[House Hearing, 117 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                EXAMINING THE DEPARTMENT OF THE 
                INTERIOR'S SPENDING PRIORITIES AND 
                THE PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR BUDGET 
                2022 PROPOSAL

=======================================================================

                           OVERSIGHT HEARING

                               BEFORE THE

                     COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
                     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                               __________

                        Wednesday, June 23, 2021

                               __________

                            Serial No. 117-7

                               __________

       Printed for the use of the Committee on Natural Resources
       
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]       


        Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
                                   or
          Committee address: http://naturalresources.house.gov
          
                              __________

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE                    
45-003 PDF                 WASHINGTON : 2022                     
          
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                     COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

                      RAUL M. GRIJALVA, AZ, Chair
                JESUS G. ``CHUY'' GARCIA, IL, Vice Chair
   GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN, CNMI, Vice Chair, Insular Affairs
                  BRUCE WESTERMAN, AR, Ranking Member

Grace F. Napolitano, CA              Don Young, AK
Jim Costa, CA                        Louie Gohmert, TX
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan,      Doug Lamborn, CO
    CNMI                             Robert J. Wittman, VA
Jared Huffman, CA                    Tom McClintock, CA
Alan S. Lowenthal, CA                Paul A. Gosar, AZ
Ruben Gallego, AZ                    Garret Graves, LA
Joe Neguse, CO                       Jody B. Hice, GA
Mike Levin, CA                       Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, AS
Katie Porter, CA                     Daniel Webster, FL
Teresa Leger Fernandez, NM           Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, PR
Melanie A. Stansbury, NM             Russ Fulcher, ID
Nydia M. Velazquez, NY               Pete Stauber, MN
Diana DeGette, CO                    Thomas P. Tiffany, WI
Julia Brownley, CA                   Jerry L. Carl, AL
Debbie Dingell, MI                   Matthew M. Rosendale, Sr., MT
A. Donald McEachin, VA               Blake D. Moore, UT
Darren Soto, FL                      Yvette Herrell, NM
Michael F. Q. San Nicolas, GU        Lauren Boebert, CO
Jesus G. ``Chuy'' Garcia, IL         Jay Obernolte, CA
Ed Case, HI                          Cliff Bentz, OR
Betty McCollum, MN
Steve Cohen, TN
Paul Tonko, NY
Rashida Tlaib, MI
Lori Trahan, MA

                     David Watkins, Staff Director
                        Sarah Lim, Chief Counsel
               Vivian Moeglein, Republican Staff Director
                   http://naturalresources.house.gov
                                
                                ------                                

                                CONTENTS

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

Hearing held on Wednesday, June 23, 2021.........................     1

Statement of Members:

    Grijalva, Hon. Raul M., a Representative in Congress from the 
      State of Arizona...........................................     2
        Prepared statement of....................................     3

    Westerman, Hon. Bruce, a Representative in Congress from the 
      State of Arkansas..........................................     4

Statement of Witnesses:

    Haaland, Hon. Deb, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior     6
        Prepared statement of....................................     7
        Questions submitted for the record.......................    14
                                     
 
    OVERSIGHT HEARING ON EXAMINING THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S 
    SPENDING PRIORITIES AND THE PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR BUDGET 2022 
                                PROPOSAL

                              ----------                              


                        Wednesday, June 23, 2021

                     U.S. House of Representatives

                     Committee on Natural Resources

                             Washington, DC

                              ----------                              

    The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:04 a.m., in 
room 1324, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Raul M. 
Grijalva [Chairman of the Committee] presiding.
    Present: Representatives Grijalva, Napolitano, Costa, 
Sablan, Huffman, Lowenthal, Gallego, Neguse, Levin, Porter, 
Leger Fernandez, Stansbury, DeGette, Brownley, Dingell, 
McEachin, Soto, San Nicolas, Garcia, Case, McCollum, Cohen, 
Tlaib, Trahan; Westerman, Gohmert, Lamborn, McClintock, Gosar, 
Graves, Hice, Radewagen, Gonzalez-Colon, Fulcher, Stauber, 
Tiffany, Carl, Rosendale, Moore, Herrell, Boebert, Obernolte, 
and Bentz.

    The Chairman. The Committee on Natural Resources will come 
to order. The Committee is meeting today to examine the 
Department of the Interior's spending priorities and the 
President's Fiscal Year 2022 budget proposal.
    Under Committee Rule 4(f), any oral opening statements at 
the hearing are limited to the Chair and the Ranking Minority 
Member, or their designees. This will allow us to hear from the 
witness sooner, and help Members keep to their individual 
schedules.
    Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that all other Members' 
opening statements be made part of the hearing record if they 
are submitted to the Clerk by 5 p.m. today, or the close of the 
hearing, whichever comes first.
    Hearing no objection, so ordered.
    Without objection, the Chair may also declare a recess, 
subject to the call of the Chair.
    As described in the notice, statements, documents, or 
motions must be submitted to the electronic repository at 
[email protected].
    Members physically present should provide a hard copy for 
staff to distribute by e-mail.
    Additionally, please note that, as always, Members are 
responsible for their own microphones. As with the fully in-
person meetings, Members can be muted by staff only to avoid 
inadvertent background noise.
    Pursuant to Committee Rule 3(l) and the latest guidance 
from the Attending Physician, anyone present in the hearing 
room today must wear a mask covering their mouth and nose if 
they are not fully vaccinated, or if they are uncomfortable 
with informing us of their vaccination status. It is my hope 
that with everyone's cooperation, we can protect the safety of 
Members, staff, and their respective families, as they return 
home. The Committee has masks available for any Member who 
needs one.
    Finally, Members or witnesses who experience technical 
problems should inform the Committee staff immediately.
    I want to take time to welcome our new Member, Melanie 
Stansbury. She comes to Congress and represents District 1 in 
New Mexico, retaining the seat formerly held by our guest, 
Secretary Haaland. Her background expertise on the Committee is 
going to be very useful, and we look forward to her 
contributions. I also want to take time to thank Representative 
Matsui for her contributions to the Committee, as she released 
her position to accommodate our new Member, and we are very 
grateful, and want to thank her for her courtesy and her 
gesture.
    Let me now recognize myself for my opening statement.

  STATEMENT OF THE HON. RAUL M. GRIJALVA, A REPRESENTATIVE IN 
               CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ARIZONA

    The Chairman. Good morning, Madam Secretary. I am happy to 
welcome you to this morning's hearing. I want to thank you for 
wasting no time in improving our Nation's conservation and 
Native American policies, which I am sure we are going to hear 
more about today.
    This may feel like a homecoming for you, since you were the 
Vice Chair of this Committee, and here you are, on the other 
side of this table, as one of the first Native Americans in a 
cabinet position, and the first Native woman in that position. 
It is a pleasure to see you again, and inviting you to testify.
    Knowing the Committee as you do, Madam Secretary, you 
realize that the goal is a deliberate and informative hearing, 
without too much theatrics. That is the goal. But as you know 
this Committee, the process sometimes doesn't quite work out 
that way.
    And we have a lot to talk about, and I am sure you are well 
aware of how many questions we have. But if you will indulge 
me, just for a moment, I want to recognize the history that we 
are making today.
    In 1789, Congress created three executive departments: 
Foreign Affairs, Treasury, and War Department. Given our 
country's history and its relationship with tribes and 
Indigenous people, these issues were initially housed in the 
War Department, because the United States viewed tribes and 
Indigenous communities as pure adversaries.
    In 1849, Congress created the Department of the Interior to 
oversee internal affairs such as water, wilderness, regulation 
of territories, public lands, and Native Americans. Since then, 
the Department of the Interior has made contributions to our 
Nation's history, but the intent of placing Indian Affairs in 
the Department of the Interior was to dismantle Indigenous 
culture, while re-educating Native Americans so they could 
become ``respectable citizens.''
    Yet, decades later, here we are, inviting the first Native 
American woman elected to Congress, and the first Native 
American cabinet member, to hear about her plans for the 
Department of the Interior. The historic significance of this 
moment should not be lost. A Department that was once in charge 
of eradicating the Indigenous culture of this country is 
finally being led by one. Secretary Haaland sits before us 
today, despite the history of this Department, and I welcome 
her to this hearing room with the utmost respect and 
appreciation for the work she has done and will continue to do 
for people.
    Today, we will hear about the most significant issues 
facing our country, such as climate change, environmental 
justice, and polluter accountability. I supported Secretary 
Haaland's nomination because we need someone with her 
experience, her compassion, her intelligence, and her fair-
mindedness in charge of answering these questions.
    As I can say from personal experience, Secretary Haaland 
brings a new perspective to her work. The attributes that 
qualify her as Secretary of the Interior--compassion, 
experience, intelligence, and fair-mindedness--is precisely 
what our country needs at this moment in time. And we welcome 
her leadership, and look forward to that leadership.

    [The prepared statement of Mr. Grijalva follows:]
 Prepared Statement of the Hon. Raul M. Grijalva, Chair, Committee on 
                           Natural Resources
    Good morning, Madam Secretary. I hope I don't need to say how happy 
I am to welcome you to this morning's hearing. I want to thank you for 
wasting no time in improving our Nation's conservation policies, which 
I'm sure we're going to hear more about today.
    You were a leader when you sat on this Committee, you're a leader 
now, and I believe you'll continue being a leader for a long time to 
come, so it's a pleasure to see you again and invite you to testify.
    We have a lot to talk about, and I'm sure you're well aware of how 
many questions we have, but if you'll indulge me a moment, I want to 
recognize what's happening here today.
    It wasn't long ago that Native American children were taken from 
their families and sent to schools designed to wipe out their cultures, 
their religions and their languages. They were discouraged or prevented 
from seeing their families. Their hair was cut short, their clothes 
were replaced with uniforms, and in many cases their birth names were 
intentionally forgotten. If they expressed themselves in traditional 
ways, they were met with violence.
    In this country, the United States of America, hundreds of 
thousands of Native children were ridiculed and psychologically 
tormented for generations until they met totally invented standards of 
behavior.
    The people who committed these crimes claimed Native people don't 
understand the laws of this country. They claimed Native men and women 
are inherently lazy. They claimed they needed to be handled this way 
before they were ready live in the modern world. This all happened 
within living memory.
    Secretary Haaland sits before us today despite those crimes. I 
salute her.
    In this emerging world that seems to have frightened and confused a 
lot of people, where Native families and Native history are respected 
and treated with dignity, this Committee has made a few small changes 
of our own.
    As the people here today may have noticed, we've removed the 
paintings that once hung in this chamber. Images depicting the artist's 
conception of the lives and traditions of Indigenous people in the 19th 
century may have once had a home here, but they're inconsistent with 
the work of a Committee dedicated to improving the current and future 
lives of Indigenous peoples.
    Today's hearing, I believe, is another important step in the 
modernization of our work and our role. The Interior Department was 
once tasked with the subjugation and even extermination of Native 
Americans. Now a Native American leads the Department and is here with 
us to discuss the most important questions our country faces--questions 
about climate change, about environmental justice, about polluter 
accountability, about ensuring equity for all Americans.
    I supported Secretary Haaland's nomination because we need someone 
with her compassion, intelligence, and her fair-mindedness in charge of 
answering these questions.
    I believe compassion is a value that's being lost in government. I 
saw the importance of compassion when I was growing up in southern 
Arizona, in a politically very difficult time for immigrants and the 
children of immigrants. Compassion, not the pursuit of a quick buck, is 
what defines this country at its best. We can be, and sometimes are, a 
compassionate nation.
    That's why I'm so glad to see Secretary Haaland leading the 
Department of the Interior. The threat of climate change calls on us 
like never before to think of others as well as ourselves, and to 
consider needs larger than our own daily concerns. As I can say from 
personal experience, she always brings that perspective to her work. 
This country needs her right where she is.

                                 ______
                                 

    The Chairman. With that, I would like once again to welcome 
you here, Secretary Haaland, back to this Committee. And I now 
recognize the Ranking Member, Mr. Westerman, for his opening 
comments.

  STATEMENT OF THE HON. BRUCE WESTERMAN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN 
              CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ARKANSAS

    Mr. Westerman. Thank you, Chairman Grijalva. It is, indeed, 
great to be here today. It is good to see you. Not only to see 
you, but to see you in person and in 3D. This is a good day, 
when we are finally back in the Committee room. It feels more 
like what Congress should be, where we are looking across the 
dais at one another, where we are here, in person, to discuss 
important issues for the country.
    And I am so thankful that we are able to be back here 
today, thankful for the great work that our country did in 
coming up with vaccines, and getting those vaccines available, 
so that everybody has access to it. And hopefully, this is just 
the beginning, that all of our hearings, and especially our 
markups----
    [Audio malfunction.]
    Mr. Westerman [continuing]. Committee Republicans are 
focused on access, conservation, innovation, and transparency, 
all of which should be bipartisan and a priority. 
Unfortunately, the Administration's proposed budget, I 
believe--and I think we will have a discussion about it today--
falls short of many of these goals.
    If there is one thing we should all be united on, that is 
access. And it doesn't just mean access to recreational 
opportunities, but also access to timber, water, lands for 
grazing, energy, minerals, and much more. The Administration 
has taken unprecedented steps to cut off access to critical 
minerals and vital energy sources, putting Americans out of 
work, and jeopardizing our energy security.
    The budget request does nothing to reverse this tide and, 
instead, includes deeply flawed logical inconsistencies. For 
example, this Administration canceled the Keystone XL pipeline 
permit, yet it supports foreign pipelines like Nord Stream 2, 
making us and our allies more dependent on Russia.
    Additionally, the budget focuses heavily on promoting 
renewable energy that says virtually nothing about domestically 
sourcing the minerals needed to support solar and wind energy.
    Finally, the Administration also fully funded the Land 
Water Conservation Fund and other conservation programs, while 
simultaneously cutting off those revenue sources by halting 
fossil fuel development. Instead of a misguided preservationist 
land designation, we must promote access through true 
conservation. This is more critical than ever, as over 75 
percent of our Western lands are currently classified as being 
in severe drought or worse, an ominous sign for what will 
surely be another catastrophic wildfire season.
    Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Last year was yet 
another historic wildfire season that burned 10.3 million 
acres, and 20 percent of that was on DOI lands. This budget 
includes no serious support for long-term water storage, and 
does nothing to help us dramatically ramp up the acres in need 
of treatment to prevent wildfires, two things that are 
desperately needed right now. Drought, wildfire, and the litany 
of other crises facing the Department will require innovative 
approaches to solve. I have no doubt that America is up for the 
challenge. But sadly, instead of incentivizing new ideas, this 
budget simply throws money at problems, and uses catchphrases, 
oftentimes with little to no meaning.
    Finally, I am deeply disappointed with what this 
Administration is passing off as transparency. Not only was 
this budget released months behind schedule, and on the Friday 
before a long weekend--a date I believe was chosen in the hopes 
that nobody would really notice the budget's release--but DOI 
has also ignored 87 document requests, and failed to provide 
two requested policy briefings to the Committee.
    Secretary Haaland, as a former member of this very 
Committee, I know you understand how important it is to be 
responsive to congressional oversight inquiries. So, I hope you 
will implore your staff at the Department to take these duties 
more seriously, and to respond to all of our outstanding 
requests.
    I know many of us on both sides of the aisle share the 
common goal of wanting to see our environment and our natural 
resources thrive for years to come. Unfortunately, I believe we 
are just simply paying lip service to conservation, while 
actively making it more difficult for us to be good stewards 
and to take care of our resources and use them wisely.
    Again, I would like to thank Secretary Haaland for being 
here today. It means a lot that you would come over and visit 
with the Committee.
    Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Westerman, and I want to thank 
again our witness today, Secretary of the Interior, Deb 
Haaland.
    Thank you very much for taking the time, Madam Secretary. I 
won't go through the--I think you are pretty familiar with the 
5-minute rule and all that. So, rather than repeat that whole 
section of what I have to say, the assumption is you know, and 
I think that assumption is correct.
    Now the Chair recognizes Secretary Haaland to testify.
    Madam Secretary, the floor is yours.

 STATEMENT OF THE HON. DEB HAALAND, SECRETARY, U.S. DEPARTMENT 
                        OF THE INTERIOR

    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much, Chairman, Ranking 
Member. It is an honor to be here, and to see all these 
familiar faces. I am really happy to be here with you today.
    Very quickly, I want to let you know that I am joined by 
Ms. Rachel Taylor, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Policy Management and Budget. She is here with me today to sort 
of help make sure that you get the information that you need in 
full.
    Chairman Grijalva, Ranking Member Westerman, members of the 
Committee, it is an honor to be here with you today on behalf 
of the Department of the Interior. I was proud to serve on this 
Committee, and it is great to be back with so many friends and 
colleagues. It is deeply meaningful to me, as the first Native 
American cabinet secretary, to be here on the ancestral 
homelands of the Anacostan and Piscataway people, speaking 
before you.
    This Committee plays an important role in the success of 
the Department of the Interior and our many programs. The work 
that Congress has done on a bipartisan basis to support 
priorities such as the Great American Outdoors Act, wildland 
fire, and tribal programs has been integral to the ability of 
the Interior to meet our mission. And it has had profound 
impacts on the lives of Native Americans and Alaska Natives in 
communities across our country. And in that spirit, I come 
before you today to present the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, and to 
talk about how we can work together to ensure the Department is 
ready to meet this moment.
    The 2022 budget reflects the important role Interior will 
play to accomplish the Administration's goals to move our 
country forward in this unprecedented time. The President's 
budget responds by proposing $17.6 billion in discretionary 
investments in Interior, as well as legislative proposals to 
implement the American Jobs Plan. The programs you see 
reflected in the budget request lift up the President's goals 
of addressing the climate crisis, providing much-needed 
resources to Tribal Nations, restoring balance on public lands 
and waters, advancing equity and environmental justice, 
investing in a clean energy future, and creating good-paying 
jobs.
    I will walk through a few high-level details now, and, of 
course, look forward to having a discussion with you later on.
    First, the budget supports conservation partnership 
programs that will advance the America the Beautiful 
Initiative, our Administration's effort to conserve 30 percent 
of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 through locally led and 
voluntary projects.
    The request also allocates the full mandatory funding for 
the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program I cared deeply 
about as a Member of Congress, and am thrilled to help direct 
as Secretary. And it includes $86 million for the Civilian 
Climate Corps Initiative.
    All told, the budget includes unprecedented investments to 
address the climate crisis, including more than $1.9 billion in 
new funding toward conservation, clean energy, climate science, 
and fleet modernization.
    There is an increase of $133 million to accelerate and 
expand activities that support clean energy deployment across 
Federal lands and waters. It includes more than $300 million to 
support fuels management activities to reduce the risk of 
wildland fire, funds to help prevent wildfires from taking 
hold, growing in severity, and threatening communities and 
resources.
    The budget request prioritizes investments in science, 
including $200 million in new funds that will help to 
understand climate impacts, and make better decisions about how 
to mitigate, adapt, and increase resilience across the 
landscape in our communities.
    It also provides $300 million to support the President's 
Reclamation Jobs Initiative, and clean up legacy pollution by 
plugging orphaned oil and gas wells, and cleaning up abandoned 
mines.
    It includes major investments in Indian Country. The budget 
includes $4.2 billion across all Indian Affairs programs, which 
is $278 million above Fiscal Year 2021.
    We are also focused on strengthening tribal sovereignty, 
including a proposal for $150 million to re-establish the 
Indian Land Consolidation Program within the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs.
    This request also includes important increases for tribal 
public safety and justice programs, including $16.5 million for 
programs like Interior's Missing and Murdered Unit that 
addressed the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples crisis. 
We want to put the full weight of the Federal Government into 
investigating these cases, and martial law enforcement 
resources across the cabinet and throughout Indian Country.
    Finally, to ensure our Nation's legal obligations to tribes 
are fully met, the budget proposes to shift funding for tribal 
water settlements, contract support costs, and tribal lease 
payments to mandatory spending, starting in Fiscal Year 2023.
    These are just some of the highlights of this budget 
request. I look forward to working with the Committee to 
achieve these important goals.
    I commit to you that I will continue to honor and respect 
the role this Committee plays with the confident expectation 
that, working together, we can accomplish great things on 
behalf of the American people.
    This concludes my opening remarks. Thank you again for 
having me, and I look forward to your questions.

