U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Wyden Urges DOE to Update LNG Export Policy

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today emphasized the importance of updating the Department of Energy’s application process for liquefied natural gas exports to reflect the country’s new bounty of natural gas, and to ensure the United States gains the greatest benefit from this strategic national asset.

Wyden, who also chairs the Senate Finance Committee on International Trade and supports expanding U.S. trade opportunities, has called for a natural gas policy that allows exports, but also prioritizes national security and protects against price shocks for domestic consumers.

“The reality is we are dealing from a position of strength with respect to energy,” Wyden said. “Our country should not be wedded to this either/or choice between no exports and no limits on exports. Done right, there ought to be a way to get the trade benefits to exporters and trading partners while maintaining the domestic, economic and energy security benefits to our country.”

At the forum Tuesday, Dr. Charles Ebinger, director of the Brookings Institution’s Energy Security Initiative, said there is need for greater clarity on the approval process for applications to export natural gas to countries that do not have free-trade agreements with the United States. Federal law calls for automatic approval of export applications to countries that have free-trade agreements with the United States, but requires a DOE determination that exporting natural gas to countries without an agreement with the United States is in the public’s best interest.

“If you read the language, it is so broad, it can include things like impact on balance of payments, impacts on energy security,” Ebinger said. “There are so many different criteria, and quite honestly, some of which I think you could legitimately argue might even be in conflict with each other.”

Current natural gas export policy is based on the 1938 Natural Gas Act, which was passed long before the current revolution in natural gas unlocked newly accessible reserves of shale gas.

“We’ve got this natural gas advantage, the rest of the world wants it,” Wyden said. “So much of the legal architecture that we’re using today, really is, to a great extent, years and years old. I’m looking at how this country can have it all. I want to see how we find a path, working in a bipartisan way, as Senator Murkowski and I have indicated, that we can really reap the fruits of a policy where we are in the advantage.”

The DOE announced last week that it had conditionally approved an application by Freeport LNG Expansion, to export domestic liquefied natural gas to countries without a free-trade agreement. The agency indicated that it had taken into account the economic, energy security, and environmental impacts in making its decision to approve the second application for such an export license.

Wyden also welcomed testimony from John Mohlis, Executive Secretary for the Oregon Building and Construction Trades Council, who discussed the proposed Jordan Cove LNG project in Oregon.

Today’s discussion marked the second in a series of three natural gas forums and brought together representatives from several interested stakeholders, including Cheniere Energy, Sempra Energy, the Energy Policy Forum, the American Chemistry Council, as well as the DOE and the Energy Information Administration. The third forum will be held Thursday and will examine the current best practices within the industry and environmental concerns regarding extraction of natural gas from shale.

Wyden, Franken Press Nation's Top Energy Official for Action on Gas Price Spikes

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Al Franken, D-Minn., pressed the nation's top energy official to act quickly to address recent spikes in gasoline prices in the Midwest, West Coast, and across the country, in a letter sent yesterday.

Wyden, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Franken, chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, wrote to newly confirmed U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to take steps to combat gasoline price increases, specifically, preventing the simultaneous maintenance shutdowns of several regional refineries. Recent record price spikes in the Midwest, including Minnesota, have been attributed to routine refinery shutdowns, forcing drivers to pay more just ahead of the summer driving season.

Wyden and Franken urged Moniz to renew DOE’s obligation to report on the impact of planned refinery shutdowns, which is required under the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. DOE stopped publishing the reports and collecting data from refineries in 2011. The reports, produced by DOE’s Energy Information Administration, were intended to help oil companies avoid shutting down multiple refineries in the same region of the country at the same time.

“We write to express our concerns over the recent spikes in gasoline prices, most recently in the Midwestern region of the country, and earlier this year on the West Coast,” the senators wrote. “These increases have been attributed by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and other analysts to the impact of planned refinery outages in these regions and are causing motorists in these regions to pay some of the highest gas prices in the nation.”

“Given the importance of this situation to motorists, we urge that you carry out the intent of Congress by re-starting the EIA analysis and reporting of planned refinery outages,” the senators also wrote.

