House Committee on Natural Resources: Democrats

09/28/2023

House Republicans tried to hijack yesterday’s Committee hearing for yet another extreme, anti-immigrant political stunt.

Democrats are holding them accountable.

09/15/2023

The National Park Service protects places that connect us to our past, to ourselves, and to our community. celebrates these special connections through your stories. Find your park, add your voice, and join the long history of Hispanic/Latino stories in America’s national parks at: https://home.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/mi-parque-mi-historia.htm



El National Park Service se encarga de proteger los lugares que nos conectan con nuestro pasado, con nosotros mismos y con nuestra comunidad. celebra estas conexiones especiales por medio de tus historias. , comparte tu experiencia y únete a la larga lista de historias hispanas/latinas en los parques nacionales de Estados Unidos en: https://home.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/mi-parque-mi-historia.htm

09/14/2023

04/20/2023

03/22/2023

A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act Introduction Press Conference

03/04/2022

Doubling down on fossil fuels is a false solution. We can’t let polluters scare us into a domestic drilling free-for-all that won’t help the people of Ukraine. Chair Raul M. Grijalva's op-ed ⬇️

Fossil-fuel firms want to turn violence and bloodshed into an oil and gas propaganda-generating scheme. Their goal: a drilling bonanza

10/18/2021

The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led by Chair Katie Porter (D-Calif.), and the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, led by Chair Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), will hold a joint oversight field hearing titled, Southern California Oil Leak: Investigating the Immediate Effects on Communities, Businesses, and the Environment. The field hearing will be held at the Irvine Ranch Water District in Irvine, Calif.

Earlier this month, a nearly 18-mile-long offshore pipeline owned by Amplify Energy released thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Huntington Beach, Calif. The disaster created a 13-square-mile toxic oil slick on the ocean’s surface and has caused lasting damage to the area’s economy, wildlife and ecology, and the wellbeing of residents. The beach and its waters were closed for more than a week and major tourist events were cancelled.

Offshore oil and gas drilling poses significant risks. When fossil fuel companies fail to mitigate these risks, the consequences and costs of their actions often fall on the American people. This hearing will feature testimony from community members whose lives have been adversely affected by the spill.

Watch live here at 9 a.m. Pacific/12 p.m. Eastern

08/09/2021

Statement from Chair Grijalva on the budget resolution instructions:

“Climate change is accelerating and creating more conservation needs than we’ve ever faced, and meeting those needs would put a lot of Americans to work. Regardless of how much good work this resolution does in other areas, you can’t spin away the fact that it doesn’t offer the Interior Department enough money to meet some of our critical climate goals, including pressing needs like drought mitigation throughout the West. It’s disappointing to see these obvious needs go unmet, just as it’s disappointing to see the bipartisan infrastructure plan weaken the National Environmental Policy Act, both of which make me worry about whether conservation is being undervalued in federal policy.

“Investments in electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies are critical to a cleaner future, but millions of Americans are facing drought, wildfire, erosion and habitat destruction today. Secretary Haaland and the agencies and bureaus at Interior can meet these immediate needs if we give them the resources to do so. I’m working with members of Congress who feel the same way I do to increase the topline number on these programs and make sure our conservation efforts get the funding they need to meet the catastrophic climate challenges we now face.”

The House Committee on Natural Resources - Democrats - Ranking Member Raul M. Grijalva

07/15/2021

Toxic runoff from car tires is killing endangered Coho salmon.

We're hosting an oversight hearing today at 1 p.m. to investigate the impact of this toxic chemical and how to protect people, animals and the environment. https://youtu.be/IwVQV8MzlY0

07/08/2021

GOOD NEWS: The Vigneto property development that threatens Arizona waters & habitats has been blocked. The rule of law still applies in this country. We’re reversing the Trump administration’s .

A Trump-connected property developer got stopped today, and a whistleblower at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finally been vindicated.

When we follow our environmental laws, good decisions follow.

The federal government has suspended a permit for a 28,000-home development near Arizona's San Pedro River. One activist calls it a "huge victory."

07/02/2021

The ocean is an overlooked way to address .

Chair Raul M. Grijalva introduced the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act to put front and center in our policy efforts.

We’re not yet out of time to address the , and science makes clear what we need to do.

Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva on his plan to bolster blue carbon and coastal economies.

06/25/2021

Important analysis from Radley Balko of last summer's violent law enforcement attack on unarmed protesters at .

A year after civilians were tear-gassed ahead of Trump’s speech at the church, we don't have all the answers we need.

The report on the clearing of Lafayette Square is contradictory, unpersuasive and limited by the IG’s narrow jurisdiction.

06/10/2021

Many Native students at Bureau of Indian Education schools are being neglected.

ProPublica analyzed 180 schools and dormitories across Indian Country to see how BIE schools measure up.

They found massive education disparities. This has to end.

New data shows Bureau of Indian Education schools do not teach kids fast enough to close an achievement gap that starts in early childhood.

06/04/2021

Good news: At Chair Raul M. Grijalva’s request, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) will perform a full analysis of the cultural and environmental destruction caused by Trump’s .

