Interior secretary will be testifying before the Natural Resources committee. You are watching live coverage on cspan 3. The committee will come to order. This morning the committee will discuss the president s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget for the department of interior. I would like to welcome secretary holland haaland and Denise Flanagan back to the committee. I want to thank you all three for joining us today. To set the scene the administration is requesting a 2 million for 2025. That is a 5 increase over fiscal year 2024. I think it is important to note for contexts that congress has also provided the Department Almost 50 billion in appropriations over the last three years to the bipartisan infrastructure law an Inflation Reduction Act. I look forward to discussing how the department is implementing those laws using the historic funding and justifications for the increase. It has been a year to the day since you were last before the committee for the fiscal year 2024 budget hearing. There have been some highs from renewing the compacts of Free Association which we finally accomplished as part of the consolidated appropriations act to achieve and Record Energy level production. Im also supportive of efforts to work collaboratively with the state to distribute aliens of dollars of federal Funds Congress provided for the orphan will program. States like West Virginia have done the heavy lifting for decades to power our nation to greatness and still bear the scars of the sacrifices. That is why funding to remove orphan infrastructure and reclaim abandoned lands to make these communities better and safer places to live so vital and i look forward to continue working with you to ensure there are no obstacles to these funds going forward. Im also pleased to see the budget allocates just over 1 billion for land and Conservation Fund federal and state programs as provided by the American Outdoor act. The protected holdings in National Parks and wildlife refuges to provide important hunting, fishing and Outdoor Recreation opportunities to the nation. I also note the budget includes just over 1. 6 billion in funding for deferred maintenance projects and the National Park service reflecting the final year of funding for the great American Outdoor sack. With 9. 5 billion in funding over the program i look forward to getting a better understanding of the progress made and reducing them differed maintenance backlog and Department Plans for moving forward after the funding expires at the end of the year. With that, there have unfortunately been too many lows as well with the interior department and broader administration picking favorites when it comes to Energy Leading to many instances when the u. S. Investment has been discouraged. Getting the administration to celebrate the abundant resources the country has been blessed with whether that be oil, gas, coal, or minerals and that we had our friends around the world rely on should be an easy lift. The radical Climate Advisors in the white house have put electionyear politics ahead of a thoughtful and achievable strategy. To get back to a year ago we were waiting for the overdue offshore oil and gas fiveyear plan which has since been finalized with only three potential sales over five years. As far as weve been able to tell the department is not doing the necessary work for that to take place. Meanwhile the Administration Just like they did with venezuela has avoided enforcing sanctions on iranian oil to try to keep the prices down. It is just ridiculous to allow iran to evade sanctions and using these profits to fund terrorist proxies during an election year. Schedule is not just bad for oil and Gas Production. It is bad for wind as well. We recently announced a new offshore wind leasing schedule with potential sales through 2028. Let me remind you all that the Inflation Reduction Act only allows, only allows interior to if shoe offshore leases if it has held a substantial sale in the prior year. Even if these sales went forward it would mean years of gaps between when new leases could be issued. It does not make any sense at all despite the requirements to hold offshore sales and the department is trying to undermine the law at every turn. First, reducing the lease for royalties and rates. Then the administration entered into a cell agreement with environmental groups at the last possible minute removed acreage and added high really restrictive requirements to 261 in the gulf of mexico. Not only do these make us less Energy Secure which was noted in the internal department memos, they also dont help reduce omissions or overall demand for these types of energy. According to the Energy Administration projections which i know are used by the interior department, the United States will remain a net exporter through 2050 and Global Demand will continue to grow. When it comes to production from federal law the departments on environmental analysis show there will be less global omissions by holding more offshore oil and gas sales in the u. S. We have some of the strictest standards in the world. Energy produced in america displaces dirty production elsewhere in the world. Unfortunately the story around efforts for the critical supply chain is no better. In the last three weeks they interior Department Also announced the final Environmental Impact statement