The full letter is below.

Wyden Comment on Freeport LNG Export License Approval

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following comment in response to the Department of Energy’s approval of an export license for Freeport LNG today:

“The Department of Energy’s announcement today that it will be making export decisions on a case-by-case basis provides a constructive way for this discussion to go forward that’s consistent with my belief that a measured approach on exports will provide the greatest advantage for the U.S economy.

Based upon my conversations with DOE it is my expectation that the department will use that process to assess the market impacts of each export decision after it is announced, to ensure American consumers are not harmed by large-scale exports. Furthermore, I’m pleased the Energy Department has assured me that Dr. Moniz will be reviewing DOE’s studies on the effects of exports once he is sworn in and that further export determinations will be informed by Dr. Moniz’ analysis."

Wyden Asks Fraud Task Force to Investigate Domestic Impact of E.U. Oil Market Manipulation

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:00 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today asked the Justice Department to investigate whether alleged price manipulation by three major oil companies in Europe is impacting U.S. consumers, and if similar activity is taking place in domestic markets.

On May 14, European Union regulators raided the offices of BP, Royal Dutch Shell and Statoil, as part of an investigation into whether they had falsely reported prices to the energy information company Platts, as part of an effort to manipulate oil markets.

Traders and oil companies depend on price benchmarks set by companies like Platts, which relies on self-reporting by oil companies and others to determine the prevailing price in oil and other petroleum markets. Because world oil markets are closely connected, price and demand changes in Europe and Asia often have broad ripple effects worldwide, including in the U.S.

In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who chairs the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which is charged with preventing fraud in oil and gasoline markets, Wyden requested that Holder work with E.U. authorities to determine if fraud in Europe is impacting U.S. consumers at the gas pump, and whether similar manipulation is taking place in the U.S.

“Efforts to manipulate the European oil indices, if proven, may have already impacted U.S. consumers and businesses, because of the interrelationships among world oil markets and hedging practices,” Wyden wrote. “These effects on American business make it imperative that your task force investigate whether any firms that may be using false information to manipulate oil prices here or abroad.”

The letter is below.

Wyden Statement on Energy Secretary Confirmation

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after the Senate overwhelmingly confirmed Dr. Ernest Moniz to be the Secretary of Energy by a vote of 97 to 0:

“My Senate colleagues recognize that Dr. Moniz is smart, he is savvy about how the Department of Energy operates because he has been there before, and he has a proven track record of collaboration, which is just what you need when you’re leading the Department of Energy,” Wyden said. “I look forward to working with him to address the hugely important issues facing the department: how to manage newly accessible reserves of natural gas, how to combat climate change, how to make our economy more efficient and how to clean up Hanford and other nuclear waste sites.”

The committee favorably reported the nomination by a vote of 21 to 1 last month.

Committee Approves 26 bills, Including Geothermal and Water Legislation

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced the committee passed bills to promote geothermal power, authorize a new wastewater treatment plant in Northeast Oregon and fund mitigation efforts in drought-affected areas in Oregon and elsewhere in the West, along with 23 public lands, parks and water bills.

“The bills the committee approved today will speed up clean geothermal energy production on federal land, aid people in Oregon and across the West who face the prospect of prolonged drought this year, and address a number of important public lands issues. It’s my hope the Senate can take these measures up and pass them in short order to keep this progress moving forward.”

The committee has now approved 51 bills since the start of the 113^th Congress.

“Senator Murkowski and the rest of my colleagues on this committee deserve an enormous amount of credit for working to make this committee an example of how to get things done in the U.S. Senate,” Wyden said. “In this Congress it’s often very hard to thread the needle and get legislation passed, but it sure looks like we’re building a bipartisan, thread-the-needle caucus, to find agreement on passing these bills.”

Specifically, the Geothermal Production Expansion Act of 2013, S. 363, would encourage development of geothermal power by making adjacent development rights available at fair market rates to keep the cost of leases manageable. Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Senator James Risch, R-Idaho, cosponsored the legislation. It passed by a voice vote, with Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., asking to be recorded as “present”.