    [The prepared statement of Secretary Haaland follows:]
Prepared Statement of Deb Haaland, Secretary, United States Department 
                            of the Interior
    Chairman Grijalva, Ranking Member Westerman and Members of the 
Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of the 
Interior Department's Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Proposal.
    It is an honor and privilege for me to appear before you today as 
Secretary of the Interior to represent the Department and our tens of 
thousands of dedicated professionals. I was proud to serve on this 
Committee and it is great to be back with so many friends and 
colleagues.
    It is also deeply meaningful for me, as the first Native American 
Cabinet Secretary, to speak to you from the ancestral homelands of the 
Anacostan and Piscataway people.
    I respect the important role you play in the success of the 
Department and our programs, and it is my hope and my goal that we can 
work together successfully on behalf the American people.
    Interior's 2022 budget request totals $17.6 billion. Our 2022 
budget request is a $2.5 billion or a 17 percent increase from the 2021 
enacted appropriation. This budget will help implement the President's 
ambitious vision to lift up the Nation in this unprecedented time by 
addressing the climate crisis, providing much-needed resources to 
Tribal nations, restoring balance on public lands and waters, advancing 
environmental justice, and investing in a clean energy future.
    Interior's wide-ranging programs create economic opportunities and 
jobs for the American people. As reflected in the Department's Economic 
Contributions Report for Fiscal Year 2019, Interior's mission 
activities supported an estimated 1.9 million jobs and $336 billion in 
economic output. Interior has an important and unique mission to uphold 
and honor the Nation's trust responsibilities and commitments to Native 
Americans, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities to help 
them prosper.
    The 2022 budget lays out the important role Interior will play to 
accomplish the Administration's goals to move our country forward. This 
request includes the President's American Jobs Plan, which provides a 
longer-term strategy to create millions of good-paying union jobs, 
rebuild our country's infrastructure, and position America to out-
compete others on the global stage.
    Interior plays an important role in the President's plan to 
reinvest in the foundations of the Nation's strength. The 2022 budget 
addresses the need to invest in America at this critical time, when the 
Nation faces challenges from a pandemic, an economic downturn, climate 
change, and a reckoning with racial injustice. As such, Interior's 2022 
budget invests in America's future. Programs focus on adaptive 
management and increasing resilience to the changing climate; creating 
jobs and economic development; using science to inform; strengthening 
Tribal nations' self-determination; expanding inclusion of historically 
underrepresented communities; promoting environmental justice; 
delivering Interior's core services; and providing effective 
stewardship of America's national treasures.
    A key component of the Administration's investment strategy to 
address climate impacts on the ground through land stewardship and 
conservation is leveraging the power of Americans across the country. 
The Administration recently released a preliminary report to the 
National Climate Task Force--Conserving and Restoring America the 
Beautiful--recommending a 10-year, locally led campaign to conserve and 
restore America's lands and waters.
    The report provides an overarching framework to implement the 
President's goal to conserve 30 percent of U.S. land and waters by 
2030, which will help address the climate crisis and its impacts on 
nature, improve equitable access to the outdoors, and strengthen the 
economy. The report recognizes and celebrates the voluntary 
conservation efforts of farmers, ranchers, and forest owners; the 
leadership of sovereign Tribal nations in caring for lands, waters, and 
wildlife; the contributions and stewardship traditions of America's 
hunters, anglers, and fishing communities; and the vital importance of 
investing in playgrounds, trails, and open space in park-deprived 
communities.
    The America the Beautiful initiative is intended to serve as a call 
to action to support locally led conservation and restoration efforts 
across public, private, state, and Tribal lands and waters. The 
initiative welcomes all communities wishing to steward their lands and 
waters, boost the economy, and support jobs. Supporting these 
principles, the 2022 budget includes increases across Interior to 
support local partnership programs.
    Consistent with Congressional direction, the 2022 President's 
budget allocates mandatory funding available through the Great American 
Outdoors Act (GAOA). That funding includes up to $1.6 billion for 
deferred maintenance projects in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Park Service (NPS), and 
the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).
    Thanks to broad bipartisan support of GAOA in 2020, $900.0 million 
in mandatory LWCF resources is made available annually for conservation 
and recreation activities managed by Interior and the U.S. Forest 
Service. In 2021, Interior is providing $420.8 million, which includes 
$19.0 million from discretionary funds, to states and other partners 
for local conservation and recreation programs through non-federal 
grants and $280.7 million for federal programs, including voluntary 
land acquisition and easement programs in the BLM, FWS, and NPS.
    In May 2021, Interior awarded $150.0 million to local communities 
through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant program. Funded 
through the LWCF, this competitive program enables urban communities to 
create and reinvigorate outdoor recreation spaces and connect people 
and the outdoors in economically underserved communities. The LWCF 
programs directly support land and resource conservation and increase 
access to outdoor recreation across America.
    In the 2022 budget, Interior proposes to allocate $700.9 million 
for LWCF programs, which includes $19.0 million from discretionary 
funds. The 2022 budget estimates an additional $128.3 million will be 
available for State LWCF grants as a result of revenue derived from 
certain offshore oil and gas sales in the Gulf of Mexico.
    The 2022 budget proposal includes new investments for climate-
related investments to conserve and adaptively manage natural 
resources, increase understanding of how natural resources are changing 
and what that means, build resilience to protect communities and lands 
from significant impacts, and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse 
gases. The budget proposal also contains funding for wildland fire 
management, drought mitigation, and science-based investments that will 
help the Department and communities prepare for and address the 
aftermath of natural hazard events. These efforts will be supported by 
investments for science-driven conservation to align management of the 
Nation's natural resources with America's climate, biodiversity, and 
clean energy needs.
    To address the growing threat of wildfire to public health and 
community safety, the FY 2022 request includes a robust increase of 
$117.8 million in Interior's wildland fire programs. This features an 
increase of $107.4 million for hazardous fuels and burned area 
rehabilitation programs. This funding will support efforts to manage 
vegetation and reduce the intensity, severity, and negative effects of 
wildfire, in line with the Administration's science-based approach to 
risk management and complementing our other efforts to improve land 
health and resilience to climate change and reduce carbon emissions. As 
we head into what is already a challenging wildland fire season due to 
historic levels of drought in the West, these important investments in 
risk reduction continue to be top of mind.
    The 2022 budget proposes to rebuild core functions and capacities 
within Interior that have been diminished in recent years with 
investments in USGS science and staffing, and the core operations of 
parks, wildlife refuges and public lands. The investments in Interior's 
budget request also provide a key opportunity for the Administration 
and Congress to work together to restore levels of investment in 
programs at the Department and across government, and to lay a 
foundation for core programs that improve the life of everyday 
Americans.
    To implement the American Jobs Plan, the 2022 budget includes new 
investments to create good-paying jobs with a free and fair chance to 
join a union, rebuild the country's infrastructure, address the climate 
crisis, and position the United States to out-compete other countries. 
The proposal includes an increase of $300.0 million to support efforts 
to plug orphan oil and gas wells, clean up abandoned mines, and 
decommission offshore oil and gas infrastructure, which will help 
create jobs and improve the environmental quality of energy communities 
by addressing serious safety hazards and risks from associated air, 
water, or other environmental damage.
    As part of this proposal, the budget includes $169.2 million for a 
new Energy Community Revitalization Program (ERCP), which will help 
accelerate this remediation and reclamation work on Interior-managed 
lands and support work on non-federal lands through grants to states 
and Tribes. The new ECRP will include $75.0 million to address 
reclamation and restoration within Interior and also provide $70.0 
million for assistance and support to states and $20.0 million for 
reclamation on Tribal lands. The program will provide technical 
assistance and funding to inventory abandoned mines and oil and gas 
wells and to support reclamation projects.
    As part of a White House forum with federal agencies, states, 
industry, and labor in March 2021, the Administration announced a 
commitment by the Departments of the Interior, Energy, and Commerce to 
increase renewable energy development on federal waters and set a 
target to deploy 30 gigawatts (30,000 megawatts) of offshore wind by 
2030, creating nearly 80,000 jobs. Work is already underway to meet 
this ambitious goal.
    In the first months of the Administration, the Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management (BOEM) approved the first major offshore wind project 
in U.S. waters, the 800 MW Vineyard Wind project, which will create 
3,600 jobs and generate enough power for 400,000 homes and businesses. 
BOEM also issued a lease for the first wave energy research project in 
federal waters off the U.S. West coast, identified a new Wind Energy 
Area in the New York Bight, and announced intent for environmental 
reviews for projects offshore New Jersey, Rhode Island, and 
Massachusetts. The budget includes $249.1 million in funding to 
increase renewable energy production on public lands and in offshore 
waters, which will create jobs and help transition the county to a 
clean energy future. The funding primarily supports infrastructure 
permitting for onshore and offshore renewable energy projects such as 
solar, wind, wave and geothermal.
    In anticipation of large-scale development of offshore wind energy 
on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), the Bureau of Safety and 
Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is preparing to take on new 
responsibilities with respect to renewable energy workplace and process 
safety management, environmental protection, and decommissioning and 
site restoration. BSEE is also assuming safety and environmental 
enforcement operational functions for federal OCS offshore renewable 
energy development.
    In 2022, the BSEE budget includes $9.8 million, an increase of $9.0 
million, to establish a core foundational program to support the 
development of a safe, robust, and environmentally responsible offshore 
wind industry in the United States. The funding will enable timely and 
rigorous industry plan reviews, initiate a robust compliance assurance 
program, promote science-based renewable energy research, and 
demonstrate BSEE's commitment and leadership in driving safety 
performance in the offshore wind industry.
    In May 2021, BLM announced final approval of the Crimson Solar 
Project on BLM lands in Riverside County, CA. The project has the 
potential to deliver enough energy to power roughly 87,500 homes. The 
project is located within one of the areas designated for development 
in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, identified through a 
process of extensive review and coordination. The budget includes $55.6 
million, an increase of $25.0 million, for onshore clean energy 
programs managed by BLM. This amount includes $44.6 million in the 
Renewable Energy program, an increase of $14.0 million from the 2021 
enacted level, and a program increase of $11.0 million in the Resource 
Management Planning program to support renewable energy project siting. 
This funding will support the permitting and rights-of-way work 
associated with siting new projects and transmission lines. To ramp up 
to meet the Administration's renewable energy goals, BLM is reviewing 
policies and resources, working with other agencies to improve 
coordination, and reviewing current applications that could be 
expedited.
    The 2022 budget includes an additional $13.0 million in FWS to 
accommodate increased permitting reviews associated with clean energy. 
The 2022 budget also includes an increase of $7.0 million to support 
clean energy programs and grid infrastructure in the Insular Areas. In 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), program funding for clean energy 
deployment programs in Indian Country totals $66.0 million, an increase 
of $50.0 million from the 2021 enacted level.
    President Biden has challenged federal agencies to leverage the 
purchasing power of federal procurements to spur the deployment of 
clean energy technologies and supporting infrastructure and the jobs 
they create. Interior's fleet includes approximately 30,800 vehicles. 
The 2022 budget includes $73.0 million to start transitioning 
Interior's fleet to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) as part of a 
governmentwide initiative. Funding will support either acquiring ZEVs 
within the owned fleet or transitioning to the General Services 
Administration's leased fleet, investment in the related charging 
infrastructure, and planning and integration to effectively support the 
initiative.
    To address abandoned coal mine cleanup, the 2022 budget includes 
$165.0 million, an increase of $50.0 million, for the Abandoned Mine 
Land and Economic Revitalization (AMLER) program in the Office of 
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. The program provides grants 
to the six Appalachian States with the highest amount of unfunded 
Priority 1 and Priority 2 Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) sites and the 
three Tribes with AML programs. Grants are awarded for projects that 
accelerate the remediation of AML sites and encourage economic and 
community development.
    Science is valued at Interior, and it guides management decisions. 
Science is a cornerstone of the 2022 budget, with strong investments in 
science across the Department to better support bureau missions, 
address climate change on the ground, and invest in tools to monitor, 
measure, and model solutions to important resource challenges. The 2022 
budget includes $1.3 billion for research and development programs, and 
these investments in mission-specific science provide a new approach to 
developing and delivering actionable products and reducing barriers 
between science production and user application.
    USGS is Interior's primary science organization, with a broad 
portfolio related to the earth and biological sciences. The 2022 budget 
includes $1.6 billion for USGS, an increase of $326.9 million from the 
2021 enacted level. The budget for USGS includes an increase of $205.0 
million, to make science the centerpiece of the Biden Administration's 
commitment to tackling the climate change crisis, and another $83.0 
million increase in other research and development, including support 
for conservation programs, such as the America the Beautiful 
initiative. The 2022 investments in USGS science span the range of 
climate adaptation and land change science, carbon sequestration and 
greenhouse gas monitoring, critical minerals, mine waste reclamation 
and reuse, hazards monitoring, and water prediction.
    The 2022 USGS budget accelerates the development of tools 
supporting planning, monitoring, and projection, including the 
Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) and the Land 
Change Monitoring, Assessment, and Projection (LCMAP) initiative. These 
two tools provide solutions to the growing need for conservation 
planning and information about the fundamental drivers of land change 
and the consequences of human-caused and natural changes. Collectively, 
these investments will accelerate discoveries with the potential to 
transform America's understanding of the natural world, launch the next 
generation of Landsat to study and improve life on Earth, and enable 
U.S. independence from adversarial nations for industrial materials 
needed for current technologies.
    The 2022 budget includes $60.0 million in USGS collaborative 
research with the new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Climate 
(ARPA-C) within the Department of Energy. This high-risk, accelerated 
research can achieve transformational advancement in climate adaptation 
and resilience in areas in which industry by itself is not likely to 
invest due to technical and financial uncertainty. The investment will 
focus on work in five areas critically important to Interior's mission 
and to tackling the climate crisis: planning tools to support habitat 
health and biodiversity, models for drought prediction, predictive 
tools for wildfire and post-wildfire risk management, coastal change 
and vulnerability forecasts for planning and disaster response and 
recovery, and models to assess the potential and risks for geologic 
storage of hydrogen created using renewable energy.
    The Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) is an important jobs initiative 
that draws on America's strength to work together and build back better 
to revitalize public lands, infrastructure, and communities--and, in 
doing so, create jobs. The idea builds from the Civilian Conservation 
Corps, which put hundreds of thousands of young people to work on 
public and private lands, providing them with jobs and training to 
tackle the crises of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. The 
President calls for a broad CCC initiative in the American Jobs Plan, 
which stretches across federal agencies and non-federal partners 
throughout the country.
    Complementing this broader effort, Interior's discretionary 2022 
budget includes $85.5 million for CCC work on Interior's lands. In 
2022, the CCC program will build upon existing programs and 
partnerships that share the same objectives--to tackle climate change 
on the ground, provide a living wage, provide skills and a pathway to 
employment, and reflect the diversity of America.
    The Biden-Harris Administration made its commitment to Tribal 
nations clear from the start, emphasizing the need to strengthen and 
respect the government-to-government relationship with Tribes. 
Underscoring that focus on Indian Country, the 2022 budget proposal 
includes $4.2 billion, an increase of $727.8 million from the 2021 
enacted level, across all Indian Affairs programs. The budget invests 
in core Indian Affairs programs and addresses outstanding gaps in areas 
such as environmental quality and ensuring Tribal communities are part 
of the national priorities to address climate change and move toward 
clean energy.
    The 2022 budget includes $2.7 billion for BIA programs, an increase 
of $614.9 million from the 2021 enacted level. The budget includes 
$346.5 million to fully fund estimated Contract Support Costs, an 
increase of $61.0 million from the 2021 enacted level, and $36.6 
million for Payments for Tribal Leases, $15.0 million above the 2021 
enacted level. The budget proposes to reclassify discretionary funding 
for Contract Support Costs and Payments for Tribal Leases to mandatory 
funding starting in 2023. Doing so will provide Tribal nations with 
certainty that these commitments will be met with a dedicated, 
predictable funding source.
    The BIA request also includes $150.0 million for a new Indian Land 
Consolidation Program (ILCP) to enhance the ability of Tribal 
governments to plan for and adapt to climate change and to build 
stronger Tribal communities. Reducing land fractionation and achieving 
Tribal majority ownership in lands enables Tribes to make decisions 
about land management, use, and protection that facilitate climate 
resilience.
    The new program reflects the ongoing need to continue to address 
fractionation on Indian lands as the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal 
Nations (LBBP), established as part of the Cobell Settlement, ends in 
November 2022. The program estimates that by the time the LBBP program 
concludes, 60 percent of the unique locations within fractionated land 
will not have been visited by the program. Without further efforts, the 
program expects the number of fractional interests will likely return 
to pre-program levels within approximately 20 years.
    The 2022 budget includes $395.8 million for BIA Trust Natural 
Resources Management programs, an increase of $136.9 million from the 
2021 enacted level. The budget increases funding across the full 
spectrum of Tribal natural resource programs, recognizing their 
economic importance as well as their contributions to environmental 
quality and conservation. Within Trust Natural Resources, the budget 
includes $61.0 million for the Tribal Climate Resilience program, an 
increase of $44.0 million from the 2021 enacted level. The increase 
includes $23.0 million to expand Tribal Climate Adaptation Grants, 
$11.0 million in additional funding for Alaska Village Relocation 
Grants, and $10.0 million for a Tribal CCC. The budget includes $56.2 
million for Minerals and Mining projects, which focus on clean and 
alternative energy programs, an increase of $40.1 million from the 2021 
enacted level.
    BIA's 2022 budget includes $507.1 million for Public Safety 
services, an increase of $38.5 million. This increase includes $10.0 
million to support the McGirt v. Oklahoma Supreme Court decision, $10.0 
million to support a body-worn camera initiative for officers, $8.2 
million to continue support for BIA participation in the Federal Opioid 
Initiative, and $5.0 million for implementation of the Violence Against 
Women Act. The budget includes $116.4 million, an increase of $10.0 
million, for detention and correction programs and $43.2 million, an 
increase of $4.2 million, for Tribal courts.
    The 2022 BIA budget includes a $14.1 million increase to support 
Human Services activities, including $3.0 million to expand the Tiwahe 
Initiative. The Tiwahe Initiative is a holistic approach to addressing 
overall Tribal community needs that support youth, family, community 
safety and stability, and cultural awareness. The initiative 
facilitates collaboration within Tribal communities--which can help to 
leverage resources, share expertise, reduce duplication, and exchange 
information about families' needs--to formulate the most responsive 
approach to provide service.
    The 2022 BIA budget maintains strong support for the Missing and 
Murdered Indigenous American Indians and Alaska Natives initiative, 
including $16.5 million for the program, an increase of $5.0 million 
from the 2021 enacted level. The 2022 budget also includes specific 
investments to address environmental quality problems on Tribal lands. 
Within BIA Construction, the budget includes $29.9 million specifically 
to address water safety and sanitation requirements related to BIA-
owned drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
    The 2022 budget includes $270.2 million for Indian water rights 
settlement activities, an increase of $71.9 million from the 2021 
enacted level. This amount includes $75.2 million within BIA, an 
increase of $30.2 million from the 2021 enacted level, and $157.6 
million within the Bureau of Reclamation, an increase of $36.8 million, 
for settlements. The budget proposes to reclassify discretionary 
funding for enacted Indian water settlements, including these two new 
settlements, to mandatory funding starting in 2023. Doing so will 
provide Tribal nations with certainty that these commitments will be 
met with a dedicated, predictable funding source.
    The 2022 budget includes $1.3 billion for Indian Education 
programs, an increase of $110.6 million from the 2021 enacted level. 
The primary focus of funding remains on support for the day-to-day 
operations of BIE-funded elementary and secondary schools. Funds will 
enable BIE to improve opportunities and outcomes in the classroom, 
provide improved instructional services, and support improved teacher 
quality, recruitment, and retention. The budget requests $24.7 million 
for Early Child and Family Development, an increase of $3.7 million, to 
expand preschool opportunities at BIE-funded schools. The budget also 
invests in postsecondary programs, including $45.0 million for Tribal 
scholarships and adult education, an increase of $10.2 million from the 
2021 enacted level, and includes $5.0 million for the Science Post 
Graduate Scholarship Fund, an increase of $2.0 million, for a new 
initiative providing research internships to highly qualified students 
from economically disadvantaged rural communities.
    The BIE is working collaboratively with Tribes and communities to 
alleviate the strains imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on BIE students 
and their families, as well as on teachers, administrators, and staff 
across BIE's schools and the Tribal Colleges and Universities. The 2022 
budget includes funding to maintain the important investments in 
distance learning infrastructure provided during the pandemic.
    The budget includes $35.4 million for Education Information 
Technology, which is an increase of $20.1 million from the 2021 enacted 
level. This increase provides critical funding to support upgraded 
broadband access at BIE schools, including recurring operating costs 
for network systems, such as annual learning software subscriptions and 
licenses. These investments will enable BIE to continue delivering 
education during the pandemic as well as substantially improve the 
efficiency and quality of education upon return to in-school learning.
    To support infrastructure needs, the 2022 budget also includes 
$264.3 million in discretionary education construction funds to replace 
and repair school facilities and address priority maintenance needs at 
183 schools. The budget continues to invest in activities that promote 
educational self-determination for Tribal communities and includes 
$94.9 million, an increase of $8.0 million, for Tribal Grant Support 
Costs to cover the administration costs for Tribes that choose to 
operate BIE-funded schools. This level of funding supports 100 percent 
of the estimated requirement.
    President Biden's EO 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and Support 
for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government clearly 
states the Administration's policy: ``The Federal Government should 
pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all'' to 
include those who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and 
adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. The 
President's call to agencies to advance equity for all is being put 
into action at Interior.
    The Department is taking stock of current programs across Interior 
that address equal employment opportunity, civil rights, diversity and 
inclusion, accessibility, workplace culture transformation, and 
discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. As part 
of this process, the Department is working with bureaus and offices to 
identify gaps, challenges, and best practices and to examine Department 
and bureau roles, responsibilities, and governance to ensure that any 
necessary changes are implemented. The 2022 budget includes a $12.8 
million increase across Interior bureaus and offices to better address 
diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in Interior's 
workforce.
    The Administration's emphasis on equity for all and inclusion is 
also a part of how Interior executes its core missions. As part of the 
NEPA process, bureaus and offices must consider the impacts on the 
natural or physical environment as well as social, cultural, and 
economic impacts. The Department is committed to ensuring the federal 
government honors the government-to-government relationship with Tribes 
and strengthens Tribal sovereignty through meaningful Tribal 
consultation.
    The FY 2022 budget request promotes racial justice and equity in 
underserved communities by embedding environmental justice and racial 
equity goals into programs across the Department, with discrete 
investments in key areas. The NPS plays a particularly important role 
in ensuring cultural diversity in federal programs and connecting 
underserved communities to the Department. The NPS is also charged with 
preserving and caring for structures and artifacts that tell the story 
of all Americans. Providing outdoor recreation opportunities, the 
telling of America's story, and preservation of our collective history 
are an essential element of Interior's mission.
    The NPS 2022 budget includes $15.0 million to expand capacity at 
more than 16 national park units and programs that preserve and tell 
the story of historically underrepresented and marginalized groups, 
including $5.0 million for the African American Civil Rights Network. 
The budget includes an additional $5.0 million for competitive historic 
preservation grants to increase support to state and local efforts to 
preserve sites that document the struggle for equal opportunity for 
African Americans. The budget includes $10.0 million for construction 
at the Selma Interpretive Center for a voting rights center that honors 
the legacy of civil rights leaders, including the late Representative 
John Lewis.
    The 2022 budget expands ongoing programs working to connect new 
audiences to the outdoors and Interior's mission activities. The U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service budget includes $12.5 million for its Urban 
Wildlife Conservation Program, an increase of $7.0 million from the 
2021 enacted level. The program features 101 national wildlife refuges 
that are within a 25-mile radius of an urban area, such as Bayou Savage 
National Wildlife Refuge near New Orleans. With 80 percent of Americans 
living in cities, the program is helping people to get outside, engage 
with their community, and become part of the next generation of outdoor 
enthusiasts.
    EO 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, 
establishes the Justice40 Initiative that will seek to bring 40 percent 
of the overall benefits of relevant federal investments to underserved 
communities. The initiative will focus on clean energy and energy 
efficiency, clean transit, affordable and sustainable housing, training 
and workforce development, the reduction of legacy pollution, and the 
development of critical clean water infrastructure. Interior programs 
will play a strong role in this initiative to address racial equity and 
environmental justice through inclusive initiatives, such as 
Reclamation Jobs and Clean Energy for Tribal Communities, as well as 
core mission activities to construct drinking water and irrigation 
systems in underserved communities, encourage open areas and recreation 
in cities through urban refuges and parks, and increase access to 
broadband and power in the hard-to-reach parts of America.
    The 2022 budget includes important investments in programs needed 
to help build back America to be better and more competitive as the 
world continues to change. This includes funding to support a strong, 
talented workforce at Interior and strengthen the core infrastructure 
needed to continue to deliver Interior's missions. Staffing declined 
during the past 4 years by 4,382, or 6.7 percent, from 2017 through 
2020. Current staffing is expected to increase so that by the end of 
2021, Interior staffing levels will be roughly where they were at the 
end of 2018.
    With the 2022 budget, staffing is estimated to surpass 2017 
staffing levels by 3.2 percent. As the Department works to rebuild its 
workforce, Interior will seek to recruit, hire, and train the next 
generation of talent that reflects the diversity and strength of the 
United States. Complementing our diverse workforce, the Department is 
committed to providing the tools critical for success across Interior.
    Interior manages an infrastructure portfolio valued at more than 
$330 billion, ranging from large dams and canals in the West to iconic 
national landmarks across the country. In total, the Department is 
responsible for roughly 43,000 buildings, 100,000 miles of road, and 
80,000 structures. Operations, maintenance, recapitalization, and 
modernization of Interior's infrastructure are a significant part of 
annual cost requirements. The 2022 budget includes $2.8 billion for 
operations, maintenance, repair, and construction of Interior 
facilities, an increase of $241.8 million from the 2021 enacted level. 
This amount includes maintenance and construction across the 
Department, including water project construction, maintenance, and dam 
safety.
    Much of Interior's workforce worked remotely during the pandemic, 
and bureaus and offices worked quickly to adapt and ensure that staff 
had the right equipment and bandwidth to telework effectively. These 
efforts increased demand on the Department's networks and heightened 
attention to the importance of a strong cybersecurity posture at 
Interior. The 2022 budget includes an increase of $25.5 million to 
support the post-SolarWinds Department-wide cyber defense capability 
and address related gaps identified in specific bureaus.
    Interior's central Financial and Business Management System (FBMS) 
requires modernization, and the budget requests an increase of $5.0 
million for the first year of a 2-year system infrastructure migration 
to prevent technical obsolescence. FBMS supports the administrative 
systems requirements of all Interior bureaus for core accounting, 
budget execution, acquisition, aspects of financial assistance, real 
and personal property management, fleet management, travel integration, 
enterprise information management, and reporting. The migration will 
modernize and transform Interior's administrative operations, 
strengthen the cybersecurity of federal networks and critical 
infrastructure, and implement security measures. As part of the 
modernization of FBMS, the 2022 budget includes an increase of $4.0 
million to support migration to improved cloud hosting with sufficient 
virtual in-memory servers needed to support the size and complexity of 
the Departmentwide FBMS system.
    The 2022 budget includes a $17.5 million increase to begin the next 
phase of the Office of Natural Resource Revenue's (ONRR's) ongoing IT 
Modernization effort of the Minerals Revenue Management Support System. 
The modernization is focused on the design, development, and deployment 
of the new systems and the eventual decommissioning of the legacy 
system. ONRR ensures that revenue from federal and Indian mineral 
leases is effectively, efficiently, and accurately collected, accounted 
for, analyzed, audited, and disbursed in a timely fashion to 
recipients. Revenue distributions, which totaled $8.1 billion in 2020, 
benefit states, Tribes, individual Indian mineral royalty owners, and 
U.S. Treasury accounts. The modernization will improve the timeliness 
and accuracy of payments to fund recipients by reducing the need for 
manual processes.
    The President believes we must use every lever at our disposal to 
meet the moment and make necessary progress. I firmly believe we have 
the opportunity of a lifetime to strengthen our country, protect our 
environment, and improve our way of life for generations to come.
    I look forward to working with you to achieve these goals. Thank 
you again for having me. I am pleased to answer any questions you may 
have.

                                 ______
                                 

   Questions Submitted for the Record to the Honorable Deb Haaland, 
                       Secretary of the Interior
              Questions Submitted by Representative Costa
    Question 1. The advancement of the B.F. Sisk Safety of Dams 
Modification Project is critical for seismic safety and drought 
resiliency in the San Joaquin Valley. Where does the B.F. Sisk project 
fall on Reclamation's priority list of Safety of Dams projects?

    Answer. The B.F. Sisk Dam represents an immediate, major funding 
need of the Dam Safety Program. A key component of the Central Valley 
Project, preconstruction and project formulation activities are planned 
for FY 2021, with construction activities scheduled to begin in fiscal 
year (FY) 2022.

            Questions Submitted by Representative Lowenthal
    Question 1. Thank you for the extensive work that the 
administration is doing to hear directly from both Members of Congress 
and communities impacted by oil and gas development. I believe one 
critical topic that should receive scrutiny as part of your leasing 
review is federal oil and gas bonding. Minimum bond amounts have not 
been increased since the Eisenhower administration, and taxpayers are 
often on the hook to clean up pollution and infrastructure left behind 
after oil and gas companies go bankrupt or simply ignore their 
responsibilities.

    I know that the review is still being conducted, but I wanted to 
ask you if reforming oil and gas bonding and protecting communities 
from shouldering the financial burden of paying for clean-up is 
something that that Interior is reviewing during this time? Would 
Interior consider using its current authority to increase bond amount 
where necessary?

    Answer. The Report on the Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program, 
prepared in response to Executive Order 14008, was published by the 
Department in November 2021. The review includes a discussion of 
bonding practices and includes proposals to address deficiencies in 
those requirements.

    Question 2. Many of the Obama monuments lack management plans and 
none of the CA Obama monuments have had management plans completed, 
including Mojave Trails National Monument, Sand-to-Snow National 
Monument, Berryessa-Snow Mountain National Monument. Does the DOI 
budget have line items for the CA plans, as well as the others listed 
below, and when does the Department anticipate work starting on the 
management plans?

     California: Mojave Trails National Monument, Sand-to-Snow 
            National Monument, Berryessa-Snow Mountain National 
            Monument

     Nevada: Gold Butte National Monument, Basin and Range 
            National Monument

     New Mexico: Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, Organ 
            Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument

     Oregon: Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument (expansion)

     Utah: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Bears 
            Ears National Monument, Jurassic National Monument

    Answer. The President's Fiscal Year 2022 budget request includes 
funding to support National Monuments, National Conservation Areas and 
similar designations, but does not have a specific line item for 
monument management plans. The Department expects to continue to work 
on monument management planning efforts in accordance with their 
respective Presidential proclamations.

            Questions Submitted by Representative Velazquez
    Question 1. Secretary Haaland, your budget justification calls for 
$57 million for coastal and marine conservation, representing a $10 
million increase from FY21. New York State, particularly New York City, 
the country's most densely populated metropolitan area, is 
disproportionately susceptible to coastal storm damage--including 
Interior assets such as parks and refuges.

    Going forward with this renewed investment, how will the 
Department, along with other federal agency partners, take a more 
active role in preparedness and prevention to protect coastal 
communities like New York?

    Answer. Climate change is a serious threat to the lands the 
Department manages, and to ecosystems, natural and cultural resources, 
and infrastructure. Protecting and restoring coastal wetlands and 
removing barriers to tidal exchange help mitigate storm flooding. 
Coastal features like sand dunes, seagrass beds, and barrier islands 
help reduce coastal erosion. It is important that our design and 
construction experts, transportation and visitor use planners, and 
natural and cultural resource managers have appropriate and relevant 
information available to foster the best possible decisions concerning 
the future of infrastructure, resources, and visitor experiences of our 
bureaus and for coastal assets, and we are working hard to do that. 
Over 100 climate change vulnerability assessments are available for 
selected resources in our national parks, and sea level rise 
projections are available for 118 coastal park units. We are taking a 
strategic approach to guide decisions regarding long-term investments 
for facility protection, adaptation, restoration following storm 
damage, or, when necessary, decommissioning and removal of assets.
    In addition, the FWS is working collaboratively with local 
communities to provide pathways for habitat migration (e.g., removing 
roads, moving buildings and other infrastructure), to identify common 
long-term goals, and to define projects that achieve benefits for 
human-built environments and our precious natural resources. FWS 
voluntary habitat conservation programs, like the Coastal Program, 
provide technical and financial assistance to partners and coastal 
communities to build coastal resilience as well as provide benefits to 
coastal-dependent fish and wildlife populations. The Service is working 
to increase the capacity of the Coastal Program to work with partners 
to support habit improvement projects, including in urban and rural 
coastal communities on Long Island.

    Question 2. Secretary Haaland, the Department's budget includes an 
increase of $7 million for the Fish and Wildlife Service Urban National 
Wildlife Refuges Program. The program connects urban youth to national 
wildlife refuges, fosters environmental education and hands-on 
conservation, and encourages community-based land stewardship; all 
great opportunities that many children in New York City are not often 
afforded. As of today, the Urban National Wildlife Refuges Program has 
no presence in New York City.

    What are your recommendations to improve and expand the services 
this program provides to urban youth, especially in New York City?

    Answer. In addition to providing habitat in direct support of 
wildlife species, the Urban Wildlife Conservation Program allows us to 
work with urban communities to foster awareness of nature and develop 
an informed and involved citizenry that will support, and benefit from, 
fish and wildlife conservation. Our important goals include to know and 
relate to the community; connect urban citizens with nature; build 
partnerships; be a community asset; ensure adequate long-term 
resources; provide equitable access; ensure visitors feel safe and 
welcome; and model sustainability.
    Currently, the FWS has two successful urban partnerships in the New 
York City area in Yonkers, NY, and Elizabeth, NJ. In Yonkers, our 
partnership daylighted the Saw Mill River, which was once underground 
through downtown Yonkers. This created and restored small nature parks 
and trails in neighborhoods, established a sustainable farm and 
agriculture center downtown, and provided a ladder of diverse youth 
engagements from elementary to high school. Nearly 10 community 
partners are invested, and 50 local youth joined the partnership Green 
Team.
    In Elizabeth, NJ, the partnership aims to connect and engage 
community residents through conservation-related events, youth 
employment opportunities, facilitation of environmental education in 
public schools, and implementation of restoration projects on Great 
Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in areas adjacent to the Elizabeth River 
and the River Trail, Peterstown Community Center, and Phil Rizzuto 
Park. Over 10 partners are invested, and 850 students engaged in 
community restoration, education and employment.
    Since 2015, FWS with federal and corporate partners have provided 
more than $364,000 through National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grants 
to the Yonkers and Elizabeth Urban Wildlife Refuge Programs. We are 
eager to explore other opportunities to work with urban youth.

    Question 3. Secretary Haaland, on August 2, 2018, the previous 
administration reversed the 2014 ban on the use of Neonicotinoids a 
group of toxic pesticides, on National Wildlife Refuges. Studies from 
the National Institute of Health, and numerous public health and 
environment experts, link neonics to the deterioration of bees, 
migratory birds, and various species protected under the Endangered 
Species Act. These studies also indicate that neonics exposure to 
humans may cause irreversible brain damage.

    Given the adverse ecological and health effects of neonics, is your 
agency considering reinstating the 2014 DOI Secretarial Order to ban 
Neonicotinoids on National Wildlife Refuges? How can we work together 
to protect wildlife and public lands from these toxic pesticides?

    Answer. Neonicotinoid pesticides have not been used in agricultural 
practices on national wildlife refuges since the phase out date, 
January 1, 2016. While the phase out requirement was rescinded by the 
previous administration in 2018, the FWS has determined that there is 
no need for neonicotinoid pesticide applications on refuge system 
lands, instead implementing the long-standing principals of integrated 
pest management to address pests and invasive species. IPM uses various 
approaches, including pest biology, environmental information, 
consensus building, and technology to solve pest problems while 
minimizing impacts to wildlife, public lands and American communities.

               Questions Submitted by Representative Soto
    Question 1. Secretary Haaland, last month the Water, Oceans, and 
Wildlife Subcommittee held a hearing on my bill, the Restoring 
Resilient Reefs Act. That bill re-writes the Coral Reef Conservation 
Act and gives the Department of the Interior new authorities to carry 
out coral conservation. Can you tell us what types of coral 
conservation activities the Department carries out, and why it is 
important that the Department has the authority and funding it needs to 
do its coral work?

    Answer. There are an estimated 8,500 sq. mi. of coral reefs in U.S. 
waters, and the Department has jurisdiction over 72 percent of the 
nation's coral reefs. Much of that is within the boundaries of the 
Pacific Marine National Monuments and within National Wildlife Refuges. 
Healthy coral reefs reduce incident wave energy and protect coastal 
areas and communities from flooding and erosion, provide important 
habitat for marine species, and support tourism and recreational 
industries, boosting local economies.
    Several bureaus in the Department support coral reef conservation 
activities. The Office of Insular Affairs provides funding through the 
Coral Reef Initiative and Natural Resources Program to support the 
efforts of our insular area government partners to develop strategies 
and programs to manage coral reef systems. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service works to manage and conserve coral reef systems under the 
authority of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act. 
Other authorities, such as the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 
allow FWS to work with other agencies to protect reefs and associated 
wildlife outside of refuge boundaries. FWS collaborates with other 
federal, state, and non-governmental organizations on research and 
monitoring and provides funds and technical assistance through the 
Coastal Program, Coastal Wetland Grants, and other programs for a 
variety of coral reef work like reef restoration, coral 
transplantation, sediment reduction, and debris cleanup.
    The U.S. Geological Survey maps, monitors, and models coral reefs, 
including off the coasts of Puerto Rico, Florida, Hawaii, Guam, and 
other Pacific islands. This work is largely undertaken by its Coastal 
and Marine Science Centers in St. Petersburg, FL and Santa Cruz, CA. 
Recent research has focused on coral reefs' role in coastal hazard 
protection, and quantifying coral growth processes to inform 
restoration efforts. Finally, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 
partners with agencies, such as the Department of Commerce's National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Ocean Exploration 
and Research and the USGS to conduct studies on deepwater corals and 
ensure these sensitive areas are avoided through science-driven 
mitigation and monitoring practices.

    Question 2. Secretary Haaland, under the Trump administration, the 
West Indian manatee was downlisted from endangered to threatened under 
the Endangered Species Act, a decision which I asked then-Secretary 
Zinke to overturn. Manatees are suffering from an Unusual Mortality 
Event due to seagrass die offs, boat strikes, habitat pollution, and 
more, and in the midst of climate change and a biodiversity crisis, 
this species needs more protections--not less. Is the Department 
planning to review the best available science to reevaluate this down 
listing decision?

    Answer. The FWS uses the best available science to determine if a 
species fits the definition of endangered or threatened under the ESA. 
The ESA requires the FWS to review the status of listed species every 
five years to ensure that listed species have the appropriate level of 
protection under the ESA. The West Indian manatee was included in the 
FWS's Notice of Initiation of Status Reviews published on July 14, 
2021. The review is ongoing, and the information gathered in that 
review will inform next steps on recovery and other actions for the 
manatee. It is important to note, however, that while the manatee is 
listed as a threatened species, it does not receive any diminished 
federal protections compared to those species listed as endangered. 
Threatened manatees are afforded all protections of the ESA and MMPA, 
including protected areas and conservation activities.

    Question 3. Secretary Haaland, under the declared Unusual Mortality 
Event (UME), federal funds have been made available to investigate 
Manatee mortality, are you able to commit to working with Congress to 
ensure an adequate response is mounted to help protect and save the 
Manatees?

    Answer. Yes. The FWS is actively engaged in an investigation into 
the root causes of this unusual mortality event so that we can better 
respond in the future. We are working closely with the Florida Fish and 
Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and other partners to restore 
important habitats and helping to make sure that our partners have the 
resources that they need to adequately respond should this problem 
arise again next winter. We also are supporting efforts to rescue and 
rehabilitate manatees through Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance 
Grant Program. While these grants are not in direct response to the 
UME, this funding will support our partners in their response to this 
event and future events.
    Most recently, FWS has worked with the FWC to approve a Temporary 
Field Response Station in cooperation with our landowner partner, 
Florida Power and Light, that will support UME response operations 
already underway in the central Indian River Lagoon, such as manatee 
rescues and limited field health assessments. FWC and FWS leadership 
also approved staff to conduct a short-term feeding trial.
    On December 10, 2021, FWS and FWC hosted a joint briefing for staff 
for the Florida delegation and relevant authorizing and appropriations 
committees to provide an update on our manatee conservation efforts. We 
will continue to keep Congress updated on the response to this ongoing 
UME.

    Question 4. Secretary Haaland, your Department is asking for a 
20.9% increase for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are you able to 
ensure an appropriate portion of existing and future funds go to 
protecting Florida's waterways, reefs, and coasts?

    Answer. The FWS operates 31 National Wildlife Refuges and three 
Ecological Services Field Offices in Florida, with many containing 
coastal and marine habitats. FWS's Ecological Services program works to 
protect and recover many listed and at-risk species, such as manatees, 
throughout the state. FWS federal assistance programs provide grants 
and cooperative agreements to support conservation of coastal-dependent 
fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Funds sought in the FY 2022 request 
will support the Service's Coastal Program to implement habitat 
protection and restoration projects that benefit coastal dependent fish 
and wildlife and communities. Since 2015, the Coastal Program has 
implemented 158 conservation projects in Florida.

              Questions Submitted by Representative Cohen
    Question 1. The Biden administration's budget requests an 
additional $37 million for the Wild Horse and Burro Program, a program 
that the Interior Department, through the Bureau of Land Management, 
has long struggled with. A majority of the program's budget is 
currently being used to remove and warehouse horses in holding 
facilities, leading both to animal welfare concerns and a fiscal 
crisis. Historically, the agency has not prioritized fertility control 
as a viable option to manage horses on the range, instead utilizing 
removals. However, it has actually been shown that removals were 
causing an increase in population growth rates on the range rather than 
a decrease. Over the last few years, the BLM has pursued several 
attempts to surgically sterilize wild horses as a form of population 
control using an ovariectomy procedure that the National Academy of 
Sciences (NAS) has advised against due to risks of trauma and 
infection. Earlier this year, your Department signaled it would not 
move forward with a plan finalized during the Trump administration to 
ovariectomize wild horses in Utah. Rather than performing 
ovariectomies, the NAS recommended using fertility control vaccines, 
such as Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP), to most effectively manage 
populations.

    You were strongly supportive of reforming the BLM's practices 
regarding the Wild Horse and Burro Program during your time in 
Congress. I was appreciative that you co-sponsored my amendment to the 
Interior appropriations bill that passed the House directing the BLM to 
use about 10% of its Wild Horse and Burro Program budget to administer 
humane fertility control. That provision was ultimately not included in 
the final spending bill last year, but, as Secretary, you have the 
authority to make humane fertility control vaccines a priority in order 
to reduce population growth in a safe, scientifically proven, and 
fiscally responsible way.

    (a) What is your vision for how the Bureau of Land Management can 
move forward and best deal with its statutory mandate to manage and 
protect wild horses and burros, especially if Congress supplies an 
additional $37 million toward this program?

    (b) Can we count on the Interior Department to implement robust 
fertility control vaccine program to address this issue effectively and 
protect the health and well-being of America's wild horses and burros?

    Answer. With herds doubling in size about every 4 years, we are 
committed to addressing the growing populations of wild horses and 
burros, keeping the animals healthy and humanely treated, and ensuring 
the lands are not degraded and left susceptible to increased fire risk. 
It is also important that we use the best husbandry and handling 
practices, as well as the best available science, in implementing a 
program. The increases requested in the President's Budget will allow 
the Department, through the BLM, to better constrain the growth of 
animals on the range, including through the use of removals and humane 
fertility control treatments.

    Question 2. A New York Times expose revealed that wild horses and 
burros are ending up at auctions and kill pens where they are destined 
for slaughter. These animals, which are federally protected from 
slaughter, were pulled from the range and adopted out through the 
Bureau of Land Management's ``Adoption Incentive Program'' where people 
are paid $1,000 by the Federal Government to take a wild horse or 
burro. This is not the first time that BLM wild horses have been found 
at slaughter, yet the agency to date has not taken responsibility for 
these animals.

    President Biden has a history of being against slaughtering horses 
in the past. And during your time in Congress, you were supportive of 
reforming the BLM's practices and approach to wild horse management.

    (a) Would you be open to suspending the Adoption Incentive 
Program--pending a thorough investigation by the OIG--so that we can 
reassure the American public that we are not using taxpayer money to 
funnel these federally protected animals to an illegal slaughter?

    (b) Would you be open to working with me to find long-term 
solutions--such as implementing robust fertility control--to address 
the root problem of roundups and removals that continue to plague the 
agency and is the reason why we have so many wild horses and burros in 
holding facilities and in need of adoption in the first place?

    Answer. The BLM is committed to the health and safety of adopted 
wild horses and burros. Recently the BLM announced additional steps it 
is taking to secure the health and safety of adopted animals. These 
steps include additional compliance visits post-adoption, application 
of more scrutiny to potential adopters, increasing warnings to sale 
barns about the risks of illegally selling wild horses and burros, and 
certification by independent veterinarians of all title applications 
for wild horses and burros adopted through the Adoption Incentive 
Program.
    The BLM continues to work with partners and other stakeholders to 
evaluate potential improvements to the Adoption Incentive Program and 
welcomes the opportunity to work with Congress to find long-term 
solutions.

