and DOI released a joint framework for the development of a comprehensive system of marine protected areas. The Committee anticipates holding hearings on this issue.

Ocean Health: The Committee will hold oversight hearings on issues affecting the health of our oceans, such as coral degradation, acidification, marine debris, dead zones, and red tides. The Committee will examine the science surrounding these issues and opportunities to improve ocean health.

Coastal Zone Management in the 21 st Century: In 2006, NOAA, through its National Ocean Service and in consultation with the Coastal States Organization, initiated a visioning process to engage stakeholders on the federal, state, and local levels in redefining our national approach to managing the Nation's coastal zone. The Committee will hold oversight hearings on their findings and gather insights into potential amendments to the Coastal Zone Management Act.

Department of the Interior - Fish and Wildlife Service:

Budget Oversight: The Committee will review the President's budget request for the programs and activities of the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Endangered Species Act Implementation: The Committee will hold oversight hearings examining the science behind decisions to list, not list, and delist endangered and threatened species. The Committee will also examine the appropriate levels of funding need to implement the law effectively.

Migratory Bird Treaty Act Enforcement and Bird and Bat Mortality: The Committee will hold oversight hearings on enforcement of incidental take of birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, particularly the impacts that wind turbine development has on birds and bat mortality.

National Wildlife Refuge Operations and Maintenance Backlog: The Committee will examine how the operations and maintenance backlog is impacting the public's use of refuges.

Fish Hatcheries: Nationwide there are 69 federal fish hatcheries, seven Fish Technology Centers and a Historic National Fish Hatchery. The Committee will look at the condition of these facilities and explore opportunities to modernize them and recover costs for their operations and maintenance. The Committee also will address the role of the National Fish Hatchery System within the Fish and Wildlife Service's fisheries program.

Lacey Act Enforcement: The Lacey Act, enacted in 1900 and subsequently amended over the last century, was the first federal law to control trade in wildlife and wildlife products. The Committee will examine the adequacy of this venerable Act's existing authority to control the burgeoning multibillion dollar trade of threatened and endangered or otherwise illegal wildlife into and out of the United States.

Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) Development: Under the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act, the Fish and Wildlife Service is required to develop CCPs for all refuges no later than October 9, 2012. With approximately six years remaining before the deadline, the Service has failed to complete CCPs for over half of the Refuge System. The Committee will examine the status of CCP development and resources and strategies that might be employed to meet this critical conservation requirement.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species: About 169 countries are party to this international agreement providing for the worldwide protection of endangered plants and animals by ensuring that trade does not threaten their survival. In 2007, member countries will assemble in the Netherlands for their regular meeting. The Committee will hold hearings on changes proposed by the United States and other countries, and will examine strategies the United States intends to pursue to achieve and promote species conservation.

NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS AND PUBLIC LANDS

Forest Service:

Budget Oversight: The Committee will review the President's budget request for the programs and activities of the Forest Service.

Forest Planning and NEPA: The recent announcement by the Administration to exempt national forest plans from NEPA is only the latest in a series of administrative moves to scale back or exclude the public from Forest Service planning. The Committee will examine these changes and their impact on our natural resources and the public's right to know about and participate in the management of our national forests.

Hazardous Fuel Costs: Both the GAO and the USDA Inspector General have issued reports documenting problems with the Forest Service's handling of the hundreds of millions of dollars they have received for hazardous fuels reduction. The Committee will examine the issues identified in these reports, including agency failures to control costs, prioritize projects, and deliver value in its hazardous fuels program.

Healthy Forest Act Implementation: In 2003, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management were given significant new authority to expedite the removal of dead and dying timber from national forests and public lands. The Committee will examine the agencies' use of this new authority.

Roadless Rule: In 2004 the Bush Administration overturned the Clinton Administration Roadless Rule and instituted its own directive. This new rule was subsequently put on hold by a U.S. District Court. The Administration is now trying to get around this court ruling by using a petition procedure under the Administrative Procedures Act. The Committee will review the Bush Administrations's actions on this matter.

Campground Closures: The Forest Service has ordered a nationwide assessment of all national forest campgrounds. In some areas, they are proposing to shut down or scale back one-third or more of all campgrounds. The Committee will examine the potential impact this assessment could have on public recreation in our national forests.

