Letters/Testimony 2012

September 4, 2013 -- The Governors sent letters to Senator Udall and Representative Tipton the Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2013 legislation each has sponsored.

Dear Senator Udall:

The purpose of this letter is to communicate the support of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) for the Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2013 (S 1443). Western Governors have long advocated shielding from liability state agencies, non-profit groups and industry acting as Good Samaritans in the voluntary cleanup of abandoned mine sites. Thank you for your championship of this critical issue.

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Rep. Tipton letter

August 23, 2013 -- Western Governors transmitted their input on the BLM proposed hydraulic fracturing proposed rule.

Dear Secretary Jewell:

We write to provide our input regarding the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) recently re-proposed rule titled “Oil and Gas; Hydraulic Fracturing on Federal and Indian Lands,” which was published in the Federal Register on 24 May 2013.

At the annual meeting of the Western Governors’ Association held in Park City in June 2013, the Western Governors adopted a policy resolution that stated, in part:

Western Governors recognize that the states, territories, and flag islands have effectively regulated the practice of hydraulic fracturing and redundant federal regulation is not required.

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August 23, 2013 -- Jim Ogsbury, WGA Executive Director, writes to Secretary Vilsack reiterating the Governors' requeest for information on where money has been spent and will be spent by the Forest Service to thin out overgrowth and dead tress in western forests to reduce wildfire threats.

August 23, 2013

Honorable Thomas J. Vilsack
Secretary
United States Department of Agriculture
Jamie L. Whitten Building
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20010

Dear Secretary Vilsack,

Thank you for your recent response to the Western Governors’ letter of April 16, 2013.

Governors share the responsibility for providing efficient and cohesive management of lands in the West.  As emphasized in their April letter, the Governors have been concerned for some time that federal forest lands throughout the region are facing serious environmental stress affecting the health and vitality of Western ecosystems.  These forests are overgrown; they exhibit all the symptoms of an unhealthy ecosystem; and they demand urgent attention. 

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August 21, 2013 -- WGA Executive Director Jim Ogsbury sends letter to Jo-Ellen Darcy Assistant Secretary of the Army expressing Western Governors' interest and concerns related to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s pending rulemaking on the definition and treatment of surplus water in Corps reservoirs.

Dear Assistant Secretary Darcy:

On behalf of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA), I am writing to express interest and concerns related to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s pending rulemaking on the definition and treatment of surplus water in Corps reservoirs. It is critical that this important undertaking recognize the West’s unique hydrology and legal doctrines, as well as Congress’ longstanding deference to state law with respect to the allocation and use of water. Water belongs to the states, which have exclusive and Constitutional authority over its consumptive use and the allocation and adjudication of water rights.

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July 26, 2013 -- WGA Executive Director Jim Ogsbury sends letter to Representative Gardner expressing Western Governors' support for legislation he introduced (HR 2279) to restrict EPA rulemaking that might duplicate or pre-empt existing state programs.

Dear Representative Gardner:

The purpose of this letter is to communicate Western Governors’ support of the Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act (H.R. 2279).  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a rulemaking on financial responsibility under Section 108(b) of CERCLA over two years ago.  Hard rock mining was the first industry sector EPA chose to investigate.  At the time, EPA expected to publish a proposed rule in April of 2013...

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July 24, 2013 -- WGA Executive Director Jim Ogsbury sends letter to Interior Assistant Secretary Rhea Suh expressing concern about committing states to federal Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative accounting, reporting and auditing requirements.

Dear Assistant Secretary Suh:

I recently asked the state government sector representatives to the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) that is providing input to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) to brief me and Western Governors’ staffs on EITI.

The state MSG representatives indicated the U.S. effort is currently focused on the preparation of the candidacy application that the United States will eventually submit to the EITI governing body for approval.  I understand that one of the outstanding issues to be resolved as part of the discussions on the candidacy application is the extent to which state revenues will be included in the EITI... 

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July 23, 2013 -- WGA Executive Director letter to sponsors of bill to reauthorize National Integrated Drought Information System in the House

Dear Representative Luján:

The purpose of this letter is to communicate the support of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) for H.R. 2431, legislation to reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). WGA commends you for co-sponsoring this legislation.

As you may know, Western Governors promoted the creation of NIDIS in 2006, and WGA has since worked with NOAA and other partners to champion the system’s deployment. Western Governors are well-acquainted with the significant impacts that drought has on the West. Drought contributes to forest and rangeland fires, degrades growing conditions for farmers, and poses threats to municipal and industrial water supplies.

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July 18, 2013 -- WGA Executive Director sends letter to co-sponsors of H.R. 1823, the “Protecting Lakes Against Quaggas Act of 2013.”

Dear Representative Heck:

In response to the domestic invasion of quagga mussels, American taxpayers and industry have incurred an estimated $5 billion in prevention and control costs since introduction of the species to U.S. waters in 1986.  Accordingly, I am writing to communicate the support of the Western Governors’ Association for H.R. 1823, the “Protecting Lakes Against Quaggas Act of 2013.” 

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July 17, 2013 -- WGA Executive Director sends letter to House Natural Resources Committee and Public Lands Subcommittee leadership conveying Governors' support for land exchange legislation

Dear Chairman Hastings:

Attached please find a resolution, recently adopted by Western Governors, supporting efforts to simplify federal-state land exchanges.  On behalf of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA), I respectfully request that the document be included in the record of the Friday, July 19, 2013 hearing on various public lands bills scheduled for the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation.

The Governors’ resolution supports reauthorization of the Federal Lands Transfer Facilitation Act (FLTFA).  H.R. 2068, sponsored by Representative Lummis, would reauthorize FLTFA, and WGA commends her for introducing this important legislation...