    Question 3. It has now been a little over a year since the U.S. 
Park Police and other law enforcement agencies violently cleared 
peaceful protesters from the area around Lafayette Square, right before 
President Trump strolled through the Square for a photo op at St. 
John's Church. Two weeks ago, on June 9, the Department of the Interior 
released a review of the actions of U.S. Park Police in and around 
Lafayette Square from May 29 through June 3 of 2020, leading up to and 
including the use of tear gas to clear protesters from Lafayette Square 
prior to President Trump's photo-op in St. John's Church.

    The police use of force at Lafayette Square has been examined at 
several Congressional Committee hearings, including by this Committee 
last term. However, despite these hearings and the recent report, many 
unanswered questions remain, including one of the most important 
questions:

    Who ordered the clearing to be so violent and why did they give 
that order?

    Answer. The decision to clear Lafayette Square Park was a joint 
Secret Service/U.S. Park Police operational decision. The independent 
assessment conducted by the Department's Office of Inspector General 
found that the USPP had the authority and discretion to clear Lafayette 
Park and the surrounding areas on June 1, 2020. The evidence obtained 
did not support a finding that the USPP cleared the park to allow the 
President to survey the damage and walk to St. John's Church. Instead, 
the evidence showed that the USPP cleared the park to allow the 
contractor to safely install the anti-scale fencing in response to 
destruction of property and escalating violence occurring on May 30 and 
31, 2020.

    Question 4. You noted in your response to the OIG report that you 
are establishing a task force ``to review and identify opportunities 
for improvement in our Bureaus' law enforcement programs.'' You also 
mention that Interior will ``look comprehensively'' at its body-worn 
cameras and use-of-force policies.

    This Committee took a hard look at the body worn camera policies of 
Interior's law enforcement units and found them to be severely lacking. 
In particular, protections for basic civil rights are practically 
absent when compared to model policies.

    (a) Is the task force working on improving the polices with an eye 
to accountability and civil rights?

    Answer. The task force will work hard to identify meaningful paths 
to ensure appropriate policy and oversight are implemented and will do 
so through a lens focused on equity and utilizing evidence-based 
decision making. Along with members across the Department's law 
enforcement components, the task force includes experts from the Office 
of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights, the Office of Human Capital, 
and other relevant stakeholders. The Department will also seek diverse 
and objective perspectives on solutions for improvement and leverage 
opportunities to strengthen trust in our law enforcement programs.

    (b) Is the task force looking at the use of force policies through 
the same lens?

    Answer. Yes. The Department is committed to carrying out its 
mission with honor and integrity, and to fostering a culture of 
accountability.

    Question 5. The June 9 report also let the Park Police off on a 
technicality. When officers announced a warning to protesters telling 
them to leave the Square that day, several officers interviewed for the 
report either did not hear or could not understand the messages. It 
stands to reason that many protestors in the 7-acre park also could not 
hear or understand them. It is pretty obvious why it should be policy 
that a crowd of that size receives clear, audible warnings so that 
everyone can leave calmly and safely. However, the report found that 
the Park Police's policy oddly only applies that rule to mass arrest 
situations. So, per the policy, Park Police were not in the wrong that 
day since there were not mass arrests. Fortunately, the NPS responded 
to the report by committing to rewrite the policy to correct this 
loophole. NPS provided a target date of September 1, 2021, to implement 
this new policy.

    Can you please provide a status update of this policy?

    Answer. Based upon the OIG report's recommendation, the United 
States Park Police are updating relevant policies, which are currently 
in their policy planning process. This process includes input and 
review of subject matter experts, comparison with contemporary policies 
throughout the profession, legal review, and in accordance with the 
collective bargaining agreement.

    Question 6. During the events on June 1, 2020, the U.S. Park 
Police's authorized use of force was described to allow non-lethal use 
of force up to pepper balls, which should only be used ``if protestors 
attempted to breach the bike-rack fencing and enter the park'' and that 
tear gas would not be used. That meant that the U.S. Park Police were 
not equipped with gas masks. However, pepper balls were fired by BOP 
officers despite protestors not reaching the bike-rack fencing, perhaps 
due to a misinterpretation of events in the park and inability to 
communicate in live time with the U.S. Park Police. Additionally, the 
Metropolitan Police Department did decide to use tear gas on the crowd, 
causing not only protestors to be affected, but also officers from the 
U.S. Park Police.

    What actions are being taken by the National Park Service to ensure 
that better live-time communication between multiple law enforcement 
entities can take place during planned operations such as this?

    Answer. USPP is working toward improving its field communication 
procedures to better manage multiagency operations and to promote 
operational consistency among law enforcement organizations working 
jointly with the USPP.

              Questions Submitted by Representative Trahan
    Question 1. The Merrimack River flows through city after city in 
New Hampshire and Massachusetts--including diverse ``Gateway Cities'' 
like Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill. It's an incredibly important 
natural and historic treasure. It powered America's industrial 
revolution; it's a drinking water source; and it's a recreational 
asset. However, accessing the Merrimack River--this incredibly historic 
urban riverway--still remains a challenge in sections. I'd like to work 
with the Department on a strategy for connecting trails along the 
Merrimack--from Nashua to Newburyport. Is that something we can work 
together on?

    Answer. I share your appreciation of the Merrimack River's natural 
and cultures resources and our commitment to provide recreation 
opportunities and engagement in river stewardship through the corridor 
and Interior sites at Lowell National Historical Park and the Parker 
River National Wildlife Refuge. We look forward to the opportunity to 
collaborate with you other Members of Congress to ensure that important 
assets like the Merrimack River are appropriately managed to meet 
conservation and recreation needs.

    Question 2. I'd like to thank the Department for including $27 
million in the Park Service's budget request--under the Legacy 
Restoration Fund--for Minute Man National Historical Park as well as $1 
million for the Park in the LWCF account.

    In 2025, we will mark the 250th anniversary of the ``shot heard 
round the world.'' But before we get there, it is vital for the Park to 
have the resources it needs to address its deferred maintenance 
backlog--from improvements to the Battle Road and North Bridge trails 
to the numerous needs of 18th century structures facing Battle Road. 
So, I greatly appreciate Minute Man's inclusion in the budget request. 
Is the Department able to provide a fact sheet on the LWCF project at 
the Park?

    Answer. The FY 2022 budget requests $250,000 for an acquisition 
project at Minute Man National Historical Park. The project list and 
project data sheets are public documents and can be found here: DOI 
Great American Outdoors Act landing page: https://www.doi.gov/budget/
gaoa.

    Question 3. Please consider this an open invitation to come up to 
the Third Congressional District of Massachusetts and visit some of our 
public land treasures: Minute Man and Lowell National Historical Park; 
Great Meadows, Assabet and Oxbow national wildlife refuges; or our 
Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers--the SuAsCo and the recently 
designated Nashua.

    Answer. Your invitation is noted and appreciated.

            Questions Submitted by Representative McClintock
    Question 1. After considering some 6,500 public comments, the Trump 
administration issued a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement to raise Shasta Dam by 18.5 feet. This long overdue proposal 
would store enough water to support more than 3 million Californians 
annually, allowing for storage in wet years to be used in dry years 
such as the one we're currently suffering. Will you commit to moving 
forward with a Shasta Dam raise?

    Answer. The Administration is committed to looking at all of the 
tools available to address drought resiliency in western states, 
including opportunities to address storage issues, where appropriate. 
Addressing infrastructure needs is important to this effort. It is 
critical that we develop additional tools that will ensure local 
communities are able to meet the challenges associated with a variable 
water supply.

    Question 2. The budget request includes no funding for new water 
storage capacity despite the West's severe drought conditions. How can 
the Administration expect to address the Western water crisis without 
proposing any funding for long-term water storage?

    Answer. The Administration is committed to looking at all of the 
tools available to address drought resiliency in western states, 
including opportunities to address storage issues, where appropriate. 
Reclamation is continuing to work on all enacted storage projects and 
is committed to supporting projects with state and Tribal partners and 
stakeholders. It is critically important that we develop additional 
tools that will ensure local communities are able to meet the 
challenges associated with a variable water supply.

    Question 3. Will the Administration support full reauthorization of 
the WIIN Act?

    Answer. We are looking at all of the authorities that we have, 
including the expiring WIIN Act authorities, in order to maximize our 
response to the ongoing effects of drought. We look forward to a 
continuing discussion with Congress on this issue.

    Question 4. I've heard from a number of constituents upset with the 
reservation system for Yosemite National Park. The National Park 
Service is requiring reservations to enter the park through September 
30, citing COVID, despite the fact that California is now fully 
reopened and the science that demonstrates that COVID does not spread 
outdoors. Will you commit to ending the reservation system and 
restoring full public access to the park?

    Answer. The day-use reservation system was a temporary system 
created to address safety and public health concerns resulting from the 
COVID pandemic and are no longer required to drive into the park.

    Question 5. The proposed budget claims to prioritize wildland fire 
risk reduction. However, earlier this year the Biden administration 
endorsed the ``Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act,'' 
which would add 1.5 million new acres of wilderness. Over the past 10 
years, nearly 7 million acres of wilderness and wilderness study areas 
have burned in catastrophic wildfires and many jump over onto other 
federal, state, and private lands where they cause even more 
destruction.

    How can this Administration claim to be serious about wildland fire 
management when you are endorsing policies that tie the hands of 
federal land managers and prevent the necessary treatments our public 
lands so desperately need?

    Answer. The Administration's FY 2022 budget request makes a 
significant down payment on increasing science-based forest and 
wildland restoration, including hazardous-fuels reduction and burned-
area restoration. It is increasingly clear that climate change and 
drought are driving more severe fires all year long. While wildland 
fire suppression remains a core function, it is important that we 
create greater resiliency in our forests through restoration and 
management of our forests, rangelands, and other lands.

    Question 6. Does the Administration intend to reverse the Council 
on Environmental Quality's 2020 National Environmental Protection Act 
(NEPA) reforms? NEPA has for decades stifled the ability of our federal 
agencies to proactively manage their lands. With expedited authority, 
land managers can carry out management projects before a catastrophic 
wildfire breaks out, and those fires emit so much carbon dioxide and 
pollution so as to make a complete mockery of our environmental laws. 
If the goal of the Administration is to address climate change, I would 
think that it would want to streamline the regulatory burdens caused by 
NEPA.

    Answer. The Council on Environmental Quality is the lead for all 
matters related to NEPA, and we defer to CEQ for a response to 
questions related to that authority.

    Question 7. Last year, my home state of California experienced our 
most catastrophic fire season on record. Of the over 10 million acres 
that burned nationwide, 40 percent of those lands were in California 
and we had 1 million acres burn in just a single day. These fires 
killed 33 people and destroyed more than 10,000 structures. Despite 
this unprecedented scale of devastation, DOI's budget proposes 
increasing the amount of land you treat annually by only 360,000 acres.

    Secretary Haaland, with all due respect, this is a matter of life 
and death in my district and DOI needs to increase its preventative 
work 10-fold, not by the current amount you propose. Will you commit to 
providing the Committee with a new, more aggressive plan to ramp up the 
treatments your agency is doing on our public lands in the next 30 
days?

    Answer. The Biden administration recognizes the urgency of the 
situation and is moving quickly to address it. The Administration's FY 
2022 budget request makes a significant down payment on increasing 
science-based forest and wildland restoration, including hazardous-
fuels reduction and burned-area restoration. It is increasingly clear 
that climate change and drought are driving more severe fires all year 
long. While wildland fire suppression remains a core function, it is 
important that we create greater resiliency in our forests through 
restoration and management of our forests, rangelands, and other lands.

          Questions Submitted by Representative Gonzalez-Colon
    Question 1. The Department of the Interior plays a crucial role in 
Puerto Rico's tourism and recreation economy. The National Park Service 
administers the San Juan National Historic Site, which consists of the 
oldest Spanish fortification system in the United States and is among 
our most iconic and visited destinations on the Island. In 2019, the 
park was visited by almost 1.2 million people, who spent an estimated 
$71.2 million in our local economy. However, as you may imagine, these 
numbers took a substantial hit last year due to the pandemic.

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also administers five National 
Wildlife Refuges across Puerto Rico: the Desecheo, Laguna Cartagena, 
Cabo Rojo, Culebra, and Vieques National Wildlife Refuges. In 2018, 
they hosted nearly 338,000 visitors. Before the impact of Hurricane 
Maria in 2017, visitation at these refuges exceeded a half million.

    What strategies does the Department of the Interior's proposed 
budget include to recover and improve visitation levels at national 
parks and public lands across the country, and thus help promote and 
support tourism and the local economies of gateway communities?

    Answer. The National Park Service has implemented a number of 
initiatives to help park visitors thoughtfully plan their visits to 
parks based on their desired experiences and activities, including 
sharing information via park websites, Recreation.gov, and the new NPS 
mobile app. The agency promotes sites that may not be as well-known 
through campaigns and programs such as Plan Like a Park Ranger, Every 
Kid Outdoors, the National Scenic Byways Program, and the National 
Heritage Areas Program. The NPS works with partners to promote parks 
and facilitate visitation to its units and affiliated areas; many local 
and state tourism offices have been featuring parks extensively in 
their marketing and promotion, and we work with them to include 
messaging that encourages stewardship, such as Leave No Trace and 
Recreate Responsibly. The tourism sector is a key partner in the 
promotion of national parks due to the expertise tourism offices and 
private companies have in identifying likely market segments and 
delivering promotional messaging that encourages travelers to choose to 
visit parks.

    Question 2. I believe that addressing the deferred maintenance 
backlog at our national parks and public lands should be part of any 
strategy to improve visitor access and support communities across the 
country that rely on park tourism.

    In Fiscal Year 2018, the San Juan National Historic had a deferred 
maintenance backlog of over $40.1 million--and I fear it may have 
gotten substantially higher since then. Our five National Wildlife 
Refuges had a combined backlog of over $5.5 million as of February of 
last year.

    Yet, despite these numbers, the Department of the Interior has so 
far only selected one deferred maintenance project in Puerto Rico to 
receive funding under the Great American Outdoors Act, and that was for 
Fiscal Year 2021. The Department did not include any projects on the 
Island for Fiscal Year 2022.

    I am concerned that Puerto Rico will not get its fair share of 
funding available to address the deferred maintenance backlog at the 
San Juan National Historic Site and our National Wildlife Refuges.

    (a) Can I get your commitment that this will not be the case and 
that the Department will properly consider and review its deferred 
maintenance needs in Puerto Rico when making future selections?

    Answer. Yes, the effective implementation of the Great American 
Outdoors Act is one of the Department's highest priorities. It is 
important that each bureau work from established criteria, consistent 
with the Act, to identify needs and prioritize use of these funds and 
that DOI bureaus are making strategic investments utilizing all 
available sources of infrastructure funding at their disposal. We are 
committed to ensuring that the process for prioritizing these actions 
is carried out in an objective way.

    (b) What efforts will the Department pursue to ensure funding under 
the Great American Outdoors is not just concentrated on a few projects 
across a few states? What are the criteria the Department takes into 
consideration when selecting projects?

    Answer. We are prioritizing GAOA funds for larger projects that 
generally exceed the capabilities of other fund sources, with the goal 
of making the largest impact in areas with the highest priority 
deferred maintenance while also considering geographic distribution 
relative to the NPS backlog. Within the National Park Service alone, we 
have obligated over $600 million in GAOA funds since March 2021. 
Projects proposed for 2022 funding have been sent to Congress as part 
of the regular budget process and will be included in the Department's 
budget request.

    Question 3. The FY 2022 budget for the National Park Service 
includes $3 billion for the Operation of the National Park System, an 
increase of approximately $289 million from the enacted level. While 
most System units would see an increase in funding, I am concerned that 
the San Juan National Historic Site is one of the few that would 
essentially receive flat funding, despite the obvious needs at the 
site.

    Can the Department provide an explanation as to why the San Juan 
National Historic Site would not receive an increase under the proposed 
budget?

    Answer. The FY 2022 request for San Juan NHS is $3,738,000, which 
includes an increase of $93,000 for fixed costs. Additionally, the 
overall FY 2022 requested increase includes additional funding for 
natural resource projects and climate vulnerability assessments, which 
would be eligible to address issues at parks like San Juan NHS.
    Question 4. The Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge headquarters 
were damaged by the 2017 hurricanes and last year's earthquakes in 
southwestern Puerto Rico. It is my understanding that the building will 
need to be demolished.

    Can the Department provide the Committee an update on the status of 
these efforts, including how much funding is needed to rebuild the site 
and any efforts the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is pursuing to 
identify the necessary resources to cover these costs?

    Answer. The FWS is currently working to modify an existing contract 
for the demolition and site cleanup of the existing visitor center and 
office at Caho Rojo NWR. We expect the existing building will be 
removed in FY 2022. Construction of the visitor center and office is 
the number one priority in the FWS's Southeast Region. FWS estimates 
that the design and construction of the new facilities to be around $8 
million. Potential funding sources include the Great American Outdoors 
Act and the agency's annual Construction and Deferred Maintenance 
appropriations.

    Question 5. In Fiscal Year 2021, the National Park Service selected 
the stabilization of the San Fernando Bastion at the San Juan National 
Historic Site as one of the priority deferred maintenance projects to 
receive funding under the National Parks and Public Land Legacy 
Restoration Fund established by the Great American Outdoors Act. 
Planned funding for the project was estimated at $8,211,934.

    Can you provide the Committee the latest status of this project, 
including the estimated completion date?

    Answer. The NPS entered an Inter-Agency Agreement (IAA) with the 
Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) to 
update the construction documents, solicit and award the construction 
contract, and provide construction oversight. The COE requested 
additional time to revise construction documents originally completed 
in 2017 to validate the accuracy after Hurricanes Irma and Maria and to 
meet COE standards before going to solicitation. The proposed schedule 
submitted by the COE shifts the COE construction award from third 
quarter award in fiscal year 2022 to third quarter of 2023 with project 
completion in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024.

    Question 6. In 2016, the San Juan National Historic Site was 
visited by 1,456,553 people. That number dropped to 1,188,780 in 2017 
and 910,405 in 2018, undoubtedly due to the impact of the 2017 
hurricane season. Visitation numbers somewhat recovered in 2019, with 
1,197,345 visiting the site. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and 
the ensuing lockdown in Puerto Rico, the number of visitors at the San 
Juan National Historic Site dropped to a historic low of 357,100 in 
2020.

    (a) What efforts or strategies does the National Park Service plan 
to pursue to increase the number of visitors at the San Juan National 
Historic Site, to both pre-COVID and pre-hurricane levels, and thus 
support Puerto Rico's tourism and outdoor recreation economy?

    Answer. Park visitation has gradually increased in 2021. The NPS is 
currently supporting Puerto Rico's tourism and outdoor recreation 
economy by providing extensions to commercial operators in the park at 
no additional expense through the end of 2021, providing alternative 
space for the farmers market and outdoor exercise classes to continue 
operations, and implementing a temporary art exhibition to allow local 
artists to showcase their art inside the forts. We will continue to 
support the local economy and partner with others to promote 
responsible recreation and education of this national park and UNESCO 
World Heritage Site.

    (b) Have the Department of the Interior and the National Park 
Service been in touch with tourism authorities in Puerto Rico and the 
Municipality of San Juan to promote visitation at the site?

    Answer. Yes. The park enjoys ongoing, productive relationships with 
the office of Tourism and the Office of the Mayor of San Juan. The park 
is in constant communication with the Office of the First Lady of the 
Municipality of San Juan; Architect Kirsten Gonzalez, the Director of 
the Historic Urban Development Center of Old San Juan; the 
Administrator of La Fortaleza; the Governor's Mansion; and Mrs. Carmen 
Salgado, ensuring we move forward as a unified front. In July, San Juan 
National Historic Site officials met with Alejandro Caicedo-Chief 
Development Officer-Air, Maritime and Hospitality Development at Puerto 
Rico Tourism Company and Mrs. Tamara Bird, consultant, regarding the 
protocols and availability of providing tours and accommodation for 
tour operators and passengers arriving to the historic site by a cruise 
ship that this month began bi-weekly visits to the island. The forts, 
specifically Fort San Felipe del Morro, continue to be the most 
profiled tourism attractions on the island.

    Question 7. How much funding does Puerto Rico currently have 
available under the State side of the Land and Water Conservation 
(LWCF) Program? How much projects have been funded on the Island since 
the program's authorization? How many grant projects has Puerto Rico 
submitted under the State side of the LWCF Program since 2014, and how 
much of those have been completed?

    Answer. Approximately $8 million is currently allocated and 
available to Puerto Rico for the Stateside LWCF Grant Program. States 
have three years to put forward a complete application and project once 
they are allocated funding. The total number of projects allocated 
Stateside funding for Puerto Rico is 177. It would take additional time 
to research the total number of projects completed or current status. 
Due to the impacts of recent storms, hurricanes, and earthquakes, 
Puerto Rico has been unable to provide full updates. Since 2014, Puerto 
Rico has submitted four LWCF Stateside Grant projects. Those grants, 
which were awarded, plus three others, have now lapsed with no funds 
drawn to implement projects. Some of these projects were provided 
extensions, as requested. NPS has been unable to ascertain from Puerto 
Rico what work was completed or the status of the recreation park sites 
themselves, due to storm and earthquake impacts.

    Question 8. What is the current cost of the deferred maintenance 
backlog at the San Juan National Historic Site? What efforts is the 
National Park Service pursuing to address it?

    Answer. The park's deferred maintenance backlog is $40 million. Due 
to the location, age, and variety of assets entrusted to the 
Department, as well as the nature of deferred maintenance and repair, 
precise cost estimates cannot be determined prior to developing the 
final design and specifications for any work. The vast majority of the 
park's deferred maintenance is in its historic fortification walls and 
masonry. The park is actively engaged in the continued development of a 
masonry preservation program through a mix of youth crews, contract 
labor, and professional conservation trade craft. The park has advanced 
various proposals to address the needs of San Juan National Historic 
Site across a variety of funding sources.

    Question 9. The five National Wildlife Refuges are crucial to 
Puerto Rico's economy. This is especially true in Vieques and Culebra, 
where the National Wildlife Refuges cover a large portion of the 
island-municipalities and support tourism.

    (a) What efforts has the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge pursued to 
strengthen community relations in Vieques and Culebra and support their 
economies?

    Answer. Both refuges are working to maintain and strengthen 
relationships with the communities and governments of each island 
municipality. Vieques NWR participates actively in municipal committees 
and efforts, including Disaster Relief Operations, the Covid-19 Task 
Force, and the Composting Program. Over 35 special use permits have 
been issued to operators of wildlife-related small businesses on and 
adjacent to the Vieques refuge for birdwatching, snorkeling, 
paddleboarding, and other activities. This, together with operators of 
transport companies, have resulted in the creation of an estimated 250 
jobs on Vieques.
    The FWS recently hired a new employee stationed at Culebra NWR that 
will help to enhance relationships with the community. That refuge is 
also working closely with Para La Naturaleza and the municipality in 
developing plans for the restoration of the Culebrita lighthouse, as 
well as collaborating to improve access, including with trails and the 
potential for future boat access. These efforts will provide additional 
tourism opportunities on Culebra. Culebra NWR has a number of ongoing 
biological studies through cooperative agreements with nongovernmental 
organizations.
    In addition, Culebra and Vieques NWRs have a long history of active 
participation in the Youth Conservation Corps program, employing 5-10 
community youth annually for the past 15-20 years.

    (b) What actions does the Department intend to take to help DOD and 
local authorities expedite the cleanup process in the Vieques and 
Culebra National Wildlife Refuges?

    Answer. FWS participates in the Vieques Federal Facilities Team and 
the Culebra Technical Project Committee, which includes the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Navy, and the Commonwealth. We 
actively review documents related to the cleanup, participate in Team 
meetings, and participate in community Restoration Advisory Board 
meetings. For both refuges, FWS prioritizes areas for cleanup, based on 
public interest in the areas and the natural resources present. Vieques 
NWR has assisted the Navy with equipment and personnel upon request and 
cooperates in providing sites needed for locating equipment used to 
accelerate the cleanup.

    (c) Please describe any efforts the Department is pursuing, or 
intends to pursue, to increase the number of visitations and promote 
outdoor recreation at the National Wildlife Refuges in Puerto Rico, 
including any efforts or collaborations with tourism authorities and 
the surrounding municipalities.

    Answer. Funding has been obtained for projects to improve access 
and promote outdoor activities at Puerto Rico's refuges. Projects 
include repair of the Caho Rojo bike trail; constructing a boardwalk 
for wildlife observation at Laguna Cartagena NWR; building an 
observation platform at the Vieques NWR, which is being completed in 
collaboration with a local nonprofit organization; and repairing roads 
on Vieques NWR that have improved access to refuge beaches and gazebos/
kiosks on popular refuge beaches. Moreover, FWS routinely collaborates 
with municipal and Commonwealth agencies and tourism entities. Pre-
pandemic involvement included providing guided tours and talks, 
participating in educational fairs and activities, and visiting schools 
and other organized groups. Many of these activities have continued 
virtually during the pandemic. We these types of activities will occur 
more frequently as conditions allow.

    Question 10. What is the current cost of the deferred maintenance 
backlog at each of the five National Wildlife Refuges in Puerto Rico, 
and at any other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service site or facility on the 
Island? What efforts is the Department pursuing to address it?

    Answer. The deferred maintenance backlog for national wildlife 
refuges in Puerto Rico totals more than $4.8 million. The FWS is 
updating its deferred maintenance assessment for these facilities. 
Deferred maintenance projects at these facilities will be considered 
for funding through the annual budgeting process.

    Question 11. Does the Department carry out any programs or 
engagement efforts with Minority-serving Institutions in Puerto Rico to 
train or recruit new employees for the Department, particularly for the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service?

    Answer. San Juan NHS implements recruitment efforts and strategies 
that provide the opportunity for local hiring, which increase trust and 
financial acuity. Currently, 99% of the park staff is from Puerto Rico, 
including the park's superintendent. In addition, the park has 
competitive recruitment programs in place that are available to the 
residents of Puerto Rico through partners such as the American 
Conservation Experience Youth Corp for its Mason Apprentice Program, 
the Youth Conservation Corps, the Franklin's Promise Coalition, and a 
student development program with the Universidad Politecnica de Puerto 
Rico for students in the Master Masons in Historic Preservation 
program.
    FWS has participated in outreach events that serve Hispanic 
communities to share information on the bureau's mission, programs, and 
its opportunities. Recent events included participation at the Hispanic 
Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Conference and the 
Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in 
Science (SACNAS) Conference. FWS routinely communicates with 
representatives of 17 colleges and universities in Puerto Rico to share 
information on all open FWS vacancies on USAJOBS and tips on applying 
for these opportunities. Additionally, FWS is collaborating with 
several conservation organizations to recruit undergraduate rising 
seniors and graduate students for more than 100 Directorate Fellowship 
Program (DFP) opportunities nationwide. FWS expects three projects for 
the 2022 DFP cohort to be in Puerto Rico. One project will focus on the 
recovery of listed species, including the Puerto Rican parrot, and two 
other fellowships will be in Culebra and Vieques.
    Finally, the FWS South Atlantic-Gulf Region's Gateway Initiative 
fosters a welcoming culture and connectedness for students and new 
employees through mentorships and exposure to a wide array of FWS 
programs and people. The Initiative also is developing innovative tools 
to connecting students who have successfully completed FWS internship 
programs with hiring officials to capitalize on the direct hiring 
authority afforded by the DFP and Pathways Program.

    Question 12. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was a pioneer in 
establishing the first official program to restore native shade coffee 
plantations in Puerto Rico, helping rural communities, wildlife 
species, and the Island's economy.

    (a) Can you provide us with a report on the history, 
accomplishments, and challenges of this effort?

    Answer. Shade-grown coffee plantations are stable agro-ecosystems 
that provide habitat, nesting, and feeding for many native, endemic, 
threatened, endangered and migratory species. They serve as ecological 
corridors that create buffer zones around natural reserves and provide 
a smooth transition between urban and natural areas. Shade-grown coffee 
practices also produce better-quality coffee beans, use fewer 
herbicides and lesser amounts of fertilizers, increase the life span 
for the coffee trees, and result in cooler field temperature that helps 
when collecting coffee.
    In 1999, FWS, in collaboration with local nongovernmental 
organizations, began working through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife 
Program to restore shade-grown coffee plantations in the northcentral 
coffee region of Puerto Rico. In 2009, FWS formalized a partnership 
with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and private 
landowners to expand the initiative throughout the island. Throughout 
this partnership, FWS has provided technical assistance to private 
landowners, coordinated tree delivery, demonstrated practices in the 
field, evaluated the implemented practices through research, and 
promoted education and outreach.
    Since its inception, the initiative has restored more than 5,000 
acres, planted more than 150,000 shade trees, and benefited 
approximately 800 properties and landowners in Puerto Rico. The efforts 
continue to thrive across the island as a result of the commitment of 
the partners and despite several challenges, including the funding 
constraints, lack of involvement of the Puerto Rico Department of 
Agriculture, and the need of local regulations to institutionally 
promote shade-grown coffee plantations over sun-cultivated coffee.

    (b) Does the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intend to continue 
funding shade coffee restoration projects in Puerto Rico through the 
Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program? If so, what are the needs to 
fully implement this?

    Answer. FWS plans to continue funding these projects since they are 
important restoration initiatives benefiting trust species, sustainable 
agriculture, and private landowners. We recognize the importance of 
maintaining a strong partnership with the NRCS and local NGOs as the 
initiative continues, as well as increasing the support from 
Commonwealth agencies to develop or modify regulations for promoting 
shade-grown coffee. It is also important to work with partners that may 
promote shade-grown coffee brands and special eco-friendly and quality 
certifications to increase its market value and export potential.

    Question 13. One of the marine mammal species that falls under the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's jurisdiction is the West Indian 
manatee. We've recently seen an increase in the number of manatee 
deaths in Florida. Moreover, in Puerto Rico, so far this year seven 
manatees have been killed due to vessel impacts. In fact, it is 
estimated that 20% of all manatee deaths reported on the Island may be 
due to watercraft collisions.

    Can you discuss some of the efforts the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service is currently pursuing to address these trends and protect the 
West Indian manatee population, particularly in Puerto Rico and 
Florida? Does the Service believe its current authorities are 
sufficient to carry out this work, or would you need additional 
legislation or tools to strengthen these efforts?

    Answer. In Puerto Rico, like in Florida, boat strikes are the 
leading human-related cause of death to manatees. In Florida, key tools 
to address boat strikes are manatee protection areas, speed zones, and 
enforcement. We are looking for ways to use such tools with our 
partners in Puerto Rico, where there is a lack of adequate in-water 
speed zone regulations and enforcement. The Service is currently 
working to increase boater awareness of manatees and the dangers 
presented by boats through signs placed in waterways.
    We are also supporting efforts to rescue and rehabilitate manatees 
injured by watercraft collisions through our Prescott Grant program. 
Over the past two years, the Service provided nearly $300,000 under the 
Prescott Grant program to the Caribbean Stranding Network to support 
their work with sick and injured Antillean manatees.
    As for the Unusual Mortality Event (UME) in Florida, the Service is 
actively engaged in an investigation into the root causes of these 
mortalities so that we can better respond in the future. We also are 
working closely with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation 
Commission and other partners to restore important habitats and helping 
to make sure that our partners have the resources that they need to 
adequately respond this winter.
    Question 14. Last year, Congress included in the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260) my legislation to make 
Puerto Rico an eligible applicant location for the Bureau of 
Reclamation's WaterSMART Grants and Drought Resiliency Project Grants.

    What outreach efforts, if any, has the Bureau of Reclamation 
carried out to date to inform appropriate stakeholders in Puerto Rico 
about WaterSMART Grants and any other Reclamation funding opportunities 
under 42 U.S.C. 10364 that are now available to eligible applicants on 
the Island? If no outreach has been conducted yet, does the Bureau of 
Reclamation plan to engage with stakeholders in Puerto Rico to inform 
them about these funding opportunities?

    Answer. As a first step, Reclamation revised WaterSMART funding 
opportunities to ensure that the documents clearly state that entities 
located in Puerto Rico are eligible to apply for funding. Reclamation 
has also planned a series of webinars to explain each funding 
opportunity to applicants. Information on the WaterSMART program is 
available at: https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/weeg/#.

             Questions Submitted by Representative Stauber
    Question 1. When serving in the House, you co-sponsored H.R. 5598, 
which arbitrarily withdraws more than 234,000 acres of the Superior 
National Forest from mining. This targets a project that has signed a 
project-labor agreement with the Iron Range Building Trades, has 
committed to 21st-century mining practices that are lauded by 
environmental groups such as dry-stack tailing, and is a $1.7 billion 
private investment in an area desperate for economic development. Can 
you commit to not prejudging any project, even if you co-sponsored 
legislation that would prejudge a project when serving in the House?

    Answer. Yes.