Timber Program: No activity of the Forest Service is more controversial than the timber program. Below-cost sales, salvage sales, and thinning have generated significant public concern. The Committee will examine the timber sale program to assess the program's impact on forest resources and to assure that it is managed in the public's interest.

Bureau of Land Management:

Budget Oversight: The Committee will review the President's budget request for programs and activities of the Bureau of Land Management.

Oil and Gas Development Impacts on Public Lands: This Administration has fast-tracked the extraction of oil and gas from public lands, with thousands of new drilling permits issued annually. This development has, in certain places, negatively impacted the natural, scenic, historical, cultural, and recreational resources that exist on public lands. The Committee will undertake an extensive review of this matter.

Wild Horse and Burro Program: With the repeal of the prohibition on the sale and commercial slaughter of wild horses and burros, public attention has been focused on the many problems with the BLM's administration of the program. The Committee will examine the program with an eye toward moving legislation to prohibit the slaughter of these symbols of the American West.

Grazing Program: For the past several years, the Administration has been attempting to roll back reforms to the grazing program that were instituted in 1995. In 2006 the Administration issued a rule that repealed or undercut a number of the 1995 reforms. Implementation of this rule was subsequently enjoined by a U.S. District Court. The Committee will examine the changes being proposed and their impact on the long-term health of our public lands.

National Landscape Conservation System: In the late 1990's, the National Landscape Conservation System was established within the Bureau of Land Management to pull together under one umbrella the national monuments, national conservation areas, wilderness, and other conservation units administered by the BLM. Many of these conservation units were established only in the past decade and their management plans are new or in the process of being finalized. The Committee will examine the agency's management of the system and the numerous significant resources the system contains.

RS 2477: For several years, the Administration has been methodically moving to relinquish control of certain federal lands using a legislative statute known as RS 2477, which was repealed nearly 30 years ago. The potential relinquishment of these federal lands could significantly complicate the management of important public resources and adversely affect not only public lands but private lands as well. The Committee will examine the Administration's actions.

National Park Service:

Budget: The Committee will examine the President's budget request for the programs and activities of the National Park Service.

Yellowstone Bison: After six years and millions of dollars, implementation of the 2000 Yellowstone Bison Management Plan has not proceeded beyond the first phase of the plan. Thousands of bison have been slaughtered under the plan and the Committee will explore ways to protect and properly mange these living symbols of America.

Centennial Challenge: In August 2006, the President called on Americans to enhance our national parks and directed the NPS to come up with a plan to achieve this. The so-called "Centennial Challenge" is lacking in details and little appears to have been done thus far. The Committee will examine the program to determine how the Administration is meeting its responsibility as stewards of some of the most important elements of our national heritage.

Outsourcing of Federal Jobs: Despite the outpouring of negative reaction by Congress and the public to the Administration's plan to outsource jobs at federal land management agencies, the Administration is still proceeding methodically, but quietly, on outsourcing. The Committee will examine the Administration's efforts in this regard and their impact on public employees and the resources they protect day in and day out.

Recreation Fees: On January 1 st, federal agencies rolled out a new "America the Beautiful Pass." That pass replaces others that were less costly to visitors to our National Parks and public lands attractions. The result is that individuals who want to continue to enjoy these American treasures are having to play 23% to 60% more than in the past to do so. The National Park Service is the largest collector of recreation fees but the Committee will look at the fee programs of all agencies to see where, why, and how such fees are being collected and used.

WATER AND POWER

Budget Reviews: The Water and Power Subcommittee will hold hearings to review the spending priorities of the Bureau of Reclamation, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Power Marketing Administrations. How can Congress work more effectively with the agencies and their limited budgets to encourage efficient, sustainable water supply and use in the West, including conservation and recycling of water for growing urban areas? What response can mayors, tribal leaders, governors, natural resource managers, and the business community expect when they ask the Bureau of Reclamation to help them solve water resource problems? What possibilities, if any, exist to reform agency budgets, and why do the agencies resist funding for clearly defined Congressional priorities and directives? How will increased emphasis on production of biofuels affect agency priorities?

Water Recycling: Congress in 1992 provided the Bureau of Reclamation with broad authority and specific direction to create a comprehensive water recycling program to serve communities in the 17 Western states and the Insular Areas. Unfortunately, the Executive Branch generally has not been responsive to "Title XVI" water recycling initiatives and has resisted full implementation of the authorized water recycling program. There is a consistent pattern demonstrating an inability to meet statutorily imposed deadlines, and to respond to bipartisan Congressional and committee inquiries. Subcommittee hearings will examine various legislative proposals to reform the Title XVI water recycling program, the Office of Management and Budget's "PART" reviews, and new membrane technologies for recycling and desalination.