The committee also approved by voice vote five years of reauthorization for the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act, S. 659, which expired last year. The bill will give desperately needed help to states across the West and drought mitigation programs run by the Bureau of Reclamation. Four counties in Oregon have been designated drought disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this month.

Finally, the City of Hermiston Water Recycling and Reuse Project, S. 693, would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to share a small portion of the costs to build a new wastewater treatment plant. The bill was introduced in the last Congress, but did not pass out of committee.

In addition, the committee passed the following bills:

S. 27, a bill to clarify authority granted under the Act entitled "An Act to define the exterior boundary of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in the State of Utah, and for other purposes"

S.59, a bill to designate a Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California

S. 156, a bill to allow for the harvest of gull eggs by the Huna Tlingit people within Glacier Bay National Park in the State of Alaska with an amendment

S. 211, a bill to amend certain definitions contained in the Provo River Project Transfer Act for purposes of clarifying certain property descriptions, and for other purposes

S. 225, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of alternatives for commemorating and interpreting the role of the Buffalo Soldiers in the early years of the National Parks, and for other purposes

S. 241, a bill to establish the Rio Grande del Norte National Conservation Area in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes with a majority staff amendment in the nature of a substitute and a majority staff amendment to the title (passed by a roll call vote of 15 to 7)

S. 256, a bill to amend Public Law 93-435 with respect to the Northern Mariana Islands, providing parity with Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa with a amendment

S. 284, a bill to transfer certain facilities, easements, and rights-of-way to Fort Sumner Irrigation District, New Mexico

S. 305, a bill to authorize the acquisition of core battlefield land at Champion Hill, Port Gibson, and Raymond for addition to Vicksburg National Military Park with amendments

S. 312, a bill to adjust the boundary of the Carson National Forest, New Mexico (Senators Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, John Barrasso, R-Wyo., James Risch, R-Idaho, Mike Lee, R-Utah, Rob Portman, R-Ohio, John Hoeven, R-N.D., Dean Heller, R-Nev., Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Tim Scott, R-S.C., asked to recorded as voting no)

S. 342, a bill to designate the Pine Forest Range Wilderness area in Humboldt County, Nevada

S. 349, a bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of the Beaver, Chipuxet, Queen, Wood, and Pawcatuck Rivers in the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island for study for potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes

S. 368, a bill to reauthorize the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act, and for other purposes with an amendment

S. 371, a bill to establish the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, to dedicate the Park to John H. Chafee, and for other purposes (Barrasso, Risch, Lee, Flake, Scott and Portman asked to recorded as voting no)

S. 447, a bill to provide for the conveyance of certain cemeteries that are located on National Forest System land in Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota

S. 476, a bill to amend the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Development Act to extend to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Commission with an amendment in the nature of a substitute

S. 507, a bill to establish the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington, and for other purposes with amendments (Barrasso, Lee, Heller, Flake, Scott and Portman asked to recorded as voting no)

S. 609, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal land in San Juan County, New Mexico, and for other purposes with amendments

S. 684, a bill to amend the Mni Wiconi Project Act of 1988 to facilitate completion of the Mni Wiconi Rural Water Supply System, and for other purposes with amendments (Risch, Lee and Scott asked to recorded as voting no)

S. 736, a bill to establish a maximum amount for special use permit fees applicable to certain cabins on National Forest System land in the State of Alaska with amendments and an amendment to the title

S. 757, a bill to provide for the implementation of the multispecies habitat conservation plan for the Virgin River, Nevada, and Lincoln County, Nevada, to extend the authority to purchase certain parcels of public land, and for other purposes

S.J. RES. 12, a joint resolution to consent to certain amendments enacted by the legislature of the State of Hawaii to the Hawaiian Homes Commission, Act, 1920

H.R. 316, to reinstate and transfer certain hydroelectric licenses and extend the deadline for commencement of construction of certain hydroelectric projects with an amendment in the nature of a substitute

Wyden Applauds New Natural Gas Working Group

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:00:00 EST

Washington, D.C. – Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today applauded the formation of a working group to come up with solutions to adding natural gas to the transportation sector, while addressing methane emissions and other environmental concerns, which was announced during a wide-ranging discussion at the first in a series of three forums focusing on natural gas in the United States.

