[Senate Hearing 119-118]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 119-118
BEYER, TRAVNICEK, GARRISH,
AND ABBEY NOMINATIONS
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON
ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
to
CONSIDER THE NOMINATIONS OF LESLIE BEYER TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
THE INTERIOR (LAND AND MINERALS MANAGEMENT), ANDREA TRAVNICEK TO BE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR (WATER AND SCIENCE), THEODORE
GARRISH TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF ENERGY (NUCLEAR ENERGY), AND
TRISTAN ABBEY TO BE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENERGY INFORMATION
ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
__________
APRIL 30, 2025
__________
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
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
61-234 WASHINGTON : 2026
COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
MIKE LEE, Utah, Chairman
JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico
JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho RON WYDEN, Oregon
STEVE DAINES, Montana MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
TOM COTTON, Arkansas MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii
DAVID McCORMICK, Pennsylvania ANGUS S. KING, Jr., Maine
JAMES C. JUSTICE, West Virginia CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, Nevada
BILL CASSIDY, Louisiana JOHN W. HICKENLOOPER, Colorado
CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi ALEX PADILLA, California
LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska RUBEN GALLEGO, Arizona
JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota
Wendy Baig, Majority Staff Director
Patrick J. McCormick III, Majority Chief Counsel
Jasmine Hunt, Minority Staff Director
Sam E. Fowler, Minority Chief Counsel
C O N T E N T S
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OPENING STATEMENTS
Page
Lee, Hon. Mike, Chairman and a U.S. Senator from Utah............ 1
Heinrich, Hon. Martin, Ranking Member and a U.S. Senator from
New Mexico..................................................... 3
Hoeven, Hon. John, a U.S. Senator from North Dakota.............. 5
Murkowski, Hon. Lisa, a U.S. Senator from Alaska................. 20
WITNESSES
Travnicek, Dr. Andrea, nominated to be Assistant Secretary of the
Interior (Water and Science)................................... 6
Beyer, Leslie, nominated to be Assistant Secretary of the
Interior (Land and Minerals Management)........................ 12
Garrish, Theodore, nominated to be Assistant Secretary of Energy
(Nuclear Energy)............................................... 16
Abbey, Tristan, nominated to be Administrator of the Energy
Information Administration, Department of Energy............... 21
ALPHABETICAL LISTING AND APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED
Abbey, Tristan:
Opening Statement............................................ 21
Written Testimony............................................ 23
Responses to Questions for the Record........................ 72
Arbogast, S.V.:
Letter for the Record........................................ 80
Archery Trade Association et al.:
Letter for the Record........................................ 78
Association of California Water Agencies:
Letter for the Record........................................ 81
Beyer, Leslie:
Opening Statement............................................ 12
Written Testimony............................................ 14
Responses to Questions for the Record........................ 58
Capuano, Hon. Linda et al.:
Letter for the Record........................................ 25
Clark, Michael J.:
Letter for the Record........................................ 84
Colorado Water Congress:
Letter for the Record........................................ 85
Crow Nation:
Letter for the Record........................................ 87
Energy Communities Alliance:
Letter for the Record........................................ 88
Family Farm Alliance:
Letter for the Record........................................ 91
Garrish, Theodore:
Opening Statement............................................ 16
Written Testimony............................................ 18
Responses to Questions for the Record........................ 68
Hanford Communities:
Letter for the Record........................................ 93
Heinrich, Hon. Martin:
Opening Statement............................................ 3
Hoeven, Hon. John:
Introductory Statement....................................... 5
Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium:
Letter for the Record........................................ 95
Lee, Hon. Mike:
Opening Statement............................................ 1
Murkowski, Hon. Lisa:
Introductory Statement....................................... 20
National Tribal Energy Association:
Letter for the Record........................................ 97
Noah Casper, Rebecca L.:
Letter for the Record........................................ 82
Roane County, TN:
Letter for the Record........................................ 99
Roberts, Melissa:
Letter for the Record........................................ 77
Southwestern Water Conservation District:
Letter for the Record........................................ 105
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership:
Letter for the Record........................................ 101
Travnicek, Dr. Andrea.:
Opening Statement............................................ 6
Written Testimony............................................ 9
Responses to Questions for the Record........................ 48
Tri-City Development Council:
Letter for the Record........................................ 103
BEYER, TRAVNICEK, GARRISH,
AND ABBEY NOMINATIONS
----------
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2025
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:00 a.m. in
Room SD-366, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Mike Lee,
Chairman of the Committee, presiding.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MIKE LEE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM UTAH
The Chairman. The Committee will come to order.
Before turning to my formal opening statement, I want to
let members know how we will proceed this morning. I also want
to thank Senator Heinrich and his staff for working with us.
Recognizing the demands on the schedule of every Senator,
and to be as efficient as possible, the Committee meets today
for a short business meeting, followed immediately after that
by a hearing on four nominations_two for senior positions
within the Department of the Interior, and two for senior
positions within the Department of Energy.
[Recess to business meeting.]
The Chairman. We are now going to turn directly into our
hearing, our fifth nominations hearing for the 119th Congress,
and we are going to receive testimony from four well-qualified
Americans nominated by the President for senior offices within
our Committee's jurisdiction, two at the Department of the
Interior and two at the Department of Energy.
I am going to recognize Senator Murkowski to introduce Mr.
Abbey. She is apparently not here yet, so we will hold off on
that for a moment. Senator Hoeven has also already recognized
Dr. Travnicek.
Senator Hoeven. I can do it again, if you would like.
The Chairman. Yes.
Senator Hoeven. Do you want to hear it? I mean, I have a
lot more to say about her if you want. Martin would probably
like to hear a lot more, right? I will do another introduction
if you want.
The Chairman. That would also be fine.
[Senator Hoeven's introduction of hearing witness Dr.
Andrea Travnicek was delivered during the business meeting. The
text of his introduction appears on page 5 of this hearing
document, preceding Dr. Travnicek's opening statement.]
The Chairman. Now, in a moment, Senator Risch, who
graciously supplied us with the vote necessary to have a
quorum, has asked that I provide him a quorum in a competing
markup about to start in the Foreign Relations Committee. So
here, in just a moment, I will have Senator Hoeven preside in
my absence. So why don't you get these guys started. I will be
back in a few minutes.
Senator Hoeven. That's fine.
The Chairman. And then, we can give you some notes. If
Senator Murkowski is not here for the introduction, you can
introduce the other witnesses, swear them in, and then let them
begin the opening statements. I will be back soon.
Thank you.
Senator Hoeven [presiding]. Are we ready to proceed to have
the witnesses come forward?
I want to welcome all of our witnesses here today.
The rules of the Committee require that all nominees be
sworn in connection with their testimony. So if you would
please stand and raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear
that the testimony you are about to give the Senate Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources shall be the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth?
[Witness panel sworn.]
Senator Hoeven. Let the record show that they all responded
in the affirmative. Thank you.
Before you begin your opening statements, I will also ask
the witnesses three questions that are posed to nominees
appearing before the Committee.
First, this will be for all of you, and your response will
be, ``I do,'' if in fact, you do.
First, will you be able to appear before this Committee and
other Congressional Committees to represent Department
positions and respond to issues of concern to the Congress?
[All witnesses respond, ``yes.'']
Senator Hoeven. Second, 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?
[All witnesses respond, ``no.'']
Senator Hoeven. And third, are you involved or do you have
any assets in a blind trust?
[All witnesses respond, ``no.'']
Senator Hoeven. Thank you.
All right, I have already introduced Dr. Travnicek, and I
guess we will just, for right now, we will hold and see if
Senator Murkowski gets here in time to introduce Tristan Abbey,
but we will just hold on that introduction for a minute.
Senator Heinrich. Senator Hoeven.
Senator Hoeven. Yes.
Senator Heinrich. Why don't I give my opening statement?
That will save you a filibuster.
Senator Hoeven. All right, sounds good.
[Laughter.]
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARTIN HEINRICH,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO
Senator Heinrich. Thank you, Senator Hoeven. Welcome, Ms.
Beyer, Dr. Travnicek, Mr. Garrish, and Mr. Abbey.
This is our fifth nominations hearing this year, and
although the breadth of responsibilities of the offices that we
are considering is narrowing as we go on, their importance is
not diminished. We meet this morning to consider three
assistant secretaries and the Administrator of the Energy
Information Administration. Each of these offices we are
considering carries with it enormous responsibilities of the
utmost importance to the members of this Committee and to the
American people.
Ms. Beyer has been nominated to be the Assistant Secretary
of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management. If confirmed,
she will oversee four of the principal offices of the
Department of the Interior: the Bureau of Land Management, the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and
Environmental Enforcement, and the Office of Surface Mining.
All told, she will oversee more than 244 million acres of land
that belongs to the public, 700 million acres of onshore
mineral estate, 3.2 billion acres of the Outer Continental
Shelf, 30 national monuments, and 25 national conservation
areas. It will be her job to both preserve and protect our
public lands and to provide for the development of their
natural resources in a safe and environmentally responsible
way.
Dr. Travnicek has been nominated to be the Assistant
Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science. If confirmed,
she will oversee two of the oldest bureaus in the Department--
the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation. The
Geological Survey is one of our nation's oldest and most
respected scientific institutions, and it is our principal
source of knowledge about our lands and waters, our mineral
wealth, and the natural hazards we face. The Bureau of
Reclamation oversees the water supplies upon which millions of
Americans in 17 western states depend. It manages nearly 500
dams and nearly 300 reservoirs. It is the second largest
producer of hydroelectricity and it irrigates 10 million acres
of land to grow crops on which we all depend.
Mr. Garrish has been nominated to be the Assistant
Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Energy. Nuclear power generates
about 20 percent of the nation's current electricity. It does
so cleanly and reliably. We cannot do without it. We depend on
it to meet our energy needs and our climate goals. But the
current generation of nuclear power plants, built many decades
ago, will not last forever. At some point, they will need to be
replaced by newer, safer, and more affordable reactor
technologies, which will only come about through the sustained
research and development efforts of the Office of Nuclear
Energy.
Finally, Mr. Abbey has been nominated to be the
Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, which
collects and analyzes the information about energy resources,
production, and demand, upon which the Department, Congress,
private industry, and the public depend.
Senator Moynihan famously remarked that ``everyone is
entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.'' Each
Senator is entitled to their own opinion about energy policy,
but we must share a common set of non-partisan facts. It has
long been the Energy Information Administrator's task to
provide those facts, and it is absolutely essential that the
administrator stick to the facts and not color them with
partisan opinion.
But as qualified as each of these nominees may be, no
single person can perform all of the important tasks with which
they will be entrusted by themselves. They are not expected to.