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June 30, 2013 -- WGA Chairman and Vice Chairman send letter to Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality recommending coordinating federal and state infrastructure permitting

Dear Ms. Sutley:

Western Governors express our appreciation for President Obama’s June 7^th Memorandum: Transforming our Nation’s Electric Grid Through Improved Siting, Permitting and Review.  We are encouraged by the President’s commitment to make these federal regulatory processes more efficient.  We believe the effort of designating and developing Western energy corridors  and streamlining permitting, review and siting is improved if states are included as equal partners. 

Large infrastructure projects – particularly in the West, where federal, state and private lands are often impacted -- pose complicated and expensive challenges.  Project proponents must navigate myriad approvals and jurisdictional authorities, and interact with a variety of communities and landscapes.  Streamlined and coordinated federal-state regulatory processes can reduce conflict, uncertainty and financial risk in building such complex projects...

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James. D. Ogsbury, WGA Executive Director

Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation, Committee on Natural Resources, United States House of Representatives

May 16, 2013

 invasive species policy

Gov. Gary R. Herbert, WGA Chairman & Gov. John Hickenlooper, WGA Vice Chairman

Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Director of te Office bof Management and Budget

May 14, 2013

Sequestration of mineral leasing shared revenues and Secure Rural Schools payments

Governor Herbert, WGA Chairman and Governor Hickenlooper, WGA Vice Chairman

Senators Moran and Pryor and Representatives Smith and Johnson

May 9, 2013

Support for reauthorization of the National Integrated Drought Information System -- House
Support for reauthorization of the National Integrated Drought Information System -- Senate

Governor Herbert, WGA Chairman & Governor Hickenlooper, WGA Vice Chairman

Senate Boxer, Chair, Committee on Environment and Public Works
(same letter sent to Senator Vitter, ranking Member)

May 7, 2013

Support for reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act

James D. Ogsbury, Executive Director of the Western Governors’ Association

United States Senate · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

April 25, 2013

Regional Efforts to Manage the Effects of Drought on Energy and Water Management

James D. Ogsbury, Executive Director of Western Governors' Association, and Tony Willardson, Executive Director of the Western States Water Council

Senator Ron Wyden, Chairman, and Senator Lisa Murkowski, Ranking Member, of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee

April 22, 2013

Letter in support of the goals of the Hydropower Improvement Act of 2013 (S. 545), the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013 (H.R. 267), and the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act (S. 306/H.R. 678)

James. D. Ogsbury, WGA Executive Director

United States House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

April 17, 2013

State Wildlife Data and Its Use by Federal Land Management Agencies

Gov. Gary R. Herbert, Chairman, and Gov. John Hickenlooper, Vice Chairman

Secretary Thomas Vilsac, USDA

April 16, 2013

Improving federal forest restoration

WGA Chair and Vice Chair

 Congressional sponsors of legislation -- Senator Tester and Representative Gosar

 March 26, 2013

 Sharing royalties from renewable energy projects on federal lands

WGA Chairman and Vice Chairman

Leadership of House and Senate natural resources committees

February 25, 2013

Dear Representatives Hastings and Markey and Senators Wyden and Murkowski:

According to the National Invasive Species Council and the Healthy Habitats Coalition, over 100 million acres of land and waters in the U.S. are infested with invasive species.  These infestations cost taxpayers more than $120 billion annually. Aquatic and terrestrial invasive species are creating economic and ecologic damage across our Western landscapes and Pacific Islands. 

 Read full letter (960.6 kB)

WGA Chair and Vice Chair

House and Senate Leadership

December 7, 2012

Dear Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Reid, Minority Leader Pelosi, Minority Leader McConnell:

Access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy is vital to a growing and prosperous society. For this reason, the Western Governors support energy diversity and independence through the development of all domestic energy resources. Part of our diverse energy portfolio is at risk with the expiration of the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC), which expires for wind at the end of 2012. Many Western Governors have long supported the PTC as a way to help us realize clean energy goals, build our manufacturing base, create jobs, lower energy costs, and strengthen our domestic energy security....

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WGA Chair and Vice Chair

House and Senate Leadership

October 25, 2012

Support for supplemental funding for post-wildfire sage-grouse habitat rehabilitation and restoration work

WGA Chair and Vice Chair

Reps. Hall and Johnson and Sens. Rockefeller and Hutchison

October 25, 2012

Support for reauthorization of the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)

WGA Chair and Vice Chair

Senate and House Appropriations and Authorization Committees Leadership

August 27, 2012

Opposition to continued funding for EPA hardrock mining financial assurance rulemaking -- Senate -- House

WGA Chair and Vice Chair

Secretary Salazar and Secretary Vilsack

August 27, 2012

Reducing wildfire risk and improving forest health

WGA Chairman and Vice Chairman

U.S. Representatives Heck, Heinrich, Gosar and Thompson

August 8, 2012

Support for sharing royalties and lease revenues from solar and wind projects developed on federal lands with states and counties

Govs. Herbert, Hickenlooper, Otter and Kitzhaber

House and Senate Leadership

July 11, 2012

Wildfire Policy and Funding

WGA Chair and Vice Chair

Senators Tester, Reid, Risch, Heller and Udall

May 30, 2012

Support for Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act (S. 1775)

Pam Inmann, WGA Executive Director

USDA Secretary Vilsack and Interior Secretary Salazar

May 25, 2012

Potentially precedent setting natural resource damage case in New Mexico related to groundwater

Chair and Vice Chair

Chair and Ranking Member of Senate and House transportation committees

May 14, 2012

support funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act and the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program