“I think what we’ve picked up today is there are a host of areas where if you get it right, where if you don’t just have some kind of top-down, one-size-fits-all strategy from Washington, D.C., you can really make a very significant contribution, particularly in light of what Gregg Kantor’s talking about, some of the innovation taking place in the states and in the private sector,” Wyden said. “That’s exactly what we’re all about. It’s just what I was hoping for in terms of our first panel.”

Northwest Natural President and CEO Gregg Kantor said the company is looking at new ways to encourage the use of natural gas in transportation, which has already saved its 690,000 customers in Oregon and southwest Washington more than $400 million over the last four years. Nationally, Kantor said, natural gas customers have saved about $250 billion over the last three years.

Wyden urged the working group to find creative ways to lower methane emissions and consumer costs, increase the use of natural gas-powered vehicles and find innovative solutions to update natural-gas related infrastructure.

“My aim is to look at what can be done to address the infrastructure issues hindering wider use of natural gas, beyond just fleets. In addition I would hope the group could also tackle environmental concerns such as fugitive methane emissions,” Wyden said.

Wyden has asked the group to present its findings to Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaksa, and other members on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee this summer.

Steve Bolze, president and CEO of General Electric Power & Water, discussed the importance of natural gas as an important way to integrate intermittent renewable power sources, including wind and solar power.

“U.S. natural gas supply is a global game changer, and everybody in the world is watching the U.S. right now,” Bolze said. “Industry and government leaders from around the world would love to have the domestic benefits available to the U.S. as a result of natural gas reserves.”

Kantor and Bolze said the working group plans to begin meeting by June. The committee brought the company leaders together as part of a diverse group of witnesses to discuss the next applications for natural gas and how the new demand will be met in the United States. The second forum will be held May 21 and will examine domestic supply estimates and exports.

Wyden Invites Comments on Water Management in Klamath River Basin

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:00 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today is inviting stakeholders and others to submit comments in advance of a planned Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on water issues in the Klamath River Basin.

Comments and views on water resources issues in the Klamath River Basin can be submitted to Klamath@energy.senate.gov

“Oregonians and others affected by Klamath issues want – and deserve – to have their voices heard on these vital matters,” Wyden said. “I want to be sure Southern Oregonians can weigh in on pressing issues of water management in the Klamath River Basin and welcome the input from all interested parties.”

The committee will announce a hearing date and time when they are finalized.

Committee Favorably Reports Energy Efficiency, Hydropower Bills

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced the committee favorably reported five bills that would encourage the growth of hydropower and spur energy efficiency in homes and buildings.

“Every time you pass bills like this, you put points on the board in the fight against climate change, and you do it in a bipartisan way,” Wyden said. “Hydropower has really become the gold standard for collaboration in energy and making homes and buildings more efficient is one of the cheapest ways to save energy. To anybody who calls this ‘low-hanging fruit,’ I’d say, to me, it looks pretty ripe for a gridlocked Congress. “

The bills are the first energy-related legislation passed by the committee this Congress. Four of the bills would streamline federal approval of hydropower facilities. The fifth bill passed by the committee is the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 761), sponsored by Senators Jean Shaheen, D-N.H., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio. The legislation, which the senators introduced in the previous Congress, would encourage energy efficiency and job growth by strengthening national model building codes, creating a Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Financing Initiative to encourage private investment in building efficiency upgrades, allowing federal agencies to take advantage of existing funding to use the most current building efficiency standards for new federal buildings and creating incentives for manufacturers to save energy by using more efficient electric motors and transformers.