effectively canceling the road in alaska that is necessary for producing Critical Metals in the United States. Also congress directed the interior department in the bipartisan infrastructure law to provide a report on improving and expediting the criminal mineral supply change. The report we received which was many months late clearly failed to meet requirements set by congress and barely contained any concrete recommendations to actually accelerate permitting. You dont need to take my word for it. The Inspector General recently found the department failed to meet congress direction and instructed interior to provide additional legally required information. I look forward to hearing the progress correcting the report and how the interior is deploying existing resources and current tools to help tackle the significant permitting issues we are facing. Unfortunately the only explanation that makes sense to me is that the administration would prefer to rely on chinese controlled mineral supply chains that allow for Domestic Production of these minerals needed for electric vehicles for the batteries, for satellites, and the list goes on and on. At the end of the day demand will continue to grow and we probably will not like who fills the void in the absence. That is really what we are in for by continuing. It is not in my backyard is what weve heard from years and years. Secretary, these programs are so critical to Energy National security. I must say for the last few years it has felt like we are repeating the same conversation over and over again. I am tired and i know you are and i know other members of the committee are tired of asking again and again when we will see progress on action required by law and being told soon or that we are working on it. Even worse im tired of hearing i will get back to. That when we just received a few short weeks ago the responses to the questions for the record for last years hearing. We need and deserve better and more timely answers than that especially given the importance of so much of what the department of interior does and what we expect. I hope we can have a productive discussion and get some detailed answers. I will recognize my friend for opening remarks. I agree with so much of what you just said there. Your remarks about the secretary and unresponsiveness and illegality of the actions of this department and really abusing the way the department ought to be following the law because they are not. Thank you for your strong statement. I thank you for holding this hearing. I have the secretary here because the department of interior has a profound impact on the people of my home state of wyoming. That is because a most half of the land is owned by the federal government. Nearly 70 of the minerals are owned by the federal government. The secretary decisions affect livelihoods, Family Budgets and even the quality of Public Education in our state. Thats why i find secretary haulage record so troubling. Yesterday, just yesterday during a congressional hearing in the house of representatives, wyoming representative Harriet Hagerman asked the secretary if she had heard of the rock springs Resource Management plan. The secretary testified no. The people of wyoming know what it is. It is this departments disastrous proposal to block access to 3. 7 million acres of public lands in southwest wyoming. It would severely restrict energy and mineral development, restrict grazing and recreation activities on those lands. It would affect nearly a quarter of the state population. These lands are the economic lifeblood of local communities. They provide jobs, tax dollars, keep hospitals open and fund schools. Thousands of people have written to the department opposing this fiasco the governor and state legislator and local communities all strongly oppose this plan coming out of the department of interior. It is deeply troubling that secretary haaland as of yesterday was not even aware of one of her departments major actions affecting my state. What is even more disturbing is how many of secretary haalands decisions are lawless. Take for example her refusal to follow the mineral leasing act. The act requires the secretary to hold Quarterly Sales in each state with oil and gas resources. That is one sale in each state with oil and gas every three months. Yet, during the first three quarters is, during the first 10 4 of her tenure she held only to least lease sales. They have made no effort to reinstate the eight missing lease sales. We are starting to see the damage and store for us. The Department Released 2. 3 million acres each year. 2022, 2023 under secretary haaland they released an average of 83,000 acres per year. From 2. 