Instead, they are expected to inspire, to manage, and to lead
organizations staffed with dedicated and experienced
professionals who have devoted their careers to public service.
The career civil service in both of these departments and
across the entire government has been under relentless attack
by the current Administration. So the fundamental question I
have for each of the nominees this morning is whether, if you
are confirmed to these positions of public trust, you will
support and defend, rather than demolish the offices and
programs entrusted to your care, and if you will faithfully
execute the authorities delegated to you by Congress and follow
the law, as interpreted by the courts.
Which brings me to something that you said, Mr. Garrish, 42
years ago, at your first confirmation hearing before this
Committee. I had to check on that the first time I read that
line. You gave the Committee your ``unqualified assurance''
that you would faithfully execute the public trust in a manner
that would ``properly reflect the legislative intentions of the
Congress without regard to the political views or personal
preferences of the Secretary or the Administration'' and that
you would discharge your duties ``on the basis of your best
professional judgment as to what the law is, not what you or
the Secretary or others might like it to be.'' You assured the
Committee that you were committed to that approach both
intellectually and philosophically, and I hope that is still
the case, Mr. Garrish. And I hope that all four of our nominees
can make that same commitment and give us that assurance this
morning.
Thank you, Senator Hoeven.
Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Senator Heinrich.
I have already introduced Dr. Travnicek. I am going to give
brief introductions for the other three. These were prepared by
the Chairman of the Committee.
Ms. Leslie Beyer, nominated to be Assistant Secretary for
Land and Minerals Management, will manage roughly 245 million
acres of federal service lands and 1.7 billion acres on the
Outer Continental Shelf. She will oversee the Bureau of Land
Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the Office
of Surface Mining--agencies that shape how we access and
develop hundreds of millions of acres of public land and
offshore resources. Ms. Beyer is a defender of American energy,
recognizing that oil and gas have been fundamental to driving
our economy and lifting billions of people worldwide out of
poverty. She understands that America's strength is tied
directly to our ability to produce reliable, affordable, and
cleaner energy, especially from our abundant resources here at
home. This is exactly the kind of leader we need to unlock
American energy potential, cut through unneeded red tape, and
drive prosperity.
Mr. Ted Garrish, nominated as Assistant Secretary for
Nuclear Energy, will lead America's nuclear energy initiatives.
Mr. Garrish is uniquely prepared for this role, having served
in senior nuclear positions dating back to the Reagan
Administration. Great. He has championed nuclear energy as a
clean, safe, reliable, and affordable solution already powering
one-fifth of America. He acknowledges that nuclear power will
be central to our future and that this technology will ensure
American energy stability for decades to come.
And finally, Mr. Tristan Abbey, nominated as Administrator
for the Energy Information Administration, will oversee the
independent agency responsible for producing energy data that
guides policymakers, industry, and consumers. With Mr. Abbey at
the helm, we will have accurate, objective, and actionable
energy data crucial to unleashing America's energy strength and
reclaiming our global leadership.
Each nominee here today is more than qualified. They
represent exactly the type of bold leadership America needs
now. American energy has always been a cornerstone of American
strength. When we produce energy here at home, we power our
economy, we lift entire communities out of poverty, and we
undercut our adversaries. Energy dominance means good jobs,
strong families, and a safer country. When we unleash American
production, it's the folks on the rigs, in the trucks, and in
the plants who win, for the path forward isn't more rules from
DC, it's more trust in the men and women who know how to get
the job done. We need pipelines, plants, permits, and a
purpose.
President Trump's first 100 days back in office have made
one thing clear: the America of energy decline is over.
With that, we will proceed to the opening statements for
each of the witnesses here today--nominees--and if you would
proceed, Dr. Travnicek.
[Senator Hoeven's introduction of Dr. Travnicek, which was
delivered during the business meeting held immediately before
the hearing, is inserted below to precede Dr. Travnicek's
opening statement.]
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN HOEVEN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NORTH DAKOTA
Senator Hoeven. I am introducing this morning Dr. Andrea
Travnicek, and she has been nominated to be Assistant Secretary
of the Interior for Water and Science, and she has just got a
stellar background for that position, and so, I am very pleased
to provide her introduction, not only because she is a fellow
North Dakotan, but because of her tremendous background and
skill set for this position.
She has some family with her today_her father, Pat, and I
actually thought she had two sisters, Jean and Heather, but I
guess Jean is actually her mother, and I was confused when I
saw them, I thought there were two sisters, but it's really
great to have you guys here, and of course, I am kidding just a
little bit.
Her father Pat has over 40 years, I think, with the United
States Air Force, both as a pilot in uniform, and also then in
civilian work as well. And I had the great good fortune when I
was Governor of North Dakota to fly with him. He flew B-52s,
and we did a practice run over the State Capitol in Bismarck,
at about 50,000 feet, which was a lot of fun. And I think the
only reason we got clearance to do it was maybe because I was
Governor at the time, I'm not sure, unless you guys were doing
that all the time and you just didn't bother to tell us,
because at 50,000 feet, we were way up there, but anyway, a
great record of service.
And actually, when I was Governor, I hired Andrea to come
work for us. She graduated from our outstanding land grant
university, North Dakota State University, which, of course,
everybody knows is the home of the Bison. I don't have to tell
anybody that, certainly on the Republican side, because they
hear me talk about it quite a bit.
She was a stellar student, but she was also a stellar
athlete. She was a tremendous soccer player, and so, just an
all-star performer all around. I hired her in the Governor's
office, and after that, she worked for Governor Dalrymple, who
succeeded me, and then another guy you might have heard of, and
that is Governor Burgum, who is now the Secretary of the
Interior. So it's no surprise that he wanted to bring Andrea
with him, and she, actually, during the first Trump
Administration, she was the Acting Assistant Secretary for
Water and Science, so she has got some great background for
this job.
And so, I strongly recommend that people support her for
this position. She is the kind of person who understands_these
jobs are about getting things done. And Senator King, that
means working with everybody, even Independents. Not just
Republicans and Democrats, but Independents, too, to get things
done, and I highly recommend her and ask for your support for
her. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
STATEMENT OF DR. ANDREA TRAVNICEK, NOMINATED TO BE ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR (WATER AND SCIENCE)
Dr. Travnicek. Thank you.
Good morning, Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, and
Members of the Committee. I am both humbled and honored to be
nominated by President Trump to serve the American people as
Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the Department of
the Interior. Furthermore, I am grateful for the support and
trust of Secretary Burgum. And thank you, Senator Hoeven, for
that kind introduction today.
I would like to begin by recognizing and thanking my
parents Pat and Jean, and my sister Heather, who traveled from
North Dakota to be here today, while my grandma, Norma, and my
nephews, Ethan and Logan, and other family, are cheering me on
back home. I would also like to thank my friends, colleagues,
teammates and the Bison-with a ``z''--family, some of whom are
here today, for their continued guidance and support. I grew up
in a military family, moving about every three years through
high school, with roots grounded in northern Minnesota and
North Dakota. My roots are further tied to an Interior site,
actually--Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, located in
Minnesota--where my parents met. Who knew we would all end up
here today when Mom asked Dad to go for a walk along the lake.
Both of my parents set the example early on of the
importance of serving others, through my dad's 44-year military
career service to the country that you heard about already, 28
of those active duty, and through my mom's service temperament
in her business, work as a travel agent, and as a military
spouse. Core values of dedication, integrity, and respect for
others were ingrained at a young age. Our parents also raised
us to have great respect for the natural world. We visited
national parks and national wildlife refuges across the country
between moves and spent summers back at the lake and farm in
Minnesota. These treasured experiences--hunting, fishing,
camping, and spending countless hours outdoors on the water,
set a foundation for my passion for natural resources. Spending
time in the field or kayaking are still my favorite places to
be.
I am a proud graduate of North Dakota State University
three times over. My master's research was located in the
Badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where I conducted
a land management study to reduce invasive species in the park.
My Ph.D. research focused on stakeholder perspectives and
network relationships as they related to lake management
decisions in Minnesota. For over 20 years, my professional
career has been connected to the management of natural
resources in the private, public, and non-profit sectors.
Through research, grassroots efforts, and working directly with
landowners, project sponsors, and industries, I have been able
to quickly provide assessments, identify opportunities, and
provide solutions to meet management objectives across
competing frameworks.
My work with the Army Corps in the Sacramento District
provided a backdrop to an understanding of the complexities
associated with the management of water in California.
Participating firsthand in federal and state regulatory
processes revealed inefficiencies in the bureaucratic system
and set my public service mission--to achieve management
decisions through accountable timely responses, process
improvements, and collaborative and common-sense approaches. In
2011, record flooding took place across the State of North
Dakota, impacting major communities along several rivers. As
the senior policy advisor to the Governor, I worked with
various international, federal, state, and local agencies and
tribal nations to quickly identify changing conditions and
determine needs. During this time, my parents' house was
flooded waist-high, and my sister's house was flooded to the
rooftop. This experience impressed upon me, both professionally
and personally, the importance of real-time data, timely
collaborative operations, and long-term management solutions,
not only within a specific community or state, but within a
shared watershed.
While serving in various leadership roles at the Department
of the Interior during the first Trump Administration, I was
fortunate to work on several Administration priorities,
including those related to water and science initiatives. At
the state level, I led the Department of Parks and Recreation,
and during my tenure as the first Director of the Department of
Water Resources, federally recognized tribal nations were added
as partners for North Dakota cost-share for water projects.
Over $1.5 billion of state commitments were provided to cost-
share partners to build both water supply and flood protection
projects, and access to affordable and reliable water supply
through two state-owned regional projects was expanded. As we
look across the West today, maintaining critical water
infrastructure and managing water resources is crucial.
Thoughtful, collaborative approaches will be important to meet
management objectives for water users. And further identifying
and mapping our nation's own mineral assets and energy assets
through the U.S. Geological Survey's capabilities will assist
in fulfilling President Trump's priorities related to
increasing American mineral production and unleashing American
energy.
If confirmed as the Assistant Secretary for Water and
Science, I will bring my core values and natural resources and
management experiences to the role. I look forward to leading
and working again with the dedicated teams of engineers,
hydrologists, and scientists at the Bureau of Reclamation and
the U.S. Geological Survey to implement the Bureaus' core
missions. I commit to working in cooperation with you and with
the American people as decisions are made, and to implement the
President and the Secretary's priorities to increase
accountability and responsiveness, implement innovation over
regulation, and manage America's resources for American
prosperity and national security.
Thank you for meeting with me earlier this week and for
having me here today. I look forward to answering any
questions.
[The prepared statement of Dr. Travnicek follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Dr. Travnicek.
And now, Ms. Beyer, your opening comments, please.