The committee passed the following bills by voice vote:

S. 306, a bill to authorize all Bureau of Reclamation conduit facilities for hydropower development under Federal Reclamation law, and for other purposes, with an amendment offered by Senator Mark Udall, D-Colo.
S. 545, a bill to improve hydropower, and for other purposes, with an amendment agreed to by both staffs
S. 761, a bill to promote energy savings in residential and commercial buildings and industry, and for other purposes, with a manager’s amendment of a perfecting nature
H.R. 267, a bill to improve hydropower, and for other purposes
H.R. 678, a bill to authorize all Bureau of Reclamation conduit facilities for hydropower development under Federal Reclamation law, and for other purposes

Senators Mike Lee, R-Utah, Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., asked to be recorded as voting against S. 761. The bills are now eligible for the full Senate’s consideration.

The amendments are attached below.

Wyden Praises Forest Service for Awarding Next Generation Air Tanker Contracts

Mon, 06 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., praised the U.S. Forest Service for its announcement that it plans to award contracts for seven next generation air tankers to help fight wildfires.

“These air tankers are vital to helping firefighters on the ground combat ever-more destructive wildfires that threaten communities across the West year after year,” Wyden said. “I’m urging the administration to get these planes ready to fly as soon as possible to provide crucial air support in the face of another potentially record fire season.”

The contracts will help the Forest Service transition its fleet from its older, “legacy” air tankers, which have been in use for decades. The agency has said it is working to bring the seven next generation air tankers into use within the next year.

Three new air tankers will come from Oregon-based companies. The Hillsboro-based Aero Air will receive contracts for two air tankers, and Coulson Aircrane (USA), Inc., which has an office in Portland, will receive one. These companies, along with the three other recipients, were awarded the next generation air tanker contracts based on past performance, experience and economic value.

Air tankers have been effective in slowing the growth of small fires until firefighters can reach the fires to extinguish them.

Last year, Wyden was joined by Senators Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Mark Udall, D-Colo., Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., in getting legislation passed to speed the contracting of new air tankers. This year is predicted to be potentially another record-breaking wildfire season.

Wyden Urges Administration to Advance Plans to Save Energy and Taxpayer Money

Thu, 02 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., urged the White House to speed up approval of contracts that will reduce federal energy consumption while generating savings for taxpayers.

Energy Savings Performance Contracts allow government agencies to pay for energy efficiency upgrades through the savings in their energy bills, without any upfront cost to taxpayers. Energy-efficiency advocates have voiced concerns about the slow pace of approvals for some energy saving contracts in recent months.

The administration has set a goal of signing $2 billion worth of ESPCs by 2014. To date, federal agencies have entered into $500 million of agreements toward that target.

“ESPCs are a good deal for the government,” Wyden wrote in the letter. “These projects save money by reducing the cost of energy and operations in federal buildings, and they do not require any outlay of funds. For these reasons, I urge you to support a robust ESPC program and to reduce administrative barriers to the use of these contracts.”

The full letter is below.

Wyden Statement on Departure of Interior Department Deputy Secretary David Hayes

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the departure of David Hayes from the Interior Department:

“David deserves thanks for his capable service through not one, but two presidential administrations. His departure is a loss for the Interior Department. I wish him the best in his next endeavor,” Wyden said.

Energy Committee Favorably Reports Energy Secretary Nominee Dr. Ernest Moniz

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced that the committee voted to favorably report the nomination of Dr. Ernest Moniz to serve as Secretary of Energy.

“Dr. Moniz could become the first Secretary of Energy who, instead of having to confront energy shortages and scarcity, instead would oversee an era of abundant carbon-reducing natural gas and dramatic growth of renewable energy technologies,” Wyden said.

“From my experience working with Dr. Moniz, I believe he is more than up to the challenges that our country is going to face in this historic transition for our energy sector.”

The committee approved the nomination by a vote of 21 to 1. The nomination now goes to the full Senate for its consideration.

Wyden Grills Forest Service Chief on Timber Harvests, Secure Rural Schools

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., pressed the U.S. Forest Service to speed up timber harvests and blasted the agency’s baffling decision to require states to return Secure Rural Schools payments, in a hearing today.

