Leg Hrg on the following bills: • H.R. 513 (Rep. Higgins), “Offshore Lands Authorities Act of 2025” • H.R. 931 (Rep. Downing), To allow certain Federal minerals to be mined consistent with the Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification, and for other purposes. • H.R. 2250 (Rep. DelBene), “National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025” • H.R. 2556 (Rep. Hunt), “Comprehensive Offshore Resource Evaluation Act of 2025” or the “CORE Act of 2025” • H.R. 3168 (Rep. Valadao), “National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025” • H.R. 3176 (Rep. Begich), To amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to reauthorize the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System.
2025-05-20
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Source: Congress.gov
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The Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals Resources will come to order. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare a recess of the subcommittee at any time. Under Committee Rules 4F, any oral opening statements at hearings are limited to the chairman and the ranking minority member. I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, be allowed to participate in today's hearing. The gentlewoman from Washington, Ms. Delbean, be allowed to participate in today's hearing. The gentleman from California, Mr. Valadao, be allowed to participate in today's hearing. The gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Higgins, be allowed to participate in today's hearing. And the gentleman from Montana, Mr. Downing, be allowed to participate in today's hearing. Without objection? So ordered. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. Thank you all for being here today to discuss these important pieces of legislation, the bills we have before us today, address a range of topics, including the Biden administration's lackluster energy policies that continue to harm our nation's energy security, as well as the United States Geological Survey's hazardous emissions area. H.R. 931, introduced by Representative Downing, would allow certain federal coal resources to be mined consistent with the Bull Mountains Mining Plan modification. Currently, The leased coal reserves in this mine are set to run out by the end of this year unless congressional action is taken. The Biden administration blatantly violated the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, by failing to promptly start the environmental review process required under the law. Whether they did so purposefully no longer matters as Congress must act to right this wrong and prevent an economic situation in the surrounding rural communities. We also have three pieces of legislation to authorize three different hazards programs at the USGS. The bills include H.R. 2250 from Representative Dalbin, H.R. 3168 from Representative Valadao, and H.R.
3176 from Representative Begich. These bills would authorize important programs that help save lives and protect our communities, including the National Landslide Hazard Reduction Program, or NHLHRP, The 3D Elevation Program, or 3DEP, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, or NEHRP, and the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System, NVIEWS. NILHRP and 3DEP play vital roles in mitigating the effects of natural hazards caused by landslides. NEHRP established the ShakeAlert application, which provides earthquake early warnings to Americans living and working on the west coast of the United States. Enviews monitors and warns communities near and around volcanoes when volcanic activity is imminent. Representative Higgins, HR 513 limits the ability of the federal government to lock up offshore oil and gas development, which is crucial, critical rather, not only for our energy security, but also our strategic national security. This bill addresses a similar issue to what my constituents have experienced. I cannot express my disappointment in the Biden administration's decision to withdraw over 225,000 acres in my home state of Minnesota, restricting access to the Duluth complex, which is the largest untapped copper nickel find in the world. Similarly, in the waning days of his administration, President Biden announced a withdrawal of over 625 million acres on the outer continental shelf. The Biden administration's offshore energy lockups, along with their onshore mineral withdrawals, have cost Americans thousands of good paying, often union jobs that are economic drivers in our respective local communities. These misguided actions threaten our long term energy security. and only serve to placate radical environmentalists who wish to divert energy and mining production overseas.
H.R. 513 nullifies eight expansive withdrawals from the Arctic to the Gulf, unlocking roughly 40 million barrels of oil and over 175 trillion cubic feet of gas in these areas, according to BOEM. Additionally, the bill would cap future withdrawals at 150,000 acres, limit withdrawals to 20 years, and mandate economic and resource assessments be completed before a withdrawal may take place. The last piece is especially important because when Secretary Haaland banned 225,000 acres of mining in the Duluth complex in the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota, in a Senate hearing when asked, her comments were, quote, I did not think there were critical minerals in there. Ladies and gentlemen, it's the biggest untapped copper nickel find in the world. And she signed off to ban, did not even know what was in that complex. By requiring economic and resource assessment prior to withdrawal, future secretaries and future administrations will know exactly what kind of minerals and energy resources they are locking up. and exactly how their lockups will hurt the American people and our economy. Lastly, Representative Hunt's bill, HR 2556, or the CORE Act, would enhance offshore resource assessments with precise resource mapping. By strengthening the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management assessments, the CORE Act reduces uncertainty, bolsters U.S.
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