STATEMENT OF LESLIE BEYER, NOMINATED TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
OF THE INTERIOR (LAND AND MINERALS MANAGEMENT)
Ms. Beyer. Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, and
members of the Committee, it is an honor to appear before you
today as President Trump's nominee for Assistant Secretary for
Land and Minerals Management at the Department of the Interior.
I am deeply grateful to President Trump and to Secretary Burgum
for their confidence in my ability to ensure responsible
stewardship of America's public lands for the benefit of all
Americans. I am also very thankful to have my friends and
family here today, my parents Stan and Connie, my children
Grant and Olivia, my oldest son, Ethan, watching us from
Oklahoma State, where he should be studying for finals, and my
Godparents, Charlie and Kathie.
From the time that my Grandfather Leslie began his career
as a roughneck, and my Great Aunt Faye was one of the first and
only female toolpushers in the oilfield, we have seen
extraordinary feats of innovation in energy development that
took our country from being a net energy importer, to the
world's largest energy exporter, all while leading the world in
reducing emissions. Growing up on our family farm in West
Texas, I have been surrounded by the energy workforce my entire
life, and I have witnessed firsthand how America has proven
time and again that we can develop our resources cleaner,
safer, and more efficiently than anyone else in the world. The
advanced drilling equipment, the e frac systems, and the
underwater remote vehicles that I am involved with today are
vastly different than the tools of my grandparents' time, but
the commitment to responsible production and the respect of our
natural resources remains with me.
From spending my birthday weekend each year in Alaska
hiking glaciers and running the Anchorage half marathon, to our
annual family dove hunting season opener, and now managing my
own farm, my family taught me to love and appreciate our lands,
public and private. The Assistant Secretary for Land and
Minerals Management plays a critical role in balancing multiple
uses of our public lands, recognizing the lands as a vital
asset of the American people and an important contributor to
our nation's financial health and security. If confirmed to
serve as Assistant Secretary, I pledge to be a responsible
steward of more than 245 million acres of surface, 700 million
acres of subsurface, and over three billion acres offshore,
ensuring that critical energy development takes place alongside
other important uses of recreation, conservation, grazing,
timber management, and housing. I appreciate and understand the
significant responsibilities of the role, with its management
of the four bureaus--the BLM, BOEM, BSEE and OSMRE. And if
confirmed, I commit to working collaboratively with the members
of this Committee regarding the decisions related to the
Department's stewardship of federal lands and waters, including
the management and development of their mineral and non-mineral
resources.
As a former CEO of an organization representing over
650,000 U.S. energy workers, and now as a corporate director, I
have responsibility for executive oversight, governance, and
the health and safety of a combined global workforce of over
10,000 men and women. I bring a record of leadership and
extensive experience managing large organizations, qualities
that I will carry into the role of Assistant Secretary.
Throughout my career in both the public and private sectors, I
have emphasized collaboration, and will bring this approach to
the Department of the Interior, working closely with states,
tribes, local communities, and industry to develop decisions
that benefit all. I also commit to ensuring that the bureaus
under my authority carry out the directives established by
Congress. This includes working to ensure that lease sales are
conducted on a regular and predictable basis, providing the
certainty necessary for long-term investment, meeting our
national resource needs, and fulfilling the requirements of the
law amid rapidly growing energy demand.
As a young White House staffer 20 years ago, I served on
multiple trips overseas as efforts were made to secure oil and
gas imports due to our perceived national energy scarcity. In
the following years, in my career in the energy services and
equipment sector, I had a front-row seat to the shale
revolution that has taken us from energy scarcity to energy
abundance and enabled the ability to strategically provide
resources to our allies. It has driven my passion for American
innovation, energy resilience, and respect for our nation's
resources.
I appreciate meeting with many of you and learning of your
specific focus areas in public lands management. And if
confirmed, I will always keep at the forefront of my mind the
critical mission of protecting and managing our natural
resources, ensuring that we fully utilize our federal lands and
waters to benefit all Americans. Thank you for the honor of
appearing before you today, and for considering my nomination.
I look forward to answering your questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Beyer follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Ms. Beyer.
And now, Mr. Garrish.
STATEMENT OF THEODORE GARRISH, NOMINATED TO BE ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF ENERGY (NUCLEAR ENERGY)
Mr. Garrish. Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, members
of the Committee, and professional staff, thank you for the
opportunity to appear today as the nominee for the position of
Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department
of Energy. It is truly an honor to appear before the Committee,
and I appreciate the confidence President Trump and Secretary
Wright have shown in nominating me for this role.
First, I would like to thank my family, and especially my
wife, Dory Stacks, who has been my strength and support as I
embark on this position and this important task. Unfortunately,
due to a scheduling conflict, she has to watch this on the web,
although I have a number of friends here and colleagues that
have joined me today.
My career has largely been devoted to energy, mainly in the
field of nuclear. And much of my time has been spent devoted to
public service, largely at the U.S. Department of Energy,
originally as General Counsel and later as Assistant Secretary
for Nuclear Energy and also in Congressional,
Intergovernmental, and Public Affairs, and most recently, as
Assistant Secretary for International Affairs. And first, I
would like to thank Senator Heinrich for the note relative to
the statement that I made. I cannot believe that it was 42
years ago, but I can assure the Committee that I abide by those
same principles today. In addition to energy, I also served as
Federal Inspector of the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation
System and as a member of the President's Commission on
Catastrophic Nuclear Accidents, also known as the Price-
Anderson Commission.
Throughout my career, I have worked closely with this
Committee, and I can remember many late nights working with
professional staff and Senators assisting with legislative
efforts, and I hope that that would continue in the future. I
had the opportunity to serve as Assistant Secretary for Nuclear
Energy in the late 1980s, and the position was organized
differently at the time, and nuclear energy faced different
challenges than it does today. Today we are on the threshold of
making nuclear a significant contributor to our nation's energy
future and making a true comeback for this important source of
affordable, reliable, and safe energy, and to become a source
for industrial heat for chemical production, mining, and other
uses. While in the private sector, my time was spent largely on
nuclear projects. Notably, I often worked with ``newcomer''
nuclear countries, helping them develop their programs, talent,
and expertise consistent with the IAEA programs for new nuclear
nations.
If I may, let me briefly give you my vision on some of the
important work that I would hope to achieve if I have the
privilege of confirmation. First and foremost, as soon as
feasible, we need to build a new reactor, either a large or
small--SMR or micro reactor. It is important for us to proceed
with development of advanced reactors and their licensing and
siting. Nuclear offers an extraordinary capacity to meet the
coming increased electrical demand in a reliable, affordable,
and safe way. This is important, and we need to get on with
building the next generation of nuclear plants.
Second, the development of a robust domestic enrichment
industry is essential for our national security, and we must
conduct a realistic evaluation of our current system under
development and determine if our current methodology will work
and provide the needed actions to protect our national
security.
Third, we should evaluate the status of the international
market for U.S. nuclear developers and supply chains overseas
to ensure that we maintain strong positioning for U.S. products
and services and build the long-term relationships needed for
U.S. companies, building upon our strong nuclear culture with
the highest standards of non-proliferation. We should also
consider the further use of intergovernmental agreements to
promote our U.S. interests.
And finally, we need to begin to resolve the nuclear waste
dilemma and work with Congress, communities, and states on
solutions. If confirmed, it would be my honor to work
cooperatively with the Congress, especially this Committee, on
achieving these and other objectives. Hopefully, I can
contribute to the development of this important energy source.
Again, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to appear
today, and if confirmed, I look forward to working with the
members of this Committee and members of the staff in
furthering the interests of nuclear energy for the benefit of
the United States, and I look forward to responding to your
questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Garrish follows:]
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Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Garrish.
And now, we are going to turn to Mr. Abbey, but I would
like to invite our colleague, Senator Murkowski, who was Chair
of this Committee for quite a number of years, for an
introduction of Mr. Abbey.
Senator Murkowski.
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT OF HON. LISA MURKOWSKI,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ALASKA
Senator Murkowski. Thank you.
It is great to be able to welcome all of you here this
morning--a pretty incredible group of nominees that we have in
front of us. Some of you have been around for a while and we
welcome you back. But it's really my honor to be able to
reintroduce Tristan Abbey to the Committee. Mr. Abbey is a
proud alumnus of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He
served on my team from 2012 to 2017. He took a little bit of a
break and then he came back from 2019 to 2020. So he is
probably more familiar with this side of the dais over here
being used to sitting on the benches behind us, but really,
it's a privilege, it's really an honor to have you in front of
the Committee at the witness table as the President's choice to
lead the Energy Information Administration.
I am going to tell you, as my colleagues, there is nobody,
there is no one that I have met around here who has spent more
time with EIA or with CRS. This is a gentleman who digs into
the issues. He is really smart in the first place, so he knows
a lot, but he goes so far below the surface to understand, to
master the issues, and then, applying this knowledge to help us
make really good policy. He was instrumental in helping us lift
the crude oil export ban with a strategy and an implementation
plan that, in my view, was quite remarkable. When I had
challenges, when I had tough policy questions, I brought
Tristan into it, and I did so because he is thoughtful, he is
analytical, he brings rigor to everything. He is a true expert
in his arena. These are all qualities that we would ask for in
an EIA Administrator.
I think it's worth noting that four former EIA
Administrators agree with me. They have written a letter
supporting Mr. Abbey. So I would ask unanimous consent for that
letter to be added to the hearing record, following Mr. Abbey's
testimony.
Senator Hoeven. Without objection.
Senator Murkowski. So Tristan, again, thank you. You did
extraordinary work for the Committee, and I hope that the
Committee will recognize that by giving you its strongest
support. But I am pleased to see you today. I don't know if
your wife and baby are here, but--yeah, right behind you there.
We have kind of watched everybody grow up together. So welcome
back, and it's an honor to introduce you.
Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Senator Murkowski.
We will start five-minute rounds of questioning. I want to
check with our Ranking Member, Senator Heinrich.
Did I miss somebody?
Oh, I'm sorry. You want an opening statement too?
[Laughter.]
Senator Hoeven. Usually after Senator Murkowski goes, you
know, with her all her time as Chairwoman, nobody can improve
on that, but in your case, Mr. Abbey, we are going to let you
go ahead with an opening statement.
STATEMENT OF TRISTAN ABBEY, NOMINATED TO BE ADMINISTRATOR OF
THE ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
Mr. Abbey. Thank you very much, Senator Hoeven, and Senator
Murkowski for that wonderful introduction. Thank you, Chairman
Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, and members of this Committee. It
is an honor to appear before you today. I am grateful to
President Trump for the nomination to serve as Administrator of
the Energy Information Administration and to Energy Secretary
Chris Wright for his confidence in me to serve in this
position.