President Biden stopped construction, but we need to know how to repair the damage that’s already been done.

This morning, Rep. Grijalva spoke with WBUR 90.9 FM about the GAO report and how to heal the U.S.-Mexico border. It’s time for answers, accountability and reconstruction of what’s been lost. The full interview airs next week on Here & Now. In the meantime, please share this clip and let your friends know.

Piles of steel, heavy equipment and terrain destabilized by blasting through the desert still remain along parts of the U.S.-Mexico border.

06/04/2021

Today President Joe Biden restored Endangered Species Act protections that Trump had slashed to help polluters.

This is critical to protect biodiversity and . is destroying habitats and endangered species, and we’re running out of time.

The House Committee on Natural Resources - Democrats - Ranking Member Raul M. Grijalva

05/28/2021

Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today introduced the Requirements, Expectations, and Standard Procedures for Effective Consultation with Tribes (RESPECT) Act, which codifies for the first time a requirement that federal agencies consult with tribal Governments before taking or permitting actions that would significantly impact them. The bill is endorsed by numerous tribal leadership organizations and comes as Congress considers a range of environmental, economic and public health measures that would benefit from formal government-to-government consultation with tribal governments.

05/13/2021

Over the past four years, the Trump administration tried to open more than 90 percent of U.S. waters to new oil and gas drilling, and coastal communities were under constant threat as. It’s time for Congress to enact permanent protections to and from oil and gas drilling. We’re hosting a Energy and Mineral Resources Hearing on Thursday, May 13, to protect coastal communities from offshore drilling and fight for . Watch live here at 1:00 p.m Eastern.

05/13/2021

threatens the livelihoods, economies, and cultural identities of tribal communities. The environmental justice movement must include Indigenous communities by incorporating as respecting Indigenous knowledge and traditional ways of life. We’re holding a Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States hearing on on Thursday, May 13. Watch live here at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

05/12/2021

Chair Raul M. Grijalva introduced the Insular Areas Climate Change Act to .

As we advance the bill in Congress, we’re going to listen to local experts from the U.S. Territories and prioritize local recommendations to correct the systemic failures that have left the residents of U.S. Territories vulnerable to the .

Courtesy of Union Of Concerned Scientists By Juan Declet-Barreto, Climate Vulnerability Social Scientist, co-authored by Dr. Adi Martínez-Román with the University of Puerto Rico Resiliency Law Center. Islands and their people are more vulnerable to climate impacts than continental jurisdictions. ...

05/12/2021

The legal precedent created by a set of rulings known as the Insular Cases set up a “separate and unequal” doctrine for the residents of the five populated U.S. Territories. To this day, federal courts continue to use this as justification to deny territory residents fair taxation, access to federal programs, and even voting rights. On Wednesday, May 12, we’re hosting a legislative hearing on H.Res.279, which calls on the legal system to abandon this unfair set of standards. Watch live here at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

05/06/2021

On Thursday, May 6, we’re hosting a member-oriented hearing to discuss our legislative goals for the 117th Congress. Members will discuss policy issues across our jurisdiction and talk about bringing bold new climate and environmental justice legislation to the House floor. Watch live here at 11 a.m. Eastern time as we work together to set the agenda for the 117th Congress.

05/05/2021

We’re hosting a markup on Wednesday, May 5, to debate bills that advance the Biden-Harris administration’s vision for a clean, just economy. Join us as we vote to prioritize , fight the and turn the page on the failures of the Trump era. Watch live here at 11 a.m. Eastern time.

05/05/2021

Native women face murder rates more than 10x the national average.

Today is the National Day of Awareness for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women.

We are working with the Biden administration and Interior Secretary Haaland to address this vital and urgent .

05/04/2021

Coral reef ecosystems support about 25 percent of all marine life. Climate change, disease outbreaks and ecosystem loss have destroyed coral across the world and now threaten its very existence. On Tuesday, May 4, we’re hosting a Water, Oceans, and Wildlife legislative hearing on Rep. Darren Soto’s Restoring Resilient Reefs Act to give coral the protection it needs to survive. Watch live here at 3 p.m. Eastern time as we work to protect and restore our coral reefs with .

04/29/2021

is a major driver of hotter, larger and more dangerous wildfires. We’ve got to update our climate policies and invest in responding quickly to wildfires. We’re hosting a Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands hearing on Thursday, April 29, to hear from experts on how to improve community collaboration, climate resilience, and workforce capacity. Watch live here at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time.

04/28/2021

We’re always working to get more conservation bills through the House and on President Biden’s desk. This week, we’re hosting a full Committee markup on Wednesday, April 28, to push legislation to . Watch live here at 11:00 p.m. Eastern to see .

04/27/2021

Illegal wildlife trafficking, which is now worth $23 billion a year, has moved to unregulated virtual online media platforms like Facebook, making law enforcement more complex and difficult. The illegal trade of wildlife and associated products threatens the survival of species across the planet. We’re hosting a Water, Oceans and Wildlife oversight subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, April 27, on regulating the wildlife trade and protecting species from trafficking and extinction. Watch live here at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.