In the administration’s budget for the 2014 fiscal year, the Forest Service proposed reducing timber harvests by nearly 15 percent, to 2.38 billion board feet, far below the 3 billion board feet the agency called for in its “Restoration Strategy,” for forests. It also recently asked for states to return 5.1% of payments under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, months after the agency sent out the full payment amounts.

“Essentially you have communities that are already on the edge of bankruptcy, that are desperate to do more work in the woods and have asked for some predictability from the federal government,” Wyden said. “And in response, the Forest Service is saying, ‘Not only will we cut less timber, we’d also like some of that money we gave you back.’”

Under questioning from Wyden, Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell agreed that a collaborative approach is the best way to increase timber harvests, as opposed to putting federal lands in private management. Wyden has called for collaboration between communities, conservation groups, the timber industry, tribes and other stakeholders, modeled on work currently underway in Eastern Oregon which has resulted in increasing harvests and jobs, and less litigation of proposed sales.

“We’ve seen a collaborative approach succeed in Grant County on the Malheur Forest, and it seems clear that’s the best way to increase the cut and get the jobs we need,” Wyden said after the hearing.

Wyden Statement on Interior Secretary Confirmation

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement following the Senate’s bipartisan vote to confirm Sally Jewell to be the Secretary of the Interior:

“Sally Jewell has the brains, the experience and the drive to lead the Interior Department, and I’m glad my colleagues voted overwhelmingly to approve her nomination,” Wyden said. “She made clear in her confirmation hearing that she intends to strike a balance between the dual roles of conserving and developing resources. That’s exactly the right approach to take on the diverse issues facing Interior, including safely developing natural gas, maximizing jobs and opportunities from recreation and improving management of federal forests, including the O&C lands.”

The Senate confirmed the nomination by a vote of 87 to 11, following the committee’s favorable nomination report last month.

Wyden Announces Support for Moniz to lead Energy Department

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

Wins commitments on Hanford, natural gas exports and energy storage plan...

Wyden, Murkowski Ask EPA for Renewable Fuels Market Data to Explain Volatility

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Following weeks of fluctuations in the renewable fuels market, Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, asked the Environmental Protection Agency for data to explain unprecedented volatility in the market for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs).

“Given that ethanol is an increasingly important factor in the cost and supply of motor fuel in the U.S., it is critical that the Committee have a better understanding of the causes and effects of RIN market volatility and developments,” Wyden and Murkowski wrote in a letter to EPA Acting Administrator Robert Perciasepe.

As part of preparation for a hearing on gasoline prices later this spring, Wyden asked the EPA to provide data concerning RINs market volatility and irregular trading, deficits and surpluses in RINs carried over from the previous year, as well as production and consumption of biofuels in the United States.

Refiners are required to blend 13.8 billion gallons of ethanol into the U.S. gasoline supply this year. Prices for conventional RINs rose from $0.07 at the beginning of January to $1.10 during the first week of March. Fuel blenders and refiners use RINs to meet the national requirement for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The full letter is below.

Energy Committee Favorably Reports Interior Secretary Nominee Sally Jewell

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST

Washington, D.C. – Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced that the committee voted to favorably report the nomination of Sally Jewell to be the Secretary of the Interior.

“[Sally] is going to give each member of this committee her ear and her expertise that comes from having managed to pack a host of professional careers – petroleum engineer, CEO, and banker, to name just a few – into just one lifetime. I have full confidence in Sally Jewell’s ability to take on this important assignment,” Wyden said.

The committee approved the nomination by a vote of 19 to 3. The nomination now goes to the full Senate for its consideration.

Stakeholders Voice Support for Wyden Plan to Strengthen Rural Economies

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Representatives of resource-dependent communities, the administration and leading experts on rural economics, voiced support for a plan by Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to strengthen forest communities in Oregon and across the country, in a hearing on Tuesday.

Senator Wyden laid out his framework in an Oregonian op-ed, and during the hearing:

“What we are talking about is pursuing this on a dual track: boosting timber cuts and providing a safety net that provides for schools, roads and police in resource-dependent communities and then our bipartisan coalition will also support reauthorizing the [Secure Rural Schools] payment program while looking for a long-term solution that understands we have to increase our timber harvest, look for jobs in communities that abut federal lands and federal waters and protect our environmental heritage,” Wyden said.