Sustainable Water Supplies and the Bureau of Reclamation: The 17 Western states served by the Bureau of Reclamation have changed dramatically since enactment of the Reclamation Act of 1902. Hearings will explore the 21 st Century federal role in providing assistance for drought protection and water supply development to communities, agricultural water users, and state governments. Does the current "mission" of the Bureau of Reclamation serve the contemporary water needs of the Western states? Does the Bureau of Reclamation's mission complement or complicate the goals of the states' water plans? How should the Bureau of Reclamation address changing water use patterns in the West and the transfer of water from irrigation to urban uses? What do the Western Governors, tribal leaders, local governments, and natural resource managers expect from the Bureau of Reclamation? Who should pay for projects, and how should they be financed? Additionally the Committee will consider groundwater supplies and how the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation might more effectively assist state, tribal, and local governments to study, develop, and conserve groundwater supplies for agricultural, municipal, and environmental uses.

Changing Conditions are Affecting Western Water Supplies: The 2004 report of the National Science and Technology Council found that water managers in most states expect freshwater shortages in the near future, and the consequences may be severe. "In future years ¼ changes in the amount, timing, and distribution of rain, snowfall and runoff are probable, leading to changes in water availability as well as in competition for water resources." Understanding the natural variability of our water resources, which are affected by both precipitation and temperature, is critical to hydrologic forecasting. The Western States Water Council, the Western Governors' Association, and others have stressed the importance of considering climate variability when planning for drought. Timing and type of precipitation are as important as the amount. Recent observations show that diminished snow accumulation and earlier snowmelt can have profound implications for the amount of water that can be delivered to users or to aquatic ecosystems. Hearings will consider how state and local water managers are dealing with drought planning and water supply variability, and how the Bureau of Reclamation and the Geological Survey are responding to the changing water supply picture. Hearings will also consider the impact on agency programs of increased presence of nanoparticles and pharmaceutical chemicals in Bureau administered water supply systems.

Klamath River, California and Oregon: The Klamath River is heavily impacted by a Bureau of Reclamation irrigation project and federally-licensed hydropower projects. Salmon populations of vital importance to Indian Tribes and non-Indian fisheries have reached historically low levels. The river has been the source of controversy for years. Recently, some affected interests and the governors of California and Oregon have worked toward settlement of river management disputes. The Committee expects to conduct hearings on a settlement proposal, should one emerge from current negotiations, and will consider, among other things, the relationship of a Klamath River settlement to other fishery restoration and river management initiatives in the region.

Trinity River Restoration, California: The fishery resources of the Trinity River have been devastated by construction of Trinity Dam (completed in 1963) and the subsequent diversion of most of the river's flows for irrigated farms of the San Joaquin Valley and power generation. Despite specific legislative direction to restore the flows and fishery habitat that have been damaged by many years of reduced flows, as well as decades of studies, administrative restoration decisions based on best available science, and judicial rulings in favor of the restoration program, restoration work for the Trinity River has been frustrated and repeatedly delayed by aggressive actions by water and power contractors and bureaucratic inertia. Hearings will examine: (1) the status and funding of restoration work; (2) the management of the restoration work by the Secretary of the Interior as trustee for the Hoopa Valley Tribe; (3) the Hoopa Valley Tribe's conduct of its co-management responsibility for restoration; and (4) the potential effects of Central Valley Project long-term water service contracts on Trinity River restoration.

CALFED, OCAP, and the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan: The severe decline in the ecological health of California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has not been corrected. The Commmittee will conduct oversight on the California Bay-Delta Program (CALFED), the Central Valley Project Operations Criteria and Plan (OCAP), and the newer Bay-Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP). The 2004 CALFED authorization provided specific authorities to the federal CALFED agencies regarding ecosystem restoration, water supply, water quality, water use efficiency, and other categories. Four independent reviews conducted by the State of California found common agreement that the current CALFED governance structure is not working well, priorities for CALFED are not clear, and meaningful performance measures for the program are lacking. The objective of the CVP-OCAP is to document the operation of the Central Valley Project as part of the Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultation process. The OCAP process has been criticized as being subject to political pressure. The BDCP is intended to result in an approved Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to provide for the conservation and management of aquatic species and regulatory (Endangered Species Act) assurances related to water supply reliability and water quality. The Committee will consider whether the BDCP as currently structured will achieve these goals.