              Questions Submitted by Representative Moore
    Question 1. There have been long-standing concerns that the 
Antiquities Act allows land management decisions to be made behind 
closed doors without sufficient input or consultation. To combat this 
narrative, will you release your monument report to the public?

    Answer. Actions carried out pursuant to the Antiquities Act are the 
prerogative of the President. President Biden restored the protections 
for three monuments that were significantly cut back in the previous 
administration in October 2021. As part of the review carried out by 
Secretary Haaland, Biden administration leaders met with Members of 
Congress, state and local government officials, representatives of 
Tribal Nations, and a wide range of stakeholders. The Secretary visited 
Utah to directly meet with local residents and tour the area.

    Question 2. The Department's FY22 Great American Outdoors Act 
project list earmarks nearly $220 million of the roughly $1.3 billion 
for program administration. This is the exact same amount of the total 
backlog for National Park units in the entire state of Utah. Why is the 
Department spending as much as my entire state's backlog on 
administrative overhead instead of directing these precious funds 
toward actual maintenance?

    Answer. As noted in the NPS budget justification, an estimated 3 
percent of the NPS allocation of Legacy Restoration Fund dollars 
received in FY 2021 through FY 2025 will be requested to fund program 
administration through the life of the program until the last project 
is closed out. Any excess funds will be reallocated to projects in the 
outyears of the program. In FY 2022, $138 million will be used to 
complete planning and compliance activities for current and future LRF 
projects, $38 million will be used to support and oversee planning and 
execution, and $44 million will be used to provide professional NPS 
project management and contracting services for current and future 
projects throughout the typical three to five-year construction cycle.

    Question 3. The budget only proposes a paltry $11 million in GAOA 
funding throughout the entire state of Utah, despite the fact that our 
state contributed nearly $93 million in energy revenues last year. What 
will you do to ensure that, moving forward, funds are divided more 
proportionally to states that actually contribute into the National 
Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund and have significant 
backlogs?

    Answer. Within the NPS, which is allocated 70 percent of the annual 
funding from the Act, projects address significant deferred maintenance 
by targeting NPS's priority assets. Deferred maintenance needs are not 
spread evenly across park units. Priority projects generally are those 
that would address a high percentage of deferred maintenance needs and 
are large scale, generally exceeding the capacity of other fund 
sources. Over the next 5 years, the NPS plans to invest over $60 
million from existing fund sources into parks throughout the State of 
Utah for critical infrastructure needs, and we are evaluating our 
remaining larger infrastructure needs in Utah park units for funding 
through the LRF or other fund sources. Funding from GAOA-LRF also frees 
up money from other fund sources like Line Item Construction and Cyclic 
Maintenance funds to address infrastructure needs and other projects in 
Utah parks.

    Question 4. Arches National Park in my state is on track to have 
its busiest year ever. The increase in visitation has caused the park 
to close its gates over 80 times so far in 2021. But Arches has not 
received any Great American Outdoors Act funding, despite its enormous 
popularity and roughly $24 million in deferred maintenance. How is it 
possible that one of the busiest National Parks in the country received 
$0 out of $1.3 billion? What is your Administration's plan to keep 
parks like Arches open to the public if you won't devote any money to 
recreational asset maintenance in these iconic places?

    Answer. As noted in the previous response, within the NPS, projects 
address significant deferred maintenance by targeting NPS's priority 
assets. Deferred maintenance needs are not spread evenly across park 
units. Priority projects generally are those that would address a high 
percentage of deferred maintenance needs and are large scale, generally 
exceeding the capacity of other fund sources. Over the next 5 years, 
the NPS plans to invest over $60 million from existing fund sources 
into parks throughout the State of Utah for critical infrastructure 
needs, and we are evaluating our remaining larger infrastructure needs 
in Utah park units for funding through the LRF or other fund sources. 
Funding from GAOA-LRF also frees up money from other fund sources like 
Line Item Construction and Cyclic Maintenance funds to address 
infrastructure needs and other projects in Utah parks.

    Question 5. When President Trump ordered his review of national 
monuments, he outlined specific criteria for Secretary Zinke to 
evaluate, including the legality of the original designation under the 
Antiquities Act of 1906. To what extent did you evaluate whether Bears 
Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante are consistent with the Antiquities 
Act's requirements that national monuments be ``confined to the 
smallest area compatible with proper care and management of the objects 
to be protected''?

    Answer. Actions carried out pursuant to the Antiquities Act are the 
prerogative of the President. President Biden issued his proclamation 
restoring the boundaries and protections for the three monuments that 
were significantly cut back by the previous administration in October 
2021.

    Question 6. In an article in the Salt Lake Tribune earlier this 
year, Clark Tenakhongva, co-chair of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal 
Council, was quoted as stating: ``My real concern is the continual 
destruction of the sites, vandalism at the sites. Over the past five 
years, I would say, it seems like there's more people coming once it 
was exposed as a national monument, particularly people from Utah. The 
federal dollars just haven't come down to really secure the area the 
way it should be protected, with resources that should be handed down 
by the federal government.'' Why should Bears Ears be enlarged when 
resources are already stretched so thin and the designation as a 
monument has increased foot traffic and vandalism in the area?

    Answer. Actions carried out pursuant to the Antiquities Act are the 
prerogative of the President. President Biden issued his proclamation 
restoring the boundaries and protections for the three monuments that 
were significantly cut back by the previous administration in October 
2021. The Department's budget included significant funding increases to 
support national monument and conservation area management and 
operations.

    Question 7. Seventy percent of all GAOA money, or roughly $6.5 
billion, will be provided to the National Park Service to reduce its 
deferred maintenance backlog over a 5-year period. What percentage of 
the backlog should we expect to be completed by the end of FY 22? How 
much deferred maintenance do you estimate the National Park Service 
will have at the end of this 5-year special funding period?

    Answer. In the first two years of the LRF program, an estimated 
$1.6 billion in LRF funding will be directed toward deferred 
maintenance needs, a significant portion of the bureau's backlog. NPS 
is committed to making sustainable investments through the LRF in order 
to avoid cycles of rehabilitation, deterioration, and disrepair. 
Projects that offer NPS an opportunity to reduce long range life-cycle 
costs receive special consideration in the project selection process.

             Questions Submitted by Representative Herrell
    Question 1. Lesser prairie chicken numbers have increased from 
roughly 15,000 birds in 2013 to over 34,000 birds in 2020. This rebound 
has largely been due to proactive voluntary conservation efforts that 
have raised over $60 million to conserve the bird. Last month, the Fish 
and Wildlife Service announced that it is proposing to list the bird as 
endangered in Texas and New Mexico despite these strong efforts. I am 
concerned that this listing will cause undue economic harm on those who 
are doing the most to save the bird and will dissuade private 
investment in conservation.

    (a) Please explain your rationale in moving to list this species 
when population numbers are increasing, and conservation efforts and 
funding are robust?

    Answer. FWS considered both population trends and conservation 
efforts in making its listing determination. The voluntary efforts that 
are being carried out are significant and this work by the states and 
our partners is important in the conservation of the bird. But the 
scientific review carried out by the FWS indicates that challenges 
remain and that these efforts have not fully kept pace with the threats 
facing the lesser prairie-chicken. A detailed summary of these analyses 
and FWS's rationale is available in the June 1, 2021, proposed rule 
that published in the Federal Register: https://
www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/06/01/2021-11442/endangered-and-
threatened-wildlife-and-plants-lesser-prairie-chicken-threatened-
status-with-section.

    (b) Do you plan to do a full economic analysis before listing the 
species and before designating critical habitat?

    Answer. The statutory provisions of the ESA do not allow the FWS to 
consider economics when analyzing the status of a species and the 
threats it faces. While economics are considered when critical habitat 
designations are developed, the FWS did not propose critical habitat 
concurrent with the proposed listing of the two Distinct Population 
Segments. We will always follow the laws enacted by Congress as 
implement the ESA.

    Question 2. In addition to the leasing moratorium, the Department 
also issued Secretarial Order 3395, which suspended the delegated 
authority provided to Bureau offices to approve permits and other 
authorization for energy and mineral development on federal lands. The 
Committee has received feedback from stakeholders indicating that this 
has resulted in delays in the permitting process, causing uncertainty 
for operators in my District. Although the Department rescinded this 
Order, the Secretary sent a subsequent memorandum to Bureau offices 
indicating they should continue to send APDs and other authorizations 
to DC for final approval. This raises concerns about future delays in 
permitting operators on federal lands.

    (a) The APD reports on the BLM website show APD approvals for 
February and March combined, and separate reports for April and May. 
January appears to be missing and the combined February and March 
report covers the time period during which the suspension was in place. 
This lack of data and transparency prevents the Committee from being 
able to properly evaluate the backlog created by the suspension policy. 
Will the Department release this missing data and monthly APD reports 
going forward?

    (b) The backlog of pending permits is severe. According to the 
Department, 3,666 permits were pending in the State of New Mexico at 
the end of May. While this is a slight improvement from the 4,200 
pending permits at the end of March, it appears that the suspension 
policy likely contributed to this backlog. Is the Department still 
requiring BLM state offices to send APDs and other authorizations 
typically handled by BLM State offices to DC for approval? Can you 
commit to addressing this backlog in the coming months?

    Answer. The BLM is committed to providing transparent and 
accessible APO data. In February 2021, the BLM announced it would 
update its Oil and Gas Statistics webpage to feature information on 
APDs. Because the BLM was completing its long-planned transition to the 
AFMSS II database, the monthly APDs updates were delayed and published 
to the website beginning in April. The BLM approved 362 APDs in January 
2021, 83 in February, and 441 in March. The Secretarial Order that 
temporarily elevated review of permitting activities expired on March 
21, 2021. The BLM's career officials continue to process APDs and 
related sundry activities on valid, existing leases in a timely manner.

              Questions Submitted by Representative Bentz
    Question 1. In January, the last administration published a rule to 
right size the critical habitat designated for the Northern Spotted Owl 
in 2012. The 2012 Critical Habitat designation was devastating for 
local economies resulting in the annual loss of an estimated $100 
million in Gross Domestic Product, $66 million in worker earnings, and 
more than 1,200 jobs. In April, the Fish and Wildlife Service announced 
that it would be rescinding the January 2021 rule. I strongly urge you 
to support the January 2021 rule and give it time to work. 
Additionally, the 2018 Supreme Court decision in Weyerhauser Co. v. 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service clearly stated that critical habitat 
must be actual habitat for a species. The 2012 critical habitat 
designation included over 1.7 million acres of critical habitat that 
wasn't actual habitat.

    (a) What steps will you take to ensure that the Fish and Wildlife 
Service follows the ruling of the Supreme Court?

    (b) Will this acreage that is not current habitat be designated as 
critical habitat again?

    Answer. The final rule withdrawing the January 2021 rule and 
revising the designation of critical habitat for the northern spotted 
owl published in the Federal Register on November 10, 2021. It became 
effective December 10, 2021. All the areas designated as critical 
habitat meet FWS's regulatory definition of ``habitat'' at 50 CFR 
424.02. Since the court ruling in Weyerhauser Co. v. U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (FWS), FWS has ensured that every critical habitat 
designation, including the revised designation for the northern spotted 
owl aligns with the Supreme Court's decision.

    Question 2. A 2020 Species Status Assessment, issued by the Fish 
and Wildlife Service, highlighted that the most pressing threats to the 
Northern Spotted Owl are invasive barred owls and wildland fire. A 
decade has passed since the USFWS issued a revised recovery plan for 
the Northern Spotted Owl (NSO) that identified competition from the 
Barred Owl as a primary threat to the NSO. Despite this, the USFWS 
continues conducting a ``Barred Owl Removal Experiment'' but has yet to 
develop and implement an actual strategy for barred owl removals and 
population management. In the absence a barred owl removal strategy NSO 
populations continue to decline. The BLM has also been required to 
comply with restrictions on timber harvests under the 2016 Resource 
Management Plans for Western Oregon until the USFWS completes the 
barred owl removal strategy.

    (a) What steps are you going to take to ensure FWS follows the 
science?

    Answer. The barred owl removal experiment is a significant 
scientific achievement, and it has withstood three legal challenges 
from concerned organizations. The FWS is applying the best available 
science to developing a potential barred owl management strategy, in 
concert with other involved state, federal, and private stakeholders.

    (b) What is the Service doing to manage the main threats to the owl 
which are wildfire and predation from the barred owl?

    Answer. The next steps, which are currently underway, are to 
develop potential management alternatives that are cost effective, 
likely to succeed, and that meet all federal and state legal 
requirements. FWS is actively engaged in multiple efforts to support 
private, state and federal land managers to mitigate undesirable 
wildfire risk in spotted owl habitat, including with active 
intervention. Staff are participating in state-led wildfire task 
forces, consulting with land managers in fuels reduction projects, and 
publishing scientific papers recommending active management to reduce 
wildfire threats and restore healthier forests.
    We are also working collaboratively with an interagency team of 
biologists from multiple agencies, including the USDA-Forest Service, 
Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, National Park 
Service, and state wildlife agencies across the range of the northern 
spotted owl to develop a barred owl management strategy, as well as 
private-sector scientists. We anticipate a plan will be completed 
within two years.
    (c) Given the existential threat to the NSO, why hasn't the USFWS 
completed a barred owl removal strategy?

    Answer. The best science concludes that managing the barred owl 
threat is the most pressing near-term conservation need for spotted 
owls, while long-term habitat conservation remains fundamental to 
preventing the species' extinction. As noted in a previous response, 
FWS is working collaboratively with scientists from federal and state 
agencies and the private sector on a barred owl management strategy and 
anticipates a plan will be completed within two years.

    Question 3. The USFWS has also identified catastrophic wildfire as 
a serious threat to the NSO.

    (a) Will the USFWS be working with land managers at the U.S. Forest 
Service and BLM to determine what impact the 2012 Critical Habitat 
designation has had on efforts to reduce wildfire risks in the forests 
of the Pacific Northwest?

    Answer. Other than the need for the land managers to comply with 
the ESA consultation requirement, there should be no impact or effect 
on wildfire management efforts. The FWS works proactively and 
collaboratively with the USFS and BLM to reduce undesirable wildfire 
threats, both through proactive planning and through consultation on 
proposed actions.

    (b) To that end, since 2012 how many acres of forest health 
treatments have been implemented by the US Forest Service and BLM in 
designated NSO critical habitat?

    (c) How many acres of NSO critical habitat have been burned by 
wildland fire in California, Oregon, and Washington since the current 
NSO critical designation was made in 2012?

    (d) How many spotted owl nesting sites and acres of spotted owl 
suitable habitat have been burned by wildfire since the 2012 
designation?

    Answer. While the Department defers to the USDA Forest Service for 
information related to that agency's land management actions, since 
2012 the BLM has conducted roughly 149,500 acres of forest health 
treatments in Oregon and Washington and 3,300 acres of hazardous fuels 
reduction treatments in California within northern spotted owl critical 
habitat. The BLM estimates the total area of northern spotted owl 
critical habitat burned within the perimeter of large wildland fires 
since 2012 is approximately 1.6 million acres, including 933,000 acres 
in California, 553,000 acres in Oregon, and 172,000 acres in 
Washington.
    The BLM estimates 300 northern spotted owl nesting sites were 
within the perimeter of large wildland fires since 2012. Based on the 
relative suitability model from the 2013 Western Oregon Resource 
Management Plans, 1.9 million acres of nesting and roosting habitat and 
3.5 million acres of dispersal habitat have been burned by large 
wildland fires.

    Question 4. Will you go through a full rulemaking process should 
you decide to continue your rescission of the January 2021 rule?

    Answer. The final rule withdrawing the January 2021 rule and 
revising the designation of critical habitat for the Northern Spotted 
Owl published in the Federal Register on November 10, 2021. It became 
effective December 10, 2021. Comments and materials received from the 
public rulemaking process are available on Regulations.gov under docket 
number FWS-R1-ES-2020-0050.

    Question 5. Will you commit to strong public input where the 
Service actually listens to folks on the ground? Could you follow up 
with the Committee with the dates and times of these engagements?

    Answer. As indicated in the response to the previous question, the 
final rule withdrawing the January 2021 rule and revising the 
designation of critical habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl published 
in the Federal Register on November 10, 2021. It became effective 
December 10, 2021. Comments and materials received from the public 
rulemaking process are available for inspection on Regulations.gov.

    Question 6. Our farmers and ranchers provide some of the most 
pristine migratory bird habitat across the country, but especially in 
the west and Great Plains. Ranchers play a critical role in sustaining 
habitat that is essential in recovering grassland and sagebrush-
dependent species. Likewise, farmers are key to sustaining wetland 
habitat across key breeding, migration, and wintering areas for 
migratory birds. To ensure that migratory bird habitat is conserved 
adequately, the Department must work with farmers and ranchers instead 
of against them through overly burdensome regulations.

    (a) Have you been coordinating with farmers and ranchers on 
conservation for migratory birds?

    Answer. Private landowners are among the greatest stewards of the 
land and are important conservation partners for the Department. FWS 
works closely with private landowners to conserve migratory birds and 
their habitat, particularly through the Migratory Bird Joint Ventures, 
which are regional partnerships between federal, state, local, and 
private partners to support migratory bird conservation. JV 
conservation activities are collaborative by design involving 
landowners to implement conservation practices that sustain working 
lands and resilient local communities. JVs are guided by Management 
Boards comprised of partner representatives, many of which include 
private landowners as permanent members. Examples of this coordination 
and collaboration include:

     The Rainwater Basin JV and Nebraska Cattlemen are working 
            in partnership on a private lands grazing project in 
            Nebraska's Rainwater Basin, a region that is valuable for 
            farming and cattle production and as key stopover habitat 
            for migratory waterfowl. This project is designed to 
            promote cattle production on lands with limited row crop 
            potential, while also enhancing wetland habitat.

     In 2016, the Intermountain West JV and BLM established the 
            Partnering to Conserve Sagebrush Rangelands Initiative with 
            a goal to catalyze proactive, voluntary, and community-led 
            sagebrush rangelands conservation across public and private 
            lands for future generations.

     In the Northern Great Plains JV there are many unique 
            technical and financial programs available for landowners. 
            The JV encourages producers to work with members of the 
            JV's Conservation Delivery Network to develop a 
            personalized project on their land that best leverages 
            available program resources.

     Over the past 3 years the Central Valley JV and its 
            partners have enhanced over 60,000 acres of privately-owned 
            wetlands and wildlife-friendly agricultural lands across 
            175 properties in California's Central Valley. These 
            incentive-based programs increase the abundance and quality 
            of habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wetland-
            dependent species by working hand-in-hand with rice growers 
            and private wetlandowners to implement cooperatively 
            developed management plans for their properties that are 
            designed to enhance their lands for wildlife using this 
            region.

    Additionally, our Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides 
technical and financial assistance to landowners interested in 
restoring and enhancing wildlife habitat, including for migratory 
birds, on their land. Through the Partners Program we annually achieve 
over 1,200 voluntary restoration and enhancement projects on nearly a 
quarter of a million acres.

    (b) Please provide examples of recent engagements including the 
dates of the engagements as well as the attendees.

    Answer. In addition to the ongoing partnerships discussed above, 
during this past year and a half the FWS through Joint Ventures has 
engaged with private landowners in the Northern Great Plains, with the 
Winnett Agricultural and Community Enhancement and Sustainability, a 
locally-led producer group in Montana; attended the Oklahoma Black 
Historical Research Project's Annual Small Farms Conference co-
sponsored by the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts in mid-
July of this year; and worked through Soil and Water Conservation 
Districts in Curry and Quay counties NM to promote playa and grassland 
conservation to over 250 landowners over the past 7 months, among many 
other engagements with agricultural producers.

    (c) Did these engagements occur before you announced that you would 
repeal the last administration's actions?

    Answer. FWS engagements with landowners occur on an ongoing basis.

    (d) Will you commit to working with this Committee to find 
reasonable approaches to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to ensure 
farmers and ranchers aren't unjustly punished for their conservation 
efforts?

    Answer. The Department and FWS are committed to working with all 
stakeholders and partners as we reconsider the interpretation of the 
Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This collaboration is instrumental to 
developing common sense standards that can protect migratory birds and 
provide certainty to landowners and project proponents.

    (e) Will you commit to emphasizing and scaling up working with 
farmers and ranchers on conservation?

    Answer. Farmers and ranchers are important conservation partners. 
As noted in the response to the previous question, the Department and 
FWS are committed to working with all stakeholders and partners as we 
reconsider the interpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This 
collaboration is instrumental to developing common sense standards that 
can protect migratory birds and provide certainty to landowners and 
project proponents.

    (f) What conservation actions will the Department take to 
strategically invest in and encourage voluntary, incentive-based 
programs to conserve habitat on working farms and ranches?

    Answer. The Department is committed to working with all of our 
partners and stakeholders, including farmers and ranchers, to conserve 
wildlife and habitat. That commitment is reflected in the President's 
Fiscal Year 2022 budget request, which supports diverse programs that 
collaborate with partners and stakeholders to conserve species and 
restore habitat and provide both financial support and technical 
expertise, such as the Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration Program, the 
Fish and Aquatic Programs, as well as the Migratory Bird Program.

    Question 7. In 2015, the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers 
finalized the Waters of the US, more commonly referred to as WOTUS, 
rule. This rollout was met with severe backlash from rural communities 
and countless stakeholders, but it particularly impacted farmers and 
ranchers across the country. The last administration finalized the 
Navigable Waters Protection Rule last year to provide regulatory 
certainty for communities and stakeholders across the country, but now, 
this administration has announced that it will develop ``a new rule 
that defines WOTUS'' to ``protect water resources.''

    (a) Is DOI working with the EPA to do a cost/benefit impact 
analysis of how it would impact BOR projects, BOR supported groundwater 
replenishment projects and other critical water infrastructure?

    Answer. The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers are, and have been, the lead agencies on matters 
associated with the Clean Water Act, including any potential changes to 
the definition of ``waters of the United States.'' We understand that 
those agencies are currently involved in litigation regarding that 
definition, and the outcome of that matter will determine the path 
forward.

    Question 8. In April, the administration announced the creation of 
``an Interagency Working Group to address worsening drought conditions 
in the West and support farmers, Tribes, and communities impacted by 
ongoing water shortages.''

    (a) Has the working group met with farmers, tribes and communities 
on potential solutions?

    (b) If so, please provide us the dates of the engagements as well 
as a list of attendees.

    (c) If not, will you commit to meet with stakeholders on this 
important issue?

    Answer. The Interagency Drought Relief Working Group is one of 
several groups seeking to optimize the way the federal government can 
respond to the ongoing drought. The Working Group is co-chaired by the 
Department and the USDA and is working across the government to 
identify and disburse financial resources and technical assistance for 
irrigators and tribes impacted by the drought. This effort, among 
others, was discussed at a stakeholder forum on July 20, 2021, which 
provided an opportunity to hear from sectors and communities being 
impacted by the ongoing severe drought conditions. The Working Group 
will continue to seek input from affected communities and review the 
status of existing tools and make recommendations on what authorities 
are needed to address the imminent community needs facing us with 
drought.

    Question 9. Earlier this month, the Fish and Wildlife Service 
announced it will be rolling back a significant portion of Endangered 
Species Act reforms put in place by the last administration. These 
proposed changes will complicate the federal permitting process and 
reduce incentives for proactive conservation work to help save species.

    (a) The Department of the Interior press release states that these 
ESA regulations were going to be rescinded because they conflicted with 
climate change objectives. How do the regulatory changes enacted for 
the ``blanket 4(d) rule'' conflict with climate change objectives, 
particularly since NOAA-Fisheries has long completed 4(d) rules for 
threatened species. Do you intend to require a default prohibition of 
take for NOAA-Fisheries as well?

    Answer. These regulatory changes made by the previous 
administration were reviewed pursuant to the direction provided in 
Executive Order 13990. That order noted that federal government actions 
must be guided by the best science and be protected by processes that 
ensure the integrity of its decision-making. The Administration's 
actions are intended to improve and strengthen implementation of the 
ESA. To date, the Department has not published a proposal related to 
implementation of section 4(d) of the ESA. The Department defers to 
NOAA-Fisheries for questions related to its implementation of the ESA.

    (b) Will you commit to notifying Congress (or this subcommittee) 
prior publishing any of the substantive changes proposed by the Press 
Release before you publish them in the Federal Register?

    Answer. Yes; our goal is to always provide Congress with notice of 
significant regulatory and other actions when they are made.

    (c) Several of the regulations described in the press release state 
that there are ``other potential revisions also under consideration.''

        (c)(i) What are those other potential revisions?

       (c)(ii) When is your timeline for providing clarity on these 
revisions?

      (c)(iii)  Will you commit to notifying this subcommittee on what 
those revisions will be?

    Answer. The FWS and National Marine Fisheries Service are working 
together to review the regulations and determine what proposed 
revisions to the regulations are appropriate. On October 27, 2021, the 
Administration published in the Federal Register proposals to rescind 
the December 2020 final rule establishing a regulatory definition of 
``habitat'' and the final rule that clarified how FWS would consider 
and evaluate areas for exclusion from a critical habitat designation. 
We anticipate that additional proposals will be published for public 
review and comment as they are developed. The Department's goal is 
always to provide Congress with notice of significant regulatory and 
other actions when they are made.

    (d) The press release states that DOI intends to coordinate with 
federally recognized tribes before any regulations are finalized. Will 
you make that commitment to states, since they are charged with the 
management and protection of all non-ESA listed species?

    Answer. It is the FWS's practice to coordinate with states before 
regulations are finalized, and we will do so here.

    (e) Does the DOI support and will you commit to provide funding for 
the development of candidate conservation agreements on federal lands?

    Answer. The Department supports the FWS's long-standing engagement 
with other federal agencies to help develop Candidate Conservation 
Agreements (CCAs) covering federal lands. While federal land management 
agencies are responsible for funding their share of the cost of CCAs on 
their lands, funding has long been in the FWS's budget for providing 
technical assistance to interested landowners, and the FY 2022 budget 
request seeks additional funding to increase capability for such 
assistance.

    (f) Does the DOI support and will you commit to provide funding for 
candidate conservation agreements with assurances on private lands?

    Answer. The Department supports the FWS's long-standing engagement 
with non-federal landowners to develop candidate conservation 
agreements with assurances (CCAAs) on private lands. As noted above, 
the FY 2022 budget request seeks additional funding to increase 
capability for such assistance to interested non-federal landowners. In 
addition, through the use of the Cooperative Endangered Species 
Conservation Fund Conservation Planning Assistance Grant program, the 
FWS now provides funding to states to help landowners who need 
financial assistance for developing CCAAs on private lands.

    (g) Will you commit that DOI will consider all four representative 
concentration pathway models when making a determination about the 
``foreseeable future'' in listing or critical habitat decisions? If 
not, what is your scientific basis for selecting one model over 
another.

    Answer. When making a determination under the ESA about the 
foreseeable future, the FWS must be able to reasonably determine that 
both the future threat and the species response to the threat are 
likely. The ESA requires that the FWS use the best available scientific 
and commercial information when making listing decisions. The 
Department will always follow the law and the science in its decision-
making.

    (h) Please describe the language in the 2018 listing regulations 
that state that economics will be considered for listing decisions.

    Answer. The ESA is clear that listing determinations must be made 
solely on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data 
available. The Service has never considered the economic impacts of a 
listing decision.

    Question 10. In May, the Fish and Wildlife Department announced 
that it would begin a review of the land management plans for the Sage 
Grouse. As you know, the 2019 plans developed by the last 
administration were supported by all of the western Governors involved 
including Democrats. In a call with Fish and Wildlife Service staff 
after your announcement, Service staff committed to including these 
2019 plans as a part of the review.

    (a) Can you confirm that the 2019 Plans are a part of the review?

    (b) When do you anticipate the review will conclude?

    (c) Have you had any roundtables or meetings with stakeholders who 
are leading the way in conservation as a part of the review?

    (d) If yes, could you send us information on those meetings 
including dates and participants?

    (e) If not, will you commit to holding engagement sessions with 
states and stakeholders throughout this process?

    Answer. Coordination is critical for success in greater sage-grouse 
conservation, and the Bureau of Land Management is committed to working 
with our stakeholders, including states, Tribes, stakeholders, and the 
public throughout the planning process. BLM is working in cooperation 
with the FWS, U.S. Geological Survey, USDA's Natural Resource 
Conservation Service, the USDA Forest Service, states, Tribes, and 
stakeholders, to review the 2015, 2019, and 2020 land use plans and 
supporting analyses to assess what further actions may be needed to 
support sagebrush habitat conservation and restoration.

    Question 11. In recent conversations between the Fish and Wildlife 
Service and stakeholders, Service employees have expressed that they 
would not be using single species management and they would instead 
favor a multiple species approach to conservation. This is welcome news 
to hear as we have seen the devastating effects of single species 
management. We are aware that some groups of species are in decline and 
working lands are essential to sustaining these species. We believe it 
is important to work through existing partnerships in a proactive, non-
regulatory to conserve habitat the meets the needs of multiple species.

    (a) Will you support your employees in this approach to ensure we 
aren't robbing Peter to pay Paul with species conservation?

    Answer. Collaboration with our partners and stakeholders and 
efficient implementation of actions is critical to the recovery of 
species. It is also important that the actions we take comply with the 
law and are supported by the best available science. The Department 
will always support its employees with these goals in mind.

    (b) Will you take steps to support existing partnerships that can 
deliver proactive conservation at scale?

    Answer. Yes, the FWS' FY 2022 budget request includes an $18.1 M 
increase in Recovery funding in order to fund projects that will meet 
our highest priority actions to prevent extinction and achieve recovery 
for listed species. Many of these projects will utilize existing 
partnerships to undertake these strategic priorities.

    Question 12. In your Senate confirmation hearing, Sen. Mike Lee (R-
UT) asked you about input from ``stakeholders . . . who have some sort 
of economic interest'' in the national monument designation process. 
You answered that ``everybody deserves a say'' in it. Concerning the 
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, have you met 
with fishermen, seafood processors or any other representatives of 
coastal communities that would be most affected by a reinstatement of a 
ban on commercial fishing? If so, who?

    Answer. President Biden issued a proclamation on October 8, 2021, 
restoring the protections and boundaries for this important marine 
monument. Prior to that action by the President, staff at the 
Department and at the Department of Commerce engaged with stakeholders, 
including with indigenous organizations, fishing industry 
representatives, New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Councils, the Atlantic States and Marine Fishery Commissions, and a 
variety of businesses, scientific, nonprofit, and conservation 
organizations.

    Question 13. I understand that Department staff had a brief phone 
call with concerned fishing industry leaders in March. Each participant 
was only allotted five minutes to defend their livelihood. Can you 
commit to meeting with commercial fishermen for more than five minutes 
before making a recommendation to the President on reinstating the 
commercial fishing ban?

    Answer. As noted in the previous response, President Biden issued a 
proclamation on October 8, 2021, restoring the protections and 
boundaries for this important marine monument.

    Question 14. According to a recent report from the Washington Post, 
the Department is advocating for President Biden to reinstate the 
commercial fishing ban in the marine monument. What scientific studies 
did your staff base this assessment on, if any? Can you please turn 
those over to us? Or is this just a rebuke of President Trump's actions 
last June?

    Answer. As noted in the previous responses, President Biden issued 
a proclamation on October 8, 2021, restoring the protections and 
boundaries for this important marine monument that were put in place 
during the Obama Administration and removed during the previous 
Administration.

    Question 15. Do you believe that former President Obama's original 
proclamation designating the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine 
National Monument should have also banned recreational fishing?

    Answer. As noted in the previous responses, President Biden issued 
a proclamation on October 8, 2021, restoring the protections and 
boundaries for this important marine monument.

    Question 16. Have you had any conversations with recreational 
fishing groups or environmental groups concerning the marine monument? 
If so, who, and when? 

    Answer. As noted in a previous response, prior to the issuance of 
the proclamation by President Biden, staff at the Department and at the 
Department of Commerce engaged with stakeholders, including with 
indigenous organizations, fishing industry representatives, New England 
and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States and 
Marine Fishery Commissions, and a variety of businesses, scientific, 
nonprofit, and conservation organizations.

    Question 17. Are you aware that all eight of the regional councils 
created under the Magnuson- Stevens Act and charged with managing our 
nation's fisheries have spoken out against a commercial fishing ban in 
the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Monument?

    (a) If so, why haven't you taken their unanimous opinion into 
account?

    (b) In your confirmation hearing and in responses to QFRs you 
repeatedly stated that a top-down approach to conservation was not the 
best option, so why are you advocating for it here?

    (c) Does the Magnuson-Stevens Act even matter anymore if you won't 
heed or even take into consideration the advice of the experts who 
manage our nation's fisheries?

    Answer. As noted in a previous response, President Biden issued his 
proclamation on October 8, 2021, restoring the protections and 
boundaries for this important marine monument that were put in place 
during the Obama Administration and removed during the previous 
Administration. Prior to that action by the President, staff at the 
Department and at the Department of Commerce engaged with stakeholders, 
including with indigenous organizations, fishing industry 
representatives, New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Councils, the Atlantic States and Marine Fishery Commissions, and a 
variety of businesses, scientific, nonprofit, and conservation 
organizations.