3 million to 83,000. Thats a 96 drop in the amount of acreage least. Likewise, fiscal years 2001 to 2021 the department issued an average of 2000 per year. In the last two years the department 132. A 93 drop in the number of leases issued. Lets compare President Biden to president obama. Theres been a 93 drop in the amount of acreage least. A 93 drop in the number of lease issues between obama and biden. Obama and biden. This is a horrible record, mr. Chairman, undermining the economy of the United States. What does it all mean . First it means that oil and Gas Production has nothing to do with President Biden. It means that oil and Gas Production on federal lands happening today has nothing to do with biden. It is headed for a fall. It means that if these decisions are laid to sand stand the people will suffer for years to come. These lawless actions are not just limited to failure to follow the mineral leasing act. She has also failed to follow a host of other laws. Last month was a good example. Within the span of two days, the secretary issued three decisions that have made a mockery of congress and the law. First, the secretary issued the public lands role. This turns the multiple use mandate which has been a decadesold bedrock principle on its head. It equates the nonuse of land with productive use of the land. It will allow activists to stop grazing, to stop energy and mineral production, stopped Timber Harvesting and stop recreation on the very lands where congress directed these activities to take place. One day later the secretary prohibited oil and natural Gas Production in the reserve in alaska. This is an area that congress has established with the express purpose of producing oil. That is why it is called the National Petroleum reserve in alaska. Right there in the name. This area is central to Long Term Energy security and the secretary is locking up half of it. Then the secretary announced plans to block access to the mining district. This is a large Mineral Deposit on native lands in alaska. Its a rich source of copper which you talked about, sink and other minerals. Federal law guarantees access but the secretary is doing what she wants in spite of the law. She is doing what she wants in spite of the fact that President Biden is driving up demand for these very same minerals. Mr. Chairman, the American People deserve much better than we are getting from this secretary and administration. They deserve leaders that uphold the laws enacted by congress and not take every opportunity to subvert them. Thank you, senator. Secretary, your Opening Statement. Chair, members of the committee thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of the fiscal year 2025 budget request. I appreciate the support this committee and your staff have shown the department of interior. Ive enjoyed visiting so many of your home states. Every trip informs my understanding of the issues important to the American People , the impact of the work we do and how our budget can support those interests. s budget has llio current authority. I want to highlight several proposals. Permanent legislation and reforms for wildlife workforce funding for indian water rights settlements and reclassifying contract support cost and releasing payment for mandatory funding starting in 2026. The administration has made a steadfast commitment to strengthen relationships with tribal nations. We are doing so thanks to significant investments from congress hoping to address the sufficiency is that have created. I am working to champion priorities. With the total request for Indian Affairs programs this budget will address complex and difficult challenges such as missing and murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis. The legacy and continuing impacts of the Indian Boarding School policies and revitalization. Public safety continues to be a top priority across the country. The budget includes 651 million to support critical Public Safety needs across indian country. We also request 1. 5 billion for Indian Education programs and operation of schools. This funding is critical as we prepare the next generation of indigenous americans to leave their communities. Turning to wildland fire we continue to see the devastating impacts across the country. I want to thank congress for extending supplemental fire pay for another year. The budget invests in reforms including 75 million for tribal wildland firefighters. This stewardship is a core mission for us. Interior management is responsible for protection and recovery of endangered and threatened species. It includes funding for conservation efforts that support key initiatives such as Wildlife Corridors and implementing the seed strategy. I am proud of the proposal of 8 million for mandatory funded tribal Land Acquisition program, a top priority of tribes as part of the implementation of the land and water Conservation Fund program. This proposal on others the role that tribes play as stewards of the land and will help ensure resources to ensure healthy lands for future generations. This budget invests 189 million this will help building a supply chain and thousands of good paying jobs. The demand for Renewable Energy has never to a Clean Energy Future. The request includes more than 30,000 buildings. In addition there is funding available in 2025 through the great American Outdoors legacy the great American Outdoors act Legacy Restoration fund. We are currently funding projects with 83 projects for 2025. We cannot address this through annual appropriations along with the restoration fund. Overall they invest in programs to strengthen our nation. This would not be possible without the dedication of our workers for the interior. Thank you for the department. Denise, myself and acting secretary Laura Danielle davis are plead pleased to answer any questions you have about the budget. Thank you very much. Good to see a madam secretary. I have enjoyed working with you. There are a couple of issues that are important in the west. I think you are aware we will get into these briefly t