My wonderful wife, Jenn, is in attendance. It was during my
first tour here on the Committee's staff that I met her, and
during the second that we were married. Our two children are a
bit too young for this event, but in due time, I hope they
watch the video. These three ladies--Jenn, Evelyn, and
Josephine--bring more joyful light into my life than I ever
could have imagined. When I was a kid, my parents, Phil and
Wilawan, led my brother Ian and me on a couple of great
adventures to the Middle East. Abqaiq leaves a lasting
impression on a kindergartener and a teenager doesn't forget
the Suez Canal. I can never thank my dad and mom enough for
showing us the world in all of its richness. Times weren't
always easy, but I hope they don't regret it, because I never
will.
I could never have predicted the path of my career, one
possible only here in the United States. After a brief stint in
finance, I arrived here on Committee staff in 2012. Eager to
learn, I worked on the economics of basically all things
energy, even dabbling in the lands portfolio, the complexity of
which makes the electric grid look like a game of tic-tac-toe.
In many ways, I grew up here on the Committee staff. In 2017, I
was honored to join the first Trump Administration, initially
on the ``beach head'' team at the Department of Energy, and
later the National Security Council and National Economic
Council staff.
Following my time at the White House Complex, I returned
here to the Committee staff, where I worked on Washington's
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when the oil price fell
below zero. Serving the American people in various roles within
the Federal Government has been the honor of my life. Each of
these public-sector opportunities was a blessing. None of this
work could have been accomplished without frequent and
persistent engagement with the EIA. Some will say that the
Administrator of the EIA should not have this deep level of
exposure to the policymaking world. On the contrary, leadership
that understands the demands of policymaking and the needs of
policymakers is exactly what the EIA requires at this critical
time.
If confirmed as Administrator, I would have three
priorities. First, as a member of the President's team, I would
fulfill my statutory role of providing objective energy data
and analysis to the American people and to policymakers--in
Ranking Member Heinrich's term, the ``common set of nonpartisan
facts.'' Having served inside the government at both ends of
Pennsylvania Avenue and outside, as a think-tanker and private-
sector consultant, I have seen EIA from a wide variety of
perspectives. The reputation that the agency has built is one I
pledge to steward carefully, if confirmed.
Second, EIA is in urgent need of revitalization. It is
still the world's premier energy data agency, but this did not
happen overnight. Our nation invested billions of dollars and
nearly fifty years to make it so. If confirmed, I would ensure
that this investment continues to pay off. In my view, EIA must
clear the decks of unfinished projects, recruit and retain the
best talent, develop the most powerful analytical abilities,
and modernize its information systems.
Finally, I believe that existing Congressional mandates for
EIA should be executed upon. Two stand out in particular. One
is the expansion of global energy data collection and analysis.
The other is the establishment of a critical minerals outlook.
I know that this Committee is particularly interested in both
issues, and I believe achieving these two goals alone would go
a long way to placing the EIA on sound footing for a
generation.
Thank you for your time, and thanks again to President
Trump and Secretary Wright for their confidence. I look forward
to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Abbey and the letter
mentioned by Senator Murkowski follow:]
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Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Abbey.
At this point, we will kick off five-minute rounds of
questions. I do want to check with the Ranking Member to see if
he had anything before we begin the questions.
Senator Heinrich. Go ahead.
Senator Hoeven. Okay, thank you.
Dr. Travnicek, if confirmed, will you prioritize the
development and maintenance of western water infrastructure to
ensure communities, farmers, and ranchers continue to have
access to reliable and affordable water supplies?
Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator Hoeven, for that
question. We know that infrastructure for water supply is
extremely important across the West. We were making sure in the
State of North Dakota that we had resources to make sure that
we were able to get that affordable, reliable water supply to
people. So if confirmed in this role, yes, I am committed to
working toward that as well.
Senator Hoeven. Thank you.
Also, talk about the importance that USGS continues on a
regular basis to update estimates of recoverable oil and gas
reserves and talk about what you can do to continue to enhance
that energy development.
Dr. Travnicek. Senator, as it relates to the USGS, we know
that their body of work is extremely important. They play a
critical role as it relates, not only to the critical mineral
list, but also as it relates to oil and gas assessments. So
making sure that we have the expertise on that and to be able
to keep up with those studies and those demands that we are
seeing to make sure that we have that dominance of energy here
in America, so yes, so continue to work on that as well.
Senator Hoeven. What are your top three priorities? What
are the top three things you are going to accomplish going in
to the position?
Dr. Travnicek. Senator, if confirmed, the top three
priorities that I would be looking at--we know that there is a
lot of discussion right now related to the Colorado River. We
have some looming deadlines that are in front of us next year.
So we are going to have to work really closely with those seven
states within the Basin. At the same time, also, the critical
minerals list. We know that that is due this year. We are going
to have to be working really closely with our federal agencies,
our different stakeholders, the public, as we work to get that
list put together, get that updated based on what we are
hearing from the public. And then, getting back to where we
started the conversation earlier, looking at infrastructure. We
know that we have drought across the West, across the country,
so we are going to have to look at all those different tools in
the toolbox, making sure that we have modernized systems out
there, making sure that we are looking at aquifer recharge,
looking at water reuse, wastewater. So really just looking at
that suite of possibilities as we try to get water where it's
needed.
Senator Hoeven. Thank you.
Ms. Beyer, we have a lot of resources that are owned by the
public, but that interface with private ownership as well. And
so, BLM runs across that all the time. Are you committed to
maximizing access to development of those resources in a
responsible manner? And will you work with me on my North
Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act, which helps make sure that
everyone is treated fairly in that development, whether it's a
public interest or a private interest?
Ms. Beyer. Yes, sir, Senator, I appreciated our visit about
that, and if I am confirmed, I absolutely look forward to
working with you. There are multiple uses there for those
lands, and if confirmed, like I said, I look forward to working
with you on that.
Senator Hoeven. How about NEPA timelines, right? I mean,
because delay can be defeat, right? We need certainty out there
for everybody, for all involved. So what about these NEPA
timelines and getting things done, again, in a transparent,
responsible way, but getting things done?
Ms. Beyer. Sir, I think we can all agree that permitting
should be streamlined. This Committee has done extraordinary
work on that. And if I am confirmed, I hope to work with this
Committee moving forward, but absolutely, you know, coming from
the oil fields services sector of the business, this is a
650,000-plus workforce that develops energy in the U.S., and if
our companies can't get permits to produce, permits to build
transmission, we will be behind in answering the increasing
energy demand. And so, that, sir, is a top priority for me, is
to be able to assist and help with getting a more reasonable
timeline on our permitting system.
Senator Hoeven. Thank you.
Mr. Garrish, how are we going to get past some of the
public perceptions and concerns in regard to nuclear--or, as
one of my good friends and a former President used to say,
``nuclur'' energy. How are we going to develop nuclear energy
and get people to be comfortable that we are developing it in a
safe, reliable way with a good management plan for, you know,
the nuclear waste?
Mr. Garrish. Well, Senator, nuclear is, in fact, one of the
safest forms of energy available today. And I think it is a
matter of communicating with the public and making sure that
they understand what's happening. We need to make sure that we
have a good public affairs component to every nuclear plant,
that the community understands exactly what a nuclear plant is,
and that the sorts of fears that they have are really
unfounded.
Senator Hoeven. So what is the one thing you would say to
people and want them to remember in regard to safely handling
nuclear energy?
Mr. Garrish. Well, in terms of this, the record is
indisputable in terms of the safety of nuclear plants.
Senator Hoeven. Okay. That's strong. Appreciate that very
much.
Thanks to all of you, and Mr. Abbey, I am not going to have
a question for you because I understand Senator Murkowski has
got a lot of them, so we will wait for that.
Ranking Member Heinrich.
Senator Heinrich. Thank you, Senator Hoeven.
Ms. Beyer, as Assistant Secretary, you will oversee
management of more than 245 million acres of public land. This
land belongs to all Americans, including every single one of my
constituents, and Americans highly value their ability to
access these lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreational
uses. Do you support the large-scale divestment of our public
lands?
Ms. Beyer. Sir, only Congress has the authority to dispose
of any public lands, but I believe that our public lands have a
multiple-use mandate, and they can be used for energy
production, recreation, and any number of other uses for the
benefit of all Americans.
Senator Heinrich. Dr. Travnicek, you have been on staff at
the Department for several months now, and I appreciate many of
our conversations. But that gives you specific insights into
decisions that have already been made at the Department. The
new NEPA guidance for energy projects that the Secretary
announced last week does not make any mention of tribal
consultation. However, it requires all reviews to be done
within 14 to 28 days. I have personally never seen meaningful
tribal consultation completed in that time frame. So my
question is, is the Administration proposing to eliminate
tribal consultation for these projects?
Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator Heinrich, and I also
appreciated some of the conversations that we have had already.
So we know that there have been a lot of conversations for a
long time related to trying to streamline the permitting
processes, right?
Senator Heinrich. Yes.
Dr. Travnicek. I think we have all been frustrated by that.
We have seen some of the discussions here within this Committee
as well. So we are really just trying to figure out how we can
move forward while still meeting the different requirements as
well, right? We know that ESA was mentioned in there, and NHPA.
Also, we know that we will have to engage with tribes. So at
the same time, how do we get the permits out the door, get the
infrastructure in place, develop the resources that we need? So
it's going to be trying to work on all of the above, working
with ESA, NHPA, and also engaging with the tribes.
Senator Heinrich. As someone who strongly supported
permitting reform, and a majority of the members on this
Committee did, I think we largely support getting to yes or no
faster, but I really want to urge you to make sure that that
tribal consultation process is not a ``check the box''
exercise, that it is meaningful.
I am going to switch gears a little bit, back to you, Ms.
Beyer. Two weeks ago--actually let me quote back something that
you said just a few minutes ago: ``If our companies can't get
permits, we will be behind.'' I agree with that sentiment. Two
weeks ago, Secretary Burgum sent a letter to the Acting
Director of BOEM, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
ordering an unprecedented stop-work order to Equinor's Empire
Wind Project off the coast of New York. That's a fully
permitted project. It has undergone rigorous review. It's
already under construction and it would power half a million
homes. Canceling this project is a job killer for the skilled
trades. And my concern is that it will squash any faith that
the private sector has in the federal permitting process. If
you can do this to one project, of one energy type, you can do
it to another of a completely different energy type.
So if fully permitted projects are subjected to arbitrary
stop-work orders, how can we expect the private sector to
commit capital to those large expensive projects?
Ms. Beyer. Senator, thank you for that question. As you
know, I have not been confirmed, and so did not participate in
that decision-making. I agree with you----
Senator Heinrich. Speak to the larger issue, like not the
specificity of that issue.