                                 ______
                                 
    The Chairman. I want to thank you again, Madam Secretary, 
and now the Members will have an opportunity to ask questions. 
I am going to begin by recognizing, in order of seniority.
    Mrs. Napolitano, if she is available and has any questions, 
you are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mrs. Napolitano. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Madam Secretary, it is great to see you, and 
congratulations, again. My whole premise of recycled water is, 
unfortunately, we see far too little in Title XVI water 
recycling projects. You go from 63 million to 4.5 million, and 
in the WaterSMART, 55 million to 15 million. I understand we 
have over 400--almost 500 million--in line, already-approved 
projects to be approved, to be funded.
    Somehow we are not looking at recycling as a way of 
combating drought. But in the West, even Arizona, New Mexico, 
California, and Nevada are sadly in need of funds to be able to 
increase their water supply by recycling.
    Increased investment in Title XVI would have advanced 
dozens of water recycling projects. Like I said, they are 
already approved, feasibility studies, simply waiting for 
Federal funding for the share. And how much demand are you 
seeing from water districts from Title XVI grants, currently?
    And are the current funding levels sufficient to meet the 
current demand?
    As you know, the Colorado River Basin has been in drought 
for more than two decades, with no end in sight. The 
stakeholders are working to advance new drought-proof water 
supply to help respond to the challenges. It includes a 
proposal for a regional recycled water project led by 
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, in 
collaboration with other states that would generate enough 
water for a half million families.
    Can you tell the Committee whether the Department will help 
advance regional drought projects like these to help bolster 
water security for communities across the Colorado River?
    I don't understand why the drop. It should be increased. I 
requested $500 million to be added to Title XVI. I understand 
Mr. Huffman and Chairman Grijalva looked more at $750 million, 
because there is such demand, and there is a new move to----
    [Audio malfunction.]
    Mrs. Napolitano [continuing]. I don't know whether you can 
answer that right offhand, but I would like to be in touch with 
you to see how we can work this out. It is just not enough. And 
the diminishing of the budget for that really is hardest on the 
17 Western states' ability to combat drought.
    Could you answer any questions?
    Secretary Haaland. Congresswoman, thank you so much for the 
question, and I want you to know that we understand how severe 
the drought is in the West. We care about it deeply. We work on 
it every single day. And the programs that we have in place we 
absolutely want to support. We feel that there are many tools 
we can use, and we are going to do our best to use every single 
tool.
    I would love to give Rachel an opportunity to go into a few 
more details about Title XVI and the WaterSMART program.
    Mrs. Napolitano. Thank you.
    Ms. Taylor. Thank you, Madam Secretary, and thank you, 
Congresswoman, for the question on this.
    As the Secretary said, we are mindful, especially in the 
grip of such a historic drought, that all tools need to be used 
in the toolbox.
    With respect to your question on the Title XVI funding, we 
would be happy to follow up with your office regarding the 
demand for applications, and have a longer conversation with 
that.
    I would note that the President's budget request includes, 
as part of the Jobs Plan, $2.5 billion for Western water 
resilience. And water recycling and reuse projects have been 
called out, specifically. I know that that plan--the details 
are still being worked out, and that is something that I fully 
intend to work with the Committee, and work with you all on.
    Mrs. Napolitano. That is just minimal funding. The funding 
that is required because of what is already approved, it is way 
beyond that. And I would like to have a conversation with you 
on that, because it affects not only California, Nevada, New 
Mexico, and Arizona--and the Colorado River is at an all-time 
drought, and it is getting worse. It is critical. It is very 
imperative that we take steps to be able to fund programs that 
will help with the water resiliency in many of those areas, and 
I look forward to it, to work with you, Ms. Secretary.
    Thank you very much, and I yield back.
    The Chairman. The gentlelady yields. Let me recognize the 
Ranking Member, Mr. Westerman.
    You are recognized, sir.
    Mr. Westerman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Secretary Haaland, probably a little-known fact by most 
Americans is that 40 percent of the land along the Southern 
border is Federal land that falls under the management of DOI. 
This year, already, there have been 105,000 pounds of 
methamphetamine seized, and an astonishing nearly 6,500 pounds 
of fentanyl. That is enough lethal doses of fentanyl to kill 
1.4 billion people, four times the population of the United 
States.
    My first question is, what is the Administration's plan to 
ensure that DOI's lands on our Southern border are protected?
    And why didn't the Department budget request any money 
specifically for this purpose?
    Secretary Haaland. Ranking Member, thank you so much for 
the question.
    And with respect to any of those budget requests, of 
course, we are always going to be happy to meet with you and 
give you any details that you like. But if Rachel has something 
to add there, I would appreciate it.
    Ms. Taylor. Yes, I would be happy to follow up on the 
numbers. I mean, I think we are taking a look at the manpower 
issues, and also the environmental issues that are related to 
the border. So, I would be happy to follow up with you on that 
one.
    Mr. Westerman. Yes, I would be interested in following up, 
and especially talking about the environmental issues on public 
lands, where illegal traffic is going across.
    Just as another part of that, according to the DEA, Mexican 
traffickers are the principal suppliers of most illicit drugs 
on reservations in Indian Country. A few weeks ago I had the 
opportunity to travel in the Southwest and visit with a lot of 
tribal leaders. And unprompted, every place I stopped, they 
talked about the problem with illegal drugs on their tribal 
lands.
    So, as this border crisis allows for more dangerous drugs 
to flow into our country, how will you work specifically to 
combat the flow of illicit drugs on tribal lands?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you very much, Ranking Member.
    One thing I can say is that the President, essentially, 
wants to use an all-of-government approach for many of the 
issues that cross our departments. And, of course, the 
Department of the Interior is one department that might deal 
with issues of that nature, but there are others, as well.
    I would like to, honestly, get together with other members 
of the cabinet to discuss the issue, and we would be happy to 
revisit this issue with you.
    Mr. Westerman. Thank you, Secretary. The Administration's 
budget supports the 30x30, which is based on a similar global 
initiative. In April of this year, 245 non-governmental 
organizations signed a letter criticizing the Global 30x30 
initiative over concerns that it could displace up to 300 
million Indigenous peoples, and lead to serious human rights 
abuses by conservation organizations and enforcement agencies.
    How can this Administration claim to support Indigenous 
peoples at home, when one of your main priorities is based on a 
global initiative that has sparked serious human rights issues 
and concerns over Indigenous peoples around the world?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much, Ranking Member. The 
America the Beautiful Initiative--we are looking at it as a 
collaborative effort. We feel it is one that can bring our 
country together, that can unite us in a conservation effort 
that would, actually, invite tribes. President Biden has made 
it a priority of his administration to ensure that we have 
robust tribal consultation across the government. We intend to 
make sure that we carry that out. We have already spoken with 
many tribes and stakeholders regarding the America the 
Beautiful Initiative, and in that spirit, the collaborative 
spirit, we will move forward with it.
    I thank you for your concerns. And, of course, we will look 
at all the issues with respect to this initiative, and make 
sure we are informed as we move forward.
    Mr. Westerman. Thank you, Secretary. I know from previous 
service with you on this Committee that justice for Indigenous 
people is very important to you.
    We are currently investigating the World Wildlife Fund for 
potentially using Federal grants for eco-guards who raped, 
murdered, and forced Indigenous peoples from their homes in the 
name of conservation efforts like 30x30. DOI's budget provides 
an additional $6 million for the Fish and Wildlife Services 
International Affairs Division, which has been at the center of 
this controversy.
    Why are we using taxpayer money to fund organizations with 
serious human rights abuses?
    And will you commit to continuing the Trump 
administration's freeze on that grant funding to organizations 
like WWF with histories of such abuse?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Ranking Member. I can 
guarantee you that all of these grants and so forth, they 
undergo very stringent reviews. And I will take your comment 
and your concern back to the Department, and make sure that 
they will look at that.
    Mr. Westerman. Thank you again, Madam Secretary. I am out 
of time. I have more questions I will submit in writing.
    Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    The Chairman. The gentleman yields. Let me recognize 
Congressman Costa for his questions.
    Sir, you are recognized.
    Mr. Costa. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, members of 
the Committee.
    Madam Secretary, we are so proud that one of our own 
members from this Committee would be chosen to be the Secretary 
of the Department of the Interior. And the President--it is 
fitting and appropriate for the first Native American to serve 
in this very important position. And I, for one, I know we will 
be looking forward to continuing to work with you in this 
important partnership.
    I want to talk about drought in California and the Western 
states, and also a bit about the fire issues with our parks and 
forests, and coordination between your efforts and the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture that has a large responsibility on 
forest management.
    I don't have to tell you we have extreme drought conditions 
in the West. In California, with climate change, obviously, 
they are increasing with the intensity. This may be the worst 
drought since 1977, 1978, yet there are more demands on 
California's water system--and, I would say, for the West, the 
Colorado River and others--than ever before in our history.
    Therefore, we have to work together. The governor has 
proposed a $5.2 billion drought resistance plan to help the 
state in a host of different areas. I know this budget that you 
are talking about here today was proposed earlier. Things have 
only gotten worse since this budget. I would urge you to take 
another look at it.
    Frankly, I agree with my colleague, Grace Napolitano, on 
WaterSMART and a host of these areas. We need to plus them up. 
In Congress, I am going to do everything I can to do just that 
in some of our infrastructure packages.
    One of the areas that is very important in this funding 
effort is also trying to balance transfers when they can in our 
water system. We are looking at some opportunities in July. We 
just had an important water workshop--bipartisan state and 
federal officials--Ernest Conant was representing the 
Department.
    I asked you earlier, but I want you to urge every bit of 
creativity and thinking out of the box when we have windows of 
opportunities to transfer molecules of water that are so much 
needed. We have some of our farm communities that we are going 
to have, literally, hundreds and thousands of acres of land 
fallowed, maybe a million or more. That results in unemployment 
to farm communities, and campesinos and farm workers of 40 to 
50 percent in the last severe drought we had in 2008 and 2010. 
Those are communities and people hurting.
    Do you care to respond?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much, Congressman, and I 
share a deep concern with you about the drought. It is an issue 
that we work on every single day. There are members of my 
senior staff who are on this issue day in----
    Mr. Costa. By the way, I am glad that Tonya and Camille, 
you have working relationships with all of us, now are part of 
your team, or will be.
    Secretary Haaland. Yes. So, I just want you to know that it 
is important to us, and we are taking, there again, an all-of-
government approach to this issue. As we mentioned, the $2.5 
billion for Western water resilience, we are happy to work with 
you on that number, and would, of course, welcome anything----
    Mr. Costa. Right. On that point, we have an effort that--I 
think we have bipartisan support for the restoration of the 
Friant-Kern Canal, the Delta-Mendota Canal, and the California 
Aqueduct. The governor has money in his budget, and we are 
looking at that as a part of our effort.
    Dam safety is also a critical area. And I want to revisit 
that with you. Let me move quickly, because time has elapsed 
here.
    I toured Yosemite National Park. I know you are plussing up 
our National Park System, and I understand you have had 
conversations with Secretary Vilsack. But the horrific fires we 
have had in the West, are so, so devastating in all of our 
districts.
    I suggested that there is a joint role and responsibility 
between Interior and USDA with the Forest Service. Are you 
working together to update the forest management plan? Because 
it not only affects our forests, but our national parks, as 
well.
    And the maintenance is needed. The superintendent, Cicely 
Muldoon, great superintendent, gave me a 3-hour tour of all the 
updates that are needed in Yosemite, and that is just one of 
our crown jewels of our national parks.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much. Yes, Secretary 
Vilsack and I meet regularly regarding this issue. And I am 
happy to ensure that I take your concerns back to him.
    Mr. Costa. More to be continued. I have run out of time, 
not questions. But we need to work together, and I look forward 
to doing just that. Thank you.
    Secretary Haaland. Congressman, thank you.
    The Chairman. The gentleman yields, and I believe Mr. 
Gohmert is recognized for his time.
    [Pause.]
    The Chairman. Going to Lamborn? OK.
    Mr. Lamborn, sir, you are recognized.
    Mr. Lamborn. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    And, Madam Secretary, it is good to see you. I remember you 
used to sit right over there not that long ago. Now you have a 
different seat, a little more power, perhaps, but I am going to 
just jump right in, because of limited time.
    There is this comprehensive review that is going on for oil 
and gas leasing on Federal lands. Thank goodness a Federal 
judge has issued a temporary restraining order against that 
because of all the jobs and energy that would be hurt because 
of that ban. But is this going to result in a permanent ban on 
Federal lands of oil and gas production when this review is 
completed?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much, Congressman. And it 
is nice to see you, as well. Thank you for welcoming me here.
    The pause on oil leases, as you know, was for new leases. 
There are still millions of acres that are open, and thousands 
and thousands of permits that are actually working right now. 
The decision of the court is under review in the Solicitor's 
Office. They are working with the Department of Justice, as 
well, to review that decision. Of course, we will abide by any 
decision that we are ordered to, and we will be happy to be in 
touch with you as to next steps.
    But I just want to make sure you know that the pause is on 
new leases, not existing leases or permits.
    Mr. Lamborn. But do you anticipate a permanent ban of 
production for new leases when the review is done?
    Secretary Haaland. As I have said many times, gas and oil 
production will continue well into the future. And we believe 
that that is the reality of our economy and the world we are 
living in.
    Mr. Lamborn. Does that mean you would favor new production 
in the future?
    Secretary Haaland. I have always said that I am going to 
absolutely follow the law. The reason for the review, of 
course, we want to make sure that taxpayers, the American 
taxpayers, are getting a good return on, essentially, their 
investment.
    Mr. Lamborn. With that in mind, about $10 billion comes in 
to the Federal Government from oil and gas leases, currently. 
And a lot of that is used for the national park backlog, and 
conservation efforts, and other really good incentives, and the 
rest goes into the Treasury.
    How are we going to replace $10 billion if there is a 
permanent ban, which you are sort of in doubt about?
    Secretary Haaland. No, I don't think there is a plan right 
now for a permanent ban, Congressman. But as I said, the review 
will come out early summer, and we will assess the gas and the 
fossil fuel programs at that time.
    And, of course, we are happy to talk with you further. If 
you have any questions, you are welcome to give us a call, and 
we are happy to make sure that we are approaching it in a 
transparent manner.
    Mr. Lamborn. When it comes to mining, I am really 
concerned, because we need to have continued production of 
lithium and rare minerals in the future, if nothing else, for 
electric vehicles, plus computers, cell phones, and everything 
else that we use these important substances for. Yet, mining 
has such a hard time getting established in the United States 
under current environmental and the Department of the Interior 
regulations. It takes 10 or 12 years to open a mine.
    So, how can we meet the need for lithium and critical and 
rare earth minerals, when it takes so long to do mining in the 
United States?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you for the question, Congressman. 
And, yes, we understand that critical minerals are important to 
the future of our technology. And President Biden, of course, 
believes in energy independence.
    I think that the United States and the Department of the 
Interior want to make sure that any mining that is done takes 
into consideration the environment. We have to make sure that 
we are doing things with respect to the environment, that 
workers are protected in mines, and so forth.
    And I am fortunate to work alongside a tremendous number of 
USGS scientists who understand this issue very well.
    Mr. Lamborn. OK, thank you for your answer. Let me just 
conclude by saying I hope we don't have to rely on other 
countries like China that have horrible environmental policies. 
They are dirty, they pollute. Let's have some U.S. production. 
And we can't just rely on recycling.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
    The Chairman. The gentleman yields. Let me recognize 
Representative Sablan.
    Sir, you are recognized.
    Mr. Sablan. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
    Madam Secretary, welcome back to the House, and 
congratulations on your being selected and confirmed as 
Secretary of the Interior. Thank you also for your public 
support of the UNDRIP, the United Nations Declaration on the 
Rights of Indigenous People. That was awesome. And also, Madam 
Secretary, I would like to work with you, since your 
Department, your Office of Insular Affairs, is supposed to be 
our greatest advocacy in the Administration for the insular 
areas, the territories like my district, the Northern Marianas.
    And, Madam Secretary, as you know, responding to climate 
change is a priority of this Committee. And it is especially 
important to my constituents in the Northern Mariana Islands, 
who are on the front line of the negative impacts of climate 
change. So, I congratulate the President and your Department 
for almost doubling to $15 million funding for the Energizing 
Insular Communities Program in your Department's budget.
    Congress has been plussing up this line item for the last 
several years. I am not convinced the Department has been using 
this money as effectively as it could, however. In 2014, former 
Congressman Donna Christensen's legislation mandating that 
Interior create energy action plans for all the insular areas 
was enacted, Public Law 113-235. But the Department has not 
used the Energizing Insular Communities funding to implement 
that law.
    There are supposed to be energy action plans for each 
insular area, to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels, 
develop domestic sources like wind and solar, which we have in 
abundance, and to improve the efficiency of the infrastructure. 
The plans are supposed to include both engineering and 
financing guidelines for implementing and sustaining these 
improvements, and a timeline for putting the plans to work with 
specific project milestones.
    And lastly, and this is particularly important, Madam 
Secretary, this is not work that the Interior Department throws 
to the insular governments and says, ``Good luck, it is up to 
you.'' No, this is work that the Interior Department is 
supposed to lead Federal agencies in getting done. Obviously, 
we will have to work with each insular government, but the law 
puts the burden on the Department of the Interior.
    I am very heartened to see that President Biden seems 
serious about the Energizing Insular Communities Program, and 
is doubling funding for that.
    Madam Secretary, if I may ask, may I have your commitment 
to implement Public Law 113-235, and create these energy action 
plans for each insular area?
    Secretary Haaland. Mr. Sablan, thank you so much for the 
question, and I want you to know that your community is 
extremely important to me, and to all of us, and I am 
absolutely going to take all of your concerns and comments back 
to the office.
    You must know Nik Pula quite well. I will make sure that he 
knows and understands. We are going to make sure that we are 
moving this forward. And I thank you for the question.
    Mr. Sablan. Yes, thank you. And, yes, I do know Mr. Pula, 
and we have been encouraging the office to comply with the law. 
And the law also requires that the Department provide annual 
reports to Congress on the implementations of the law. So, 
Madam Secretary, respectfully, I also ask--could we have your 
commitment that you will be making those annual reports to 
Congress on the implementation of that law?
    Secretary Haaland. Yes. Thank you, Congressman.
    Mr. Sablan. All right, thank you.
    And the law also requires you to create teams of technical, 
policy, and financial experts to assist each of the insular 
areas in developing and implementing their respective plans. 
May I also have your commitment, Madam Secretary, that you 
provide this Committee with the names of the experts for the 
team for each insular area, so we can be assured that the 
planning and implementation is in good hands?
    Secretary Haaland. We will follow the law, we will follow 
the policies, we will make sure you get what you need, 
Congressman.
    Mr. Sablan. Thank you. And if I may, Madam Secretary, I 
would like for you to know that you have an open standing 
invitation to come visit the Northern Marianas.
    And finally, Madam Secretary, I know it is not the 
jurisdiction of this Committee, but I was sort of heartened to 
see that there is some money that is indicated or identified in 
the President's budget that is meant to maintain and improve 
the conditions of Bureau of Indian Education schools in Indian 
Country, which is really sorely needed. But thank you for that 
also.
    Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    Mr. Costa. Would the gentleman yield for a question?
    Mr. Sablan. Yes.
    Mr. Costa. When was the last time a Secretary of the 
Interior visited the Northern Mariana Islands, Mr. Sablan?
    Mr. Sablan. Not in the 13 years I have been here, but it 
has been a while.
    It has been a while, Madam Secretary.
    The Chairman. With that, the gentleman yields.
    And I believe Mr. McClintock is--sir, you are recognized.
    Mr. McClintock. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Madam Secretary, after considering some 6,500 public 
comments, the Trump administration issued a final supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement to raise Shasta Dam by 18\1/2\ 
feet. This long-overdue proposal would store enough water to 
support more than 3 million Californians annually, allowing for 
storage in wet years so that we have it in dry ones, like the 
one we are currently suffering. Would you commit to moving 
forward with the Shasta Dam raise?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you very much. I will have to take 
that question back to the Department, and my staff will be in 
touch with you and your office, sir.
    Mr. McClintock. As you know, it is desperately needed. We 
had record rainfall a few years ago, and we had to open the 
dams and release that water, because we had no place to store 
it.
    The Shasta was designed to be 800 feet of elevation. It is 
currently 600 feet. So, this raise is about 700,00 acre-feet of 
water, and it has been languishing for many, many decades now. 
And if, in fact, your budget request includes no funding for 
new water storage capacity, despite the severe drought 
conditions that we are suffering in the West, I wonder, how can 
the Administration expect to address our Western water crisis 
without proposing any funding for long-term water storage?
    Secretary Haaland. Congressman, thank you so much. Water 
storage is, absolutely, one of the tools that we are looking 
at, with respect to water conditions and drought in the West. 
And I appreciate you raising that, and will be very happy to 
follow up with you on that specific issue.
    Mr. McClintock. I have just raised two critical questions 
for the people of the Western United States, and I have gotten 
answers to neither of those questions. And they are simple and 
fundamental to the responsibilities of this government.
    Let me try a third time. Earlier this year, more than 200 
Western water, agriculture, and urban organizations sent a 
letter to Congress and to the White House requesting an all-of-
the-above approach to funding Western water infrastructure to 
be included in any infrastructure stimulus package.
    The reclamation provisions of the WIIN Act expire this 
year. Do you support WIIN Act reauthorization?
    Secretary Haaland. Yes, the WIIN Act has been very helpful 
to many communities.
    Mr. McClintock. So, the Administration will support its 
full reauthorization?
    Secretary Haaland. Let's see. We are working to send 
recommendations to the Energy and Water Subcommittee, pursuant 
to the 2016 WIIN Act to allocate funding for water storage, 
desalinization, and water recycling.
    Mr. McClintock. All right, thank you.
    I have heard from a number of constituents who are upset 
with the reservation system for Yosemite National Park. The 
National Park Service is requiring reservations to enter the 
park through September 30, citing COVID, despite the fact that 
California has now fully reopened, and the science demonstrates 
that COVID does not spread outdoors.
    Will you commit to ending the reservation system, and 
restoring full public access to the park?
    Secretary Haaland. I appreciate the question. Of course, I 
feel it is my duty to make sure we are consulting with folks on 
the ground. And, certainly, we would talk to the superintendent 
of that park, and be happy to have the conversation with NPS--
--
    Mr. McClintock. Well, these restrictions continue to have a 
devastating impact on the gateway communities that depend upon 
tourist travel to Yosemite for their very economic existence.
    Secretary Haaland. Yes. Thank you, and----
    Mr. McClintock. One of the goals that we set in the 
Majority was to restore the Federal Government as a good 
neighbor to the communities that are directly impacted by the 
Federal lands. Consulting the superintendent is not consulting 
the communities. I will assure you the communities are in 
desperate need of lifting these restrictions, which have no 
foundation at all in science.
    Secretary Haaland. Well, Congressman, if I may, I am 
pleased, overall, with President Biden's work to help make sure 
that our country is getting vaccinated. And I know that things 
are definitely----
    Mr. McClintock. But that has nothing to do with the 
science, that has clearly shown that COVID very, very rarely 
spreads outdoors. And in fact, by ordering people indoors, I 
think that the government made a huge mistake. But we can 
discuss that later.
    One more question. You claimed to prioritize wildland fire 
risk, but earlier this year the Administration endorsed the 
Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act, which 
would add 1\1/2\ million new acres of wilderness. Over the past 
10 years, nearly 7 million acres of wilderness and wilderness 
study areas have burned in catastrophic wildfires, and may jump 
into other federal, state, and private lands, where they cause 
even more destruction.
    I wonder, how can this Administration claim to be serious 
about wildland fire management, when you are endorsing policies 
that tie the hands of Federal land managers, and prevent 
necessary treatments of our public lands that are so 
desperately needed?
    The Chairman. Madam Secretary, Mr. McClintock's last 
question. The time is up. If you wish to answer it, or send the 
question to the Committee in a response in writing, that would 
be appropriate, as well.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much. I appreciate very 
much your questions, and we will absolutely respond in writing. 
Thank you.
    The Chairman. Thank you. The gentleman yields.
    Mr. Huffman, sir, you are recognized.
    Mr. Huffman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    And, Madam Secretary, it is a great honor and a pleasure to 
address you as our new Secretary of the Interior. Thank you, 
and welcome back.
    One of the most important things I think that you and your 
colleagues in this Administration have done is to thoughtfully 
reconsider, and in some cases reverse, ill-conceived policies 
of the last administration. And this certainly includes the 
decision to suspend the oil leases in the Arctic Refuge, which 
were rushed through during the waning days of the last 
administration.
    These leases were announced just minutes before the mob of 
Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6. They are of 
dubious legality. They are a terrible idea, policy-wise. They 
are deeply unpopular, and I applaud you for suspending them. I 
urge the Department to take the next step, and to throw them 
out entirely, so that we can keep working on permanent 
protection of that very unique and pristine place, the Coastal 
Plain of the Arctic Refuge.
    We have already talked a bit about climate impacts here 
this morning. And in my district and in California, of course, 
we are feeling some of the worst of these impacts, with 
wildfires and drought. The concerns that my colleague, Jim 
Costa, raised about the very real hardship that farmers are 
feeling in the Central Valley are real. But there are also 
other interests at stake with this drought, and I thank you for 
engaging with me on the critical conditions in the Klamath 
Basin, because we have tribes, we have fishermen, we have 
ecosystems. All of them are suffering.
    But you wouldn't necessarily know that there are all these 
other stakeholders and interests by looking at the previous 
administration, because your predecessor always had his thumb 
on the scale for his former lobbying clients. And I am so glad 
that, after a century of giving a free pass to the fossil fuel 
industry and others, and a revolving door of special interests, 
that this Administration is taking a new approach.
    One thing I want to suggest is, in agreement with what a 
couple of my colleagues have already suggested, this drought, I 
think, does merit reconsideration of some of the budget amounts 
for Title XVI, and WaterSMART. Given the severity of this 
drought--WaterSMART, in particular--water conservation is the 
fastest way we can bring better water management online. It is 
decades faster than any type of new dam someone might propose 
to build. It is cost effective, it has local matching funds, 
and it really makes a difference quite quickly in drought-
stricken communities. So, to see that line item actually 
decrease in the budget was troubling for many of us. And I hope 
you will continue to work with Congress to find an appropriate 
level of support for that critical program.
    I am also glad that we are talking about more than just the 
band-aids, the triage from these various climate impacts, that 
you and your colleagues in this Administration are looking 
upstream at the drivers of these climate impacts. And in that 
regard, I want to thank you for something that you have already 
been criticized about this morning by my colleagues across the 
aisle. This is a moment that, of course, compels us to 
reconsider the century of impunity that the fossil fuel 
industry has had with respect to our public lands. And the fact 
that you have put a pause on Federal oil and gas leasing is 
entirely appropriate.
    But a lot of the sky-is-falling doom and gloom that we are 
hearing from fossil fuel interests about this, I think, is 
misplaced. So, I want to ask you about all of the stockpiled 
permits and leases that are out there, even in the face of this 
pause, that are going to continue potentially to move forward. 
This is not as if someone just flipped a switch, and shut off 
oil and gas development on public lands.
    Could you speak to that, and the fact that, as I understand 
it, companies already have access to over 26 million acres of 
land, and the current leasing pause does not affect existing 
oil and gas production, or all of those stockpiled leases and 
permits?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Congressman. And, yes, there 
are millions of acres of leased land. Also, over 8,000 approved 
drilling permits currently that are waiting to be used. So, we 
recognize that the oil and gas production continues, even in 
the face of the pause on new leases.
    Mr. Huffman. I appreciate that. I understand that a judge 
has put a temporary pause on that moratorium. And in light of 
that, and just the disruption that nationwide injunctions have 
when people do this kind of forum-shopping and manage to secure 
a nationwide injunction, I want to urge you to communicate to 
President Biden the necessity of declaring a climate emergency, 
which would bolster his authority in the face of those type of 
legal challenges, and I think it is entirely appropriate, if we 
are serious about this crisis.
    And, of course, I invite you to come and visit my district, 
where we need to talk about many natural resource issues.
    I also am glad that you brought up the issue of missing and 
murdered Indigenous women, because it is an acute issue in my 
district. And we would love the chance to host you, and talk 
about that. Thank you, Madam Secretary.
    I yield back.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you.
    The Chairman. I believe that Mr. Gosar is recognized.
    Sir.
    Dr. Gosar. Yes, can you hear me?
    The Chairman. Yes, you are heard.
    Dr. Gosar. OK. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Madam Secretary. 
Welcome back to the Committee.
    In your budget, you have a significant amount of money for 
tribal water settlements, which I think is important for us to 
settle many of these outstanding water commitments, 
particularly as the West faces what could be an epic shortfall 
of water.
    The tragic closing of a Navajo generating station in 
northern Arizona has deeply hurt the region and the people that 
depended on the revenues on this decision. One challenging 
decision we will have to have from this event is the 
redesignation of water left behind with the closure of NGS. The 
NGS closure leaves behind the potential redesignation of 34,100 
acre-feet of water, more than 11 billion gallons, for other 
uses each year from the Colorado River. This water is an 
opportunity for the region to settle old tribal water 
agreements, but also create new opportunities in the region.
    While Arizona is entitled to use this portion of the 
Colorado River's flow, it is important that we work to keep the 
water in the region to ensure that we have job creation and 
settle other challenges to the river. It is unfortunate that 
this decision will have to come at a time when the Colorado 
River is in such deep drought conditions. However, you are 
still facing this challenge.
    While I know that you will receive significant pressure 
from the environmental groups to return the water to the river 
flow, or for other entities who think they can take this water 
from Arizona, or for their own use, I hope that you will work 
with me and the delegation to ensure that the water stays in 
Arizona and in the region to solve the problems, and coordinate 
with the EPA to solve the subsurface cleaning up of the area.
    Madam Secretary, would you commit to working with us to 
keep the water from NGS in the northern Arizona region to solve 
local community and regional problems, settle historic tribal 
water needs, and to ensure that the damage done by the close of 
NGS is mitigated by keeping the water in the region?
    Secretary Haaland. I appreciate the question very much, 
Congressman, and it is nice to see you, as well.
    We are happy to work with you, and happy to have our office 
reach out to your office, and make sure that we are speaking on 
this issue. And I appreciate knowing your position on it.
    Dr. Gosar. Thank you, ma'am. I would now like to turn to 
another issue facing the Navajo Nation.
    As we heard at our hearing last week, the Navajo Nation is 
in the process of moving to advance the development of 
significant helium resources on the Navajo Nation. As you know, 
the Bureau of Land Management, as directed by Congress, is 
closing the National Helium Reserve this year, and preparing to 
sell off that asset. This closure means our Nation will need 
more helium resources, especially considering that our helium 
is on our national critical minerals list.
    One area that is a critical challenge is the importance of 
the Nation being able to move forward with their development in 
a timely fashion. As you know, drilling permits processed by 
the BLM and the Bureau of Indian Affairs are not often 
processed in a timely fashion, and often can create conflicts 
between the two agencies. However, this development by the 
Nation will be more successful if they can proceed in a timely 
manner to correspond with the new market opportunities created 
by the closure of the BLM reserve, and to get that project up 
and running effectively.
    Finally, we know that the Russian Federation is working to 
develop their own helium resources to compete, and we cannot 
delay our domestic development, then watch Russia speed their 
own development up and harm our efforts.
    Therefore, would you work with me and the Navajo Nation, 
when they come, to ensure that the permits that they will need 
will be processed in a timely fashion, and that the historic 
bickering between the agencies that has slowed permitting in 
the past is limited to ensure that the Navajo Nation can 
develop their own resources, create jobs, and provide a 
critical resource to the Arizona and American economy?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Congressman, for the 
question.
    First I will say what I mentioned before. President Biden 
believes in energy independence, of course. We are working 
toward that.
    And also, tribal consultation is a priority of this 
Administration. So, we will absolutely ensure that we are 
consulting with the Navajo Nation on any of the issues that 
they would like to consult on. And, of course, we are happy to 
continue to reach out to your office, as well.
    Dr. Gosar. Yes, it is very important to the coordination to 
be streamlined. I know that on the west side, the Colorado 
Indian Tribe had problems with water mitigation, and even 
wanted to leave the Indian Services and go to the Bureau of 
Reclamation. So, if it all could be established to streamlining 
that process, it would be worked out fabulously.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much, Congressman.
    Dr. Gosar. Thank you very much.
    Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    The Chairman. Thank you.
    I believe that Mr. Lowenthal--Congressman, you are 
recognized for 5 minutes, sir.
    Dr. Lowenthal. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Secretary Haaland, thank you for being here with us today. 
We miss you in the House of Representatives. Even though you 
see this background, I am not really at the beach. And we all 
miss you here on the Committee, and I will always treasure when 
our Committee took our field trip to Chaco Canyon with you.
    But I would like to talk about a couple of issues. One is 
offshore wind, and the second one is the Migratory Bird Treaty 
Act.
    As far as offshore wind, I would like to ask about offshore 
wind development off the coast of California. The Department of 
the Interior has made significant progress in the past few 
months on offshore wind, including some important breakthroughs 
on the West Coast. What are some of the unique challenges on 
the West Coast, and how is the Department working with 
stakeholders to overcome them?
    I know you are working closely with the Department of 
Defense, for example, but I know that there are other areas 
where you are also engaging. What are the next steps for 
offshore wind development on the West Coast?
    And how do you plan to hear from stakeholders like tribes, 
fisheries, and the maritime industry?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much, Mr. Lowenthal. I 
didn't think you were at the beach, but thank you for 
clarifying that.
    Of course, we are very proud of the work that we have been 
able to advance on offshore wind. You have heard about several 
of our projects getting off the ground. And it was a pleasure 
to meet with Governor Newsom recently to announce the two areas 
in the Pacific that could support 4.6 gigawatts of clean energy 
to power 1.6 million homes. That is an exciting opportunity, 
and it is wonderful to think about and to work on.
    We are always committed to active engagement with 
stakeholders. We have done that, and we will continue to do it. 
We want to make sure that everybody has a voice in how these 
projects move forward. And, of course, we are happy to also 
consult with you, as well. So, if you want us to contact anyone 
in particular, we are happy to do it. But we feel very 
confident that we try to do an excellent job at ensuring that 
voices have a seat at the table.
    Dr. Lowenthal. Thank you, and we will contact you.
    Secretary Haaland, thank you for your Department's work to 
undo the damage that the last administration did to the 
Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The reality is, the whiplash of how 
MBTA is interpreted is bad for everyone. Companies don't have 
certainty about how the government will view the impacts of 
their 30- to 50-year projects on birds. Birds themselves get 
unnecessarily killed.
    I know your Department is leading the way on the deployment 
of renewable energy, as we just spoke about, to address the 
climate crisis. And I think we have a real opportunity to get 
both bird conservation and wind energy right, right from the 
start. The budget request for the Fish and Wildlife Service 
includes an extra $18.2 million for migratory bird management.
    How will those funds help with the responsible deployment 
of clean energy, and the necessary update to MBTA 
implementation?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much, Congressman. I will 
talk briefly, and then I will hand it to Rachel, in case she 
has anything to add.
    But, right now, the Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing 
public comments on the proposed rule, so we will consider 
appropriate next steps. We will move forward on that.
    And if Rachel has anything to add, I would invite her to.
    Ms. Taylor. Thanks so much for the question, just a couple 
of points.
    Obviously, migratory bird management is going to include 
habitat, it is going to include data collection. You are going 
to have to have a good handle on the health of species, moving 
forward.
    The budget does include additional planning activities for 
the Fish and Wildlife Service, as well, which will help 
resolve, potentially, and advance some of the conflicts related 
to clean energy projects. And we want to make sure that we are 
in full compliance with the ESA, as we move forward with the 
President's agenda for clean energy. Thank you.
    Dr. Lowenthal. Thank you, and I look forward to continuing 
to work with you and the Administration on this issue. I yield 
back.
    The Chairman. The gentleman yields. Thank you, Mr. 
Lowenthal. And let me recognize Representative Graves.
    Sir, you are recognized.
    Mr. Graves. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Madam Secretary, congratulations. Good to see you again. I 
don't know why you would take that demotion from your previous 
perch, but congratulations to you.
    Madam Secretary, do you know how much oil was imported from 
Russia in May or June of last year to the United States?
    Secretary Haaland. Congressman, I don't have that figure at 
the top of my head.
    Mr. Graves. All right, let me make sure--it came out of my 
mouth incorrectly--imported to the United States from Russia. 
So, last May and June, it was none. It was zero. And this was 
during the Trump administration. Do you know how much has been 
imported for May, and projected to be imported for June, from 
Russia?
    Secretary Haaland. I don't have that figure on the top of--
--
    Mr. Graves. It was nearly 6 million barrels for the month 
of May, and it is projected to be in excess of 7 million 
barrels for the month of June, Russian oil imported to the 
United States. And this is under the Biden administration, 
compared to the Trump administration.
    It is very baffling to me to see how we are seeing 
shutdowns, moratoriums, pauses, or whatever term you want to 
use, for production in the United States, whenever it does have 
a big impact on jobs, economy, and we are increasing our 
reliance upon economies that I wouldn't consider to be 
friendly.
    We are also, effectively, facilitating the construction of 
the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, expanding markets for Russian oil 
by withdrawing the sanctions, President Biden's withdrawal of 
sanctions on Russian intelligence operatives that are building 
the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Very concerning.
    But I think you probably know where I am going to go with 
my question now, and I want to follow up on Mr. Lamborn's 
question, as well as Mr. Huffman's. As you know, there was a 
court case, and I believe it was June 15. The judge effectively 
withdrew the pause, or the moratorium, on oil and gas 
production. I want to understand. Today is June 23. This was a 
44-page decision that was issued on June 15. I heard you say in 
response to Mr. Lambert, as well as verifying Mr. Huffman's 
comment, that there still is a pause in place. But to me, that 
seems inconsistent with what the judge ordered.
    So, I just want to better understand the current status 
within the Department of the Interior. Is there a pause right 
now, or is there not?
    Secretary Haaland. We are going to follow the decision of 
the court. And, currently, the decision is being reviewed by 
our Solicitor's Office, our Department, and the Department of 
Justice, and we are going to abide by that decision.
    Mr. Graves. Has anything changed within the Department from 
when that judge issued the decision to today?
    Are you beginning to move forward on, what is it, Lease 
Sale 257? Have you published in the Federal Register?
    Secretary Haaland. No, we have not, to my knowledge, 
published in the Federal Register.
    Mr. Graves. So, what has changed since the decision was 
made?
    Secretary Haaland. What has changed? Well, we are reviewing 
the decision, we are reviewing the judge's----
    Mr. Graves. But it is 44 pages. I mean, you have a whole 
legal team, you have a Solicitor's Office, you have some very 
talented people. And it is 44 pages. So, I want to understand 
what has changed.
    The judge said you can't do that, that it is illegal, so I 
am just trying to understand how things have changed.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Congressman. I will be happy 
to make sure that I get you a detailed answer on your question. 
And we will be happy to revisit that.
    Mr. Graves. I would really appreciate that. This is very 
important to me, and I know you know that. Every time this 
issue would come up when you served on this Committee, it is 
very important.
    And the last question I have for you, last year, in my home 
state, depending on how you want to count, we had somewhere 
between five and seven storms that pounded coastal Louisiana, 
resulting in the loss of life, devastation of communities, the 
economy, wiping out areas, and ecological damages, substantial 
economic damages to one of the most productive, ecologically 
productive areas in the coast of the United States.
    When you stop energy production, you stop the revenue 
sharing that, under our Constitution in Louisiana, is committed 
to hurricane protection, to flood control, and restoring the 
coastal ecosystem. What would you say to those people at home 
that are going to suffer as a result of this decision to stop 
energy production, and stop the investment in the resiliency of 
those communities?
    Secretary Haaland. Congressman, first, I would like to just 
say how sorry I am. I know there was loss, the losses that your 
community has suffered. And I am extremely sorry for the losses 
that they have suffered in these terrible weather patterns that 
are happening because of climate change.
    So, I just want you to know that production on existing 
leases continues. As I have mentioned before, there are 
millions of acres of leases currently that are moving forward. 
There are over 8,000 permits to drill that aren't being used as 
of yet. So, we want to make sure that you know that there is 
production still happening in this country.
    Mr. Graves. Thank you. And I do want to follow up with you, 
please.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you.
    Mr. Graves. I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
    The Chairman. Thank you. The gentleman yields. Let me 
recognize the gentleman from Arizona, Representative Gallego. 
Sir, you are recognized.
    Mr. Gallego. Thank you.
    Thank you, Madam Secretary. What was happening in the 
economy last year, around May and June 2020 that may have 
affected oil demand? Can you think off the top of your head?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you for that question, and I 
believe it was the pandemic.
    Mr. Gallego. Yes, yes. I believe the total----
    Mr. Graves. Will the gentleman yield?
    Mr. Gallego. No.
    Mr. Graves. I am happy to choose another month.
    Mr. Gallego. No, I do not.
    So, just to be clear, that probably affected our demand for 
foreign oil, since we essentially shut down the economy, so 
people weren't going to work, factories weren't going. So, I 
just want to be clear about that.
    Madam Secretary, thank you, and it is good to see you 
again. I am also very grateful that your Department has made it 
a priority to review President Trump's illegal shrinking of 
Bears Ears National Monument, and I was glad to see that your 
Department recommended a full restoration of the monument to 
President Biden.
    As you know, Bears Ears is a sacred place for Indigenous 
people in the region. And the longer it goes without full 
protection, the more the land is vulnerable to vandalism, 
destruction, and extraction. Given the urgency of restoring 
protection of Bears Ears, can you provide any update on when a 
decision on this matter will be announced?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much for the question, Mr. 
Gallego. And, of course, that is entirely up to the President. 
It is under the prerogative of the President. The Antiquities 
Act is something that the President exercises. So, that, of 
course, would be a question for President Biden. And we will 
await his decision, as well.
    Mr. Gallego. Can you describe the tribal consultation your 
Department did during the review process, and whether your 
Department has taken into account the tribe's request to expand 
the monument to their full 4.9 million-acre request?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you very much for the question. 
And yes, we did--I traveled to Utah, and I met with the Bears 
Ears Intertribal Coalition. We did speak with tribal leaders 
separately. There were tribal leaders who attended several of 
our town halls that we had during the time I was in Utah. So, 
we took the tribal consultation issue very, very seriously. And 
I appreciate the question.
    Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Madam Secretary.
    And we have heard repeated complaints from my colleagues 
across the aisle about lack of local input into this Bears Ears 
National Monument. Secretary Haaland, can you confirm that you 
have met with local Utah stakeholders--obviously, the tribes 
involved--but actual local Utah stakeholders, the county 
governments, local governments also, while going through this 
process?
    Secretary Haaland. I absolutely did, yes. I think we had 
six town halls, where a number of those elected officials 
participated. And we welcomed farmers, ranchers, outdoor 
