Mayor Steve Smith
Pinedale Mayor Stephen Smith will give testimony to the House Committee on Natural Resources on Thursday, September 17th. Pinedale Online file photo.
|
|
Pinedale Mayor Smith to testify in Wash. DC Sept. 17
In front of the Natural Resources Committee on impacts of oil & gas development, in relation to proposed CLEAR Act H.R. 3534
by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online!
September 16, 2009
Pinedale Mayor Steve Smith will be in Washington D.C. testifying in front of the House Committee on Natural Resources on Thursday, September 17th, as part of a two-day hearing on the CLEAR Act (H.R. 3534). The legislation, sponsored by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), proposes to consolidate administration of various Federal energy minerals management and leasing programs into one entity to be known as the "Office of Federal Energy and Minerals Leasing." Hearings will be held on Wednesday and Thursday. Mayor Smith will be giving testimony about the impacts of federal minerals activities on nearby communities. Mayor Smith is on one of two panels that will be giving testimony on Thursday, September 17th, starting at 10:00 AM (EST). Smith told Pinedale Online the purpose of his testimony was to provide insight on local area impacts, not to lobby one way or another on this proposed legislation.
The testimony will be webcast for those who wish to view it:
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=273&Itemid=
See the information below for more details about the hearing and proposed CLEAR Act.
____________________________________
Two New GAO Reports Underscore Need to Reform Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Collection System
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=594&Itemid=27
September 15, 2009
CONTACT: Allyson Groff or Blake Androff, 202-226-9019
Washington, D.C. - A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report made public today estimates that, as a result of erroneous data entered into Minerals Management Service (MMS) databases, American taxpayers may have lost out on approximately $160 million in royalties owed by oil and gas companies that drill on federal lands and in offshore waters, said House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV).
"Imagine if American taxpayers, who are required to sit down every year and fill out their tax returns, decided to leave some of the spaces blank or fill in incorrect information. This is what the GAO tells us the oil and gas companies are guilty of today. This is unacceptable and insulting to law abiding taxpayers. We owe it to the American people to ensure that these lucrative companies are filing their royalty reports accurately and honestly," said Rahall, who requested the GAO analysis.
The GAO report shows that due to simple data errors, a complex problem has arisen that could cost the Federal Treasury and the American public millions of dollars in royalties duly owed by oil and gas companies. The GAO found significant instances where data was missing or appeared erroneous, as a result of such glaring failures as submitting incorrect data and failing to file needed reports.
The report on mineral royalties is the second report to be released by the GAO this week regarding the state of MMS royalty collection programs. A report made public on Monday, September 15, focused on the MMS Royalty-in-Kind (RIK) program, about which Rahall has consistently raised concerns.
The GAO is expected to discuss the findings of these two reports before the Committee on Wednesday, September 16, at a Full Committee hearing on legislation introduced last week by Rahall, the Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources (CLEAR) Act of 2009 (H.R. 3534). The bill aims to further the Nation's goals of securing a reliable and sustainable supply of American energy. The legislation contains a number of provisions aimed at correcting major flaws in the federal oil and gas royalty collection program - a response to problems highlighted in these two GAO reports, as well as a multitude of reports, audits, and investigations over the years from the Interior Department's Inspector General (IG) and the GAO.
"These GAO investigations add weight to the pile of previous reports verifying the urgent need to reform the federal royalty collection system. The CLEAR Act, which I introduced after a series of hearings in my Committee earlier this year, would eliminate the scandal-ridden Royalty-in-Kind program to help prevent the loss of even more money owed to the American people for the disposition of our public energy resources," said Rahall.
Rahall will lead the Committee in a two-part hearing on Wednesday, September 16, and Thursday, September 17, on the CLEAR Act. The first day will feature testimony from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Undersecretary and Administrator Jane Lubchenco, and representatives from the offices of the Interior IG and the GAO. The second day will feature a variety of stakeholder perspectives on the Rahall legislation.
Additional information and a full witness list for the two-part hearing is available on the Committee's Web site: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=54&extmode=view&extid=288.
The hearing will be webcast live and archived on the Committee's Web site: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=273&Itemid=
______________________________
The House Natural Resources Committee, led by Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), will hold a two-part legislative hearing on the following bill:
H.R. 3534 (Rahall), To provide greater efficiencies, transparency, returns, and accountability in the administration of Federal mineral and energy resources by consolidating administration of various Federal energy minerals management and leasing programs into one entity to be known as the Office of Federal Energy and Minerals Leasing of the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes."The Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources (CLEAR) Act of 2009"
TESTIMONY SCHEDULE
Scheduled at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building
Witnesses:
Panel 1
The Honorable Ken Salazar
Secretary
U.S. Department of the Interior
Panel 2
Dr. Jane Lubchenco
Under Secretary and Administrator
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
Panel 3
Ms. Mary L. Kendall
Acting Inspector General
U.S. Department of the Interior
Mr. Frank Rusco
Director
Natural Resources and Environment
U.S. Government Accountability Office
_______________________________
Part 2 - Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 10:00 a.m.
Where:
Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building
Witnesses:
Panel 1
The Honorable Stephen Smith
Mayor
Pinedale, Wyoming
The Honorable Joseph S. Kirk
Chairman
Klamath Tribes of Oregon
Ms. Danielle Brian
Executive Director
Project on Government Oversight
Mr. Christopher Mann
Senior Officer
Pew Environment Group
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Professor Mark Squillace
Director
Natural Resources Law Center
University of Colorado School of Law
Mr. Lyle E. Hodgskiss
Rancher
Panel 2
Mr. Craig Mataczynski
President and CEO
RES Americas
Mr. Alex B. Campbell
Vice President
Enduring Resources, LLC
Dr. Dennis E. Stover, Ph. D.
Executive Vice President, Americas
Uranium One
Mr. Doug Morris
Group Director
Upstream & Industry Operations
American Petroleum Institute
Mr. James Zorn
Executive Administrator
Great Lakes Indian Fish Commission
The hearing will be webcast live on the Committee's Web site at: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov.
Webcasts:
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=273&Itemid=
|