Ms. Beyer. Right. While we need all forms of energy that we
can get our hands on, there is a premium to secure reliable and
affordable energy. I am from Texas. We have a lot of wind
energy there. I appreciate that it's additive, but there is a
premium to secure affordable and reliable energy that is not
weather dependent, in my view. And I will adhere to the
guidance of the Secretary, if I am confirmed.
Senator Heinrich. In your view, should permitting be
transparent and predictable?
Ms. Beyer. Yes, sir.
Senator Heinrich. Thank you.
Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Senator Heinrich.
Senator Justice.
Senator Justice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member,
everyone here, especially these great nominees and all their
families. I think about all the people that are out here in our
audience and everything. I think about a young man that is
intrigued and fascinated and motivated by the process of
everything that's going on here. His name is Mikey Wolford, and
I absolutely want everybody here to just take just a moment and
try to listen to what I would have to say because I am from a
real energy state and I have been in the energy business
forevermore. And absolutely, I know a lot, an awful lot about
energy, and I can tell everyone here, whether they are on our
side of the aisle or the other side of the aisle, it does not
matter to me. What really should matter to all of us is, we
have a crisis right now and it's looming like Godzilla standing
in the background right now for all of us, for every single
last one of us. And we have got to react or Godzilla will
surely have a good day and we will have a bad day.
And to react is just this simple, and I have said it over
and over and over and over. You are going to have to decide,
America. We are going to have to decide either for homes or
jobs and industry. We are going to have to decide. And so, with
all that being said, you know, these nominees, I would say to
you just this: you have a responsibility here that is second to
none. It's unbelievable, the pressure, the responsibility, how
we are relying on you right now. As you go forward, and I
surely hope and pray you will be confirmed without any
problems, but with all that being said, today, like it or not
like it, in this country, energy is everything--everything. No
matter what anybody says, it is the answer and it is the key to
Emerald City, period. Now, that's all there is to it.
So with all that being said, I am sure that you have areas
of expertise like crazy. I am sure you have a passion and a
love for our lands, you know, Dr. Travnicek, you know, you
spoke of, you know, how you grew up and loved to hunt and fish
and everything. Well, that's me all over. That is absolutely me
in every way. And I am sure all of you feel exactly the same.
No one wants to harm our environment. No one wants to do
anything to our waters, absolutely, but we have got to react
because there are bad days looming right in front of us if we
don't react. That's what our President is trying to do. That's
what he does with an emergency in regard to energy.
So I would say to you just this, and I have got just a
couple of real quick questions and everything. I would say, in
regard to water, you know, many of our communities are very
rural and we rely on private wells. What resources--and this
question is for Dr. Travnicek--what resources will your
Department provide to assist these communities in ensuring the
safety and reliability of their water supplies?
Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator, for the question.
We know, as we are looking in rural areas and within
communities, that water infrastructure is going to continue to
be more important. So, as it relates to, if confirmed, the
Bureau of Reclamation, I will be looking at the different
authorities that we do have, looking for opportunities where
there might be availability for cost share. And at the same
time, just trying to see, too, what partnerships might be, as
we look at those local communities.
Senator Justice. Thank you.
I have got to say one other thing, and I don't have a whole
lot of time, but Senator Hoeven is a really sharp guy and he is
a friend and he made a statement just a second ago--he is dead
on the money, splitting the bullseye like you can't imagine. He
said delay can be defeat. Well, I have never heard it put that
way, but it is absolutely splitting the bullseye. You have got
to move. You have got to have a real passion. You have got to
move, and you have got to know the world. The world depends on
you. Every single country in this world, the more energy they
have, the longer their people live, the healthier their people
are. We need to quit being afraid of energy. You have got a lot
of good people out there that know how to extract and make
energy for all of us. We need to let them go, we need to turn
them loose, and we need to quit being afraid. Absolutely--it
can scare us to death. We don't need to worry about Godzilla
and the claws unless we don't act. And if we don't act,
Godzilla will act, I promise you.
That's all I have got. Thank you so much.
Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Senator Justice. Thanks for your
comments and your strong message, appreciate it very much.
Senator King.
Senator King. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Beyer, a couple of things. I just want to follow up on
Senator Hoeven's question. The problem with the effective
revocation of a permit that had already been granted is the
chilling effect that has on developers, generally, whether it's
wind power or oil and gas or anything else. That was an
extraordinary action, and having been an energy developer
myself, you spend millions of dollars, and months and years to
get your permits. And to have a permit effectively canceled
after you had gone through that entire process, the concern has
to be, not necessarily about this particular project, but what
this says to developers, generally, about the reliability and
certainty of the permitting process. And I joined with Senator
Barrasso and others, Senator Manchin, on permitting reform. I
am very strongly in favor of permitting reform, but a step
which withdraws an already issued permit, I hope that you will
agree, is a dangerous message to the development community,
generally.
Ms. Beyer. Senator, I agree with that completely. The
community that is developing, that is producing, that is
building transmission, the midstream companies that will move
our energy across the country, they absolutely need certainty
in our permitting system so that they can make financial
investment decisions.
Senator King. I appreciate that.
Let me go on to a different question.
Ms. Beyer. Of course.
Senator King. Thank you for that answer.
You answered Senator Heinrich about conveyance of public
lands--you said only Congress can do that. Can I press you a
little bit further and say that you will not support the
conveyance or transfer of public lands without Congressional
approval?
Ms. Beyer. Sir, if I am confirmed, I will follow the law,
as directed by Congress. I know that----
Senator King. But let me talk just in general policy. Do
you think there is any justification for the conveyance of
public lands in a more general sense, and I don't mean little
inholdings and that kind of thing where we do those things all
the time that make total sense, but I am talking about a more
broad program of conveyance of public lands to states or
private interest. As a matter of policy, do you support that or
do you oppose it?
Ms. Beyer. I believe that not every acre of public land
holds the exact same value and that states know best how they
want to use their public lands. And so----
Senator King. So you are saying that you are okay with
conveying federal public lands to states? Is that what you just
said?
Ms. Beyer. I hope to be a collaborative partner with
Congress on that.
Senator King. Well, I hope you will take that very
seriously because I have grave concerns about conveyance of
public lands. It belongs to the public, and the public should
have a response, and the public's voice is right here. So in
your initial statement--only Congress can do this--I hope that
you will live up to that in your position.
Mr. Garrish, I have been in a number of meetings recently
about SMRs and development of future nuclear power. It strikes
me that it's not going to happen on its own in the private
sector because it's simply too expensive, that there needs to
be a kind of CHIPS and Science Act, if you will, for new
nuclear technology with federal support for the first five, or
some number, because the expense is so great of developing a
brand new, highly complex piece of technology. What are your
thoughts on that?
Mr. Garrish. I agree with that completely. The private
sector cannot----
Senator King. Let the record show that he said he agreed
with me completely. Thank you.
[Laughter.]
Mr. Garrish. My position on this is that we need to develop
a series of mechanisms for financing of reactors. The private
sector can do some of this. The loan office can help. That was
very helpful in the Vogtle plants, as you know, and it has been
helpful in other plants that we have. In addition to that, we
have to look for other sources of financing and even grants, in
some cases, and we do have some grant programs currently----
Senator King. Particularly for the early prototypes.
Mr. Garrish. Getting prototypes to work and to be tested
and to demonstrate the materials that you need for licensing,
that is a program that we currently have underway, and we are
going to implement at the Idaho National Laboratory, and that
is an extremely important part of the process. We have to get
these plants past the first-of-a-kind. We have to build five of
them or ten of them to be able to demonstrate that these can be
built in factories and we can move forward.
So I agree with you, this is a complex matter as to how we
go through the process, but we have to look for financing tools
and financing interest and people that are interested in doing
this, including the government.
Senator King. Mr. Garrish, I really appreciate your
willingness to continue to serve and to demonstrate that those
of us who remember President Reagan still have something to
offer.
[Laughter.]
Mr. Garrish. Thank you.
Senator King. Thank you.
Mr. Abbey, just very briefly, we need objective data to
make good policy. It's as simple as that. And I hope in your
position, and I think you have the background to do so, you
used the term, ``objective data.'' That's what is needed--
straight-up, honest data without political bias that will then
help us to make good policy. Are you committed to objective
data?
Mr. Abbey. Absolutely, Senator.
Senator King. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman [presiding]. Senator Murkowski, you are up
next.
Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I am just smiling because I was given a statement from
Senator Murkowski, who was on this Committee on July 15, 1986,
and apparently at that time, my father introduced you, Mr.
Garrish, to the Committee as you were being nominated to become
the Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation
System. So as my colleague has said, there are a few from the
Reagan days that not only understand things, but understand
things so well that they are back yet again. So, a little bit
of Committee history here. So just want to acknowledge that.
Ms. Beyer, I want to speak to you--a couple questions here,
and I love your connections to Alaska. It takes tough
individuals to run the Mayor's Marathon, and I just love the
fact that you like to spend family time up there. So you are
familiar with Alaska. The last time we had a Senate-confirmed
ASLM position was an Alaskan, Joe Balash. He obviously got a
lot of these issues that are before Interior, before BLM. And
you are going to be asked to pick up a lot in this space, as
you well know. I know that you are familiar with the ``no more
wilderness'' clause that is contained in ANILCA. I just need
your commitment to me and to the Committee that you will ensure
that BLM and other agencies under your purview abide by this
``no more'' clause. And even going a little bit beyond that,
whether or not you would be willing to work with the delegation
to evaluate what has happened in Alaska since passage of ANILCA
as a result of BLM's oftentimes unilateral decisions to
withdraw more and more land from public access. So just a
willingness to work with the delegation on this.
Ms. Beyer. Absolutely, ma'am. Given my personal affinity
for the state, it's one of the things that I am most looking
forward to working on, if I am confirmed. I will look forward
to spending time there and working with you on all those
issues.
Senator Murkowski. Good. We will invite you back often.
Speaking of Alaska land conveyances, as you know, we are
dealing with the lifting of outdated public land orders--long,
long overdue land conveyances that are owed under our Alaska
Statehood Act, as well as the Native Claims Settlement Act. We
have to resolve submerged lands issues. These are matters that
require a great deal of detail, time, and resources. But we
have been a state now for long enough, and I think some of
these promises that were made at statehood need to be
completed. We need your help to do that, and I would just like
your commitment to that.
Ms. Beyer. Absolutely, ma'am, if I am lucky enough to be
confirmed, I look forward to working on that.
Senator Murkowski. Good, good, good.