business owners, folks who owned stores and retail operations. 
And we even met with some children who came in. So, we felt we 
had a good overall sense of what the community--what was on 
their minds.
    Mr. Gallego. And then, as the former Chair of the 
Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples, I am glad to see your 
budget includes a 28 percent increase in funding for the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs. Can you highlight the importance of this 
increase in addressing some of Indian Country's dire 
infrastructure needs?
    What else do you need from Congress to begin to meet these 
needs?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much. I would love to give 
the floor to Rachel for specific needs, but thank you for 
raising the issue of infrastructure. That is something that is 
absolutely important.
    Ms. Taylor. Thank you, Madam Secretary, and thank you so 
much for the question.
    I think this budget, overall, is very strong for tribal 
programs. And I think we include both infrastructure and 
programmatic increases.
    A few things that are worth mentioning within the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs are the additional commitments to trust natural 
resource management programs. There is a significant investment 
for climate resilience and work that would be done with tribes 
on the ground that are addressing climate needs, including 
potentially relocation issues.
    And then we have public safety and justice programs that 
are also highlighted, which we all know are of need of 
additional resources. And that includes a 13 percent increase, 
including the Missing and Murdered investments that the 
Secretary mentioned earlier.
    It is important to note that the budget maintains 
investments in public safety construction, in Bureau of Indian 
Education construction. We are very grateful for the additional 
resources for BIE schools through the Great American Outdoors 
Act.
    So, I think that, overall, the budget includes some 
balanced investments for Indian Country that are well deserved. 
Thank you.
    Mr. Gallego. Thank you, and thank you, Madam Secretary.
    I yield back.
    The Chairman. The Chair recognizes Representative Hice.
    Dr. Hice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    And Secretary Haaland, again, as you have heard many times 
today, welcome back, and congratulations on your new position.
    You may remember, from the time when you were here, that my 
particular district is rich in history in this country. And one 
of the Revolutionary War sites was the Kettle Creek Battlefield 
site. And we are pleased that this past year, Kettle Creek was 
given the status of a National Park Service affiliated site. 
And I want to thank everyone on this Committee, both sides of 
the aisle, for participating in that action. That is very 
appropriate, and it was very much welcome in our district, and 
also for the Department of the Interior for the role in that, 
particularly under the Trump administration, while we were 
working through all those details.
    I would like to say that, since this current 
Administration, our office has reached out a number of times to 
the Department of the Interior to try to finalize the events 
for Kettle Creek, and the presentation of the NPS arrowhead to 
the site. Unfortunately, to this point we have had little to no 
communication with them. And I would like to know if you have 
any updates, if you have any information on the event, or the 
awarding of the arrowhead for Kettle Creek.
    Secretary Haaland. Congressman, on the top of my head I do 
not, but I will make sure that I go back this afternoon and 
ensure that somebody contacts your office and lets you know 
what the status is on that. Thank you for bringing that up to 
me today.
    Dr. Hice. Thank you. We really would appreciate that.
    Secretary Haaland. Yes, of course.
    Dr. Hice. As you can imagine, that is a big deal for our 
district, and particularly those that have worked tirelessly, 
literally for decades, to get recognition of Kettle Creek. I 
welcome working with your Department, and would, in advance, 
invite you to be a part of that ceremony when it takes place. 
We would be honored to have you.
    With that, if I could transition, looking at the budgetary 
proposal here, the increase is pretty staggering, 17 percent. I 
think that is a significant amount. How in the world are we 
going to pay for these increases?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you very much for the question, 
Congressman. And that is a question that I could actually turn 
over to Rachel.
    If you can, answer that, Rachel.
    Ms. Taylor. Certainly. I think the President's budget 
includes more than the Interior Department, and so there are 
some assumptions for revenues and tax policy that are 
associated with it.
    The President has made clear that he views this as a 
balanced budget--balanced, in the sense of a budget that 
reflects the priorities of the Nation, and is going to produce 
the kind of economic growth that is necessary, that will help 
address some of the needs.
    So, I would reflect you back to the bigger budget picture, 
and realize that Interior is just a piece of that, and that we 
feel that these investments that the President has given us in 
his budget request are very vital to fulfilling the 
Department's mission.
    Dr. Hice. Well, I understand that, but that doesn't really 
answer the question of how are we going to pay for any of this, 
be it the Department of the Interior or the broader budget, as 
a whole.
    And I know there have been proposed tax increases, which 
will weigh heavily on the American citizens. And I think it is 
only fair that the American people know what is coming, and how 
these types of increases, be it with Interior or any other 
department, raising such budgets--what is being proposed, it is 
going to fall on the taxpayer, and we need an honest assessment 
of that.
    I would also bring up, regarding the Interior portion here, 
it seems to me that the National Park Service maintenance 
backlog is not addressed at all in this. I can't find it or 
forest management, as has already been brought up. What are the 
plans to address those issues?
    Ms. Taylor. Thanks for the question. I can take on two 
pieces of that.
    With respect to the forest management and the fuels 
reduction budget, the budget actually does include some 
increased funding. We have between--with the Interior bureaus, 
we have a $100 million investment that includes forest health 
programs, fuels management, and burned area restoration that 
would address some of the treatments that you are describing.
    Then, with respect to the maintenance backlog, the budget 
does include a 13 percent increase for the National Park 
Service, overall. We are sustaining investments, and drawing on 
the Great American Outdoors Act that this Committee supported--
which has become vital for the Department. We have about $1.6 
billion across the Department that is going to address the 
deferred maintenance backlog that you mentioned, and is going 
to make the investments that are going to help us get ahead of 
that issue in a better way. Thank you.
    The Chairman. The gentleman yields. Let me recognize 
Representative Neguse.
    Sir, you are recognized.
    Mr. Neguse. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Thank you, Secretary Haaland, for being here today. It is 
wonderful to see you again. We all appreciate your excellent 
leadership at the Department of the Interior the past few 
months.
    As you know, my state of Colorado is home to many beautiful 
public spaces, including millions of acres that are under the 
management of your Department. I also appreciate you 
considering the valuable contributions that Coloradans bring to 
the Bureau of Land Management, as you consider the location of 
the agency's headquarters.
    As Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, 
and Public Lands, and as a proud Coloradan, I look forward to 
continuing to work with you. And, again, I am very grateful for 
your leadership.
    As you know, Secretary Haaland--and we have discussed this 
privately--Colorado has experienced record-setting wildfires in 
the last year. The East Troublesome and Cameron Peak fires both 
occurred in my district last year. They are now the first and 
second largest fires in the entire history of Colorado. The 
East Troublesome fire resulted in the closure of Rocky Mountain 
National Park, and at one point even jumped the Continental 
Divide before finally being contained.
    Wildfire management requires coordination between Federal 
agencies and state and local governments. But the Department of 
the Interior is primarily responsible for the management of 
more than 8--or, excuse me--9.6 million acres in Colorado. 
Department-wide, the Fiscal Year 2022 budget for wildland fire 
management programs requests $1.44 billion, which includes 
preparedness, suppression, operations, reserve fund 
investments, fuels, rehabilitation, and other important 
programs.
    I was proud to lead a bipartisan appropriations letter with 
Representative John Curtis and the Wildfire Caucus, urging 
increased funding for these programs in this year's budget. And 
I wonder if you could expound a bit on how the Department of 
the Interior is working with states, tribes, and other partners 
to leverage these resources, and ensure better wildland fire 
outcomes and post-fire recovery for federally managed lands in 
Colorado and across the country.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much, and I appreciate the 
question, Congressman.
    Yes, I mean, now we are not thinking of fire seasons any 
longer, we are thinking of fire years, because one season just 
melts right into the other. And if it is anything like it was 
last year, then we definitely have a lot to prepare for.
    I want you to know that I am in frequent communication with 
Secretary Vilsack. We are working together on these issues. We 
have done joint briefings with the Interagency Fire Center in 
Boise, and we are working very closely with the Forest Service, 
with states, with tribes, with local communities. We are making 
sure that we are all working together. It is the folks on the 
ground in those states that know their communities far better 
than we do.
    We are also working hard to ensure that we are hiring more 
folks who can be on the front lines. We are actively supporting 
wildfire incidents management teams across several geographic 
areas. We are doing what we think is everything we should be 
doing. Of course, we always welcome, are open to conversation 
and input from this Committee. And we would welcome anything, 
any ideas or anything you would like us to pay particular 
attention to.
    But we feel very good about the communications that we are 
having across the board with those communities.
    Mr. Neguse. That is wonderful to hear, Secretary Haaland. 
And you certainly have a partner in me, and in the bipartisan 
Wildfire Caucus, and we remain willing and able to help in any 
way that we can. We have been in touch with Secretary Vilsack, 
as well.
    In the final minute that I have, I wanted to just briefly 
touch on another topic that I know you care deeply about, as 
does President Biden, which is the Climate Conservation Corps, 
the proposal that he has announced within the American Jobs 
Act, which, of course, we are very excited about here on 
Capitol Hill. There is momentum building regarding his plan.
    We have proposed a similar plan, a Civilian Climate Corps 
proposal for $10 billion of investment to do reforestation and 
other important critical work on our public lands. And I just 
wonder if you might, consistent with the broader subject matter 
that we have been discussing, touch on whether or not restoring 
natural fire regimes and conditions, as well as post-fire 
recovery, could be the type of activities that the CCC would 
participate in, if we can get this fully funded here on Capitol 
Hill.
    Secretary Haaland. I appreciate that. And, yes, that is one 
of the initiatives that I am super excited about. I think it 
would be a wonderful opportunity to bring folks in as their 
opportunity to perhaps start a career in conservation. And, as 
I said, we are open to ideas, and certainly want to keep these 
conversations going. I know you are extremely passionate about 
this issue, so we would welcome your input into the ideas that 
you have.
    But, of course, we are thinking these folks are going to 
restore our wetlands on our coastal areas, they are going to 
remove invasive species, fuel reduction in forests, and so 
forth. But, of course, I think the list can go on.
    Mr. Neguse. Thank you, Madam Secretary. We look forward to 
welcoming you to Colorado.
    With that, I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you.
    The Chairman. The gentleman yields.
    Representative Radewagen, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mrs. Radewagen. Thank you, Chairman Grijalva and Ranking 
Member Westerman, for holding this hearing today, and thank 
you, Secretary Haaland, for your testimony. It is good to see 
you all again in person, and I thank the Chairman and Ranking 
Member for working to get us back here on the dais safely. We 
aren't at 100 percent yet, but we can see the light at the end 
of the tunnel, and I encourage the American people to take note 
of their example. If you haven't yet, please get vaccinated, 
and encourage those around you to do the same, so we can all 
enjoy each other's company once again.
    Before I get into my questions, I also want to thank 
Secretary Haaland and the Administration for including a level 
funding request for the American Samoa operations account with 
OIA. There has been a knee-jerk tendency for the budgeters over 
the years to include the account in across-the-board cuts, and 
it remained stagnant through decades of inflation, until 
recently. So, I appreciate that you acknowledged the importance 
of this account by not touching it.
    That said, the recent pandemic has highlighted weaknesses 
in our health infrastructure. And I have a request with the 
appropriations to not just maintain funding, but to increase 
the account for development and planning for a desperately 
needed new hospital.
    At an Indigenous Peoples Subcommittee hearing last week, we 
received testimony from several witnesses, including Chairman 
Ned Norris of the Tohono O'odham Nation, about the state of 
their healthcare infrastructure. And their descriptions could 
just as easily apply to the territories as to Indian Country.
    Madam Secretary, I sincerely appreciate your dedication to 
Indian and insular healthcare issues, and I will continue to 
rely on you to help address this problem. Both Congress and the 
Administration need to approach this for both sides. And I look 
forward to working with you.
    Shifting gears a bit, not all tribal fee-to-trust 
applications are the same. Madam Secretary, how will you and 
your team prioritize and process discretionary fee-to-trust 
applications?
    And with what local consultation process will you conduct, 
if there is neighboring tribe or local jurisdiction opposition?
    And for discretionary off-reservation fee-to-trust 
applications, will you commit to keeping the Indian Affairs 
manual update signed by Assistant Secretary Sweeney last 
August, which memorialized multiple years of national policy 
memoranda?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much for the question, Mrs. 
Radewagen. I appreciate the question.
    I want to let you know that I had a very nice conversation 
with Governor Lemanu just last week. So, we are in close touch 
with the folks in your community, and just appreciate the 
opportunity to support you and their mission.
    The fee-to-trust applications, I would really appreciate an 
opportunity--if I can get our Assistant Secretary to make sure 
that we can get a briefing, or have a conversation with your 
staff on this issue, just so you can have all the details you 
need. It is important to us. And, of course, as I mentioned, 
tribal consultation is an absolute priority of President 
Biden's administration, and we are committed to that.
    Mrs. Radewagen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    The Chairman. The gentlelady yields. Let me recognize 
Representative Levin.
    Sir.
    Mr. Levin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    The Chairman. You are recognized.
    Mr. Levin. Secretary Haaland, it is wonderful to see you. 
Just know that you are missed here, in the House of 
Representatives. I miss sitting with you and, hopefully, you 
are very proud of the two new great Representatives from New 
Mexico, who are sitting up here where you used to sit. But it 
is just great to see you in such a position of influence now.
    And I want to thank you also for conducting a comprehensive 
review of the Federal oil and gas leasing system, and for 
appearing before members of this Committee, so we could provide 
direct feedback on the Administration's ongoing review.
    I think you know that preventing new offshore oil and gas 
leasing in my state of California is extremely important to me 
and to the constituents that I represent. The local tourism, 
recreation, and coastal economies that employ so many of my 
constituents rely on clean beaches and healthy oceans, and that 
is why we have co-sponsored the American Coast and Ocean 
Protections Act.
    Under the last administration, as I think you may remember, 
your predecessor, Secretary Bernhardt, when I asked him, ``What 
comfort can you provide me that you will not pursue drilling 
off the California coast,'' let's just say he provided no such 
comfort. And really, it was very clear that fossil fuel 
interests came first. And it is why we need Congress to 
permanently protect the Pacific from the dangers of new oil 
drilling.
    Secretary, I understand that the Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management needs to develop a new, 5-year leasing program by 
2022. So, I will ask you a similar question to what I asked 
your predecessor: Can you commit here today that you will 
listen to my constituents in coastal Southern California before 
making any final decisions about new offshore drilling?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you for the question, Congressman. 
And, of course, as I mentioned earlier, I feel very confident 
about our team's ability to make sure we are reaching out to 
stakeholders. It is one thing that we are very committed to. 
So, yes, I make that commitment to you, that we will ensure 
that we are reaching out to stakeholders for these issues.
    Mr. Levin. Thank you. Incredibly refreshing to hear that.
    And can you commit to working with us in Congress, as we 
work to permanently prevent new drilling off California's 
coast?
    Secretary Haaland. I am always ready and willing to work 
with you, Congressman.
    Mr. Levin. Thank you so much. I want to turn to smart, 
renewable energy development on public lands.
    I applaud the Administration's desire to achieve 100 
percent carbon pollution-free power on our grid by 2035, and, 
certainly, our public lands should be part of that solution.
    As I talk to some of those who are working on these 
projects for renewable energy generation on public lands, I 
have heard that costs like acreage rents often don't reflect 
fair market value. BLM in California recently adjusted rents in 
Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. But I want 
to be sure that you are looking at this comprehensively.
    What action does the Department plan to take to address the 
high costs of rents and fees for wind and solar projects on 
public lands?
    Secretary Haaland. I would love to see if Rachel can answer 
that question. And, of course, we are ready to provide any 
details on the record too.
    Mr. Levin. Thank you so much. We look forward to following 
up.
    Finally, drought-prone communities that rely heavily on 
water imported from basins hundreds of miles away are working 
to enhance local supplies, including by investing in ocean 
desalination. I have the biggest de-sal plant in the Western 
Hemisphere in my district.
    The American Jobs Plan recognizes the Western drought 
crisis and the need to maximize the resilience of our land and 
water resources. Do you think that an infrastructure package 
should support a broad portfolio of water supply infrastructure 
projects, including local solutions like desalination, where 
appropriate?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you for the question, Congressman. 
And, of course, I understand that that is an option. It is one 
of the tools, as I mentioned, and know that that could be a 
source of water for coastal communities.
    And I also want to just mention that the American Jobs Plan 
includes Western water resiliency, and desalination is one of 
those tools in the tool box.
    Mr. Levin. Well, thank you so much, Madam Secretary. I look 
forward to working with you on all of the items we just 
discussed. And congrats again, and we are so excited for the 
next few years. Thank you so much.
    I yield back.
    The Chairman. The gentleman yields.
    Representative Fulcher, you are recognized for 5 minutes, 
sir.
    Mr. Fulcher. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Madam Secretary, just let me add my name to the 
congratulation list to you, and also thank you for your 
demeanor and attitude in interacting with us, and just how you 
conduct yourself. I am thankful for that.
    Madam Secretary, Representative Lamborn and Gosar already 
brought up this topic, but I want to just explore it a little 
bit further. It has to do with critical minerals and rare earth 
elements. As you know, there are many of those that are needed 
for homeland security purposes, many of those that are needed 
just for common consumer use, just to keep our daily lives 
coherent, if you will.
    According to the USGS, China currently provides 85 to 95 
percent of our rare earth elements, and that is problematic for 
a whole host of reasons. They are our enemy, and I know 
firsthand, because I have done business there for years. This 
is not an entity that generally wants to see the United States 
succeed and prosper. Also, they harvest in a very non-
environmentally friendly way when they do that.
    Now, we have those critical minerals in the United States, 
but many of those are on public lands. In my own state, those 
public lands comprise nearly two-thirds of land mass, and in 
our Nation, nearly a third. But harvesting is prevented, for 
the most part, by a preservation type of policy. And that 
policy just simply doesn't allow it, due to regulation, or law, 
or lawsuit, et cetera. And therein lies the conflict I want to 
talk with you about.
    Recently, the Administration put out the 30x30 initiative, 
30x30 report, and it focuses specifically on a conservation 
policy which, theoretically, would allow for some responsible 
harvesting of things that we need so badly. But in your 
articulation with the America the Beautiful report, your 
recommendations focus on a preservation-type language, which 
recommends even more wilderness designations, monuments, and so 
on and so forth, which simply just would not allow for any of 
that.
    Please talk to me about that. Are we going to proceed with, 
in the future, looking at a conservation-type approach, where 
you can, theoretically, responsibly do some of this harvesting? 
Or are we going to go all out and just say, no, this is 
preservation, we can't touch it at all?
    Which will it be in your Administration, Madam Secretary?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much for the question. I 
believe the America the Beautiful Initiative has emphasized a 
conservation model, and that conservation model is meant to 
ensure that we are collaborating with folks, that we are 
bringing in, keep us voluntary. We want private landowners, we 
want Tribal Nations to be a part of the initiative. It is not 
meant to be any other way.
    So, I want to assure you that conservation is the word that 
we use when referring to America the Beautiful. And that 
includes--during the time we were writing this review, that my 
team was writing the review, we consulted with many 
stakeholders: farmers, ranchers, folks in the outdoor economy. 
Those voices were all a part of the conversations that we had. 
And it is truly meant to be a voluntary and collaborative 
effort.
    Mr. Fulcher. In that sense, will you commit within your 
Administration to support a policy that would allow responsible 
harvesting of the critical minerals and rare earths that we 
need in this Nation?
    Secretary Haaland. With respect to critical minerals, of 
course, we understand that it is important to an innovative 
economy. And President Biden recognizes the importance of 
critical minerals for the future of our country. And, of 
course, we want it to be done in an environmentally responsible 
way, with attention paid to ensure that workers are safe, and 
so forth.
    We believe very strongly we can support our economy and the 
environment at the same time.
    Mr. Fulcher. And I want to try to get one more very quick 
question in. But let me just close it up by just commenting.
    Madam Secretary, we only have two options: we either get it 
from someone else, or we do it ourselves, responsibly. And the 
someone else is not our friend. So, please just contemplate 
that.
    Lastly, before I run out of time, 58,000 acres burned last 
year, many of that on our public lands, Department of the 
Interior lands. Do you have any idea what type of upscale will 
be needed in order to prevent such things from continuing to 
grow?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much for the question. 
Perhaps that is one that Rachel might be able to give some 
details on.
    Ms. Taylor. Thank you for the question. I think you have 
touched on a really important question. And we go back to the 
cohesive wildfire strategy, which talks about fire-resilient 
communities, and supporting response efforts. And one of the 
pieces of that is making sure that the land is healthy, and 
that we have the appropriate resources. So, I would----
    Mr. Fulcher. Rachel, I apologize, but I am out of time. Any 
of that data that you would be willing to share in writing, 
that would be great.
    Ms. Taylor. I would be happy to do that, yes, sir.
    Mr. Fulcher. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    The Chairman. Thank you, sir. The gentleman yields. The 
Chair recognizes Representative Porter.
    You are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Porter. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
    Secretary Haaland, as the Chair of the Committee's 
Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, I take my 
responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability very 
seriously. The American people have a right to know how their 
country's top officials and industry leaders are making 
policies and decisions that will affect all of our lives.
    During the last administration, getting answers, much less 
clear answers, from our government leaders, including, and 
maybe especially, those at the Department of the Interior, was 
no easy task. And of the Committee's more than 40 requests made 
by Chair Grijalva, Interior adequately responded to less than a 
quarter of them by the end of the administration, and the vast 
majority of requests got no response at all, or were filled 
with useless, irrelevant information, often publicly available, 
hundreds of pages of wingdings, and even a 12,000-page printout 
of an Excel chart that was completely unreadable. That was a 
new low, and an attack, really, on Congress' obligation to 
perform oversight.
    Can you commit to being more responsive to Congress than 
your predecessors under the Trump administration?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Congresswoman. We will be as 
responsive as we possibly can.
    I do want you to know that, currently, we are processing 
oversight requests from the last administration, requests from 
the Chairman that came and that were unfulfilled in the 
previous Congress. So, those are still ongoing.
    And very quickly, I want you to know that seven full 
committee chairs in the House have written to our Department 
requesting documents pertinent to January 6. So, those are all 
requests that we have currently that we are working on. And, of 
course, we will continue to keep pursuing opportunities to 
fulfill every single request that we get.
    Ms. Porter. So, you are working to clear the backlog, which 
was significant, the January 6-related requests.
    And then, from my impression, seeing what is going on, the 
document requests, are you committed to cooperating in good 
faith with both parties' requests for information, including 
requests from the Minority party?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much for the question. And 
I understand that when the Chairman will send a request, it is 
a request for the Full Committee, as far as I understand. And 
we really want to be responsive, as responsive as we possibly 
can, to this Committee. And we will work to, hopefully, achieve 
that.
    Ms. Porter. I appreciate you taking those in order, trying 
to get us information that we have been waiting years for, and 
proceeding in a good faith manner.
    I wanted to ask you briefly, Secretary Haaland--you know I 
have three kids, and you too have been a single parent. I 
wanted to ask you a little bit about the Every Kid Outdoors 
program. Are you familiar with that?
    Secretary Haaland. Yes, Congresswoman.
    Ms. Porter. I noticed that this program doesn't have a 
specific line item appropriation. Do you know about how much 
money will be spent administering this program in the proposed 
2020 budget?
    Secretary Haaland. I will ask Rachel to fill you in on 
that, but want you to know that one of my deep priorities is 
making sure that children have access to the outdoors.
    Ms. Porter. The Every Kid Outdoors program, for people who 
don't know, provides access to public lands for every fourth 
grader in this country. And the President has supported this. 
But I think there is a way in his budget that we can go 
further, and do more to make sure that this program is not just 
a website, is not just a gimmick, but that we actually are 
providing the resources for things like transportation and 
program planning, to make sure that kids who live far, far away 
from national parks, kids in urban areas, are able.
    So, I would just like a commitment that you will continue 
to look into how you can support Every Kid Outdoors.
    Secretary Haaland. Yes, yes.
    Ms. Porter. All right, thank you.
    My last and final question: You know that there are lots of 
diverse opinions about fossil fuels, and the future of fossil 
fuels. But one area where I hope we can all agree is the 
importance of protecting taxpayer money. Would you say that you 
have an obligation, as Secretary, to identify and address 
waste, fraud, and abuse?
    Secretary Haaland. Congresswoman, with respect to our 
public lands, it is the truth that our public lands belong to 
every single American. And in that regard, I feel committed to 
protecting those lands for every single American, even with 
regard to funding issues, money issues.
    Ms. Porter. And I know earlier this year you launched a 
review of onshore oil and gas leasing. Do you know how long 
onshore oil and gas leasing has been on the high risk list by 
the non-partisan Government Accountability Office?
    Secretary Haaland. Rachel, can you answer that? I am sorry.
    Ms. Taylor. No, it is fine. I think the answer is too long, 
however long it is.
    Ms. Porter. The answer is--she is a very good student. That 
would be an A-plus answer.
    The answer is 10 years. So, I really support you doing this 
review, and for 10 years we have lost tens of billions of 
dollars because we have undervalued oil and gas leases.
    Do you believe that reviewing this non-partisan 
recommendation to get fair value for taxpayers is partisan?
    Secretary Haaland. No, I don't think it is partisan. I 
think that every single American has a stake in our public 
lands, and we should protect that right for every single 
American. So, no, it is not partisan at all.
    Ms. Porter. Thank you very much.
    The Chairman. The gentlelady yields.
    Mr. Stauber, sir, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Stauber. Thank you, Mr. Chair and Ranking Member 
Westerman, for holding this.
    Secretary Haaland, thank you for joining us today. I would 
like to especially thank you for appearing in person. It is 
well past the time we restore the norm of appearing in person 
to conduct business in this Committee.
    The Interior Department's budget request includes an 
increase of just over $26 million for the Mineral Resources 
Program. This program is crucial to mapping unknown deposits of 
critical minerals, which is important because, as your request 
acknowledges, we are over 95 percent import-reliant for 20 of 
the 35 critical minerals.
    However, in my district, the Duluth Complex features 95 
percent of America's nickel, 88 percent of America's cobalt, 
and about one-third of America's copper, not to mention the 
rare earths, or the platinum group elements, and others. We 
know where these minerals are; we don't need to map them. In 
fact, the USGS has more than 55 entries for the Duluth Complex, 
alone.
    And during the campaign, then-candidate Biden seemed to 
acknowledge this issue, as well.
    [Slide]
    Mr. Stauber. In fact, as you can see in this Reuters 
headline from October 2020, then-candidate Biden pledged to use 
domestic union miners, including those in my district, to help 
source these minerals. Fast forward to May 2021, about 2 months 
after your confirmation.
    [Slide]
    Mr. Stauber. You can see in this Reuters headline that now 
President Biden's administration plans to look abroad to 
foreign countries for minerals, and no longer use domestic, 
union members in northern Minnesota.
    Secretary Haaland, what changed from October 2020 to May 
2021, and why does the Administration no longer plan to use 
domestic miners to source these critical minerals that follow 
the best environmental standards, and the best labor standards 
in the world?
    And we are talking about the Duluth Complex, the biggest 
copper nickel find in North America.
    Secretary Haaland. Congressman, thank you so much for the 
question. And what I can say is that President Biden does 
support energy independence in our country.
    We agree that ensuring the availability of critical 
minerals to the future of our energy needs is very important to 
America's competitiveness and new technologies----
    Mr. Stauber. Madam Secretary, would you rather source these 
minerals in our country, where we have mapped them, we follow 
the best EPA, the best labor standards? Wouldn't we want to 
mine these minerals in the United States, rather than source it 
out to foreign nations?
    Secretary Haaland. I truly appreciate your question and 
your information, Congressman. And, of course, we are happy to 
continue to speak with you about this issue.
    Mr. Stauber. We talked about permitting earlier, Madam 
Secretary. We have one copper nickel mine in its 19th year. The 
other one is going on 10 years. Yet, just in northern Ontario--
correction, southern Ontario--there is a gold mine that they 
put together in 4 years. Same watershed.
    We can do better, so I support mapping our minerals. We 
need to know exactly what we are blessed with in this country, 
nationwide, and how can we secure our domestic supply chains. 
We need to extract these critical minerals from where they are. 
We need to limit our foreign reliance on child labor and 
foreign adversaries that don't have our best interests at 
heart. It does not make sense to transition to alternative 
sources of energy, depending on foreign nations for these 
critical minerals that we use in our everyday life, that are a 
part of our everyday life now. And as we transition, it is 
important we mine the minerals here, in our country.
    So, I would say, by catering to activists' anti-jobs, anti-
mining crowd, with only 16 days remaining in office, the Obama-
Biden administration pulled long-standing mineral leases for 
Twin Metals, the project in northern Minnesota, to the dismay 
of a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of Minnesota Members of 
Congress and the Iron Range. In May 2019, the Trump 
administration rightfully reinstated these leases, providing 
certainty to a region, and its union workers, and our Nation.
    Once again, removing these leases would thrust the Iron 
Range, my constituents, in desperate economic need of jobs. Can 
you today commit to supporting union jobs, and revitalizing 
northern Minnesota by keeping these long-standing mineral 
leases in place, and not prejudging any outcomes before the 
environmental review is completed?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you for the question, Congressman. 
And I don't make a practice of prejudging anything, and we do 
feel that we have a review process in place that will make 
sure----
    Mr. Stauber. Although you did sign on to removing 234,000 
acres, prejudging.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Congressman.
    The Chairman. Time is up. The gentleman yields.
    Mr. Stauber. Thank you. I yield back.
    The Chairman. I recognize Representative Leger Fernandez.
    You are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Leger Fernandez. Thank you so much, Chair Grijalva.
    And Secretary Haaland, I am so grateful to have you here 
today. You know how proud the entire state of New Mexico is, 
and how thankful we are for your leadership, your guidance, and 
your wisdom. And, you know, also as a New Mexican, that we are 
in the ground zero of the climate crisis, and must act to 
prevent the never-ending drought in the beautiful place we call 
home.
    My colleague from Louisiana pointed out earlier that bigger 
hurricanes and storms are hitting his district. And we know 
that climate change is making those storms stronger and more 
frequent.
    States like our beloved New Mexico also rely on fossil fuel 
production for significant sources of revenue, which often go 
to schools and other important services. According to the 
Office of Natural Resources Revenue, actually, New Mexico 
received a little over $700 million in royalties from energy 
production on Federal lands in Fiscal Year 2020.
    But we also know that it is a boom and bust industry, and 
fighting the climate crisis will reduce fossil fuel 
development. And we already see in the market it is the market 
itself that is shifting to clean energy, because it is simply 
cheaper.
    I am working on legislation to assist states in this 
transition, those that rely on fossil fuels. The legislation 
would decouple the boom and bust Federal royalty sharing from 
state budgets. In lieu of the Federal royalties, we would 
provide stable, annual Federal payments to states to replace 
lost revenues. And finally, we would make additional transition 
investments to enable communities to diversify their economy.
    What do you think, Secretary, about proposals to support 
states like Louisiana or New Mexico who will lose Federal 
royalty revenue as we accelerate the just transition to a clean 
energy economy?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you for that question, 
Congresswoman, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness in thinking 
about how we go about transitioning. We are working hard to 
make sure that no worker is left behind, and that is a priority 
of President Biden, as well.
    And I also understand how important those oil and gas jobs 
are in a state like ours of New Mexico. So, I appreciate your 
thoughtfulness on this issue.
    We believe very strongly that a lot of the provisions in 
the budget that President Biden has moved forward will assist 
in making sure that, definitely, no worker is left behind.
    And I would love for Rachel, if she would like to, to 
provide a few more details to you. We would welcome that.
    Ms. Taylor. Yes, I think the major focus would be the 
reclamation jobs proposal, which is the $16 billion to clean up 
orphaned wells and abandoned mines, and put folks to work doing 
that environmentally necessary work, which I know is something 
that is a personal priority of yours, as well.
    I think that that has been one of the focal points. But as 
the Secretary said, the Department is happy to work with you 
and other Members to try to figure out solutions to this. Thank 
you.
    Ms. Leger Fernandez. Thank you very much. I do appreciate 
the support for the orphaned wells bill that I have sponsored. 
And I am so glad that we have Secretary Haaland at the helm, 
because she actually understands closely the impact on the 
state revenue, as well.
    I also want to ask a question regarding the increase, the 
significant increase, which we really appreciate, for the 
Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education in 
the President's budget request. You know, better than most, 
that the needs in Indian Country are a trust responsibility. 
They have been deferred for decades, and are, therefore, 
significant.
    We held a hearing in the Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples 
last week that detailed the significant needs for construction 
of new schools, infrastructure, and facilities. Indeed, your 
Deputy Assistant Secretary Freihage noted that 86 schools are 
in poor status. And of those 86 schools, 73 do not currently 
have funding for major replacement or repair projects.
    Could these school construction needs benefit from the 
President's Jobs Plan, which seeks to build much-needed 
infrastructure?
    Secretary Haaland. Absolutely, and thank you. We feel the 
President's American Jobs Plan can help tribal communities in 
so many ways, but certainly, yes, the need for schools.
    And what I will say is that the request for the Bureau of 
Indian Education is $1.3 billion, which is $110.6 million over 
the 2021-enacted level. So, we are moving toward where we need 
to be.
    Ms. Leger Fernandez. My time is up, but I do appreciate the 
increased revenues for the BIE, BIA, and to address these 
needed facility improvements. Thank you.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you.
    The Chairman. The gentlelady yields. Let me recognize 
Representative Tiffany for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Tiffany. Thank you very much, and thank you for being 
here, Secretary Haaland.
    The non-partisan Congressional Research Service provided a 
report recently that said, of all the lands in the country that 
are conserved, including federal, state, and private lands, it 
totals 39 percent of the land base. How much is enough?
    Secretary Haaland. I am so sorry, could you repeat that 
question, please?
    Mr. Tiffany. How much additional land being locked up by 
the Federal Government is appropriate?
    Secretary Haaland. Are you speaking of the America the 
Beautiful Initiative, Congressman?
    Mr. Tiffany. I am referring to public ownership of land.
    Secretary Haaland. Well, I am not quite sure I understand 
your question, but if you are speaking of the America the 
Beautiful Initiative, that is a collaborative effort, as I have 
mentioned before, and the land wouldn't actually be locked up.
    Mr. Tiffany. Have you seen the increase in the price of a 
2x4? Are you familiar with what is going on there?
    Secretary Haaland. I know that a lot of things have gone up 
because of the pandemic. Yes, I was aware of the increase in 
many items.
    Mr. Tiffany. Yes, well, the cost of a 2x4 has gone up 
because of demand, but also it has gone up because of us 
shutting down lands, especially in the West. I know I recently 
heard of a story that a mill was shut down in western South 
Dakota as a result of not being able to harvest on Federal 
lands. It is really a great concern, and I would just highlight 
that for you.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you.
    Mr. Tiffany. The gray wolf was just de-listed at the end of 
2020 by Fish and Wildlife, and we had a successful wolf hunt in 
Wisconsin. Do you commit to maintaining that 2020 rule so we 
can continue to have management and protection of gray wolves, 
and that it be left to the states and tribes?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you for the question, and I 
appreciate the opportunity to be in contact about this.
    Of course, our Department cares about wildlife, we care 
about their habitats. We want to make sure that we are working 
well together with states and local communities.
    Mr. Tiffany. Are you going to urge your agency to continue 
to allow states to manage their wolf population, rather than 
going back to the re-listing that has been going on?
    Secretary Haaland. With respect to anything that is listed 
under the Endangered Species Act, we rely on science. We are 
moved by the science, so I can put it that way, that that is 
the main driver behind----
    Mr. Tiffany. I really appreciate that you mention following 
the science on this, because there were 26 wildlife scientists 
back in, I think was 2013 or 2014, in the Great Lakes states, 
that said that when the gray wolf was re-listed by the Federal 
judge, they said it is a terrible mistake, because under the 
Endangered Species Act it should be de-listed. They are 
recovered. So, I sure hope that you will follow the science, 
and continue to allow the states like my state, Wisconsin, to 
be able to continue to manage the gray wolf population.
    Under Federal law it is required to coordinate--I believe 
it is under NEPA and FLPMA, and some of those major Acts--it is 
a requirement of the Federal Government to work with local 
communities, local governments, to coordinate and to have a 
consistency review with local land use plans. Will you make 
that a priority of the Department of the Interior, that your 
agency follows through with that coordination and consistency 
review with local units of government?
    Secretary Haaland. Congressman, as I have mentioned in many 
of the questions I have gotten today, we are very good about 
working with local communities, talking to stakeholders, making 
sure that we know and understand how communities feel about the 
issues that we are working on.
    Mr. Tiffany. I appreciate that. And you mentioned the word 
``consulting,'' and consultation is oftentimes used as a term. 
This is completely different. This is coordination, and it is a 
specific term that is used in Federal law, in which you are 
giving local governments an equal seat at the table so that 
there is this consistency review with their land use plans and 
stuff.
    I hope you will follow through, and urge your staff that 
you are leading, that they do that coordination and that 
consistency review.
    Secretary Haaland. I appreciate that distinction, 
Congressman. Thank you.
    Mr. Tiffany. Mr. Chairman, is my time up?
    The Chairman. Yes.
    Mr. Tiffany. I yield back.
    The Chairman. Thank you very much, sir. Let me recognize 
Representative Tlaib.
    You are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Tlaib. Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. I am incredibly 
proud to see a colleague that I came here in a historic class 
of firsts. We didn't run to become first of anything, we came 
to represent and fight for the community that raised us.
    But Secretary Haaland, just seeing you up there, of course, 
you know how incredibly proud I am, people like us running for 
office, and also representing our country in all different 
levels. You are surrounded by photos of people that don't look 
like you, but you care deeply about every single person in our 
Nation. So, I just want to thank you so much for your courage 
to take on this role.
    Secretary Haaland, you know I come from a community that is 
considered a frontline community. I want to talk to you about 
the Environmental Justice for All Act that I proudly co-
sponsored, and has been led by our Chairman, Chairman Grijalva. 
Some of the provisions of that bill speak to the need to more 
fully consider what many of my residents call cumulative 
impacts of multiple sources of pollution in environmental 
justice communities like mine.
    I represent one of the most polluted zip codes in Michigan, 
Secretary. It is where I thought the smell was normal. I 
thought that it was OK that I smelled like hydrogen sulfide 
when I went back inside my home, playing in the front yard with 
all my siblings. This neighborhood continues to be surrounded 
by multiple sources of concentrated pollution that contribute 
to asthma, respiratory issues, even cancer.
    In my years of working with environmental justice warriors, 
they consistently bring this up, the need for cumulative impact 
analysis and environmental decision making that is centered on 
public health. They are sick and tired of corporations and 
corporate greed, really, having just a free-for-all of license 
to pollute their communities. And at the end, it is our country 
and our communities that suffer the most.
    Can you speak to why it is important for the Interior and 
other Federal agencies to consider public health impacts when 
permitting activities in areas that already suffer from 
multiple pollution sources? Why is that critically important?
    Secretary Haaland. Congresswoman, thank you so much for the 
question. And it is definitely an important one, and one that 
President Biden cares deeply about.
    And I can tell you that, as a citizen of the Pueblo of 
Laguna, we were home to the largest open-pit uranium mine in 
the world for 30 years, three open-pit and nine underground 
mines. Not only did the blasting break apart homes, traditional 
homes that had stood for hundreds of years, but people are 
still dying from that uranium being blown around. It took 
decades to even get funding to start cleaning it up. So, I 
understand so well what you are talking about.
    And I want you to know that I care deeply about the health 
of our children, and why we need to make sure that we are 
centering the activities that we do on the overall health and 
welfare and vitality, if you could say, of all of our 
communities.
    And I would want to point out the Justice40 Initiative that 
aims to bring 40 percent of the overall benefits of Federal 
investments to underserved communities like yours. And you 
mentioned that, yes, you thought it was normal. It isn't 
normal. Every child should be able to breathe clean air and 
play outside in a safe environment.
    So, I want you to know that we are committed to that, and I 
thank you for raising that here today.
    Ms. Tlaib. No, thank you so much. And, of course, I know 
you get invited to so many different districts and communities, 
but the 13th District Strong community would welcome you as 
soon as we implement that 40 percent. You can come, and you can 
show them that they shouldn't be left behind as we think about 
clean air and clean water.
    Lastly, Secretary Haaland, I am concerned about reports 
that I have read that detailed the past harassment that some 
BLM staffers have faced from local politicians and their 
communities, and a lack of support from some BLM managers for 
staffers who are enforcing regulations that ranchers object to. 
Have you been looking at that, and understanding--I mean, this 
is really harassment and intimidation of BLM staff.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Congresswoman. I am committed 
to the workforce at the Department of the Interior, some of the 
most dedicated public servants in the entire Federal system. I 
have career staff who have been at the Department for over 40 
years, and their safety is of the utmost importance to me. So, 
I appreciate the comment.
    We are actively ensuring that--we are following up on, and 
we do follow up on any issues that are reported to us, and it 
is an important part of our overall health of our workforce.
    Ms. Tlaib. Thank you. And Secretary, please look to this 
Committee as partners.
    But I also would welcome, Chairman Grijalva, if we can have 
a hearing, really, to expose what is happening to BLM staffers. 
It is disturbing. And I have seen it done on the state level 
and targeting these employees that are trying to protect us.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you.
    Ms. Tlaib. Thank you. I yield.
    The Chairman. The gentlelady yields.
    Representative Carl, you are recognized.
    Mr. Carl. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
    Welcome, Madam Secretary, from the great state of Alabama, 
I might add. Welcome back to your Committee.
    Like most of my colleagues here, I am very upset about the 
Biden administration's moratorium on new oil and gas leases. It 
has been estimated that 24,000 hardworking folks in the great 
state of Alabama will lose their jobs over the next 4 years 
because of this shortsighted decision. They are real people we 
are talking about, and right now their livelihoods are 
endangered due to this pause.
    I also want you to know how important the GOMESA funds are 
to my district. As a county commissioner, I fully understand 
the GOMESA program. The program supports $26 million in 
conservative and recreation projects in the state--in south 
Alabama last year alone, including shoreline registration, bike 
trails, park enhancement, and marine science research vessels. 
Each year, local county commissioners, municipalities, and 
governments plan projects based on forecasts of these GOMESA 
funds. If the leases continue to be canceled, our coastal 
communities will be denied a vital source of funding for the 
years to come.
    I find it very hypocritical of the Biden administration to 
preach to us about the environment, but ignore this important 
component of offshore drilling called GOMESA.
    My good friend, Mr. Graves, brought this up before, but I 
want to get some clarification. You said the Department is 
reviewing the Louisiana court decision, and will comply with 
its ruling that this pause on the new leases is unlawful. Have 
you directed your staff to research the leases on the sale 257?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Congressman. I would 
appreciate an opportunity to answer your question, that 
particular question, on the record. What I can say, of course, 
is that the leasing pause is only on new leases. It does not 
affect the millions of acres of leased land, nor the over 8,000 
permits that are active currently.
    Mr. Carl. But do you anticipate the 257 program coming back 
in existence this year?
    Secretary Haaland. As I mentioned, I would like to answer 
that question for the record, if that is OK with you. I would 
appreciate that opportunity.
    Mr. Carl. You are going to provide that to me in writing?
    Secretary Haaland. Yes.
    Mr. Carl. OK. My other question for you is, we see the 
Department's comprehensive review on the oil and gas lease 
program--when will we see this comprehensive review on oil and 
gas lease?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much for the question. We 
have stated that it will come early summer, so some time soon.
    Mr. Carl. July is here.
    Secretary Haaland. Yes, thank you.
    Mr. Carl. When is early summer, to you?
    Secretary Haaland. Yes, sometime soon. Is this the first 
day of summer? It will be soon, Congressman, and thank you for 
the question.
    Mr. Carl. So, as part of the Department's review, you have 
consulted with the state and local officials in Alabama?
    Secretary Haaland. I can't answer that question, 
specifically, but I would be happy to find out exactly who we 
have consulted with, and share that with you.
    Mr. Carl. The old trick in politics is never ask a question 
you don't know the answer to.
    The answer is zero. Your Department has had a conversation 
with no one in the state of Alabama, according to the 
Governor's office. So, I encourage you to take in consideration 
getting input from our elected officials that know what is 
going on, on the ground. Without our input, I don't see how you 
can make these rash decisions to shut industries down, without 
knowing what is going on, boots on the ground.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you.
    Mr. Carl. With that said, is there a plan to reach out to 
these local governments?
    I heard you talk earlier about some children that you dealt 
with. Did you not do that in Alabama before you shut the leases 
down?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Congressman. We will be happy 
to follow up with your office on this issue. And if there is 
someone in particular you would like us to speak with, we would 
be happy to do that. We are committed to hearing from everyone.
    And we have had a number of consultations. We had a forum 
for the industry back in May. We have been in contact with 
hundreds of people, and we will be happy to be in touch with 
you, as well.
    Mr. Carl. Well, I just find it very hard to comprehend that 
you would make such strong decisions on an industry, killing a 
complete industry, and not have some conversation with locals.
    With that, thank you, ma'am.
    The Chairman. Let me recognize Representative Case, sir. 
You are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Case. Madam Secretary, aloha, good to see you.
    First of all, there has been some overlay in the discussion 
over the size of the budget for the Department of the Interior. 
And I just want to say to you, and for the record, that I 
completely support the President's budget request.
    It is inconceivable to me that a Department that is 
responsible to steward 20 percent of our Nation's lands, that 
manages the water supply for 17 Western states, that is 
responsible for almost 600 federally recognized tribes, that 
has responsibilities across the board over centuries, and now 
to include climate change, is funded at, literally, around 1 
percent of our total discretionary budget.
    So, I don't view the President's budget, at somewhere 
around 1.15 percent of the discretionary budget, 2.3 percent of 
the discretionary non-defense budget, as unreasonable. In fact, 
I believe that the DOI has been chronically underfunded for a 
long, long time, and we have a lot of catch-up to do. So, first 
of all, back to you on that one.
    Second, I do want to address two areas that, although they 
don't enter into the national discourse quite as much, are 
critical areas within your Department's jurisdiction. And I 
speak of Native Hawaiians and of the Compacts of Free 
Association.
    First of all, thank you so much, too, for your own 
recognition of Native Hawaiians as the Indigenous peoples of 
our country who originate in Hawaii. As you know, the Native 
Hawaiians have a special political relationship, and have for 
over a century now. You kindly joined us on an event relating 
to Native Hawaiians, and your personal attention and 
recognition of Native Hawaiians is deeply appreciated.
    We have work to do with your Department on Native 
Hawaiians. We need to assess whether the Office of Native 
Hawaiian Relations within the Department is functioning 
correctly for the next century. And you have kindly engaged us 
on that. We look forward to completing that work with you, 
along with a number of other initiatives that affect Native 
Hawaiians that are within your departments.
    Let me speak directly to the Compacts of Free Association. 
These are the agreements that our country has with three other 
independent sovereign countries in the Pacific: the Marshall 
Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. These are compacts under which 
we both enjoy mutual privileges and obligations. They are key, 
from our country's historical perspective, and are, certainly, 
our future. And these compacts are up for renegotiation right 
now.
    And the fact is that the negotiations have, apparently, 
bogged down. There is little movement on them. The 
responsibility within the Administration for negotiating these 
compacts lies with Interior and State. There is little evidence 
that there is any progress being made on those negotiations.
    I am joining a number of my colleagues in a letter to the 
President that will be copied to you very soon, asking that 
those negotiations be placed on a much faster track. The last 
time we went through these negotiations, they, unfortunately, 
lagged for years, creating critical uncertainty in the Pacific.
    So, I would simply ask you for any comments you have. I 
don't expect a formal response from you right now. But I would 
simply like to commend the issue of the compacts to you 
personally, and to your Department, as an area that I hope is 
not forgotten. And, certainly, we are going to try to highlight 
it.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much, Congressman. And no, 
definitely not forgotten. In fact, I met with a number of 
governors over the past couple of weeks, and we have very 
competent and caring people in that office. And I want to 
assure you that it is a priority for us, and I will take your 
comments to heart, and see how we can move this forward.
    Mr. Case. Thank you so much.
    I yield back.
    The Chairman. The gentleman yields.
    Representative Rosendale, you are recognized.
    Mr. Rosendale. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
    Thank you so much for joining us, Secretary Haaland, good 
to see you.
    This Administration proposes fully funding the Land and 
Water Conservation Fund and the National Parks and Public Lands 
Legacy Restoration Fund in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. By your 
comments, I take it this means that the Administration is fully 
supportive of these conservation programs. Is that correct?
    Secretary Haaland. Yes, Congressman.
    Mr. Rosendale. While you commented about the existing 
leases, we know that they have diminishing returns. Any well 
has diminishing returns. If that is the case, can you explain 
how we will replace the revenue loss caused by the Biden 
administration's moratorium on all new oil and gas leases, 
which jeopardizes the main revenue source of these programs, 
and the longevity of our conservation funding?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much for the question, 
Congressman. And, as I have stated, there are still over 8,000 
leases--or, I am sorry, 8,000 permits--that sit unused. There 
are millions of acres of land and leases that currently can be 
operational. So, the pause on the new leases, it is only that, 
new leases, and not any existing leases.
    There has been ongoing work in the industry since the 
pause----
    Mr. Rosendale. So, excuse me, I appreciate that. And, no 
pun intended, but what you are doing is shutting off the 
pipeline for the future. And anything that we forestall right 
now that keeps us from doing the research and the development 
of those resources ends up impacting us later on down the line, 
which has put us in a position, in years past, where we have 
been so dependent upon foreign energy, which is not good for 
our economy nor our national security.
    In your confirmation hearing you promised that--and I 
quote--``The ESA should be driven by the science, and it is 
appropriate for species to be de-listed when they have 
recovered.'' A March species status assessment published by the 
Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that the greater 
Yellowstone ecosystem and the Northern Continental Divide 
ecosystem populations of the grizzly bear both have high 
resiliency and have met the criteria for de-listing. They have 
both reached and surpassed their target populations.
    You continue to claim that your Administration will again, 
in quotes, ``follow the science.'' Will you follow the science 
and move to de-list the grizzly bear populations in both of 
these ecosystems?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much for the question. And, 
yes, the ongoing recovery is a remarkable success for the ESA, 
and we are happy about that. Our implementation, of course, as 
you mentioned, too, will be guided by science and the law.
    Mr. Rosendale. So, will you then move to de-list these 
populations, if they have hit their target populations?
    Secretary Haaland. I appreciate the question. And it is 
noted there are considerable challenges that remain, overall, 
with fully recovering----
    Mr. Rosendale. They have met the target populations, Madam 
Secretary, and both have high resiliency. Will you move to de-
list these populations?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you----
    Mr. Rosendale. Just yes or no, really.
    Secretary Haaland. I would like to be back in touch with 
your office on that.
    Mr. Rosendale. I would appreciate just a simple answer on 
that, if you have to go back and confer with your office to 
give us a yes or no.
    Missing and murdered Indigenous women is a very important 
issue in Montana, as you are very well aware--we have seven 
reservations there. What are you doing to improve the 
collaboration between the tribes and the Federal authorities to 
improve the investigation and prosecution of these heinous 
crimes, which claim so many of our Native women?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much. And our Missing and 
Murdered unit that I announced earlier this year is meant to 
provide leadership, and use the full weight of the Department 
to solve these crimes.
    One of the main priorities of the unit is for the unsolved 
crimes. But certainly, the budget has been increased, as well. 
And we are confident that we will be able to move forward on 
that and I appreciate your concern----
    Mr. Rosendale. I understand that, what I am trying to get 
at is that collaboration, because we have the sovereign tribes, 
and we have the Federal Government. And I know that we want to 
solve this, but there is going to have to be some kind of 
collaboration. So, I would really like to get some detail on 
what we are going to do to try to bring these parties together 
to work on these issues.
    Secretary Haaland. The Department has a very strong and 
experienced Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Indian 
Affairs, who knows tribes very well. He is a former Tribal 
President, himself, and is working very hard to make sure that 
he is collaborating with Tribal Nations on this issue.
    Mr. Rosendale. Thank you for joining us.
    And I would yield back, Mr. Chair.
    The Chairman. Thank you very much. Let me recognize a new 
member to the Committee and, to some extent, Congress, 
Representative Stansbury, who is representing New Mexico's 1st 
District, and that she retained, the district that Madam 
Secretary represented.
    Ms. Stansbury.
    Ms. Stansbury. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to 
the Ranking Member, and to all of my colleagues. It is an honor 
to be able to serve with you here in this Committee.
    And to Secretary Haaland, it is humbling to be here. And I 
am getting emotional, as I was sitting here listening to you 
speak. It is so humbling, and such an honor to be able to see 
you serving our Nation. New Mexico is so proud. Our country is 
so proud. You are exactly where you need to be, and you are 
already bringing the change that our Nation needs to see. So, 
thank you for your service and everything that you are doing.
    When I look at the President's budget, Mr. Chairman, and 
the requests for the Department of the Interior, I feel hope. 
The American people know that the science is clear, and that we 
must urgently address climate change. I am grateful to see that 
our budget reflects that, and that if we are going to preserve 
our planet for future generations, that we address both the 
causes of climate change and the impacts to our communities, 
and that we center and lift up our communities in the process.
    Together, I know that we can build a world that is more 
just, and more equitable, and more climate resilient. And this 
budget actually invests in our communities and protections for 
our lands, waters, and wildlife, and in their future, which is 
exactly what we need to do to ensure our future resilience.
    As you know, Madam Secretary, our state and our country are 
facing an unprecedented drought across the West that is heavily 
impacting New Mexico, that has shattered records already this 
season, and that is threatening the future of our communities, 
and increased wildfire and drought risks moving forward.
    Millions of Americans already live without access to clean 
and safe drinking water. And this crisis disproportionately 
impacts communities in New Mexico, particularly in our tribal 
communities. We have to take action now to address the water 
needs of our communities and climate change, and ensure that we 
are addressing these impacts across our country.
    I am grateful to see the Department's budget allocates 
significant funding also for public lands, for wildlife 
mitigation, builds and fortifies our water infrastructure, and 
supports our communities.
    I am also, Madam Secretary, deeply proud to see the ways in 
which this budget reflects our commitment to restorative 
justice and tribal sovereignty.
    Secretary Haaland, I have seen your work over the last 
several months, and lifting up the work of missing and murdered 
Indigenous women, and this week in launching the Federal Indian 
Boarding School Truth Initiative. These historic steps will 
begin to address and reconcile our country's brutal history, 
and the need for healing and justice in our country. Thank you 
for your bravery in bringing these initiatives forward.
    Madam Secretary, I am also just so grateful for your 
service, and look forward to working with you in the 
transformative work that we have to do for our country and our 
communities.
    And, Mr. Chairman, I would like to just ask Madam Secretary 
if you could share more with us about your work on missing and 
murdered Indigenous women, and the work that you are hoping to 
do, as well as the boarding school initiatives that you have 
launched this week.
    Secretary Haaland. Congresswoman, thank you so much for the 
question. And I appreciate your kind words very much. And, of 
course, I am a proud New Mexican sitting here today.
    I want to sort of emphasize President Biden's commitment to 
diversity, and how important it is that we have diverse voices, 
those perspectives from folks who generally haven't had a say 
in a lot of the policy, or the ideas, or the work that comes 
out of the Federal Government. So, for that, I am proud to have 
those opportunities.
    Missing and murdered Indigenous women has been on my mind 
for a very long time. And I am happy that it has achieved some 
prominence in sort of mainstream issues. People don't know to 
care about something unless they know about it. So, raising the 
issue time and again helps the public to really coalesce, and 
realize that it is an important issue that all of us should 
care about. And I appreciate your help on that, as well.
    The boarding school initiative--after I heard the news of 
the grave in Canada, it made me think about a day that I was 
sitting with my grandmother, and just talking about her 
experience when the priests gathered up children from around 
the village and put them on a train to go to Santa Fe. And I 
know that that is an experience that a lot of communities have, 
so I am happy to move those issues forward, and appreciate your 
support on all of those.
    Ms. Stansbury. Thank you, Madam Secretary, I yield.
    The Chairman. The gentlelady yields. Representative Moore, 
you are recognized.
    Mr. Moore. Thank you, Chairman and Ranking Member.
    Secretary Haaland, it is great to see you again.
    It would have been completely appropriate for you to have 
deferred my colleague Mr. Gallego's question to me, whether or 
not you showed up to hear out people in Utah. I saw your 
schedule. I was with you for 3 full days. You had a packed 
schedule, and were willing to take input. And it was very much 
appreciated. Our request for you to visit Utah and that part of 
the region was sincere, and you showed up, and on behalf of the 
entire Utah delegation, and Utah, we appreciated your 
willingness to come and hear out the stakeholders. Bears Ears 
is a very difficult situation to be able to solve. And your 
willingness to come was really important.
    We have made an equally sincere request to President Biden, 
as you may know, to meet with us before he makes the decision. 
Do you have any insight as to whether that meeting will happen, 
or to the extent that it would be worthwhile, productive, any 
insight there?
    Secretary Haaland. Congressman, thank you so much for the 
question. And I was very honored to have an opportunity to join 
you and everyone in Utah. It was a really, really wonderful 
time.
    As I mentioned, this is a Presidential action. The 
Antiquities Act is solely within the President's decision 
making. And, of course, we are happy to make sure that he knows 
your request reflected in this hearing today, and I am happy to 
let the White House know that you have requested that again.
    Mr. Moore. Yes, thank you. I remember thinking during our 
meeting that there was so much productive work that we did over 
those few days. I worried, as we came back to Washington, do we 
all retreat to our corners? And we are all subject to that, and 
I totally get that. And it is a sincere request, and I would 
appreciate a chance to continue this dialogue before any final 
decisions are made.
    With respect to the Antiquities Act, there are two big 
factors. And I haven't been as involved in this as many other 
Members of Utah stakeholders. You got to meet with our 
governor. It has been a long, very tumultuous year, and going 
back and forth, in a ping pong effect.
    Two things stick out to me with the Antiquities Act: one 
being, this is your desire to protect the antiquities in the 
smallest amount of land. That is what the Supreme Court has 
come out with the ruling of, saying we cannot make these huge 
land designations, but we have to use the Antiquities Act as 
something that will focus on preserving that, and we are 
committed to that, as well. But the second piece is what I 
would actually like to discuss briefly: the management 
decisions that go along with the Antiquities Act. Can you 
provide any other insight, maybe your willingness to release 
your monument report, to give the public some assurance that 
the management, however this is done, will be a first and 
foremost priority to that?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much for the question. And 
Congressman, during the days that I spent in Utah, I really 
took those comments to heart, the ranchers who came in and 
spoke with us, and professed their love for the land. I 
understand that because I have a family of ranchers, as well. I 
understand how they feel about the land, and I absolutely 
appreciate that.
    So, I just want you to know that all those comments did 
absolutely figure in. And as I have mentioned many times here, 
our public lands belong to every American, so we want to make 
sure that this beautiful cultural and historical place that can 
offer so much to future generations stands.
    It is also important to make sure that those folks in your 
state who are on the ground can also reap the benefits of being 
in those lands that they have for generations, as well. So, all 
that input was extremely important to me, and I just want you 
to know that I took that to heart, and it is, in some ways, 
reflected in the work that we do.
    Mr. Moore. And, finally, with respect of those management 
decisions, after having that experience, would you deem that to 
be best handled in an executive fiat or a legislative solution?
    Secretary Haaland. Well, as I mentioned, as a former Member 
of Congress, I understand the value in legislation. Right? That 
is what you do, and I wholeheartedly would support your 
decision to move ahead with any legislation, if that is what 
you choose to do.
    Mr. Moore. I have many more questions, but I will yield 
back.
    The Chairman. The gentleman yields.
    Let me recognize Representative McEachin for any questions 
he may have.
    Before that, let me indicate that the Secretary was 
gracious enough to extend this to when the votes are going to 
be called, which is about 1:15 or so. So, if we can, for the 
people that are left--and there are still quite a few--we can 
be as concise--and allow every Member to have an opportunity, I 
would appreciate it. But it is your 5 minutes.
    So, Mr. McEachin.
    Mr. McEachin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And again, as 
always, I thank you for the opportunity to participate in these 
hearings on this very important matter.
    Secretary Haaland, it is great to see you again. And I will 
try to cut straight to the chase. Earlier, one of the Members 
raised the issue of cumulative effects in the Environmental 
Justice Act--I mean the EJ For All Act that I have been proud 
to ride side-saddle with the Chairman on. This may end up being 
more of a comment than a question, but the notion of benefits 
came up in the Justice40 Initiative.
    And I need you to understand, Madam Secretary, that in my 
viewpoint, at least--the Chair and I worked for a couple of 
years, trying to figure out how best to serve these underserved 
communities. And the feedback that we got back is that we know 
we, the underserved communities, we are all different. We share 
some commonalities in that we have been disenfranchised, that 
we have been marginalized, that we are front-liners, but we 
have different problems that call for different solutions that 
prevents Washington from being able to do one-size-fits-all. 
And that is what, to me, ought to be so exciting about the 
Justice40 Initiative.
    But the question is what do we mean by benefits?
    And I will be talking to Cecilia Martinez later on, 
hopefully this week, about that definition, because I know it 
is still being worked out. But benefits have to be done at the 
direction of the stakeholders. Washington can't come in and 
say, ``We are going to fix this water line. You are going to 
benefit from it. Be happy.'' That is what we have historically 
done.
    I don't have any doubt about the President's commitment to 
being a true EJ advocate. He has lifted that notion up so well, 
and in such a forceful fashion, that I don't have any doubt 
where his heart is. But a lot of the challenges will be in the 
details. And to the extent that we need to resist the 
temptation to tell these communities what is in their best 
interests, rather, we need to support them with resources, 
expertise, or whatever else they need, so that they can 
implement their own solutions.
    So, I just wanted to put that out there, because I know 
that you are going to require that discussion about what 
``benefits'' means. If you care to comment on it, fine. If not, 
I will just move on.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you for that, Congressman. I 
appreciate your stance and, of course, all of that is very 
important to us.
    Mr. McEachin. Well, Madam Secretary, a few weeks ago Cory 
Booker and I introduced the Environmental Justice Legacy 
Pollution Cleanup Act, legislation which would invest $20 
billion to clean up legacy pollution that disproportionately 
affects environmental justice communities. Of that, my bill 
provides about $10 billion to the Abandoned Mine Land Fund to 
help fund the cleanup and reclamation of thousands of abandoned 
mine land sites across the country that threaten the health and 
safety of local communities.
    Do you have a moment to speak to the benefits of that sort 
of legislation to clean up lands impacted by coal mining?
    And how would this benefit the EJ communities, and what can 
be done with that level of funding?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you for the question, Congressman. 
And, of course, the idea of cleaning up abandoned mines is one 
that we know could benefit the health and safety of folks in 
those communities, but it also creates jobs. We feel very 
confident that no community should be left behind in any 
transition that we are moving to in this country. And we are 
committed to creating those jobs, so that those communities can 
continue to thrive.
    So, yes, the environmental and safety issue is absolutely 
important. The creation of jobs is absolutely important.
    Mr. McEachin. Thank you so much for that answer.
    In the President's Fiscal Year 2022 budget, the Interior 
Department is--oops, I am down to 30 seconds. You know what? I 
am going to give those back to my Chairman.
    Mr. Chair, I yield.
    The Chairman. That is much appreciated.
    Representative Herrell, you are recognized.
    Ms. Herrell. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    I am glad to see you here, Secretary. Thank you for 
everything you are doing. I will just be quick about this, 
because there are so many questions to ask.
    Just kind of following up on Congressman Lamborn and Graves 
earlier, with the recent preliminary injunction to the pause on 
the sale of new oil and gas leases on Federal lands, can you 
give the Committee a definitive date when the lease sales in 
New Mexico or other gas and oil producing states will once 
again be held?
    And I know this is probably coming from every person that 
has energy in their state.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much, Congresswoman. And I 
know this issue is important to you, as well.
    We would be happy to. As I mentioned, the review is done 
early summer, it is early summer, so I think it is coming out 
very soon. We are complying with the court's decision. They are 
reviewing it now. I know there is a lot going on in this space, 
and you want some definitive answers, and we will be happy when 
we can give you those.
    Ms. Herrell. OK. And I know you said you had a $17.6 
billion budget, and you may have said this, I might have missed 
it: How much money do you have allocated in the budget for 
mitigating the orphan wells? And you may have said it, like I 
said, I might have missed that one----
    Secretary Haaland. I may have also, and I think Rachel can 
speak to that.
    Ms. Taylor. Certainly. We have a proposal for a new energy 
community revitalization program that includes both abandoned 
mines and orphaned wells. And that is resources for both the 
Federal side and for states and tribes to apply for grants, and 
that is $169 million that is new this year, and that would 
complement the larger $16 billion proposal in the Jobs Plan.
    Ms. Herrell. Excellent. OK, thank you.
    And then, just kind of going back for the energy--I know 
that in addition to the leasing moratorium, the Department has 
issued the Secretarial Order that required BLM field offices to 
get clearance from political appointees in DC in order to 
approve critical permits like authorizations to drill and 
right-of-ways, and that the BLM website appears, though, to 
have missing authorization.
    So, my question, and kind of going off what Congresswoman 
Porter said earlier, in terms of transparency, will you commit 
to releasing monthly APD reports so we can evaluate progress, 
going forward?
    Secretary Haaland. I appreciate that question, and I would 
really just like to give you that on the record, if I may.
    Ms. Herrell. Sure.
    Secretary Haaland. I will check with the staff in that 
office, and just make sure before I answer you.
    Ms. Herrell. OK. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hopefully, 
they will get that updated, so that we can actually watch that 
real-time, and follow what the progress is.
    And I understand that we have more public lands in the 
Western states--I mean, 50 percent of them or greater. What I 
want to know is, do you believe every American, whether they 
live in or near the public lands as we know them in the West, 
benefit from beneficial use such as Ag, oil, gas, recreation 
from our public lands?
    Secretary Haaland. Well, I think that every American should 
benefit from our public lands, and that includes communities, 
whether they are kids in the inner city, or rural. I mean, we 
believe that everyone should have access, that they should be 
able to enjoy the outdoors.
    Ms. Herrell. Right. I believe that everybody in America 
benefits from fossil fuels, from timber, from agriculture, from 
eating, I mean, everything we produce on public land. So, I 
think you are right, but we have to also ensure that we are 
protecting the industries associated with public lands.
    I just want to finish up with I am a little bit jealous 
that my colleague from Utah had a visit with you in Utah for 
several days. I would like for you to come to see me too, so we 
can meet and look at our public lands, our operations in the 
district, and have a really meaningful conversation about that, 
as well. Thank you, Madam Secretary.
    I yield back.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Congresswoman.
    The Chairman. The gentlelady yields.
    Representative San Nicolas, you are recognized.
    Mr. San Nicolas. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman.
    And Madam Secretary, good day to you. When President Biden 
historically mentioned states, tribes, and territories in his 
inaugural address, I thought that that was a real high point 
for the efforts of all of our territories, in particular, to 
seek greater support from the Administration. And I was only 
more pleasantly surprised to find his nominee to be you, Madam 
Secretary, someone who fully understands the struggles of 
Indigenous communities, of marginalized communities. And with 
that, there is just so much hope and aspiration represented in 
you serving in this capacity, and further represented in the 
sentiments expressed by the President in his inaugural address, 
and further reinforced in his nomination of you as our 
Secretary of the Interior. We are so happy to have you, Madam 
Secretary.
    I wanted to specifically discuss in the President's 
budget--and echo the sentiments of my colleague, Mr. Case--the 
concerns of the territories with respect to the Compacts of 
Free Association. These compacts, of course, are meeting to 
have their negotiations reinitiated and concluded in earnest.
    But more specifically, Madam Secretary, there is a concern 
with respect to the host communities impacted by these compact 
negotiations. Specific to my territory, and no doubt similar to 
other host communities like Hawaii, and even the state of 
Arkansas, the Compacts of Free Association allow for our treaty 
allies to be able to migrate to our country with the intent of 
seeking out education, health care, and job opportunities, and 
we welcome those as partners in the treaty that the United 
States engages in with these particular countries who are 
strong allies of this Nation, and strategic allies, given their 
specific geographic location and their long history with the 
United States, and with their neighboring regions, such as 
Guam.
    But, Madam Secretary, when I evaluate the President's 
budget, I am very heartened to see, of course, a dramatic 
increase in the resources provided for our Indigenous brothers 
and sisters in the Bureau of Indian Affairs. But specifically 
to our territories, the increase in the President's budget 
request does not adequately reflect the impact of the compact 
treaties on the host communities.
    When I broke it down on a per-dollar basis in the 116th 
Congress, Madam Secretary, it came up to about $800 in support 
provided to the territory of Guam for us hosting our treaty 
allies and those who decide to migrate to Guam and call home. 
Unfortunately, of course, the cost to educate far exceeds an 
$800 balance. The cost to be able to provide healthcare 
services far exceeds the $800 balance, to include the recent 
extension of this Congress for COFA migrants to be able to 
avail of Medicaid as a benefit.
    So, I wanted to inquire if there is a plan in the 
Department of the Interior to recognize the true costs of our 
responsibilities of hosting our compact guests, and if we can 
look forward to those true costs, realizing in the actual 
financial support that is afforded in the budgetary requests 
that is maybe proposed in this round, or perhaps proposed in a 
future round.
    Secretary Haaland. Congressman, thank you so much for the 
question, and we understand the issue, and we appreciate you 
coming to us with this issue today.
    I wonder if Rachel can perhaps add some detail, the kind of 
detail that you are looking for. Thank you.
    Ms. Taylor. Sure. Thank you so much for the question. I 
know this has been a priority for a number of states and 
territories over the years.
    The budget, as you know, there are two sources of funding. 
There is some mandatory funding, but there is also 
discretionary money in the budget request. We were happy to 
support a level funding for compact impact. I think it is $4 
million in the President's discretionary request. And, of 
course, we will be happy to work with you, going forward, on 
this.
    Mr. San Nicolas. Thank you very much. I just wanted to make 
it very plain that if the Administration puts forward a 
budgetary request that reflects the true cost, we will 
absolutely, as host communities, be fully supportive of that.
    Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman and Madam Secretary.
    The Chairman. The gentleman yields. Representative Boebert, 
you are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mrs. Boebert. Thank you, Chairman Grijalva and Ranking 
Member Westerman, for holding this important hearing, and thank 
you, Secretary Haaland, for attending today. I appreciate your 
presence here, and I appreciate your opening statement, that 
you said that you would like to work together. I do believe and 
agree with you that we can accomplish great things when we work 
together. And I love that you highlighted the good-paying jobs 
that come from what we can do together.
    Secretary Haaland, as you know, Colorado and many states in 
the West are experiencing a very severe drought. You sort of 
danced around it earlier, but why does this Administration not 
have any investments in water storage in your budget?
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you very much for the question, 
Congresswoman. As I mentioned, water storage is one of the many 
tools that our team believes can help so many of the states 
that are experiencing the drought through the drought. And I 
appreciate your support of that, and we will absolutely take a 
look at it.
    Mrs. Boebert. Thank you, Madam Secretary. And, yes, I agree 
that it is a tool for drought mitigation.
    You also said, yes, that you support the reauthorization of 
the WIIN Act, when questioned by Representative McClintock. And 
to confirm, if you support the reauthorization of the WIIN Act 
and water storage as a tool, then you also would support the 
reauthorization of the expiring Subtitle J of the WIIN Act 
related to water storage. I just didn't see the reauthorization 
of expiring Subtitle J of the WIIN Act, which has successfully 
funded water storage, in your budget.
    So, is that correct, you support that?
    Secretary Haaland. Congresswoman, thank you so much for the 
question. And what I should have said is that extending the 
WIIN Act, of course, it is a decision of Congress. Congress 
is--you know, you make that decision, and we are aware of the 
different proposals in Congress----
    Mrs. Boebert. Reclaiming my time--thank you, Madam 
Secretary--the Trump administration funded water storage, water 
recycling, and desalination projects throughout the West, and I 
encourage the DOI to really get their priorities straight, 
instead of pandering to radicals that want to tear down dams 
and prevent water storage projects. So, I am happy to hear that 
you are in favor of water storage. It is something we have 
battled in Colorado for quite some time.
    Madam Secretary, moving along, the previous administration, 
including career officials currently within your agency, 
relocated the Bureau of Land Management headquarters from 
Washington, DC, to my district in Grand Junction, Colorado, 
following a competitive process. The relocation has strong 
support from Colorado's Democrat Governor, our two Democrat 
Senators, the entire Colorado delegation, and stakeholders on 
both sides of the aisle. I very much appreciate Mr. Neguse's 
statements and acknowledgment today of the contributions 
Colorado has received from the BLM and the headquarters during 
his time today.
    The move West has reduced the number of long cross-country 
flights--about 7 hours, I would know--and it has improved 
training, has delegated more responsibility to employees in the 
field, improved customer service and coordination with local 
communities, ensured better decisions earlier in the decision-
making process, reduced commute times for the employees, 
provided good-paying jobs, local jobs, as you said you support, 
and it will save the taxpayers money.
    Your budget notes the Biden administration is actively 
reviewing the 2019 reorganization of the BLM. Do you plan on 
visiting the Grand Junction BLM headquarters? I have sent you a 
letter on March 15 requesting you visit Grand Junction, 
Colorado to see the headquarters yourself.
    Secretary Haaland. Congresswoman, I have actually, yes, had 
invitations from your two Senators, as well as Congressman 
Neguse. I appreciate the invitation, and, of course, we are 
looking at my schedule.
    Mrs. Boebert. Will you commit here today to keeping the BLM 
headquarters in Grand Junction, yes or no?
    Secretary Haaland. We are actually doing a review on that 
currently.
    Mrs. Boebert. The previous administration estimated 
considerable savings from the Bureau from the move west, 
starting in Fiscal Year 2024. They also found the Bureau's 
relocation cost $17.9 million. Given these costs and any move 
back east would exceed those costs of $17.9 million, that there 
is no longer a BLM office in DC to move back to, that DC real 
estate is much more expensive, and there is a lease on the 
building in Grand Junction, and the Bureau has hired and moved 
numerous employees related to 200-plus now western positions, 
how would you justify a move back to DC to taxpayers?
    Secretary Haaland. As I mentioned, Congresswoman, this 
process is in review currently,
    The Chairman. The gentlelady yields.
    Let me, before our time is up, just recognize myself. I 
know there are four other Members, and hopefully we will have 
the time. I will be very quick.
    Today, we talked about public assets, and I want to 
associate myself with the comments Ms. Stansbury made regarding 
climate change, and how central to the whole discussion that we 
are having about this jurisdiction that the Committee has with 
regard to Interior.
    I think the points that you made, Madam Secretary, 
regarding Indigenous people and tribes, and the re-definition 
of what that relationship has been in the past with Interior is 
very important. I think tribes and Indigenous folk are ahead of 
us, in terms of how they see sovereignty, how they see self-
determination, and how they see the trust responsibility. And I 
think it is imperative that we catch up.
    We talked about the pause, and it might not be part of the 
review, in terms of oil and gas and extraction policy. But you 
mentioned that a couple of times in response to other 
questions, and it had to do with the fact that unused leases, 
leases that have been there for years upon years upon years, 
acreage that they are encumbering, and many of those leases 
being in areas in which there is no environmental detriment 
surrounding the areas--because I disagree with some people that 
everything should be wide open. I don't think you should be 
drilling and extracting on the rim of the Grand Canyon, period. 
I don't think you should be drilling and extracting in 
Yellowstone.
    But my point being that I think that information would be 
important for the Committee to have, so you can make a 
comparison as to how long those leases have laid fallow, and 
not been used, and maybe it is time for this Committee to 
consider a policy and legislation having to deal with you 
either use it during a period of time, or you lose it. And this 
going on in perpetuity, and basically speculating and holding 
areas, I think is wrong.
    We talked about the BLM, and I appreciate the review that 
is going on. Some of us opposed that move, and I was one of 
them. But the fact that the review is going on, I am more than 
comfortable waiting for the results of that. Once it gets 
steady, it is more difficult to undo, and I realize that. But 
that was a decision made, I think, not for cost saving, or 
administrative purposes, as it was for different reasons that 
we are probably never really going to understand.
    The other thing is the previous administration, it was 
mentioned. Constantly--and Ms. Porter mentioned it--we asked 
for information and didn't get it. And I am pleasantly 
surprised at the insistence of my colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle, and particularly in the Minority, wanting this 
information now from Interior. And your commitment to 
disclosure and public information for all, that is a marked 
day-night change from what the Majority had to endure over the 
last 2 years, in terms of access to Interior. So, I appreciate 
that, and keeping that commitment is important.
    The last issue is the Colorado River. We talked about the 
drought. That important ecosystem, the critical water source 
for 40 million people, including the 67, 68 tribes within that 
region, and it is a critical resource. The contingency plan was 
put together, and I am pleased that the Department is assuring 
tribes of their role in that discussion. That is the feedback 
from tribes that I have received.
    But I want to say that I think that post 2026, when we 
would revisit this, I think the urgency is now to convene, and 
that those states that need to convene in that basin should be 
doing it now, and looking at their own internal policies, their 
own water use regulations that they have within their states, 
because that affects whatever we try to do, in terms of the 
asset that you have jurisdiction over, which is the Colorado 
River.
    Those are just requests, but I think that it can't be the 
same any more. Other changes have to occur in order to deal 
with this drought. And at least my experience from the state of 
Arizona, they don't seem to be ready for it. And I think the 
government can, your Interior can, help spur that discussion, 
which is not happening at this point.
    With that, I recognize Mr. Obernolte for your time.
    Mr. Obernolte. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
    And Secretary Haaland, congratulations on the new position.
    I represent one of the largest congressional districts in 
the country, and over 90 percent of the land of my district is 
public lands of one form or another, many of which are managed 
underneath your Department. So, I am very happy to see you 
taking aggressive action in your new role.
    I would like to ask a couple of questions about the budget 
that you have presented, in particular, as it relates to the 
Great American Outdoors Act funding. As I am sure you are 
aware, it is $1.9 million a year--I am sorry, billion dollars a 
year--that Congress has appropriated for the purposes of 
improving and developing infrastructure on those public lands.
    I was a little disappointed in looking at the budget that 
you are presenting today to realize that very little of that 
funding is being spent recreationally to improve access to our 
public lands. In fact, by my count, only about seven projects 
are being proposed for funding that are recreational projects, 
which is only about 11 percent of the total funding.
    So, can you explain the Department's philosophy, when it 
comes to appropriating that money, and why more of that money 
has not been prioritized for recreational uses?
    Secretary Haaland. I appreciate the question. And I will 
give it a try, and then perhaps Rachel may be able to fill in a 
little bit.
    I know that the deferred maintenance--there is a very big 
backlog of deferred maintenance, and that is where a lot of 
work is being done, or we know that needs to be done using GAOA 
funding, and we are grateful for it. I supported it when I was 
a Member of Congress, as well. So, the deferred maintenance 
backlog is large, and that is something that we are working to 
remedy.
    Ms. Taylor. Thanks so much for the question. I would say, 
in terms of the access for the projects, recreation is one of 
the factors that goes in. As the Secretary mentioned, deferred 
maintenance and sort of buying down some of these large 
projects that are on the books, that are creating challenges 
for park visitors and safety issues, is a huge priority.
    You know, for access, we do have a number of roads 
projects, in terms of allowing people to come into public 
lands. I would note that one of the highest-priority projects 
is the Yellowstone River Bridge project, which is going to help 
support one of the main arteries to the park that brings 
visitors there.
    Each bureau does things a little bit differently, but I 
think we are certainly open to working with Congress in making 
sure that we are implementing the law as intended, as we 
allocate funds going forward, and know that Congress has a role 
also in helping select the projects.
    Thank you for the question.
    Mr. Obernolte. Thank you. I appreciate that. And while we 
are talking about deferred maintenance, that is what I would 
like to ask a second question about, because among the 
facilities that I represent are the Mojave National Preserve 
and the Joshua Tree National Park. And as I am sure you are 
aware, both of those facilities have enormous deferred 
maintenance problems. And I can tell you from firsthand 
experience, having seen them, how desperate that need is. In 
the Mojave National Preserve it is nearly $120 billion. Joshua 
Tree, which is, as you know, one of the most visited national 
parks in our entire system, the deferred maintenance need is 
over $60 million.
    I am hoping that I can get your commitment to help us 
address those deferred maintenance issues, because neither of 
those facilities was awarded any project funding in the first 
two rounds of the Great American Outdoors Act. So, I am hoping 
we can fix that.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you, Congressman. That is very 
well noted. I appreciate knowing about that. Thank you.
    Mr. Obernolte. All right, will you work with us to try to--
--
    Secretary Haaland. I will be happy to work with you, and we 
will see what we can do.
    Mr. Obernolte. I appreciate it. We want to be a resource to 
you. I want to congratulate you on your new role, and encourage 
you to come back and visit us often here at the Natural 
Resources Committee.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much. And I have had an 
opportunity to visit Joshua Tree, and it is indeed a beautiful 
area, and I am happy that you have a strong passion for it. 
Thank you.
    Mr. Obernolte. Thank you. I yield back, Mr. Chair.
    The Chairman. Let me recognize the gentlelady from 
Minnesota, Ms. McCollum.
    Representative, you are recognized.
    Ms. McCollum. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
    Secretary Haaland, it is so wonderful to see you in person. 
And I have a couple of questions, but I cannot go any farther 
without just holding this up.
    This is a bottle of water. Water is a natural resource. 
Without water, our lives don't exist. And sometimes water is in 
competition with oil and gas. And in Minnesota right now, it is 
in competition with some natural resources. I appreciate the 
Department of the Interior and the Forest Service doing what it 
needs to do to make sure we protect water for future 
generations. So, thank you for your work on that.
    Superior National Forest, in and of itself, is 20 percent 
of the clean water that our Federal Government is responsible 
for protecting.
    Honoring our trust and treaty obligations is so very 
important. And I know that you will do everything in your power 
to make sure that the Federal Government does a better job of 
leading up to protecting the trust and treaty responsibilities 
in Indian Country. And I commend you for what you are setting 
up with the Federal Indian School Board Review. What has just 
happened to the First Nations in Canada, with the discovery of 
200 skeletons at one of their boarding schools was just 
heartbreaking, very heartbreaking. And they have done a 
reconciliation. They have done a review. They have gone to the 
public. They have heard the testimony from their tribal 
communities. We still haven't done that here. So, thank you for 
your work on that.
    I want to focus for a moment on the proposed increase for 
Indian Affairs. I am so excited about the 29 percent. I know it 
will just be a couple of drops in the bucket for you, but it is 
huge. So, congratulations to you and to the President for doing 
that.
    Years ago, I was happy to work on the Tiwahe Initiative. It 
is a holistic approach that empowers Tribal Nations to improve 
the health and well-being of families in Indian Country and 
their communities. One of the tribes that was one of the six 
pilot projects was Red Lake Nation in Minnesota. They use their 
funding to empower, reunite families, to work on substance 
abuse and recidivism.
    They worked to reduce suicide, which, at the time when that 
initiative was going through, was an all-time high for Native 
American youth, and Red Lake, and the other pilot communities, 
they produced to report to Congress, recommending that Tiwahe 
be established as a permanent program. That means that it is 
going to need authorization, and I hope I have the honor to 
work on that.
    They have also committed a new approach to evaluate 
impacts. Could you tell me what steps the Department is taking, 
in collaboration with these pilot tribes, to learn about how 
they used the initiative to build effective, coordinated, 
culturally valid models to service delivery to support the 
well-being of Native American families?
    And do you know when we might, here in Congress, see the 
BIA's own evaluation of the program?
    Secretary Haaland. Congresswoman, thank you so much for the 
question, and just thank you for your commitment to Indian 
tribes for as long as you have. It is very much appreciated.
    And I hope you have an opportunity to visit with Bryan 
Newland, our Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian 
Affairs. I think that he has a heart for all of these things.
    One of the most important things, aside from tribal 
consultation, is, of course, taking into consideration those 
574 federally recognized tribes in our country. They are all 
different. None of them are the same. They all have various 
issues that concern their tribes. And we really want to make 
sure that we are getting to the heart of what it is that those 
individual tribes need.
    I can assure you that those particular geographic areas and 
other tribal community customs and traditions all figure into 
how we are moving forward with programs, with all the programs 
within the BIA.
    Ms. McCollum. Thank you. We look forward to doing that. We 
look forward, on the Appropriations Committee of Interior, 
working with you to advance our trust and treaty 
responsibilities.
    With that, please, I know it is in your heart, protect our 
water.
    Secretary Haaland. Thank you.
    The Chairman. Let me recognize Representative Bentz.
    You are recognized.
    Mr. Bentz. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Madam 
Secretary, for your patience with all of us today.
    And thank you for taking the time to talk with us a month 
or so, 2 months ago, regarding the challenge we face down in 
the Klamath. And I understand that issue has already been 
raised earlier this afternoon, and I am appreciative of that.
    In April, the Administration announced the creation of an 
interagency working group to address the worsening drought 
conditions in the West, and supported farmers, tribes, and 
communities impacted by water shortages. I can assure you, I 
know you know this, but right now, things are incredibly grim 
in that basin. And with silence from the Administration comes 
increased frustration, which we absolutely want to avoid, given 
the incredible challenges they face. And by ``they,'' I mean 
all of the groups in the basin. I know you are aware of this, 
but I would like to know if that working group has been formed, 
and if it has met, and if not, when can we anticipate that that 
group will visit that basin?
    Secretary Haaland. Congressman, thank you so much for the 
question and thank you again also for your accessibility to my 
staff, your input. And all of that has been extremely 
beneficial, and we appreciate that very much.

    I know how important this issue is to you. We want to make 
sure that we will be in touch with you, as this working group 
moves forward. And as soon as we are able to meet, we will 
absolutely make sure that we reach out to you.

    Mr. Bentz. Thank you, Madam Secretary. I would just say 
that the challenge there is that there is a lake full of water, 
and it has been allocated to in-stream purposes. So, as those 
who would have normally had that water drive by that lake, you 
can imagine what their feelings are. And there is 350,000 acre-
feet of water there, but they can't touch it.

    So, the Administration stepping in after it had made the 
decision to make those allocations to in-stream purposes, which 
I understand the ESA is a law, but you folks need to be down 
there, and I know the Bureau has tried to be visible, but a 
higher level involvement is really necessary. And I am just 
emphasizing this because it is really important.

    I am going to shift away from that for just a minute, but 
not because I don't think it is important, but because I just 
want to use a few moments to ask how the efforts to find some 
additional money for all of those affected in the basin are 
going. I just want to say the losses in the basin are 
calculated to be around $400 million, and we--Doug LaMalfa and 
I--are asking for a bill of a fraction of that. And we have 
also asked that the tribes and other folks join us in that 
bill.

    Perhaps you can share with us what the Administration is 
doing when it comes to additional funding for that basin.

    Secretary Haaland. Thank you so much for the question. And 
you may know this, but Reclamation committed $15 million in 
immediate aid through the Klamath Project Drought Response 
Agency. And then there is another $3 million in technical 
assistance to tribes for ecosystem activities.

    I know the community is asking for more help, and we are 
looking to do more, and leverage additional resources, as well 
as the USDA. And I appreciate your deep concern, and thank you 
for letting us know that you would like folks to come and 
visit. I appreciate that.

    Mr. Bentz. Thank you, Madam Secretary. And thanks for your 
patience today.

    I yield back.

    The Chairman. Madam Secretary, Mr. Bentz was the last 
Member to ask questions. Other Members--in deference and 
appreciation for your courtesy, Madam Secretary, and for 
extending your time here, and everybody that was present here 
having an opportunity to have a conversation with you, it is 
very much appreciated.
    And I, for one, am very optimistic, and not just in a 
hopeful way. I am very optimistic of the capacity that you 
bring to Interior, and the number of initiatives and firsts 
that we are going to see coming from Interior. That is your 
record, as you have progressed, both politically and in civic 
life, and I don't see it changing any bit. And that is why my 
optimism continues to be very high, and will continue to be 
that way. I appreciate your time.

    Thank you. The meeting is adjourned.

    [Whereupon, at 1:28 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.]

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