Hill Heat

Chairwoman Kaptur Opening Statement As Prepared

Witnesses

• Bidtah Becker, Associate Attorney, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority
• Kevin DeGood, Director of Infrastructure Policy, Center for American Progress
• Jason Uhley, General Manager-Chief Engineer, Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
• Thomas J. Winston, President & CEO, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority

The hearing will explore the importance of rail to the U.S. economy and as a tool to mitigate climate change.

Hearing page

Witnesses

• Shannon Valentine, Secretary of Transportation, Virginia
• Caren Kraska, President/Chairman, Arkansas & Missouri Railroad
• Greg Regan, President, Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD)
• Tom Williams, Group Vice President for Consumer Products, BNSF Railway

Memorandum

Opening Statement from Chairman Pallone

Opening Statement from Subcommittee Chair DeGette

Witnesses

• Christine Todd Whitman, Administrator (2001-2003), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Carol Browner, Administrator (1993-2001), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Gwendolyn Keyes Fleming, Former Chief of Staff and Region 4 Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Wendy Cleland-Hamnett, Former Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• John Deskins, Ph.D., Director, Bureau of Business & Economic Research, West Virginia University

Witnesses

• Eric Garcetti, Mayor, Los Angeles, CA
• Frank Rusco, Director of Natural Resources and Environment, Government Accountability Office
• Ben Fowke, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Xcel Energy
• Sandra Snyder, Vice President of Environment, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America
• Jim Wood, Director, Energy Institute at West Virginia University

On Tuesday, March 9, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. (EST), the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will host a virtual, fully remote legislative hearing titled, “Modernizing Energy Development Laws for the Benefit of Taxpayers, Communities, and the Environment,” including the following bills and other related measures.

• H.R. 1492 (Rep. Diana DeGette), Methane Waste Prevention Act
• H.R.1503 (Rep. Mike Levin), Restoring Community Input and Public Protections in Oil and Gas Leasing Act
• H.R. 1505 (Rep. Alan Lowenthal), Bonding Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act
• H.R. 1506 (Rep. Alan Lowenthal), Transparency in Energy Production Act
• H.R. 1517 (Rep. Katie Porter), Ending Taxpayer Welfare for Oil and Gas Companies Act

Witnesses

Panel I

• Rep. Mike Levin, California, 49th District
• Rep. Katie Porter, California, 45th District
• Rep. Diana DeGette, Colorado, 1st District

Panel II

• Tracy Stone-Manning, Associate Vice President, Public Lands, National Wildlife Federation, Missoula, MT
• Hilary Cooper, Commissioner, District 1, San Miguel County, CO
• Brian Prest, PhD, Fellow, Resources for the Future
• Mark Murphy, President, Strata Production Company, Roswell, NM

On Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. (EST), the Committee on Natural Resources Office of Insular Affairs will hold a remote legislative hearing on Discussion Draft H.R.__, “Insular Area Climate Change Act.”

The proposed legislation would:

• create the Office of Insular Area Energy Policy and Programs to direct energy management, planning, delivery and conservation programs in the territories;
• establish a rebate program for energy-efficient appliances in order to reduce energy demand;
• provide grants to universities and colleges to monitor, collect, synthesize, analyze and publish local climate change data; and
• waive the locally paid portion for federal disaster relief in the territories and the Freely Associated States.

Witnesses

• Gerald M. Zackios – Ambassador to the U.S., Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Ada Monzón – President, EcoExploratorio – Puerto Rico Science Museum
• Jean-Pierre L. Oriol – Commissioner – USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources
• Rafael A. Machargo Maldonado – Secretary, Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources
• Zena Grecni – Sustained Climate Assessment Specialist, East-West Center
• Dr. Austin Shelton – Director, University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability

Legislation:

• H.R. 1087, the Shareholder Political Transparency Act of 2021
• the Disclosure of Tax Havens and Offshoring Act
• the Climate Risk Disclosure Act
• the Greater Accountability in Pay Act
• the Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity Act of 2021
• the Paris Climate Agreement Disclosure Act
• the Oil and Minerals Corruption Prevention Act

Witnesses:

• Andy Green, Senior Fellow for Economic Policy, Center for American Progress
• Heather McTeer Toney, Environmental Justice Liaison, Environmental Defense Fund and Senior Advisor, Moms Clear Air Force
• Veena Ramani, Senior Program director, Capital Market Systems, Ceres
• James Andrus, Investment Manager, California Public Employees’ Retirement System

Republican witness:

• Vivek Ramaswamy, Biotech Entrepreneur and Author

Witnesses

• Robin Millican, Director, Breakthrough Energy
• Dr. Colin Cunliff, Senior Policy Analyst, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
• Dr. Shobita Parthasarathy, Professor of Public Policy and Director, Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program, University of Michigan
• Rich Powell, Executive Director, ClearPath