And last question to you--I know you aren't in the building
yet, but the Department has just recently announced a new five-
year program for offshore development as well as what they are
calling a new High Arctic Planning Area. And I get where the
Administration is coming from. It's basically put everything on
the table, and then figure out how we might want to winnow some
of these back, actually where we want leasing to occur. As you
well know, in Alaska, there are places that we seek to develop
aggressively, responsibly, and then there are areas that we
don't. So I would just ask your commitment, again, that you
would work with the Alaska delegation. We have Alaskans that
are here in the room as part of Alaska Day today, but
especially our North Slope leaders to determine where leasing
is appropriate, and perhaps not appropriate within the Alaska
OCS.
Ms. Beyer. Absolutely. I look forward to being briefed on
the details of that and I will take a very close look at it.
Senator Murkowski. Very good, appreciate that.
Mr. Abbey, I am going to give you an opportunity to share a
little bit of your vision here. You don't have much time, but
you have spent a lot of time thinking about many of these
things. You mentioned the vision that you have for the critical
minerals and the specific outlook, but is what we were able to
accomplish when it came to lifting the oil export ban, and
again, the strategy, the implementation, can we do this with
critical minerals? Can we do this with LNG exports? Is this
something that, in your new role, you think you can bring to
the table looking at the objective, analytical data that EIA
brings to bear, but can we develop, can we work towards
developing better strategic approaches to these very important
issues?
Mr. Abbey. Thank you, Senator, for the question.
In my view, objectivity is a discipline. It is something
that you can practice, and in various capacities I have been an
objective steward of data. In other capacities, I have had more
of a policy role. If confirmed as Administrator, I would no
longer be in a policymaking role, but I do believe that the
crude oil export debate illustrates the importance of EIA.
There were a lot of think tanks and consulting firms that were
writing reports about crude oil exports, but all of them were
using EIA data. EIA data, to borrow Ranking Member Heinrich's
term, once again, this common set of facts. And I think the EIA
can absolutely play a critical role in helping anybody who is
trying to develop any kind of energy policy to equip them with
the information that they need.
Senator Murkowski. That's a good answer.
Mr. Abbey. Thank you.
Senator Murkowski. I appreciate it.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Abbey. I learned from the best.
Senator Murkowski. Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Murkowski.
Ms. Beyer, I would like to start with you, if that's okay.
I'm sorry--I forgot. Senator Cortez Masto, that was very
bad. You are up to bat. Thank you.
Senator Cortez Masto. Well, as Chairman, I respect your
position, so thank you.
First of all, congratulations. Congratulations on your
nominations. Welcome to the family members that are here. It's
an exciting time. Thank you so much.
Let me start with you, Mr. Garrish. I am sure you are not
surprised--I am from Nevada, and this is a question I ask
everyone from Department of Energy, starting with Secretary
Chris Wright, who provided the following QFR response during
his nomination process. He said, ``The people of Nevada are not
in favor of Yucca Mountain and thus President Trump and I do
not support Yucca Mountain as a waste repository.''
My question to you is, do you agree with this statement?
Mr. Garrish. Yes.
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you.
If confirmed, will you maintain efforts to establish a
consent-based repository site selection process?
Mr. Garrish. I would like to speak to that, if I may.
Senator Cortez Masto. Please.
Mr. Garrish. I have been concerned over the word consent-
based. I would prefer something that sounds more like
collaborative. In other words, I would like to collaborate with
states, not--the idea of consent suggests that you are doing
something to the states that they may not want. I would prefer
to work collaboratively with the states and determine what
states might be interested in this potential opportunity and
whether there are things that could be added to it, benefits,
and that is a process that we could enter over a period of
time.
And so, I would propose initially to go with a system that
would be more collaborative than consent-based.
Senator Cortez Masto. Can I ask, then, if there is a
consent-based legislation, and the consent is really taking
into consideration whether the states--including Nevada--and
the stakeholders agree to any nuclear waste being sited in
their state, you would take that into consideration and would
not force it upon them if they did not agree to it?
Mr. Garrish. Generally, I guess my belief is that if the
state is not interested, then the collaborative process would
probably terminate.
Senator Cortez Masto. Okay.
And so, that law in legislation, when we talk about
consent-based and every state being treated equally, that
should include the State of Nevada?
Mr. Garrish. Well, the legislation that I think that you
are referring to, there is no administrative position on it at
this time. So I am not in a position to say one way or the
other.
Senator Cortez Masto. Thus, the superseding legislation to
allow all states to be treated equally, including the State of
Nevada. You would support that if there was superseding
legislation?
Mr. Garrish. Well, I am not in a position today to tell
you, legislatively, to give you a position on behalf of the
Administration.
Senator Cortez Masto. So let me just say, previously the
Secretary has said he would support it. So I am a little
confused why you wouldn't, but we can have further conversation
about this. I am concerned about your position, however, but I
need to get on to some other questions here, but let's have
further conversation.
Mr. Garrish. I understand that we are scheduling a meeting,
hopefully, where we can talk about this and the collaborative
approach and generally your suggestions. I am very interested.
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you.
Mr. Garrish. And I think in terms of entering this
position, if confirmed, I would really like to get your views
as one of the first people I talk to on this.
Senator Cortez Masto. Good. I look forward to the
conversation.
Dr. Travnicek, you talked about the Colorado River. Thank
you very much. This is a priority for all of the Basin States
along the Colorado River. We know that we have deadlines coming
up. The guidelines for future water allocations expire in 2027.
There are negotiations going on right now. The hope is that the
Basin States will come together and agree to the guidelines and
how they are going to manage the Colorado River. My question to
you is, if confirmed, how will you prioritize this process to
ensure that the Basin can reach that necessary consensus and
avoid litigation before time runs out?
Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator, for the question.
Yes, as discussed earlier, the Colorado River is going to
be front and center. If confirmed, it will be one of my top
priorities to hit the ground running on right away. We know
that we have to work with the seven Basin States. It needs to
be consensus-driven, state led. We don't want this to be
decided by a judge. So it's going to be my top priority.
Senator Cortez Masto. And I look forward to working with
you. I know all the Basin States--we do, as well.
One final question, let me ask you, because this came to my
attention just recently talking with my electric co-ops, who
are concerned about hydropower from the dam, Hoover Dam, as
well as Glen Canyon Dam. But let me just talk a little bit
about Hoover Dam. In Congress, we previously made significant
investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and
Inflation Reduction Act to improve water infrastructure and to
mitigate drought conditions along the river. And you talked a
little bit about that. Unfortunately, many of those funds are
currently halted. Additionally, Colorado River contract
customers have been working with the Bureau of Reclamation to
receive some of those Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to
install wide-head turbines that can operate at low levels and
continue to generate the hydropower that my companies and
Nevadans need.
If these turbines are not installed and production
generation drops due to the low water level that has been set
by the Bureau of Reclamation, customers in Nevada will be
forced to replace these hydropower resources with more
expensive power, impacting power prices for rural communities
in Nevada. And so, my question to you is, can you commit to me
to work to release those funds that were allocated by Congress
in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation
Reduction Act that addresses those needs--specifically those
projects that we need along the Colorado River? Would you
commit to working with me to release those funds?
Dr. Travnicek. Senator, thank you for the question.
So as it relates to hydropower, right, we know that
Reclamation is the second largest producer of hydropower. It is
extremely important. It is extremely important to have those
low costs related to the energy production as well. So as we
look at those different funds, I appreciate the overview
related to what those funds have been sitting and supposed to
go toward, so if confirmed, I will be committed to looking into
that just to understand more of what it is and how that could
help.
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Cortez Masto.
Ms. Beyer, let's start with you. We have about 700 miles of
our southern border that consists of federal land, and on a
number of occasions, over and over and over again, over many
years, federal land managers have blocked access or delayed
access to customs and border protection to that land. They want
to keep them out of that land in the name of environmental
protection, but meanwhile, illegal border crossings have
themselves caused massive environmental degradation, including
leaving trash piles, damaged ecosystems, wildfires, and other
problems. If confirmed, how will you prioritize preventing
environmental damage that may be caused by illegal immigration?
Mr. Beyer. I believe that the local stakeholders know best
what is going on on those public lands, and I would instruct
the BLM to work collaboratively with people on the ground to
ensure that we are using/making the best use of the land.
The Chairman. It's certainly not an environmentally neutral
thing to allow the border to be open. And so, that certainly
has to be taken into account.
Dr. Travnicek, a federal decision last year requires the
bypass of hydropower generation at Glen Canyon Dam to control
the smallmouth bass, a species that, itself, threatens the ESA-
listed humpback chub. Now, restricting hydropower generation
does a lot of things, including forcing customers to purchase
more expensive replacement power. This is also depleting the
Basin Fund, which supports critical infrastructure along the
Colorado River that the Colorado River Basin States need and
rely on. If confirmed, how will you balance ESA compliance on
the one hand with the need to protect affordable hydropower and
to benefit American families and otherwise address the needs of
the Colorado River Basin States?
Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator Lee, and I really
appreciate the conversation yesterday as well.
We know, as we are looking at the Colorado River, and we
are looking at how those dams are operated, and the energy that
goes with it, that we are going to have to have some of that
balance. There was that decision that was completed last year,
right, that does lean in a little bit more on looking at
reducing and impacting the hydropower energy. So if confirmed,
I am committed to looking into it and trying to figure out how
we can still rely on that lower cost of energy.
The Chairman. Much appreciated, thank you.
Mr. Abbey, in 2021, Congress directed EIA to produce a
critical minerals outlook and to deepen its capabilities in
international analysis. It's now 2025, and we haven't seen the
report. If confirmed, how do you view the international
critical materials landscape, and what would you do as the
Administrator of EIA to ensure that we have the best
information available to strengthen our supply chains?
Mr. Abbey. Thank you very much, Chairman Lee, for that
question.
There are two great Americans in the audience, who I didn't
mention in my opening statement--my mother-in-law and my
father-in-law, Pat and Rick Bruno, who can attest to the fact
that, although I am extremely interested in the critical
minerals issue, I am not presently employed at DOE. I am
blissfully living a life in Tampa at the moment. I think the
issue that you raise is absolutely----
The Chairman. Washington is a lot like Tampa. You won't
notice a difference.
[Laughter.]
Mr. Abbey. I think the issue that you raise, Senator, is
absolutely important. One of the first things I would do, if
confirmed, is meet with the team to understand what steps, if
any, have been taken to adhere to the statutory guidance from
Congress to establish that outlook. As you mentioned, it was
directed in 2021 and does not exist today. If confirmed, it
would exist.
The Chairman. Thank you.
Mr. Garrish, I loved seeing the reference earlier to the
other Senator Murkowski, talking to the--well, not the other
Theodore Garrish, but the same one, just in a different era.