Lower Colorado River Basin Operation and Management: The Colorado River Basin states have demonstrated their ability to work together to resolve complex water management problems, but many challenges remain. Committee oversight activities will include an examination of the fiscal and environmental impacts of operating the Yuma Desalting Plant and the impact of its operation on the Cienega de Santa Clara in Mexico; drought and water supply variability in the Basin; the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program; transboundary water supplies and issues with the Government of Mexico; implementation plans for lining the All-American Canal and constructing new regulated storage at or near the All-American Canal; and the potential for adverse effects on water supplies from proposed new and widespread uranium development in the Basin. The Committee expects to consider how California's changing administration of its share of the Colorado River will affect the agriculture-dependent communities and coastal urban areas that are dependent on, or expect to use Colorado River water, and the relationship of those uses to federal and state efforts to protect and restore the environmental values of the Salton Sea.

Indian Water Settlements: Indian water settlements will play a crucial role in shaping the future of tribal and non-Indian communities throughout the West. There are increasing pressures to resolve tribal water claims, including the rapid growth of urban areas in the West, the over-appropriation of dependable surface water supplies, declining groundwater levels and environmental opposition to new water development projects. Indian tribes control large amounts of land and have vast entitlements to water resources. Federal Indian policy is to settle Indian water claims by negotiation rather than by litigation wherever possible, and to promote Indian self-determination through the development of diversified reservation economies. The United States, as trustee for Indian tribes and as a funding source, is a necessary party to water litigation, as well as to any efforts to settle litigation out of court. The Committee will consider the current status of Indian water settlement negotiations, how settlements should be structured in light of increasingly uncertain and variable water supplies, the impact of federal water projects on tribal resources, and whether a permanent funding source for Indian water settlements is appropriate.

Power Marketing Administrations: The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of the Army's Corps of Engineers generate electricity at hydropower plants located at major federal water projects. The Department of Energy's four Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs) generally sell this electricity in wholesale markets mostly to publicly and cooperatively owned utilities that, in turn, sell the electricity to retail consumers. As utilities expand their energy portfolios to include a higher percentage of renewables, the federal PMAs are developing new partnerships with utilities and non-governmental organizations. An example is the Public Renewables Partnership, an initiative dedicated to enabling public organizations, co-operatives, and Tribal utility authorities to effectively integrate renewable energy into their power portfolios and business strategies. Committee PMA hearings will review the PMAs' existing authorities and consider ways in which the PMAs might provide additional assistance and incentives to encourage utilities to reduce energy demand and increase the percentage of renewable energy in their portfolios, as has been successfully demonstrated in the Pacific Northwest. The Committee will also consider the PMAs' role in improving the nation's transmission infrastructure and current policies for siting transmission corridors on public lands and Indian reservations.

Members of the
Committee on Natural Resources

U.S. House of Representatives

110th Congress

1324 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-6065 Fax: (202) 225-1931

MR. NICK J. RAHALL, II, West Virginia, Chairman
MR. DON YOUNG, Alaska, Ranking Republican Member

(Ratio 27-22)

Members of the
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
  1626 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-9287 Fax: (202) 225-5255

Mr. Jim Costa, California, Chairman
Mr. Stevan Pearce, New Mexico, Ranking Republican Member

Members of the
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans
187 Ford House Office Building
(202) 226-0200 Fax: (202) 225-1542

Ms. Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam, Chairwoman
Mr. Henry E. Brown, Jr., South Carolina, Ranking Republican Member

Members of the
Subcommittee on Insular Affairs
1337 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-0691 Fax: (202) 225-0521

Mrs. Donna M. Christensen, Virgin Islands, Chairwoman
Mr. Luis G. Fortuño, Puerto Rico, Ranking Republican Member

Members of the
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
1333 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 226-7736 Fax: (202) 226-2301

Mr. Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona, Chairman
Mr. Rob Bishop, Utah, Ranking Republican Member

Members of the
Subcommittee on Water and Power
1522 Longworth House Office Building
(202) 225-8331 Fax: (202) 226-6953

Mrs. Grace F. Napolitano, California, Chairwoman
Mrs. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington, Ranking Republican Member