Recognizing that counties face decisions this spring about closing schools and funding law-enforcement, Senator Wyden and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., have pledged to extend Secure Rural Schools for at least a year, while Wyden and other Energy and Natural Resources Committee members work to move a long-term solution through Congress.

During the hearing, which focused on the Secure Rural Schools and Payments in Lieu of Taxes programs, a range of witnesses expressed support for the program, and Senator Wyden’s approach:

Mark Haggerty, Headwaters Economics Policy Analyst: “Exposure to boom-bust commodity cycles is a constant hazard for remote rural counties in the West. By reforming county payment programs to focus on the long-term security of funding for basic government services, Congress can help create a buffer against this hazard.”

Paul Pearce, President, National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition: “We agree with the Chairman who said in a recent article ‘A short-term extension [of SRS] is not a long-term solution for these communities. We've got to get our people back to work in the woods, for example. We have got to increase the number of jobs in resource-dependent communities where there's federal lands and federal water. We believe that can be done consistent with protecting our environmental values.’

Our mission statement and Principles for Legislation (attached) echoes that sentiment; Long-term economic vitality must include legislation requiring active sustainable forest management to achieve resilient forest lands managed by the US Forest Service and ... the Bureau of Land Management.”

U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell: “By actively engaging community members in recommending projects, the Forest Service has seen a significant decrease in appeals and a dramatic increase in successful long-term collaboration,” Tidwell said.

“The Secure Rural Schools Program has successfully strengthened rural economies and developed important collaborative working relationships between the Forest Service and partners,” he continued later.

Committee Passes 19 Public Lands Bills

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – In its first markup of the 113th Congress, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee today passed 19 bills relating to public lands. All 19 bills were previously reported by the committee or passed by the full Senate in the last Congress.

Below is the full list of bills passed.

Agenda Items

1. S. 23, a bill to designate as wilderness certain land and inland water within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the State of Michigan, and for other purposes.

2. S. 25, a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal features of the electric distribution system to the South Utah Valley Electric Service District, and for other purposes.

3. S. 26, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate the development of hydroelectric power on the Diamond Fork System of the Central Utah Project.

4. S. 112, a bill to expand the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the State of Washington, to designate the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River and Pratt River as wild and scenic rivers, and for other purposes.

5. S. 130, a bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal land to the Powell Recreation District in the State of Wyoming.

6. S. 157, a bill to provide for certain improvements to the Denali National Park and Preserve in the State of Alaska, and for other purposes.

7. S. 222, a bill to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects and acid mine remediation programs.

8. S. 230, a bill to authorize the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes.

10. S. 244, a bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to modify the Pilot Project offices of the Federal Permit Streamlining Pilot Project.

11. S. 247, a bill to establish the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn, New York, and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties, Maryland, and for other purposes, with an amendment (FLO13194).

12. S. 276, A bill to reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving the American Falls Reservoir.

13. S. 304, a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the State of Mississippi 2 parcels of surplus land within the boundary of the Natchez Trace Parkway, and for other purposes.

14. S. 311, a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating sites in the Lower Mississippi River Area in the State of Louisiana as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes, with an amendment (FLO13196).

15. S. 347, a bill to establish the First State National Historical Park in the State of Delaware, and for other purposes, with an amendment (FLO13195).

16. S. 352, a bill to provide for the designation of the Devil's Staircase Wilderness Area in the State of Oregon, to designate segments of Wasson and Franklin Creeks in the State of Oregon as wild rivers, and for other purposes

17. S. 354, a bill to modify the boundary of the Oregon Caves National Monument, and for other purposes.

18. S. 383, a bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of Illabot Creek in Skagit County, Washington, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

19. S. 393, a bill to designate additional segments and tributaries of White Clay Creek, in the States of Delaware and Pennsylvania, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

20. S. 459, a bill to modify the boundary of the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in the State of South Dakota, and for other purposes.