Our country is facing a looming energy crisis due to the growth
of energy-intensive industries, and in many cases, the
retirement of dispatchable and firm generation resources. In
response, many states, including my own State of Utah, are
taking steps to significantly increase their production. The
State of Utah, through Operation Gigawatt, is working to double
its energy capacity over the next 10 years, an ambitious, but I
believe, achievable ambition. It's leading the way in making it
easier to build new nuclear energy as part of that same effort.
As energy demand continues to grow, we need to increase our
supply with reliable, affordable, clean baseload generation,
like nuclear. If confirmed, what will you do in your role as
Assistant Secretary over the Office of Nuclear Energy to make
sure that we get continued operation of the existing nuclear
fleet and make sure that we get new nuclear plants up, running,
and online as soon as possible?
Mr. Garrish. Senator, nuclear definitely has a role in the
future and will play an important part. And what I believe that
we have to do initially is get a plant licensed and operating
here as soon as possible. There are a number of programs that
the Department currently has underway--the Advanced Nuclear
Reactor program-- that will really facilitate first movers to
get the advanced reactors into the marketplace. Similarly,
there are programs right now at Idaho National Laboratory where
we can begin the testing of prototypes, full-size prototypes,
to begin to have new reactors available into the market. The
key is, we need to build one, we need to license one, and we
need to do it in an economic way. And that process is going to
take a little time, but we need to get started with it
immediately, and that's an important aspect of my plans, if
confirmed, that I would really intend to begin with.
The Chairman. I realize the office you have been nominated
to fill plays a different role, but are there benefits that
could be derived from a collaboration between your office and
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to accelerate the process?
Mr. Garrish. Absolutely, and I think one of the very
interesting ideas that has been suggested is a very close
collaboration with our office as they begin to test the new
reactors and work with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on
ways in which licensing could be enhanced and we could do
research that is directly related to the information needed to
accelerate the license process.
The Chairman. Excellent, thank you very much.
Senator Padilla, you are up next.
Senator Padilla. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and a thank you to
all the witnesses that are here today.
I want to begin with an idea, an opportunity, I think,
that's not just near and dear to me and important for the State
of California, but can be critical, pun intended, for the
country. Just last year, the Department of Energy announced the
results of the most comprehensive analysis to date quantifying
the domestic lithium resources in California's Salton Sea
region. The announcement confirmed what we have known in
California for a long time now, that the Salton Sea region has
significant potential as a domestic source of critical minerals
to reduce our reliance on minerals from foreign countries,
particularly China. So it's a matter of both economic
opportunity and national security.
My question is for Ms. Beyer. What is your plan to develop
domestic sources of lithium and assure that we are not reliant
on foreign sources?
Ms. Beyer. Senator, thank you for the question. I agree
with you 100 percent. We have to be very focused as a country
on developing our own critical minerals to secure our supply
chain and make us less dependent on other countries for those
minerals. If I am confirmed and oversee that mining process at
the office at OSMRE, while that's primarily around coal, I will
do everything within the power of the SLM to ensure that we can
mine effectively and get America ahead on that process. We know
that we are behind, and it is incredibly dangerous,
specifically with regard to China.
Senator Padilla. Well, I think your chances of getting
confirmed are pretty darn good. So let me jump into some
specifics into the weeds here. If confirmed, would you commit
that brining, as a means of extraction, would be included in
any administrative action to incentivize the domestic supply of
critical minerals?
Ms. Beyer. Sir, since I have not been in the building and I
have not been fully briefed on that, I can't say specifically
what I would support, but I look forward to learning more about
it. I hope to get in the building soon and to be able to get
into the weeds of that.
Senator Padilla. Okay, well, I look forward to being part
of that education coming up to speed and would certainly ask
that you work with California leaders to advance brining and
other opportunities in the Lithium Valley region of California.
My next questions are directed at Dr. Travnicek. First of
all, congratulations again on your nomination. Before we begin,
I just wanted to confirm one thing. You are currently working
as a Senior Advisor at the Department, correct?
Dr. Travnicek. Senator, that's correct.
Senator Padilla. Okay. So if you have watched any of the
confirmation hearings for your colleagues that have come
through this Committee, I am sure you have heard me talk about
our work in recent years to establish and to expand national
monuments in California in recent years. And as I have talked
about here in Committee, and as I have raised with the
Secretary directly, repeatedly, in person and on the phone and
during his confirmation, the landscapes I am referring to have
little or no energy or mineral potential. We were very--you
know, we worked to establish the boundaries very precisely with
a mind to that. By the way, these monuments enjoy tremendous, I
mean, literally overwhelming support in California across the
board.
Now, I raise that because I would hate to see--I don't
believe these monuments, new and expanded, fit really into this
right-sizing effort that I am hearing about the Administration
discussing when it comes to national monuments. So I would like
to know, have you been part of the discussions at the
Department to date in terms of the right-sizing of national
monuments or the review process for protected landscapes for
energy or mineral potential?
Dr. Travnicek. So Senator, as the Senior Advisor, I have
been working on different executive orders and secretarial
orders that have come before the Department. As relates to this
one, I have not been specifically involved.
Senator Padilla. Okay, well, if and when you do become
involved, engagement with stakeholders is critical for this and
in all processes. And as far as we can tell, we are hearing
about a review. We are hearing these monuments may be on the
list, may not be on the list, maybe they are on the list, but
the folks on the ground, the very leaders that advocated for
the establishment and the expansion of these monuments have not
been consulted. So I would ask that you commit to, again, if
and when you become involved with this, to commit to true
engagement with local leaders, both sides of the aisle--
Democrats and Republicans--tribal leaders, conservationists,
and others as part of any so-called review. And I would further
ask that you commit, just as the first Trump Administration
did, if there is going to be a suggested reconfiguration of the
boundaries, that it be made public and a public comment period
or an opportunity for public input be allowed before any final
actions are taken.
Can you commit to that as a good faith process with the
public?
Dr. Travnicek. So Senator, if confirmed, I am committed to
working with you and others that might have feedback related to
that. As discussed, there are executive orders and secretarial
orders, and it will be different bureaus that will be working
on that versus the ones that I will be involved with, but I
would bring any of those concerns and commitment to working
with those colleagues that might be working on that initiative.
Senator Padilla. Okay, thank you very much.
The Chairman. Senator Daines.
Senator Daines. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Beyer, the BLM's core principle is multiple use. That's
Congressionally mandated in the Federal Land Management and
Policy Act. However, under the Biden Administration, the Bureau
of Land Management implemented the so-called Conservation and
Landscape Health Rule that subverted the agency's multiple-use
management of public lands. At that time, I heard a lot from my
ranchers. I expressed deep concerns with this rule, especially
as it pertained to the impacts on livestock grazing on public
lands. Livestock operations are part of our Montana way of
life, and cattle and sheep grazing on public lands provides
benefits by mitigating the risk of wildfire, suppressing
invasive grasses, and improving wildlife habitat, while
economically supporting our rural communities who are
struggling across our state.
Will you commit to reconsidering this overreaching rule
that harms multiple use and destroys transparency and public
input around land use decisions?
Ms. Beyer. Senator, thank you for the question.
I know that has been an extraordinary issue in your state,
and I have followed that. And if I am confirmed, I absolutely
will follow the law, the multiple-use mandate, and the contours
of FLPMA that provide that.
Senator Daines. Thank you.
Earlier this month, we were very pleased that President
Trump announced a number of executive orders to support coal in
Montana. My generational roots go back five in Montana. I know
many watch shows like Yellowstone or they see Brad Pitt with a
fly rod in his hand, you think it's only about fly fishing, and
as a lifelong fly fisherman, I couldn't agree more, but we also
have more recoverable coal than any state in the United States.
It's one of the understated facts and something that many don't
know.
So these EOs to support us in Montana with coal include
rolling back the Miles City Resource Management Plan amendment
prohibiting new coal development in eastern Montana. I am
grateful that Secretary Burgum, likewise, took steps to support
energy development on our federal lands. I truly believe that
BLM can balance coal, oil, gas, and renewable energy
development while also supporting conservation, recreation, and
grazing resources. That really is the mandate from Congress.
My question is, do you support the actions by the President
and the Secretary to roll back these anti-energy rules, like
the Miles City RMP and the unreachable bonding rates and return
the BLM to its true multiple-use mandate?
Ms. Beyer. Senator, thank you.
I think President Trump and Secretary Burgum have laid out
a very bold vision for developing more American energy
resources, and coal has a very important role in that. I
believe in American innovation around reducing emissions and
how effectively we can produce energy around coal. And so,
absolutely, sir, I commit to working with you on that and to
following the direction of the President and the Secretary.
Senator Daines. You know, it ought to be a warning shot,
what we saw happening in Spain and Portugal this past week
about what happens when ideology and nonsense drives energy
policy and where we get energy in terms of the balance between
intermittent sources of energy and baseload power. And I am
grateful that in this Administration baseload power is cool
again, thank God.
Dr. Travnicek, the Bureau of Reclamation is currently
working quickly to address the catastrophic failure of two
siphons from the St. Mary River that are a critical part of the
Milk River Project that provides water to irrigators on
Montana's Hi-Line. I don't expect you to be an expert on this,
but I want to raise your awareness here because you will be
confirmed and you will be serving. I am grateful for that.
Additionally, I am working to finish Montana's last tribal
water compact. I have been working on tribal water compacts for
much of my time back here in Congress. These are sometimes over
a century--back to, certainly, treaties--and getting these
resolved on behalf of the irrigators and the tribes is one of
my highest priorities. We are down to one left in Montana, and
that's for the Fort Belknap Indian community. We are making
great progress on that. We are very close. This will improve
infrastructure and economic development for both our tribal and
our non-tribal water users.
My question is, will you work with me to ensure the
continued success of these federal water projects so that
farmers, ranchers, tribes and municipal users will have
certainty over their water rights and their usage?
Dr. Travnicek. Senator, thank you for the overview of both
of those important concerns that you have in trying to move
those projects forward. I am committed to working with you on
those.
Senator Daines. Thank you.
And that St. Marys project, by the way, when you see
beautiful movies and pictures of Montana, you see a lot of
water, that's true--we actually are a semi-arid climate in
Montana. It's pretty dry, and particularly where St. Marys is
at, it's a very arid part of our state, and literally, it's an
artery, a lifeline of water that has been tragically
interrupted because of an infrastructure failure. And time is
of the essence to get this completed so we can support
irrigators this year.
I am out of time, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
The Chairman. Senator Hickenlooper.
Senator Hickenlooper. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Beyer, obviously, Coloradans support conservation
protection for our public lands, like most states. These lands
boost the $17 billion recreation economy, not to mention all
the wildlife and watershed benefits that accrue. You are
nominated for a role that would oversee the Bureau of Land
Management, which manages lands for multiple processes or uses.
