WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed a bill essentially removing the sensitive coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from the refuge system, opening the entire 1.5 million acres to drilling. The bill ignores the importance of the area to the Gwich’in Nation, as well as a host of environmental safeguards, and cost realities that make raising the estimated revenue from drilling in the Arctic Refuge nearly impossible.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski last night introduced a bill that would effectively remove the sensitive coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from the refuge system, opening the entire 1.5 million acres to drilling. The bill ignores the importance of the area to the Gwich’in Nation, as well as a host of environmental safeguards, and cost realities that make raising the estimated revenue from drilling in the Arctic Refuge nearly impossible.
WASHINGTON D.C.-- Today, Andrew Wheeler, nominee for Deputy Administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency, and Kathleen Hartnett-White, nominee for Director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, testified in front of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
During the hearing, Wheeler and Hartnett-White repeatedly dodged answers to questions and denied the impacts of human activities on climate change and of pollution on human health.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, House Republicans unveiled another effort to funnel millions more into the pockets of corporate polluters, this time in the form of tax legislation that includes billions in giveaways for corporate polluters, millionaires, and billionaires, while endangering programs that protect the health and safety of American families and ending tax credits for the purchase of electric vehicles and interfering with tax credits for wind and solar energy.
WASHINGTON D.C.-- Today, the AP reported that Sam Clovis, Donald Trump’s nominee for the Department of Agriculture’s Chief Science Adviser decided to withdraw his nomination.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on the FY18 budget resolution (216-212) which advances drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The House Natural Resources Committee today will take up legislation by Rep. Bishop that would essentially gut the Antiquities Act. The bill, HR 3990, would create a de-facto ‘no more parks’ policy. The legislation is a continuation of the Trump administration’s ongoing attempts to sell out public lands to corporate polluters-- attempts also to be addressed by the committee today as it takes up legislation from Rep. Grijalva, H. Res. 555, to force President Trump and Interior Secretary Zinke to make public information related to Zinke’s sham review of national monuments across the country.
WASHINGTON D.C.-- Today, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt made a statement that federal tax credits for the wind and solar industries should be eliminated.
In response, Jodie Van Horn, Director of Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 Campaign, released the following statement:
WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate budget committee both passed budget resolutions that open the door to oil drilling in the sensitive coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.The resolution includes instructions to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to generate $1 billion over 10 years for the federal budget, instructions that will likely lead to drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic Refuge.
WASHINGTON D.C.-- Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an omnibus bill to address funding the government through next year. Among the many ways it puts American families and their well-being at risk, the deal slashes funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Interior.
In response, Sierra Club’s Associate Legislative Director Kirin Kennedy released the following statement:
The House Natural Resources Committee today will take up a series of anti-wildlife and endangered species bills. The extreme bills undermine the role of science in endangered species decisions, reduce government accountability and collectively gut the Endangered Species Act, one of the country’s most successful conservation laws.
Today, President Elect Donald Trump held his first press conference since July 27, 2016 while the Senate Foreign Relations committee held a hearing on his nominee for Secretary of State, former Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson.