[Senate Hearing 117-124]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




                                                        S. Hrg. 117-124

                          BEAUDREAU NOMINATION

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

                                HEARING

                               BEFORE THE

                              COMMITTEE ON
                      ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                                   to

CONSIDER THE NOMINATION OF TOMMY P. BEAUDREAU TO BE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF 
                              THE INTERIOR

                               __________

                             APRIL 29, 2021

                               __________




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                       Printed for the use of the
               Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

        Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov





                                 ______
                                 

                 U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

44-472 PDF                WASHINGTON : 2022








               COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

                JOE MANCHIN III, West Virginia, Chairman

RON WYDEN, Oregon                    JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington           JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho
BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont             MIKE LEE, Utah
MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico          STEVE DAINES, Montana
MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii              LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska
ANGUS S. KING, JR., Maine            JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota
CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, Nevada       JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma
MARK KELLY, Arizona                  BILL CASSIDY, Louisiana
JOHN W. HICKENLOOPER, Colorado       CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi
                                     ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas

                      Renae Black, Staff Director
                      Sam E. Fowler, Chief Counsel
             Richard M. Russell, Republican Staff Director
              Matthew H. Leggett, Republican Chief Counsel
                     Darla Ripchensky, Chief Clerk







                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              

                           OPENING STATEMENTS

                                                                   Page
Manchin III, Hon. Joe, Chairman and a U.S. Senator from West 
  Virginia.......................................................     1
Barrasso, Hon. John, Ranking Member and a U.S. Senator from 
  Wyoming........................................................    15

                                WITNESS

Beaudreau, Tommy P., to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior......    16

          ALPHABETICAL LISTING AND APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED

American Woodcock Society, et al.:
    Letter for the Record........................................     7
Barrasso, Hon. John:
    Opening Statement............................................    15
Barrasso, Hon. John, et al.:
    Letter for the Record addressed to the Hon. Debra Haaland, 
      dated 
      4/22/2021..................................................    94
Beaudreau, Tommy P.:
    Opening Statement............................................    16
    Written Testimony............................................    19
    Responses to Questions for the Record........................    47
Brightline Defense, et al.:
    Letter for the Record........................................     9
Center for Biological Diversity, et al.:
    Letter for the Record........................................    95
Jewell, Hon. Sally:
    Letter for the Record........................................     4
Manchin III, Hon. Joe:
    Opening Statement............................................     1
National Wildlife Refuge Association:
    Letter for the Record........................................    12
Outdoor Alliance:
    Letter for the Record........................................    13





 
                          BEAUDREAU NOMINATION

                              ----------                              


                        THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

                                       U.S. Senate,
                 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:07 a.m. in 
Room SD-366, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Joe Manchin 
III, Chairman of the Committee, presiding.

 OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOE MANCHIN III, U.S. SENATOR FROM 
                         WEST VIRGINIA

    The Chairman. The Committee will come to order. Before we 
turn to our hearing today, I want to take a moment, a 
privilege, for my Chief Counsel on the Committee, Sam Fowler. 
This year Sam reached 30 years of service on this Committee, 
providing sage counsel to me, six of my predecessors, and all 
Committee members, I think, on both sides of the aisle on a 
broad range of issues, including Senate and Committee history. 
If you need to know anything about this Senate and how it 
operates and works, Sam is your man.
    He is only the second person to have served as Chief 
Counsel for the Democratic side since the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources was established in 1977. In fact, only 
four Senators have been in the Senate longer than Sam. So I 
would like to now present him his 30-year service pin and 
certificate along with a plaque to commemorate our appreciation 
for his years of dedicated service to our country. I cannot 
thank him enough.
    Sam?
    I will put the pin on you, but I get to pin you. This is a 
good pin, Sam.
    [Laughter.]
    I think this is an official pin.
    [Applause.]
    The Chairman. Sam, say something. A person, after 30 years, 
has a right--what do you think, Senators? Okay?
    [Laughter.]
    Mr. Fowler. Well, certainly the number of years I have 
worked here is one measure of my career, I suppose, but one of 
the other measures that I take a special pride in is the number 
you mentioned earlier, that out of the eight democrats who have 
served as either the Chair or Ranking Member, I have managed to 
be Chief Counsel for seven of them, and it has been a great 
honor with each and every one and especially with Senator 
Manchin.
    The Chairman. We are not going to have him rate them 
either, okay.
    [Laughter.]
    The Chairman. Thank you, Sam.
    [Applause.]
    The Chairman. Turning back to our hearing.
    We meet today to consider the nomination of Tommy Beaudreau 
to be the Deputy Secretary of the Interior (DOI). Welcome to 
the Committee, Mr. Beaudreau. It is so good to have you and 
your family with us. I want to thank you for being here this 
morning and for your willingness to serve in this important 
position, and thank you to your family for joining you here 
today.
    If you want to, Tommy, why don't you introduce your family 
with you right now, and then I will go ahead and finish up on 
my----
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thank you so much, Chairman.
    So I'm joined this morning with my wife, Carrie Beaudreau, 
and my boys, August Beaudreau and Alex Beaudreau.
    The Chairman. Welcome to all of you. Thank you so much for 
your service.
    The Department of the Interior has a bipolar mission in a 
highly polarized, political environment. On the one hand, the 
Department is charged with preserving and protecting our 
national parks and public lands. It is the guardian of our 
iconic landscapes and our most sacred historical sites. It is 
the steward of our natural resources and must take into account 
not only our present needs but the needs of generations to 
come. On the other hand, the Department of the Interior is 
called upon to provide a large part of the energy and mineral 
resources that we need to power the nation. The lands and 
waters managed by the Department produce nearly 20 percent of 
the nation's energy, including 43 percent of our coal, 24 
percent of our oil, 2 percent of our natural gas, half of our 
geothermal energy, and much of our wind, solar, and hydropower.
    The lands and waters managed by the Department generate $12 
billion a year for the Federal Treasury, support 1.8 million 
jobs, and contribute an estimated $315 billion to our economy. 
The Department does not have the luxury to choose one mission 
over the other. It must fulfill both and find the right balance 
between the two. As the Secretary's top lieutenant, the Deputy 
Secretary of the Interior plays a major role in striking that 
balance and keeping the Department on course. I am not telling 
Mr. Beaudreau anything he does not already know. He learned the 
importance of responsible resource development at an early age 
from his father, who worked in the Prudhoe Bay oil fields in 
the North Slope of Alaska. At the same time, he learned the 
value of the great American outdoors growing up hunting, 
fishing, hiking, and skiing in the Alaskan wilderness. He 
brought those experiences and values with him to the Department 
of the Interior in 2010 when our former colleague, Ken Salazar, 
called on him to help reform the offshore drilling program 
after the tragic Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of 
Mexico.
    As the first Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management, he learned firsthand the importance of not only 
developing energy resources, but developing them wisely, 
safely, and with careful regard for the environment. He saw 
what happened when the Department cut corners, and he played a 
major role in reforming the Department's regulatory program so 
that energy production could resume in the Gulf more safely 
than ever before. Perhaps one measure of the outstanding job 
Mr. Beaudreau did as head of the offshore oil program is the 
fact that Secretary Salazar soon put him in charge of onshore 
leasing as well, as Acting Assistant Secretary of Land and 
Minerals Management, and Secretary Jewell ultimately made him 
her Chief of Staff with oversight over the Department's broad 
portfolio.
    On that note, without objection, I will enter into the 
record former Secretary Jewell's letter to the Committee 
endorsing Mr. Beaudreau.
    Objections? No objections. It will be entered in.
    [Letter of endorsement from former Secretary Jewell 
follows:]


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    The Chairman. Her letter endorses Mr. Beaudreau ``for his 
intellect, capacity to listen to multiple points of view, deep 
understanding of the law, respect for elected officials and 
constitutional processes, and a pragmatic knowledge of how to 
get things done.'' Like former Secretary Jewell, I am very 
pleased that the President has nominated Mr. Beaudreau to be 
the Deputy Secretary of the Interior. I think he is extremely 
well qualified for this important position, and I strongly 
support his nomination.
    Before I turn it over to Senator Barrasso for his opening 
statement, I ask unanimous consent to enter another additional 
five letters for Mr. Beaudreau's nomination in the record.
    Without objection.


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    The Chairman. Now I want to recognize my dear friend and 
colleague, Senator Barrasso, for his opening statement.

           OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN BARRASSO, 
                   U.S. SENATOR FROM WYOMING

    Senator Barrasso. Well thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, 
and I also would like to welcome Tommy Beaudreau to the Senate 
Energy and Natural Resources Committee as well as to your 
family. Thank you all for joining us and for your service to 
the country.
    The Deputy Secretary of the Interior is a critically 
important job to my home State of Wyoming and to the entire 
West. If confirmed, you are going to work alongside the 
Secretary to lead an agency with more than 70,000 employees. 
Department of Interior employees manage 20 percent of the 
nation's lands, including all of our national parks, our 
national monuments, our wildlife refuges, our multiple-use 
lands, and the Outer Continental Shelf. They also manage the 
largest water supply in the West, our nation's trust 
responsibilities to American Indian tribes and Alaska Natives, 
and our nation's responsibilities to U.S. territories and 
freely associated states. One of the most vital functions is 
overseeing the development of traditional and renewable energy 
supplies on public lands and waters.
    In Wyoming, we are proud to be America's leading producer 
of coal, uranium, trona, and bentonite. Almost 50 percent of 
Wyoming's surface area and 69 percent of Wyoming's minerals are 
owned by the Federal Government. Energy production on public 
lands is the engine of Wyoming's economy. It creates good-
paying jobs. It provides tremendous revenue for our state. In 
Wyoming, energy and mineral activity on Department of Interior 
land had a $17.3 billion economic impact in 2019 and supported 
over 57,000 jobs. For years, the State of Wyoming has collected 
over $1 billion annually in royalties and taxes from energy 
production on federal lands. Wyoming is not the only state that 
benefits from energy production on public lands. Mr. 
Beaudreau's home State of Alaska and Secretary Haaland's home 
State of New Mexico, as well as many others, rely on the 
production of oil and natural gas on public lands.
    Mr. Beaudreau, you know from personal experience the 
critical importance of energy production to the livelihoods of 
Americans all across the United States. In 2013, you came 
before this Committee as President Obama's nominee to be 
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management and 
Budget. You testified that your family moved to Alaska so your 
father could ``get a good job working in the Prudhoe Bay oil 
field on the North Slope,'' as Senator Manchin has mentioned. 
You stated, ``Because of my upbringing I have a firsthand 
understanding of the importance of responsible resource 
development to the economic well-being of communities and 
families.'' Your appreciation of the benefits that energy 
production on public lands affords to millions of Americans is 
very welcome news. If you are confirmed it is imperative that 
you keep those Americans who have jobs in energy production on 
public lands at the forefront of your mind. The Biden 
Administration seems intent on destroying the livelihoods of 
oil, natural gas, and coal workers in the West, seems to want 
to rip away all the advantages in the traditional energy 
production that those sources bring to our states, our local 
communities, and our families. Mr. Beaudreau, the Biden 
Administration has given every indication that it wants to 
throw oil and gas workers, who have jobs like your father's, 
out of work. So I hope that if you are confirmed you can serve 
as a voice of reason in an Administration that is waging an 
economic war on energy workers in my state and across the 
country.
    I want to thank the Chair and look forward to your 
testimony. Thank you, Mr. Beaudreau.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
    The rules of the Committee, which apply to all nominees, 
require they be sworn in connection with their testimony. So 
Mr. Beaudreau, if you would please stand and raise your right 
hand?
    Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to 
give to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, 
so help you God?
    Mr. Beaudreau. I do.
    The Chairman. Please be seated.
    Before you begin your statement, Mr. Beaudreau, I will ask 
you three questions addressed to each nominee before the 
Committee.
    Will you be available to appear before the Committee and 
other Congressional committees to represent the Department's 
position and respond to issues of concern to the Congress?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes.
    The Chairman. Are you aware of any personal holdings, 
investments, or interests that could constitute a conflict of 
interest or create the appearance of such a conflict should you 
be confirmed and assume the office to which you have been 
nominated by the President?
    Mr. Beaudreau. No.
    The Chairman. Are you involved or do you have any assets 
held in a blind trust?
    Mr. Beaudreau. No.
    The Chairman. You are now recognized, Mr. Beaudreau, to 
give your statement. Please proceed.

    STATEMENT OF TOMMY P. BEAUDREAU, NOMINATED TO BE DEPUTY 
                   SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR

    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you so much, Chairman Manchin, Ranking 
Member Barrasso, and the members of the Senate Energy and 
Natural Resources Committee. I'm honored to be with you today 
as President Joe Biden's nominee to be the Deputy Secretary of 
the Department of the Interior. I'm very happy to be appearing 
before this Committee again.
    I am joined this morning by my wife, Carrie, and my two 
sons, Alex and Auggie. I thank their school for allowing them 
to be with me today for this hearing. Alex graduates next 
month, so I'm pretty sure he doesn't mind missing class at all. 
If I may, I will begin with a brief personal introduction which 
will help explain why I'm here today seeking your consent to 
return to the Interior Department as Secretary Haaland's Deputy 
and the Department's Chief Operating Officer.
    I am and always will be a Westerner. I was born in 
Colorado, and my first home was in a small town called Brush in 
Morgan County. My father was a Marine who served in Vietnam, 
and, as Senator Barrasso pointed out, in the late 1970s he got 
a job working in the Prudhoe Bay field on the North Slope and 
moved my family to Alaska where I was raised and graduated from 
high school. I'll always be grateful for my upbringing in 
Alaska. Alaska is where I learned to hunt, fish, ski, backpack, 
and appreciate the beauty, adventure, and the power of 
America's vast landscapes and wild places. I am proud to say 
that my children are developing their own connections with the 
outdoors. Alex takes frequent weekend camping trips and hiking 
trips to national and state parks in Virginia and Maryland, and 
I joined Auggie for his first wilderness backpacking adventure 
in Olympic National Park two summers ago.
    Secretary Salazar brought me into the Interior Department 
in 2010 to help the Department respond to the Deepwater Horizon 
crisis and implement sweeping reforms to the federal offshore 
oil and gas oversight, including the successful reorganization 
of the offshore regulator. These reforms withstood a change in 
administration because the case for the reorganization was 
compelling. We enlisted the career staff to help define the 
responsibilities and design the functions of the new agencies, 
and we worked with Congress and this Committee to stand up the 
agencies and ensure that they were properly resourced. My 
perspective on leadership as well as my understanding of how to 
be effective in government also is shaped by my unique career 
path at Interior. I started at DOI as a Senior Advisor in an 
agency that no longer exists. Secretary Salazar appointed me to 
be the first Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 
where, among other things, I conducted the first offshore wind 
lease sales in the United States. I also served as the Acting 
Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management overseeing 
several agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management. 
Finally, I spent three years as the Department's Chief of Staff 
under Secretary Sally Jewell. All of these roles and 
experiences have given me a profound respect for the work of 
the 70,000 career staff at the Interior Department.
    When I first joined government, then-Deputy Secretary David 
Hayes told me I could expect to meet two kinds of folks in 
government, show horses and work horses. I love the Interior 
Department because it is truly a team of work horses, which 
brings us to today. If confirmed, I would be honored and 
humbled to rejoin the Interior Department and to work with 
Secretary Haaland. Secretary Haaland has inspired millions of 
Americans with her historic vision for the Department, and I 
will be deeply invested in supporting her in achieving that 
vision, promoting equity and confronting injustice; bringing 
America's lands, water, and people to bear in tackling the 
great climate and conservation crises facing us today; and 
ensuring that the nation's public lands and wildlife are 
conserved for future generations. Interior is front and center 
in meeting the Biden Administration's targets for reducing 
greenhouse gas emissions. This effort includes bringing public 
lands and waters to bear in building a clean energy economy 
that supports good-paying union jobs as well as strengthening 
working communities. Interior brings to the table the premier 
science agency in the Federal Government, the USGS, and is on 
the front lines addressing drought and partnering across the 
Federal Government and with Western states to combat wildfire.
    As stated by the Supreme Court, the Federal Government has 
charged itself with moral obligations of the highest 
responsibilities and trust toward Native Americans. 
Fundamentally, this responsibility means honoring the 
government-to-government relationship with tribes, including 
through genuine and meaningful consultation, respecting tribal 
sovereignty, and recognizing that self-determination is the 
path to strengthening communities and living up to the United 
States trust and treaty obligations.
    Interior, as steward of the national parks, public lands, 
and largest wildlife refuge system in the world, has the 
awesome responsibility to conserve these lands, nature, and 
wildlife for the benefit of all Americans and for future 
generations. I'm grateful to this Committee and to Congress for 
its investments in protecting our shared heritage and legacy to 
the Great American Outdoors Act and funding the Land and Water 
Conservation Fund. If confirmed, I will have an open door and 
an open mind to the important challenges that are before all of 
us. I hope this hearing will be the first of many conversations 
I have with each of you, and thank you, and I'm ready to answer 
your questions.
    [The prepared statement of Mr. Beaudreau follows:]

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    The Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Beaudreau.
    I will start with the questioning. The United States became 
a net total energy exporter in 2019 for the first time in 67 
years, in large part due to the surge of domestic oil and gas 
production. Do you believe that it is in our best interest to 
maintain our energy independence?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, I believe it is extremely important on 
the national stage that America maintain its energy security.
    The Chairman. Do you believe that we can strike the right 
balance between environmental protection and responsible energy 
development so that we can maintain our energy security and 
independence without sacrificing our environmental quality?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes.
    The Chairman. Each year, the Office of Surface Mining 
transfers up to $750 million to the United Mine Workers of 
America (UMWA) Health and Retirement Fund. This is because in 
1946 the Federal Government made a promise to the UMWA, the 
only one that we have ever had between labor and government. In 
1940, the Federal Government made that promise. It was called 
the Krug-Lewis Agreement that ensured hard-earned health care 
and retirement benefits would be secured for the lifetimes of 
back-breaking work in the coal mines. These programs are very 
important to coal miners, their widows, and their dependents. 
So will you commit to ensure the timely and uneventful transfer 
of funds from the Office of Surface Mining to the necessary 
UMWA funds as directed by Congress?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Senator, the AML program is a tremendous 
success story. In my previous service at the Interior 
Department, it was always an important moment to be able to 
oversee the transfer of those funds. Obviously, I haven't been 
at the Department for some time now, but with your consent when 
I return, I absolutely will look into the program.
    The Chairman. I believe more needs to be done to reduce 
methane venting and flaring, and we have been told that 
methane, the venting of methane, is 84 times more detrimental 
to our environment than just CO2. So we know it is 
very lethal. The other thing is, it has a value to it. So do 
you believe that there is an opportunity from the federal 
lands, both to mitigate an environmental impact of this 
extremely potent greenhouse gas and to ensure taxpayers receive 
a fair return for the resources? We already have technologies 
to reduce methane emissions, and we will continue that 
innovation, but one of the missing pieces seems to be the 
gathering lines. The gathering lines that it takes to take the 
methane from the well head to the main pipeline and ultimately 
to market, instead of venting or flaring it. What role does the 
Bureau of Land Management play in approving the construction of 
gathering lines?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you for the question, Senator. There 
is no doubt that--and President Biden has spoken about this, 
and Secretary Haaland has spoken about it--we absolutely need 
to address greenhouse gas emissions emanating from public 
lands, and that includes methane. It's an important part of the 
challenge facing us with respect to climate, and, as you 
pointed out, that resource belongs to the American people, and 
to have it vented or flared or wasted is not only not in the 
American people's interest but is contrary to law. If I return 
to the Interior Department, I'll work across the board to 
develop solutions to prevent the waste of that resource, both 
for the benefit of the taxpayer and the benefit of our fight 
against climate change.
    The Chairman. There are steps that will need to be taken, 
basically, to make sure that we can get the product to market, 
and the lack of gathering lines is what is impeding it right 
now, and they are flaring it because flaring is better than 
just venting it. So it is going to be all-hands-on-deck on that 
one.
    The 1872 Mining Laws for hard rock mining, do you have any 
comments on that and the need to upgrade that?
    Mr. Beaudreau. So----
    The Chairman. It has been quite a while since we have 
approached this. The last time was 1872.
    Mr. Beaudreau. I will say, I consider myself extremely 
fortunate to be present today for your honoring of Sam Fowler's 
long career here at the Senate.
    The Chairman. Well, he does not go back to 1872.
    Mr. Beaudreau. No, but he----
    The Chairman. But he understands----
    Mr. Beaudreau. He and I have joked and made observations 
about this, and so our view is it would be great to bring that 
law into the 21st century and if we can't, at least the 20th 
century.
    The Chairman. If you can give me just a quick, because my 
time is running out, a little bit. I know you were very much 
involved in offshore wind along the Atlantic Coast. Can you 
explain to me what we can do and why you think it is such a 
valuable resource that we should be developing?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Offshore wind, so President Biden, Secretary 
Haaland have talked about building a clean energy economy. The 
potential that offshore wind has is three-fold. One, producing 
30,000 megawatts of clean energy by 2030. Two, it aligns with 
the state goals to bring that energy in that's really created 
the market that's unlocked offshore wind potential. And it 
means jobs. And so, part of the President's entire program 
around clean energy is not only to fight climate change but to 
bring high-paying, union, domestic jobs through the clean 
energy sector, and offshore wind will be a big part of that.
    The Chairman. Thank you.
    Senator Barrasso.
    Senator Barrasso. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Beaudreau, I have a couple of questions along the lines 
of how Senator Manchin started his questioning. Just as a 
general matter, should the Federal Government continue to 
permit oil and gas wells in this country?
    Mr. Beaudreau. I think the Administration has been clear 
that permitting of oil and gas will continue even during the 
penancy of the Interior Department's review of the BLM's oil 
and gas programs.
    Senator Barrasso. As a general matter, should the Federal 
Government continue to permit coal mines in this country?
    Mr. Beaudreau. I think, again, the Administration has been 
clear that we need to answer the bell in terms of reducing 
carbon emissions emanating from public lands, and while we step 
up to do that the programs will continue.
    Senator Barrasso. As a general matter, should the Federal 
Government continue to process actions related to coal mines 
already authorized and permitted in this country?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes.
    Senator Barrasso. As a general matter, should the Federal 
Government continue to permit copper, lithium, and other hard 
rock mines in this country?
    Mr. Beaudreau. There's no question that critical minerals 
play a role in advanced technology development as well as 
renewable energy. Responsible mining is something that I look 
forward to, if I'm confirmed and joining the Department, 
helping to oversee. But we do, as everyone on this Committee 
appreciates, we must be extremely attuned not only to the 
potential environmental effects, but potential effects on 
historic and cultural resources.
    Senator Barrasso. General matter, should the Federal 
Government continue to permit natural gas pipelines in this 
country?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Again, as I discussed with Senator Manchin, 
we need to look at ways of preventing waste of that resource as 
well as preventing it from being released into the atmosphere, 
and if I return to the Interior Department, I will have an open 
mind about all potential solutions to accomplish those goals.
    Senator Barrasso. As a general matter, should the Federal 
Government continue to permit oil pipelines in the country?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Similar answer, sir.
    Senator Barrasso. General matter, should the Federal 
Government continue to permit electric transmission lines in 
the country?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes. Transmission and modernization of the 
grid are critical to achieving President Biden's goals for a 
clean energy economy.
    Senator Barrasso. General matter, should the Federal 
Government continue to permit natural gas and nuclear power 
plants in the country?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Again, the overall climate picture requires 
bold action. I believe the President has articulated that 
vision. If I'm confirmed, it'll be first and foremost among my 
responsibilities to achieve that. And again, I will be open to 
solutions to get us there.
    Senator Barrasso. I want to visit about grazing. You know, 
throughout the West there are hundreds of vacant allotments 
that could be permitted for grazing activities, and this would 
help ranchers and rural economies to be more resilient when 
disasters or drought strikes. That is why last week I 
introduced a bill called the RANCH Act, stands for Resiliency 
for Ranching and Natural Conservation Health Act. The bill will 
allow temporary use of vacant grazing allotments during extreme 
weather events and disasters. Currently the vacant allotments 
need updated environmental reviews under NEPA. So, if 
confirmed, would you commit to prioritizing vacant allotments 
in NEPA evaluations for future livestock grazing?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you for describing your bill. If I'm 
confirmed, I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and looking 
into that. I also believe strongly that conservation includes 
partnerships, especially in the American West, and working with 
ranching and farming communities are extremely important to 
helping step up to meet the conservation crisis. And so, yes, I 
will work with you on those issues.
    Senator Barrasso. Thank you.
    I want to ask about the 30 by 30 initiative. You know, 
President Biden issued an Executive Order establishing a 
directive to conserve at least 30 percent of America's land and 
waters by 2030. This does not define what constitutes 
conservation, and it is really unclear what percentage of 
America's lands would be impacted. According to the U.S. 
Geological Survey, about 12 percent of America's lands are 
currently permanently protected. So to raise that number from 
12 to 30 you would need to keep land off limits to multiple use 
equal to seven times the size of the State of Wyoming. You are 
talking about vast amounts of the United States. I am wondering 
how the 30 by 30 initiative is consistent with multiple-use, 
private landownership in the country, voluntary conservation 
efforts. I do not know if you have any thoughts on that?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, and again, I look forward to joining 
the Administration to advance the 30 by 30 initiative, if I'm 
confirmed. I think Secretary Haaland has said it best. 
Conservation, in order to meet the 30 by 30 goals, is about 
partnerships. It's about inclusivity. It's about working with 
folks on the ground. And your mention about grazing and 
ranching and agricultural communities absolutely should be a 
part of that effort. And so, I think there are real 
opportunities across the board to achieve those goals by 
working together.
    Senator Barrasso. Finally, in his first few weeks in office 
President Biden issued orders banning new oil and natural gas 
leasing on federal lands and waters. It is estimated that a 
long-term leasing ban will cost my home State of Wyoming about 
33,000 jobs, over $1 billion in royalties and in taxes which 
are collected annually on oil, gas, and coal production on 
federal lands within our borders. This money is a principal 
source of funding for public education, for roads, for water 
projects, other essential services. So we need lease sales to 
resume, and it is not just Wyoming, it is the Rocky Mountain 
West. How quickly can we get back to the legally required lease 
sale process?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yeah, thank you for that question. There is 
no doubt in my mind that the BLM and the federal oil and gas 
leasing program needs modernization and needs reform in order 
to address, among other things, the climate crisis and to 
achieve fair value for taxpayers. I appreciate your points 
about the uncertainty that pausing leasing may cause, and I 
look forward when I join the Interior Department, with your 
consent, to participating in the review of the program and 
charting the path forward for the program.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
    Now we have Senator King by WebEx.
    Senator King. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    First, I want to join your congratulations of Sam for his 
extraordinary service to the Committee over 30 years. That is 
an amazing record, and I just want to thank him for all that he 
has done for us.
    Mr. Beaudreau, first, there has been some criticism of your 
nomination because of your associations in your private sector 
experience in recent years with fossil fuel companies and other 
commercial entities that may have an interest in the work that 
comes before the Department of the Interior. Can you answer 
those questions and address any allegations of conflict of 
interest or tainting of your views in terms of the issues that 
will come before the Department?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yeah, thank you for very much for that 
question, Senator King.
    I have been in government service for a long period of time 
during the Obama Administration. I am accepting of the scrutiny 
and criticism that comes with holding these roles. I'll admit 
that I'm a little bewildered by some of the criticism given 
what I believe was a very strong track record during the Obama 
Administration on conservation, including things we worked 
together on in Maine and, for example, the designation of 
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and my reputation 
as a regulator, both tough but, I think, fair minded.
    In terms of the ethics rules, I've already begun working 
with the career ethics staff at the Interior Department to 
ensure that procedures are in place to ensure and obviously I 
will be mindful at all times about complying with my ethical 
obligations as I have in the past.
    Senator King. I want to be clear that I do not necessarily 
hold those concerns, but I wanted to give you an opportunity to 
address them simply because they will be part of our Committee 
consideration of your nomination.
    One comment, and perhaps you could respond. The National 
Park Service has been leaderless for four or five years, four 
years anyway. What kind of priority do you place upon helping 
the President and the Secretary to find a Director of the 
National Park Service and making sure that we have consistent 
and strong leadership in charge of that critically important 
part of our federal responsibility?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thank you, Senator. I couldn't agree 
more with that sentiment. The National Park Service is 
essential to connecting the American people with our shared 
natural resources and encouraging a next generation of 
Americans to be involved in conservation. In order to carry 
those values forward, I agree with you. I think it's extremely 
important that the National Park Service have a Director.
    Senator King. I am going to go out on a limb and predict 
that this summer is going to be the biggest summer ever for the 
national parks, and we better be ready. As you and I have 
discussed in our meeting prior to this hearing, we really need 
to talk about the national parks in terms of the pressure on 
them. That brings me to the Great American Outdoors Act. The 
implementation of the Great American Outdoors Act, which 
involves both the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the 
Restore our Parks Act, maintenance in the parks, is critically 
important. Here in Congress, we can provide the vision, but 
your agency has to provide the implementation.
    Is this going to be a priority for you when you go into 
office, and will you commit now to being clear and transparent 
with this Committee in terms of the steps taken by the 
Administration to implement the Great American Outdoors Act?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thank you for that. As I said in my 
opening statement, I am profoundly appreciative of the work of 
this Committee and Congress to pass the Great American Outdoors 
Act and to bring much needed resources into the Park Service 
and our public lands. We've talked for many, many years about 
the maintenance backlog and infrastructure crisis facing the 
national parks and to have Congress step up in such a 
significant way to address that problem is really amazing. I 
know everyone has frustrations sometimes about getting stuff 
done, Congress really got some important work done and, yes, I 
look forward to working with the Interior Department and this 
Committee on making sure that we bring maximum value out of 
each one of those dollars.
    Senator King. And will you commit to remaining in close 
contact with this Committee on the implementation in a fully 
transparent way?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes.
    Senator King. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
    Next, we have Senator Hyde-Smith.
    Senator Hyde-Smith. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you 
Mr. Beaudreau for being here and your willingness to serve. 
Congratulations on your nomination, and I certainly hope that 
today's hearing will have the answers that we are seeking of 
how you would assist the Secretary.
    One of the things that I am concerned about from my home 
State of Mississippi is forestry is just such an important part 
of Mississippi economy. It is 46,000 jobs and nearly $2 billion 
in payroll and contributing more than $8 billion to the state's 
sales and manufacturing economy. So we are a wood basket in 
Mississippi, and we have plenty of that, and it is just very 
important. But multiple countries and intergovernmental 
organizations have declared that forest management and biomass 
play an essential role in an all-in approach to reduce 
dependence on fossil fuels.
    Mr. Beaudreau, what role can sustainable biomass play in 
our nation's overall energy strategy, and what is your 
understanding of how strong forest products markets benefit 
rural communities such as the ones that we have in Mississippi 
that really depend on this?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you very much for that question.
    I recall during the previous Administration listening very 
closely to Secretary Vilsack on exactly these issues and his 
belief in the role that the Forest Service has on that type of 
resource. And I can tell you, if I'm confirmed and join the 
Interior Department, that I will be committed to one, an open 
mind on all of those potential resources, again, to meet, among 
other things, the climate crisis, and two, be absolutely 
committed to making the best use of science to inform those 
decisions.
    Senator Hyde-Smith. Thank you for that answer. I want to 
focus on your experiences as former Director of the Bureau of 
Ocean Energy Management to expand upon the issue of offshore 
oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico. I know you have been 
asked about this, but not everybody has had the chance to ask 
you the same question. In an interview you gave in 2013 you 
stated that the Gulf has tremendous resource potential, but it 
is also one of the most mature fields in the entire world and 
has a very sophisticated, widespread infrastructure. Given the 
detrimental impact that pausing offshore oil and gas leasing 
has for the Gulf Coast and the Gulf States, how do you view the 
Gulf in terms of American oil and gas production now and in the 
future?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thanks very much for that question. I 
do have, you know, based on my previous roles, a very good 
understanding of the Gulf of Mexico and the offshore oil and 
gas industry like the entire federal management of oil and gas 
in those programs, it is appropriate and as Secretary Haaland 
has articulated, necessary to undertake a review of those 
programs, how they're implemented, including through the lens 
of fair return to the taxpayer and climate. I believe that the 
offshore industry should be at the table for all those 
discussions as reflected during the roundtable hosted by 
Secretary Haaland to discuss the review of the oil and gas 
program. It's important that that industry be at the table 
because I believe they can offer a lot of solutions to move the 
ball forward on achieving these goals.
    Senator Hyde-Smith. And when do you think the 
Administration should lift its freezes on new offshore leases?
    Mr. Beaudreau. So I'm not in the Administration yet. I 
haven't been part of the discussions with respect to the 
review. If I'm confirmed, I'd look forward to joining those 
discussions and working with the Department and the full range 
of stakeholders necessary to plot out the appropriate path for 
the offshore oil and gas programs. And so, I don't have that 
direct answer to that question of how long the review should 
be. It should be a thorough review. It should achieve the 
goals, as articulated by the President as well as the 
Secretary, and it should be mindful of, you know, uncertainty 
that is inherent to conducting those reviews. But at the end of 
the day, the program needs to be modernized, and I look forward 
to being part of that effort.
    Senator Hyde-Smith. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
    Now we have Senator Cortez Masto.
    Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and to Mr. 
Beaudreau, congratulations on your nomination.
    First of all, like everyone else, let me just recognize Sam 
as well for 30 years of service to the Committee. We are so 
fortunate to have your experience and your knowledge, and I 
look forward to continuing to work with you on the Committee. 
Thank you for your commitment.
    Mr. Beaudreau, we have talked. Thank you for taking the 
time to talk with me. As you well know, in Nevada, 85 percent 
of the land is owned by the Federal Government, and 60 percent 
of that is managed by the BLM. So our relationship with the 
Federal Government, particularly the Department of the 
Interior, is crucial to how we manage and develop our land in 
our state and make sure that everybody has an opportunity to 
thrive in the State of Nevada.
    So the first question I have for you--as you well know, we 
talked about this--the Las Vegas Valley in Clark County is home 
to nearly two million people, and it is growing. The valley is 
essentially land locked by Interior Department-managed lands, 
and the BLM is the manager of hundreds of small parcels 
throughout the metropolitan area there. In order for mundane 
city management actions to occur, it often requires 
collaboration with federal land managers. In order to ensure 
local land management needs are being met and to support our 
local government facilitating a growing population and economic 
diversification efforts, the Interior Department must be 
focused and be a present partner. It will require BLM to 
prioritize permitting and realty applications. It will require 
greater alignment between BLM and state and local governments 
on renewable energy and transmission siting. It will require 
prioritizing the distribution of funds from the Southern Nevada 
Public Land Management Act's special account for regional 
conservation and environmental enhancement projects, among 
other priorities. Mr. Beaudreau, can I have your commitment 
that you will prioritize efficient land management and greater 
collaboration in Southern Nevada with all of the key 
stakeholders and leaders there?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thank you very much. And again, thank 
you for taking some time to visit with me in advance of the 
hearing.
    I look forward to, with your consent, rejoining the 
Interior Department. In my previous roles in the Department, I 
worked very hard and very closely with the BLM on the full 
range of issues facing Nevada that you describe and, 
absolutely, I'm committed to continuing that work and would 
look forward to doing so.
    Senator Cortez Masto. Wonderful.
    The other area or component that is important for us in 
Nevada involves critical mineral development. Outside of a few 
domestic mines, including our nation's only lithium mine exists 
in the State of Nevada, critical minerals are produced outside 
of the country. Our country has a very small critical mineral 
supply chain industry, and we rely heavily on foreign countries 
for procurement, processing, and manufacturing of these 
materials. What do you see as the Interior Department's role in 
fostering the development of a domestic critical mineral supply 
chain?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thanks very much.
    Critical minerals are, I mean, they're well named, right? 
It's essential to not only unlocking the renewable energy 
potential and the future clean energy economy that President 
Biden and Secretary Haaland seek to build, it is also essential 
to driving technological innovation where the United States is 
a leader and needs to continue to be. So I look forward, if I'm 
confirmed, to continuing to work on the Interior Department's 
role in overseeing hard rock mining, including with respect to 
critical minerals to ensure that those resources would be 
responsibly developed, but also, especially in an 
environmentally sensitive way and in a way that is considerate 
of and avoids impacts to cultural and historic resources.
    Senator Cortez Masto. Great, thank you.
    And then, let me touch on one other area: wildfire 
prevention, suppression, and restoration. We have seen the 
devastating impact of wildfires in our state. Most of that is 
rangeland and wildland urban interface areas where the fires 
have occurred. And key to that prevention, suppression, and 
restoration is collaboration amongst the federal agencies, not 
just with our state and local government leaders but with 
private ranchers and individuals that can really be good, great 
partners in not only helping to prevent and suppress but 
restoring the land after a fire. So if confirmed, would you 
commit to a greater amount of prevention, suppression, and 
restoration resources to the rangeland and wildland urban 
interface areas?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you.
    Wildfire, especially in the American West, I mean, we used 
to talk about wildfire seasons, and even that concept is 
becoming a difficult one given the expanded and, you know, 
greater intensity of wildfire across the American West. And so 
yes, I couldn't agree more that all-hands-on deck, all 
partnerships need to be brought to bear on meeting that 
challenge.
    Senator Cortez Masto. Mr. Beaudreau, thank you.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
    Now we have Senator Lankford.
    Senator Lankford. Chairman, thank you very much.
    Mr. Beaudreau, good to see you again. Thanks for our 
conversation before to be able to go through some issues here. 
I need to just provide a little bit of clarity here for the 
public record. Do you believe that on federal lands we should 
be able to use federal lands to explore for critical minerals, 
rare earth minerals, and any other mineral that may be there 
for the public good?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you for that question.
    The answer is yes, subject to the environmental and 
cultural, historic safeguards that we've talked about.
    Senator Lankford. Right, are those anything different than 
what has existed in the past? Do you feel like those have not 
been honored in the recent days?
    Mr. Beaudreau. So, again, not being in the Department yet, 
if I'm confirmed, I do think it is essential, as I mentioned in 
my opening statement, that with respect to, you know, the full 
range of responsibilities that the Federal Government has and 
the Interior Department has, I do think we need to do better 
relative to Indian Country around issues of consultation and 
respect for tribal sovereignty and self-determination, and that 
will have a role, again, across all of the Interior 
Department's responsibilities, including with respect to hard 
rock mining.
    Senator Lankford. I would agree on that as well. Several of 
the tribes have asked, very point blank, is this new 
Administration going to step in and going to prevent us on 
tribal lands from being able to explore for energy? You and I 
have spoken before about the Osage Nation and their Minerals 
Council and the challenges they have had with DOI since 2014, 
that the rules were changed, they cannot get access to land 
records without doing a FOIA request and is dramatically slowed 
the process for energy development there based on that demand 
for a FOIA request which was unusual, to say the least, and 
unique to them. Is that something you would be willing to be 
able to explore when you get there, why that is happening and 
how that could be expedited?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yeah, and thank you for raising that issue, 
and we talked a little bit about it earlier this week in our 
meeting. I'm not familiar with it, but, absolutely, I will look 
into that if I'm confirmed and join the Department.
    Senator Lankford. That would be great. Thank you.
    The McGirt decision in the Supreme Court, obviously, is 
significant for all tribes, but especially for Five Tribes in 
Oklahoma, in particular. That particular decision was a 
criminal decision, is that correct, based on your 
interpretation of the reading of that law, of the, actually it 
was passed by the Supreme Court?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, the specific controversy at issue in 
the McGirt decision had to do with criminal jurisdiction.
    Senator Lankford. Do you have a sense that McGirt decision 
from the Supreme Court changed the authorities that the 
Department of the Interior has in that area based on the 
decision that the court came down with?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thank you. So, as you know, the McGirt 
decision was heralded across the country and especially in 
Indian Country for representing a powerful acknowledgement by 
the Supreme Court of the Federal Government's trust and treaty 
responsibilities. I have not undertaken a, you know, a review 
of that decision in the context of the Interior Department's 
authorities but, if confirmed, I look forward to doing so.
    Senator Lankford. Yes, I look forward to that conversation. 
Obviously, the Department of the Interior has already reached 
out and started the process of changing their authorities based 
on the McGirt decision, and we are trying to explore what does 
that mean, and where is that coming from, and where is the 
consultation with the tribes and with the state, and is that 
still occurring? Tribes will need engagement from the 
Department of the Interior in this transition. Is this 
something the Department of the Interior would continue to be 
able to engage with tribes as they ask questions, as they try 
to be able to deal with the decisions on the McGirt decision as 
well?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Absolutely, that is, as Secretary Haaland 
has said very clearly, that is one of this Administration's top 
priorities.
    Senator Lankford. Mr. Beaudreau, we have 2.6 million miles 
of pipeline in the ground right now across the country, and 
some people think pipelines are new or rare. We have 2.6 
million miles of pipeline across the country. Do you think 
existing pipeline owners should be able to have access to the 
right of way to be able to inspect, to be able to repair, to be 
able to do what they need to on that existing pipeline in the 
ground?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you.
    As a general matter, pipeline operations have 
responsibilities for the maintenance and oversight of pipelines 
in order to ensure they're safely operated and, among other 
things, controlling potential fugitive emissions. Each 
circumstance, obviously, is unique; it needs to be considered 
on its own merits, but, yes, the maintenance of pipelines for 
safety and environmental purposes is important.
    Senator Lankford. Thank you.
    Mr. Chairman, I will submit one more question for the 
record dealing with the Endangered Species that will be 
important to all of us as well, but thank you for your 
testimony.
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you.
    The Chairman. Thank you.
    Senator Murkowski.
    Senator Murkowski. Mr. Chairman, thank you. Mr. Beaudreau, 
welcome, it is good to see you before the Committee again. I, 
too, want to acknowledge Sam Fowler a little. There he is back 
there. Sam, 30 years, you have not only been advising me, but 
you have been advising other Murkowskis, and I think Mr. 
Beaudreau probably has had the benefit of your guidance and 
wisdom as well. So thank you for your years of dedication.
    So a couple of things, and I do appreciate our conversation 
on the phone. It is important that we get updated here.
    We have used the expression in Alaska that the Department 
of the Interior is our landlord. Under the Trump 
Administration, I really felt like the Federal Government went 
from landlord status to more of a partner status. Right now, I 
am not feeling that same partner status. I am starting to feel 
more like a tenant to the Department of the Interior's 
landlord. And so, I want to get back to that partnership, and I 
think that you can be one that can help us do that. You have 
had experience in Alaska. You know and understand the value of 
development of our public lands recognizing the very special 
nature of them, but also the great contribution that these 
resources can provide to us all.
    So I am hoping that as you move forward, I am assuming you 
will make it through this process and become confirmed, but my 
hope is that you will see that some of the very directed 
initiatives that have, kind of, come out of the Administration 
in the very early days, these Executive orders, seven of them, 
were directly targeted toward Alaska, called us out. Folks back 
home are looking at this as a significant threat to our 
responsible resource development in the state.
    I guess I would just like for you to state on the record 
what will your approach be to responsible oil, gas, and mineral 
resource development on public lands, particularly in Alaska 
and then, more specific, if you could detail for me your 
understanding as to the impact on a state like Alaska when you 
have a pause or a halt for two years on permitting, drilling, 
or development of existing leases and here the code to you is 
Willow, recognizing and understanding what that means to delay 
a project like Willow that has been decades in the process 
through multiple Administrations beginning with the Obama 
Administration, but again, allowing for a couple thousand 
construction jobs, considerable resources, not only to the 
State of Alaska but to the Federal Treasury and to those 
contributions. So it is a wide-ranging question, but I would 
like your response here.
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you very much, Senator Murkowski, and 
thank you for welcoming me back to the Committee.
    We've worked together a lot over the years, including 
during the Obama Administration, and fundamental to that 
working relationship between the Department, the State of 
Alaska and the Department, and the Alaskan delegation has been, 
in my view, transparency, honesty, and good communication. I 
will say some of the most harrowing experiences of my career 
have been sitting in your office and talking about issues that 
I know we had a difference of opinion on. I managed to come out 
of each of those meetings with all of my limbs which I was 
thankful for, but I'm also thankful for a number of times, 
including in the Obama Administration, when we were able to 
work together and come up with solutions that were good for the 
state, good for the United States, and good for the Interior 
Department, and it was one of my proudest moments to come to 
your office and let you know that the President and Secretary 
Jewell were restoring the name of Denali in advance of 
President Obama's trip to the state.
    So that's a long way of saying I have a deep appreciation 
for how important energy development is for the state, and I 
also have a deep appreciation for how important close work with 
the state, state officials, local communities, Alaska Natives, 
and this delegation represented on the Committee is. I'm 
pleased to say that I've started having these conversations 
again with a host of folks, including the Alaska Federation of 
Natives, and I look forward to taking those relationships and 
conversations forward.
    Senator Murkowski. As you point out, we have a lot to do. 
We are certainly still trying to provide for a level of 
environmental justice, if you will, to the good people of King 
Cove after these many years trying to get a simple road to be 
able to access a lifesaving runway over in Cold Bay. We need 
you to be working with us on these PLOs, the withdrawal that, 
again, I think, was not only extraordinarily unfortunate and 
short-sighted when that decision was made just a couple months 
ago. But again, the impact to our Alaska Native veterans who 
have been waiting decades now to be able to select their Native 
allotments and who are now facing yet even more delay due to 
the actions of the Administration with regards to these 
withdrawals. So we have a lot of work to do to help a lot of 
people, and I am looking forward to moving quickly to resolve 
some of these long-standing issues.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
    And now, Senator Daines.
    Senator Daines. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Beaudreau, 
welcome.
    As you know, Montana is home to hundreds of wildlife 
species, several of which are either endangered or threatened. 
Unfortunately, the Endangered Species program is broken. If you 
look at the data, less than four percent of species listed have 
ever recovered. Due to litigation, in fact, like the 2015 
Cottonwood case and the recent Grizzly Bear lawsuit, our 
limited resources are not always going to species that need it 
most. And more often than not, landowners view ESA decisions as 
punitive, heavy-handed which can actually hinder conservation 
efforts. One sage Montanan said the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA) is like a 40-year-old ranch pickup. It once served a 
useful purpose, but it is in bad need of repair. The Endangered 
Species program is broken, and what areas would you prioritize 
for improving, if you are confirmed?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thanks very much.
    The Endangered Species Act has been a really powerful tool 
for wildlife and habitat conservation. And so, I believe, 
overall, the Endangered Species Act has been a tremendous 
success story. It has recovered, as you know, species like the 
Bald Eagle and has been very effective in protecting habitat. 
In terms of implementation of the Endangered Species Act going 
forward, if I'm confirmed, I bring the same principles to bear 
that I always have while at the Interior Department, and that 
is to be grounded in the science first and foremost and to work 
closely with the Fish and Wildlife Service as well as state 
wildlife agencies to ensure that species recover, are 
resilient, and can be success stories under the ESA.
    Senator Daines. Mr. Beaudreau, you brought up a good point 
around working with the states, and I think about Montanans, 
and nobody cares more about protecting Montana wildlife than 
Montanans, and we have seen that in the unprecedented 
investment in sage grouse conservation throughout the State of 
Montana. However, I am worried that if we do not adequately 
consider the state efforts in listing decisions and allow time 
to determine effectiveness, we might discourage future 
conservation and have an unintended consequence. Do you believe 
that states should be afforded time to play out, and should 
these efforts and plans be considered in listing decisions?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thanks very much.
    As, you know, during the Obama Administration we worked 
under Secretary Jewell's leadership, extremely hard with the 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, the 
Forest Service, and, especially, the states to develop plans 
for sage grouse and sage grouse habitat conservation. The 
states are critical to continuing with the conservation efforts 
for the benefit of the sage grouse, and so, to answer your 
question, absolutely, the states and state wildlife plans are 
essential to sage grouse conservation. It's an unlisted 
species.
    Senator Daines. Thank you, Mr. Beaudreau.
    Last month, the Fish and Wildlife Service determined that 
two, two grizzly bear populations in Montana had biologically 
recovered. Tragically, just a few weeks ago, we lost another 
Montanan to a grizzly bear mauling, just north of West 
Yellowstone. If confirmed, when wildlife populations or the 
population segments do meet the recovery criteria, would you 
support delisting the species and returning it to state 
management?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thanks very much.
    I have to return to those fundamental principles about 
being guided by the science, working closely with the Service, 
and understanding what the outlook is, both in terms of 
recovery and management and resiliency for the species. And so, 
I can commit to you that if confirmed and I join the 
Department, I will do all of that, you know, including with 
respect to the grizzly.
    Senator Daines. Thank you, Mr. Beaudreau.
    Another topic I want to talk about is the net zero carbon 
emissions the Biden Administration has set by 2050, that goal. 
Healthy forests, we believe out in Montana, are a fantastic way 
to store carbon, but Montana is one of seven states with 
forests that actually emit more carbon than they are storing. 
This is largely due to dying tree stands and massive reduction 
in wood products coming out of Montana. When I was a kid 
growing up there, we had 30 active sawmills. Today we are down 
to seven. The biggest issue has been not being able to get 
access to timber on public lands. Our carbon sequestration was 
actually the highest in the 1990s when timber harvests were 
much higher.
    My question, Mr. Beaudreau, is do you believe that 
increasing the scale of forest management should be a component 
of reducing our carbon emissions?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yeah, thank you very much.
    It is my view that there are forest management practices 
grounded in science that can be very effective in not only 
providing for sustained yield from timber on public lands but 
also improving the quality of forests as carbon sinks. This 
will be a major priority. It already is for the Interior 
Department, and, if confirmed, I look forward to becoming 
involved in those issues again.
    Senator Daines. Last, before I comment, I'll be done, Mr. 
Chairman.
    I am working to reintroduce a very bipartisan forestry bill 
with Senator Feinstein like we talked about on the call earlier 
this week. It would seek to really take that issue head on as 
California has faced catastrophic wildfires, as many of us 
across the West have, including my colleague to my left from 
Alaska, Senator Murkowski. Would you commit to work with us to 
help get a critical bill like that across the finish line?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, if confirmed, I would look forward to 
reviewing that legislation and as the Interior Department is 
very good at doing, providing any input and our thoughts on 
that legislation.
    Senator Daines. Thank you, Mr. Beaudreau.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
    Senator Cassidy.
    Senator Cassidy. Yes, sir. Thank you.
    I thank you, sir and thank you for your answers. Sometimes 
these nominees come in so coached you end up with nothing to 
think about except that they do not know how to answer a 
question. So I thank you for your, kind of, thoughtful 
responses. And I also thank you because it is clear that you 
are using science to, kind of, guide your decisions. I cannot 
help but note that when the President revoked the cross-border 
permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, an Obama Administration 
State Department report said, revoking such a permit would 
actually increase global greenhouse gas emissions. And I just 
say that, to, kind of, in context.
    We spoke, you have spoken already of the halt to the new 
lease scene on the Outer Continental Shelf. I am from 
Louisiana. Despite the EIA science saying that in 2019 methane 
emissions in federal waters accounted for roughly 2.5 percent 
of nationwide emissions while the Gulf accounted for 17 percent 
of nationwide production, and I am not quite sure the rationale 
of why they shut down the new leasing. Any thoughts about that?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thanks very much.
    You know, obviously, I'm not at the Interior Department yet 
and haven't been part of the review or internal discussions 
about how the review is proceeding. As I've spoken about before 
though, I think, the federal oil and gas programs, as 
administered by the Interior Department, ought to undergo a 
periodic review in order to understand----
    Senator Cassidy. Now, let me ask, let me ask, sir, because, 
again, you have been very straightforward, and I understand you 
are not in a position, and, by the way, I appreciate your dad 
worked on that pipeline. A lot of people from Louisiana did as 
well, and it just provides great jobs. You know that. My 
concern is the fact that they ignore the science on the 
Keystone XL pipeline that suggests that it is a politically 
motivated halt and that it is not just a temporary halt, but it 
evolves into something which will be permanent despite the 
science now saying that the ratio of emissions to the amount of 
production is the lowest in the world, if not the lowest, one 
of the lowest in the world.
    I ask you, are you aware, and I know you are, but this is 
for the record, that when you inject uncertainty into a leasing 
process that not just those who lease, but all the oil fields 
service industries, it stills investment, and those jobs that 
would normally be created begin to be shed because of the 
uncertainty. Is there any way that those involved in 
development of the Outer Continental Shelf should not receive 
this pause as creating uncertainty?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you.
    Again, not being at the Department I haven't been part of 
these conversations, but I have seen what Secretary Haaland, 
for example, has said about the review, and, during the 
roundtable that the Secretary convened, I think, what's very 
clear about the purpose of the review and the desire to have 
everybody at the table as part of it, including the offshore 
industry. And so, I appreciate very much your question. I 
appreciate very much the points about uncertainty, but I also 
have faith in the Secretary's statements about the purpose of 
the review, the intent of the review, and the desire to have it 
take into account all perspectives, including the regulated 
communities.
    Senator Cassidy. Let me ask you, again, just for the 
record. We have had testimony from others on this Committee 
before that developing, that producing oil and gas in the 
United States for domestic consumption has a lower greenhouse 
gas profile than if we import from elsewhere, if only because 
of the cost, the emissions profile of the transportation 
vessels which bring it here that is ignoring the ecologic 
impact of some countries having poor regulatory standards than 
we. Would you agree with that assessment?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thanks very much.
    I agree that as part of the review and, again, I'm not part 
of the review yet, but with the Committee's consent, and, if 
I'm confirmed and become part of it, I agree that the entire 
set of information, including what you've described needs to be 
considered in plotting the path forward for the Interior 
Department's oil and gas programs, including with respect to 
offshore.
    Senator Cassidy. And so, one more question, but I am out of 
time. I yield, sir, and I thank you for your commitment to 
serve our country.
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you, Senator.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
    Senator Hirono.
    Senator Hirono. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Beaudreau, I ask every nominee on all of the committees 
I sit on the following two preliminary questions.
    The first question, since you became a legal adult, have 
you ever made unwanted requests for sexual favors or committed 
any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual 
nature?
    Mr. Beaudreau. No.
    Senator Hirono. Second question, have you ever faced 
discipline or entered into a settlement related to this kind of 
conduct?
    Mr. Beaudreau. No.
    Senator Hirono. When I spoke with Secretary Haaland ahead 
of her confirmation hearing, we discussed the unique importance 
of Hawaii's indigenous Native Hawaiian community, and I look 
forward to working with you and the rest of the Department as 
you work to support this community. So of course I would invite 
you to come to Hawaii so that you can meet with some of our 
Native Hawaiian leaders and come to an understanding of the 
uniqueness of the indigenous people of Hawaii.
    The other thing----
    Mr. Beaudreau. I absolutely accept that invitation.
    Senator Hirono. Great.
    [Laughter.]
    Senator Hirono. What is not to like about coming to Hawaii?
    The United States enjoys unique and mutually beneficial 
relationships with the independent nations of the Republic of 
the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and 
the Republic of Palau. These nations are governed by compacts 
of, the relations as you say, are governed by compacts of free 
association, which promote U.S. national security interests 
while bolstering our alliances and aid and the development of 
these nations. Economic assistance provisions of the compacts, 
which are administered by the Department of the Interior, are 
set to expire in 2023 and 2024. Clearly these compacts are 
vital to our national interest, and I would like our country to 
do more to support these nations.
    So, if confirmed, will the Department provide my office and 
the Committee with regular updates on compact negotiations, 
especially with the view of what more we can be doing to 
support these nations?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thank you very much for that question.
    Among the most important responsibilities that the Interior 
Department and the Secretary have are with respect to the U.S. 
territories and the freely associated states subject to those 
compacts. And so, absolutely, I believe it is extremely 
important to make sure that those relationships are supported, 
healthy, and that the compacts are fully well negotiated and 
work for the communities who, among other things, and we'll 
have these conversations as well, are, you know, on the front 
lines of issues like climate change and the potential for 
inundation. And so, we have, Senator, a lot of work to do, and 
I look forward to that.
    Senator Hirono. Thank you, because they do face some unique 
challenges, and it took me years to enable the COFA citizens to 
become eligible for Medicaid coverage--and that is not within 
your ``ko'ehana,'' as we say in Hawaiian--but these are the 
kinds of ways that we can be helpful to our COFA citizen 
friends.
    I think I have more time. So another issue that I would 
like to highlight is the importance of protecting Hawaii's 
native species. As this month is national Native Plant Month, 
it is important to note how Hawaii's native species, like the 
Ohi'a, are under continual threat. As the Department works to 
implement President Biden's conservation initiatives, like 
protecting 30 percent of land and water by 2030, outreach to 
local communities is crucial to ensure that efforts can be 
successfully implemented on the ground. I would like to be able 
to count on your Department to work with me and the 
stakeholders in Hawaii on advancing efforts to protect our 
native and endangered species, because we have more endangered 
species than any other state. We also have, well, let us just 
say that we want to have your assistance in protecting our 
native and endangered species.
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yeah, thank you, Senator.
    If confirmed, absolutely and I do have an appreciation for 
the vulnerability of Hawaii's native species to a host of 
threats including invasive species. And so, yes, and we also 
have a lot of work to do together on those issues.
    Senator Hirono. Thank you for understanding the nature of 
our fauna, because we are also the invasive species capital of 
our country.
    I think I have a little bit of time left. The U.S. 
Geological Survey's monitoring of volcanoes is very important 
to Hawaii. The Lava Lake at Kilauea has been filling up over 
the past couple of months, and scientists are closely watching 
Mauna Loa. USGS is also in the process of building a new 
volcano observatory in Hawaii, as the old one was destroyed by 
the 2018 Kilauea eruption. I appreciate that the Department has 
been providing me with regular updates on the rebuilding of the 
observatory in Hawaii and ask that USGS continue to provide 
these updates.
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thank you. I'd look forward to working 
with USGS on exactly that. Their seismology and volcanology 
programs are, among other things, just really cool.
    Senator Barrasso [presiding]. Thank you, Senator Hirono.
    Senator Hirono. Thank you.
    Senator Barrasso. Thank you, Senator Hirono.
    Senator Lee.
    Senator Lee. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Beaudreau, the Antiquities Act states regarding 
national monuments that, ``the limits of the parcel should be 
confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care 
and management of the objects to be protected.'' Do you believe 
that the national monuments designated by President Obama, 
including the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, adhered to 
that limitation?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes.
    Senator Lee. Now, to be clear, every time the Antiquities 
Act is used to designate a monument, every acre of that 
monument becomes restricted, significantly restricted in its 
use. That means constituents in my state are restricted from 
certain types of use on every acre. So when designating the 
Bears Ears National Monument, were the objects to be protected 
identified on each and every one of the 1.35 million acres, an 
area nearly as large as the State of Delaware?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you very much.
    As reflected in the proclamation by President Obama, there 
is very, sort of, thorough description of the basis for the 
designation and the objects that were covered by the 
designation. Obviously, as with all monuments, part of the 
implementation of the management of the monument is the 
development of the management plan and participation in the 
governance and, you know, as I think you're aware, Senator, 
part of the innovations around the Bears Ears Monument were to 
provide for a very inclusive mechanism for participation in the 
management of the monument for exactly those reasons.
    Senator Lee. But just to be clear, there was no inventory 
doing what I just described, identifying the objects to be 
protected in every one of the 1.35 million acres.
    Mr. Beaudreau. So, respectfully, there is a huge body of 
evidence supporting the monument designation, including the 
resources within the monument to be protected.
    Senator Lee. Right. I would note here that there is a 
significant difference between conclusory assertions and 
specifications, specifications of the sort required by the 
Antiquities Act were required or Presidents are required to 
make sure that monuments designated under that Act are confined 
to the smallest area compatible.
    For the record, do you acknowledge that you will uphold the 
fact that it is, in fact, the policy of the United States that 
public lands be managed in a manner that recognizes the 
nation's need for domestic resources for domestic sources of 
minerals, food and timber, and fiber from the public lands, 
including the implementation of the Mining and Minerals Policy 
Act of 1970, as it pertains to public lands?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thank you for that question, and, yes, 
if I'm confirmed and once again, you know, work with public 
land managers, including those at the Bureau of Land 
Management, we will work consistent with the law on multiple-
use and sustained yield.
    Senator Lee. Okay, thank you.
    Do you believe that public lands, federal public lands 
should be managed according to the multiple-use principles that 
allow for activities like grazing, mining, and energy 
extraction?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, consistent with the broad mandate under 
FLPMA, you know, the Bureau of Land Management, in my view and 
if I'm confirmed, will continue operating under the principles 
of multiple-use and sustained yield.
    Senator Lee. Do you believe President Biden's directive to 
halt oil and gas leasing is compatible with that statute?
    Mr. Beaudreau. And again, I'm not in the Administration 
yet, but my understanding from the Executive Order is to pause 
oil and gas new leasing in order to allow for a broad review of 
the federal oil and gas leasing program which Secretary Haaland 
has initiated and made clear is intended to be an inclusive, 
comprehensive process for the review of that program and if 
confirmed, I'd----
    Senator Lee.--As it is written in federal regulations, 
implementing them do, in fact, require regular leases to be 
done. I am not aware of anything in the applicable legislation 
and regulatory framework that allows those simply to be 
suspended.
    But in the brief time I have left, I want to point out, 
livestock producers in the West are fighting for space on the 
range every day. In my state we are talking about approximately 
5,700 wild horses and burros, while the appropriate management 
level calls for there to be only 1,900. It is about three times 
the acceptable limit, the acceptable amount. So tell me how 
will you work to preserve the ability of producers to be able 
to operate and reduce horse and burro populations on the range?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thanks very much for that question.
    I'm looking forward to becoming involved in a host of 
issues, again, if I return to the Interior Department. I can't 
say wild horse and burros is my favorite issue. I appreciate 
how challenging it is and, yes, absolutely, Senator, I look 
forward to continuing to work with everybody, including you, on 
figuring out solutions because it is a massive challenge for 
the Department and BLM.
    Senator Lee. I appreciate that commitment, sir, and I would 
point out here, I understand regardless whether it is your 
favorite issue or regardless of whether it is an issue that 
gets a lot of attention from a lot of people. In many of the 
communities I represent, this is everything to them, and this 
could mean the difference between their survival or their non-
survival. This can mean the difference between whether they are 
able to make a living or not. So we are at the mercy, 
especially in federal public land states like mine, where the 
Federal Government owns 67 percent of the land, we are at your 
mercy. So I appreciate your commitment to this and hope you 
will make it a priority. Thank you.
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yeah, thank you, Senator.
    And please, I, by no means, meant to minimize the issue. I 
just was remarking on how difficult it is. And so, and so thank 
you for the question.
    Senator Lee. Thank you. I appreciate that.
    The Chairman [presiding]. Thank you, Senator.
    Senator Hickenlooper.
    Senator Hickenlooper, are you there? It is that little 
button, John, over on the left that says, unmute. He must not, 
we must have lost him.
    [Laughter.]
    Senator Hickenlooper. I am here.
    The Chairman. Oh, there. I knew it. I knew it. Thanks.
    Senator Hickenlooper.
    Senator Hickenlooper. My phone is going off.
    The Chairman. He is the only scientist we have in the whole 
Senate. Sometimes it gets challenging.
    [Laughter.]
    Senator Hickenlooper. Thank you for the opportunity to ask 
Mr. Beaudreau a question. I can really just ask one question. I 
was so impressed the last couple years when Sally Jewell was 
the Secretary of the Interior, during the Obama Administration. 
I was the Governor of Colorado. But you were able to bring all 
the Republican and Democratic Governors together. You were able 
to help find ways to bring together ranchers and the oil and 
gas industry and the environmental community and the outdoor 
recreationists. I mean, things like the sage grouse plan were 
monumental efforts of collaborative results where things got 
done.
    What is the magic? How do you do that? And do you think you 
can do that now?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thank you very much, Senator.
    I think, in part, it's, and we've talked about this a 
little bit, and it's part of what I appreciate about this 
Committee, in particular. I think when you go out West there's, 
obviously, you know, there's politics and there's, you know, 
noise, but at the end of the day, especially among the Western 
Governors, because of the commonality of the challenges and 
issues, there's actually a lot more collaboration and work that 
gets done. And your leadership when you were Governor of 
Colorado was key to all of that. And while, you know, like any 
family we have our differences and quarrels along the way, 
again, part of what I've always appreciated about this 
Committee is there is that, sort of, Western spirit of working 
together, and at the end of the day I think that's the key.
    Senator Hickenlooper. Great. And that is--I have more time, 
and I realize everybody else has more questions, so I will 
yield my time back, but I think that is one of the key 
questions in looking at this position. Thank you.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
    And now we have Senator Risch.
    Senator Risch. Well, thank you very much. First of all, Mr. 
Beaudreau, thank you for taking the time to speak with me, and 
we had a really good discussion. As I pointed out, I am one of 
the Western states where the Federal Government owns two-thirds 
of us, and it is a struggle, as always. And so, I appreciate 
your view of the importance of collaborating with the 
Governors, with the constituents in the state, as you manage 
the state.
    I supported you in your nomination for Assistant Secretary 
in 2014. I was not disappointed, and I will be supporting your 
nomination again. I think you are the right guy for the job. 
And what I really appreciate is the collaboration and the 
willingness to listen to us when it comes to decision time 
before you actually make the decision. So thank you for your 
willingness to serve. Look forward to working with you.
    I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator.
    Now we have Senator Hoeven.
    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate it.
    Mr. Beaudreau, thanks for visiting the other day, I 
appreciate your time and, of course, for being here today. I am 
concerned about the Administration's moratorium on oil and gas 
leasing on federal lands. Isn't there a value in resuming 
scheduled lease sales while Interior conducts its review so 
that we can fully realize the resulting job creation and 
revenue benefits? And as you know, you know, we are talking 
many, many, many millions of dollars in revenue, to the Federal 
Government, to the states, to the counties.
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thanks for that question.
    Obviously, I'm not part of the Department yet and haven't 
been involved in those conversations. If I join the Department, 
with your consent, I do look forward to participating in the 
review. I think, you know, part of the idea is to ensure that 
leasing has the benefit of input into that review. You know, 
I've heard the Secretary talk about, you know, oil and gas 
remaining part of the United States energy mix for the 
foreseeable future, and I think part of the idea with the 
review, as I understand it, is to make sure that one, we're 
doing our best on a host of issues, including fair return to 
the taxpayer and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but two, 
ensuring that the program benefits from all of the input that's 
coming through the review.
    Senator Hoeven. Will you come out to our state and see the 
kind of energy development we are doing on federal lands so we 
can show you that we can do it well and with good environmental 
stewardship?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, I'd commit to that, sir.
    Senator Hoeven. Will you commit, in regard to the Dakota 
Access Pipeline, if confirmed, will you commit to ensuring the 
Department reviews the EIS objectively and in a prompt manner?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Thanks very much for the question. 
Obviously, you know, the permitting decision rests with the 
Army Corps in that case, but because of the Interior 
Department's, sort of, unique position and role relative to 
Indian Country, I know they'll be a lot of communication with 
the Department, and I look forward to ensuring that all of 
those views are fairly communicated into the permitting process 
before the Army Corps.
    Senator Hoeven. In our Theodore Roosevelt National Park we 
are doing substantial maintenance including to the scenic loop 
which we have had great cooperation from both the Departments 
of Transportation and Interior, and that work is now in 
process. Will you commit to work with us to get that done 
expeditiously?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yeah, I think--and we spoke a little bit 
about this in our conversation this week. I think part of what 
is really exciting about the American Great Outdoor Act is, you 
know, these opportunities to invest in the National Park 
system, and I do look forward to working with you and talking 
about the needs of Teddy Roosevelt.
    Senator Hoeven. The Eastern North Dakota Alternate Water 
Supply Project is one that we have worked very hard to get 
approved and so forth and vitally important for water in the 
eastern part of the state, River Valley--Grand Forks, that 
area, which is growing rapidly. Will you work with my office 
and our state to ensure that these projects are adequately 
funded by the Bureau of Reclamation, consistent with federal 
responsibilities under the Dakota Water Resource Act?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yeah, thanks very much for the question. If 
confirmed, absolutely look forward to ensuring that vital water 
infrastructure is, you know, provided for.
    Senator Hoeven. In regard to Indian affairs, five tribes 
are located either fully or partially within North Dakota, and, 
you know, I served as Chairman of the Indian Affairs 
Commission, and I guess, just, I would say, want to make sure 
that you are willing to work with us on issues that the tribes 
face and making sure that we uphold our trust and treaty 
responsibilities to the tribes, and I'd just like you to 
address that and your commitment to doing that.
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, and I'm quite sure Secretary Haaland 
will have the highest expectations of all of us to do exactly 
that.
    Senator Hoeven. Again, I want to thank you for visiting the 
other day, taking significant time to do that and for being 
here today. I appreciate it.
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yeah, thank you, sir.
    The Chairman. Senator Marshall.
    Senator Marshall. Thank you, Chairman, and welcome, Mr. 
Beaudreau.
    I think I want to start by talking about 30/30, and of 
course, I wish I had more details, but I just want to make sure 
that we are on the same page. Do you recognize that private 
property is protected by the Constitution and is really a 
foundation of every right we have, and as we put that into 
context here, I am just very concerned about private property 
being seized or being taken out of production. I wish you could 
tell me what 30/30 means and the direction that you would take 
the Department if given the opportunity, but I think the real 
question, that I think you could answer, is the economic impact 
of taking productive farm or grazing land out of production. So 
Kansas is only about 3 percent of the land is in parks, so to 
speak, the other 97 percent is in private hands and production. 
What do you think the economic impact would be of taking 30 
percent of the farmland out of production to rural America and 
to this nation?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thank you very much.
    Obviously, I'm not part of the Administration yet but, if 
confirmed, look forward to becoming involved in the 30 by 30 
conservation initiative. My understanding, and I think 
Secretary Haaland has been very clear, that 30 by 30 is meant 
to be an inclusive approach to comprehensive conservation which 
includes where, you know, you have willing private parties' 
participation from private landowners in conservation. We've 
seen great examples of that, you know, earlier, you know, 
speaking with Senator King about the Katahdin Woods and Waters 
National Monument. That was a donation by the Quimby family to 
the Federal Government to establish a national monument for the 
purpose of conservation. That was voluntary. That is, you know, 
private landowner thinking through what she thought was best 
for that land.
    And so, I fully respect private property and the rights of 
landowners over their private property, and where a landowner 
wants to be, use that land for conservation, I think there 
should be avenues by which to do that.
    Senator Marshall. Certainly I am in favor of voluntary 
conservation, too, but I just want you to hopefully acknowledge 
the economic impact of even of what you described. I am not 
sure what that land was in, but even permanent easements of 
land that was being used for cattle grazing or was being used 
for agriculture, turning it into a voluntary easement certainly 
hurts the local economy, and the idea of taking 30 percent of 
Kansas farmland and pasture land out of production would 
literally ruin the Kansas economy.
    Let us move on to invasive species and endangered species. 
I think we can talk about them in the same context and just, 
kind of, get your philosophy. I think of these challenges 
together and former member of the Wildlife and Parks Board 
there in Kansas. I have seen these two interact constantly, and 
I think the lesser prairie chicken is a great example that the 
successes of bringing that species back, including burning 
pasture which would get rid of invasive species, maybe cattle 
grazing, helping to manage the invasive species, but the 
greatest success I have seen is private landowners working in 
conjunction with the government as opposed to all the 
government grant projects have been miserable failures.
    How do you feel the interaction should be between the 
private property owners and the government in managing invasive 
species and endangered species?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, thank you so much for that question. I 
am a big believer in incentivizing conservation on private 
lands for the benefit of species and their habitat. And I think 
there are a number of examples of that, and especially in 
states like Kansas where you don't have a lot of public lands, 
it's absolutely essential to wildlife conservation and agree 
wholeheartedly with your sentiments on that point.
    Senator Marshall. Thank you so much. I yield back, 
Chairman.
    The Chairman. Thank you. I have one final question, and 
then I know Senator Barrasso has a couple he wants to go over 
very quickly.
    In a letter to the Committee endorsing your nomination, 
former Secretary Jewell credits you with standing up wind 
development along the Atlantic seaboard, working to harness the 
nation's renewable energy. I think increasing deployment of 
renewables on fairly managed lands and waters really makes all 
the sense in the world to me. Renewables have come a long way, 
but much work needs to be done. The permitting process is still 
so extremely slow.
    So my question would be, what actions do you think are 
needed to increase deployment of renewables on federal lands 
and waters and, my second follow-up would be, what role can 
geothermal energy play in our energy future, and what more can 
be done on public lands to expand that?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yes, I think those are tremendous questions 
and just taking offshore wind for example. I know from my 
previous work the permitting process, federal permitting 
process, is a complex one. There are a host of agencies with 
relevant authorities and permitting authority in order to get, 
you know, a project like that developed, and then you also 
include, you know, the near shore and onshore components with 
states. And so, my philosophy on that is there has to be strong 
leadership to really drive coordination through the permitting 
process and ensure that all the regulatory requirements and 
legal requirements are strictly adhered to in the interest of 
the defensibility of those permits. But it takes an enormous 
amount of leadership, effort, and coordination to make sure 
that those projects are permitted in a timely way and properly.
    The Chairman. We are going to need your help. We are diving 
into that pretty rapidly to find out why, for many, it takes so 
long, and looking at all the leases we have and how we can 
accelerate that, especially if we are going to maintain our 
energy independence, but also be able to reduce the methane and 
do so much with the pipelines and everything else we can do, 
but a lot of this is very instrumental.
    But I appreciate it. We will get into it further. We have 
to get you confirmed first, and we will get that done as 
quickly as possible.
    With that, I turn to Senator Barrasso.
    Senator Barrasso. Well, thanks so much, Mr. Chair. Just one 
final question, just like you had a final question.
    Last year, the Great American Outdoors Act was signed into 
law. The law directs the Secretary of the Interior to address 
the maintenance backlogs at our national parks, at our wildlife 
refuges, our national forests, and at the Bureau of Indian 
Education. Well, these maintenance backlog projects are, you 
know, funded by federal energy revenues. So if the Department 
ends or restricts leasing and production on oil and gas and 
coal on federal lands, I think it is going to greatly impact 
these revenues, and I wondered how you propose to alternatively 
fund these many important and necessary projects?
    Mr. Beaudreau. Yeah, thank you for the question. I think, 
you know, again, in the context of the review and I'm not there 
yet. I look forward to becoming involved in the review. I've 
not heard an indication from the Administration or Department 
to, you know, end leasing, but rather to conduct a review of 
the federal program. And so, I'm excited about, as we've talked 
about, I'm excited about Congress' investment in public lands 
and addressing the maintenance backlog for the National Park 
Service, and I look forward to working, with your consent, 
working with the Department to implement that.
    Senator Barrasso. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    The Chairman. Let me just say, Mr. Beaudreau, it was great 
having you today. I think it was a great hearing that we had, a 
lot of activity, a lot of questions. You did very well. And I 
want to thank your family for attending and welcome them back 
anytime. We appreciate all the responsiveness to our questions, 
and I think that we had a very good meeting.
    Members are going to have until 6:00 p.m. this evening to 
submit additional questions for the record.
    The Committee stands adjourned.
    [Whereupon, at 11:48 a.m. the committee adjourned.]

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