You are certainly experienced in the oil and gas side of
things, but you are also going to have to transition to a
broader lens now and look at making sure that we ensure healthy
lands, diversity of landscapes, reliable access to outdoor
recreation. Will you work with us to make sure that we maintain
these approaches to conservation and protection of our public
lands?
Ms. Beyer. Senator, I appreciate you pointing that out, and
absolutely, I agree with you and commit to working with you on
that.
Senator Hickenlooper. Great, thank you.
And Mr. Garrish, nuclear energy could play a huge role in
our national security, and I share the frustration of many
organizations--Nuclear Energy Institute, the Colorado Nuclear
Alliance, Nuclear Innovation Alliance--that DOE has let go more
than half its staff at the Loan Programs Office. The Loan
Programs Office--LPO--one of the most effective federal offices
supporting new nuclear projects in the United States. How does
the Administration, from your perspective, plan to expand
domestic nuclear energy while simultaneously dramatically
reducing the staff that would be most critical for that
expansion?
Mr. Garrish. Well, I am hopeful that as applications come
into LPO for additional nuclear projects that there is
sufficient staff to handle them, and I see no reason of that
currently. And I am not totally familiar with the staff
situation at LPO, but I anticipate that we will have the staff
to handle that.
Senator Hickenlooper. So if you find there is insufficient
staff, you will raise your voice and say, we need more staff?
Mr. Garrish. Indeed.
Senator Hickenlooper. Good. Good to hear that.
Dr. Travnicek, the Department of the Interior recently
announced some of the emergency permitting procedures to
accelerate the development of domestic resources of critical
minerals. As has been noted, this initiative seeks to reduce
multi-year review processes to, well, as much as possible--in
some cases, as quickly as 28 days. I am an outspoken, I guess I
would say, supporter of bipartisan permitting reform. I
emphasize bipartisan permitting reform. But I am concerned
about some of these drastic actions. What are the litigation
risks of taking such dramatic steps to accelerate timelines
without an act of Congress? In other words, are we creating far
more obstacles or problems in the future as we seek to
circumvent the existing structure? And then, how do you justify
operating under a national energy emergency while excluding key
technological technologies like solar, wind, and energy storage
from these new procedures?
Dr. Travnicek. Senator, thank you for the question.
Yes, we have been directed to the presidential order in
regards to the energy emergency that we see here in this
country. I know that this Committee has been active, as it
relates to finding ways to streamline the permitting processes.
The team at Interior has been working very hard to try to see
if there are any ways to streamline them even further. And
that's where you did see this last week where there was a new
permitting process that was rolled out to try to expedite that
to make sure that we can develop the resources, and also get
the infrastructure needed to make sure that we are getting that
clear energy dominance.
At the same time, it also is looking at just ESA, NHPA. I
know there was a question earlier related to tribes. So the
Department is going to work really hard to implement that.
Senator Hickenlooper. Great, thank you.
And I will ask you each, just, there have been some, I
think, some serious discussions about large-scale sales of
public lands for the generation of revenue for the Federal
Government. I just wanted to ask each of you to give your
authentic opinion as to whether that's a worthy outcome. And I
am a great believer in budgets and frugality, but I think a
wide-scale sale of public lands just for the generation of
revenue seems very ill-advised. I just want to hear each of
your opinions on that.
Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator, for the question.
We know, as it relates to federal lands, there are a lot of
multi-use efforts that are associated with them. So----
Senator Hickenlooper. I am just talking about the sale. So
I understand putting multi-use, and I understand that, and in
some mountain towns you can sell an acre or two from the BLM
that they can use for affordable housing or workforce housing,
I get that. I am not against that. I am talking about larger-
scale sale of public lands to generate revenue, solely to
generate revenue for the Federal Government.
Dr. Travnicek. Yes, and at the Department of the Interior
right now, we do have a directive through an executive order to
review all of those public lands, seeing if there are any
opportunities. So it would be working with the states, looking
for opportunities to see if there is any opportunity.
Senator Hickenlooper. So you are okay with that, all right.
Ms. Beyer. Senator, Congress has the authority to dispose
of public lands, and I agree with my colleague from the
Interior perspective. We would look to the states, any state
looking to do a lands transfer.
Senator Hickenlooper. So you said Congress has the
authority, but then you are going to look to the states. So
look to the states to advise Congress? That's the question. I
just want to--I am not trying to be trouble, I am just trying
to make sure we get----
Ms. Beyer. No, I understand, sir. I meant that in the
context of--I am sure there is a role for the Department of the
Interior. I do not currently work in the building, but my
understanding of the constitution is that it gives that
authority to Congress.
Senator Hickenlooper. Right, we agree.
Mr. Garrish.
Mr. Garrish. Senator, I am not familiar enough with the
subject to be able to provide much of an opinion. However, it
would seem to me that, as I understand it, that this is a
matter for Congress.
Senator Hickenlooper. Thank you.
Mr. Abbey. Thank you, Senator, for the question. I
appreciate the issue that you raise. As the nominee for the EIA
Administrator position, which is policy neutral, I,
unfortunately, am not able to respond.
Senator Hickenlooper. All right, thank you. I am out of
time.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Hickenlooper.
Senator Gallego.
Senator Gallego. Thank you, Chairman and Ranking Member.
My first question is for Dr. Travnicek. One of the most
pressing issues from my state is drought funding, and we
continue to see challenges with funding freezes at the Bureau
of Reclamation. If you are confirmed, these funds will be your
responsibility. Reclamation has halted critical funding that
has been a bridge to keep the Colorado River Basin system
functioning. I am concerned that these funds are being held,
and I have heard reports that the Department plans to hold
funding until a seven-state agreement is reached. Do you commit
to releasing all previously appropriated funding and do you
recognize the urgency of drought funding in the West?
Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator, for the question. And as
I have discussed before, we do know that drought is an
extremely important issue that we are seeing here in the West
and that we are all going to have to work really hard and use
all the different tools in the toolbox. As it relates to the
funding that might be put on pause right now, I committed to,
if confirmed, looking into it further just to understand what
is on pause.
Senator Gallego. Okay, just because for us it looks--it
seems like it's not exactly the smartest move because there are
some states that would be absolutely happy to let this go to
litigation, keep fighting it out, and then you are punishing
some of the Lower Basin States that need this investment now,
which will end up actually helping all of the Basin in terms of
their--how many acre-feet of water we need behind the dams. So
I just want to make sure you keep that in perspective.
I would like to also ask about the Northeastern Arizona
Indian Water Rights Settlement Act. This would be the largest
Indian water rights settlement ever enacted in the history of
this country and provide the southern tribes--the Navajo
Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and the San Juan Southern Paiute
Tribe--with desperately needed water and infrastructure funding
and water to actually even, you know, spur their economy.
Without a settlement, other water users in the Colorado River
Basin face uncertainty regarding the tribes' Colorado River
water rights. So essentially, we don't know how much we have
left if we haven't allocated what these tribes justly deserve.
So it's particularly important because the Navajo Nation has
one of the largest single outstanding claims in the whole
Colorado River. Approximately one-third of Navajo homes still
do not have running water even to this date. So this settlement
will bring certainty to the Basin and ensure tribes can thrive
on their homeland.
So will you commit to working with me and the Arizona
delegation--bipartisan delegation--to finish this settlement?
Dr. Travnicek. So Senator, I understand the importance of
the Indian Water Rights Settlements. When I was here during the
first Trump Administration, I had an opportunity to work with
several of those tribal nations. So I am committed to working
with you on those.
Senator Gallego. Great, thank you.
Questions for Mr. Garrish. You know, I appreciate our time
yesterday talking about, you know, creative solutions for
energy and fast deployment of nuclear energy. As you know, I am
very interested in SMRs, and they have a great potential to
meet Arizona's rising energy demand. And I have heard from
communities that actually are very excited about the deployment
of this technology, and so, I was hoping that you and I could
talk further about potential creative ways to actually have
faster deployment.
So will you commit to visiting Arizona and working together
on fast deployment of SMRs, including the potential for their
use on military bases in the state?
Mr. Garrish. Senator, thank you for your time that we took
to discuss this important topic. Arizona has a tremendous
opportunity for nuclear development, and you are currently home
of one of the most successful and largest nuclear plants, and I
think that there are many opportunities going forward, and I
look forward to working with you, including military bases, for
nuclear potential.
Senator Gallego. Thank you.
Ms. Beyer, Arizona is home--and thank you again for also
speaking to me yesterday--is home to 12.1 million acres of BLM
land, a department that you are going to oversee. Within these
are national monuments that highlight the natural and cultural
beauty of my state. One example is the Ancestral Footprints of
the Grand Canyon National Monument. The Grand Canyon is not
only a natural wonder of the world and a sacred site for many
tribes, it's an enormous economic driver for Northern Arizona,
as the second most visited national park in the country. Loving
the Grand Canyon isn't controversial--80 percent of all
Arizonans support the Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon,
and the Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon isn't unique
in being protected by presidential declaration. Grand Canyon
National Park itself started out that way.
In recent weeks, reports have circulated that the
Administration is planning to shrink the boundaries of a number
of monuments, including the Ancestral Footprints of the Grand
Canyon National Monument. Do you plan to support the rollback
of monument protections for the Grand Canyon?
Ms. Beyer. Senator, thank you for the question, and thank
you for the time yesterday. I enjoyed speaking with you about
this and a number of your other areas of focus.
The Grand Canyon is an amazing place. My parents, here, and
my son, have spent a lot of time there. And you know, while I
am not at the Department, I am not aware of any of those
discussions, but the importance and the majesty of the Grand
Canyon is not lost on me.
Senator Gallego. Thank you, and I yield back, Mr. Chair.
The Chairman. Thank you very much, Senator Gallego.
I want to thank the witnesses and everyone for their
participation today. It has been a little chaotic with multiple
markups and multiple committees happening, but a lot of
cooperation from members of the Committee has helped.
Questions for the record for this hearing are due by 6:00
p.m. this evening. The record of the hearing will remain open
for statements until 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 8.
Again, I thank members of the Committee. On behalf of the
Committee, I am pleased to extend congratulations to all these
nominees and look forward to working closely with each one. I
also look forward to working with all of the Senators on the
Committee as we continue to consider each of the President's
remaining nominees within the jurisdiction of this Committee in
such a productive manner.
I hope every Senator of the Committee will continue to work
with me to persuade leadership on both sides of the aisle to
bring up these nominations for a vote on the floor as soon as
possible.
And again, I thank all the Senators for their cooperation
this morning.
The hearing is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:47 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED
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