Debbie Dingell

I applaud the Chairman's focus on whether energy developers on Bureau of Land Management land are adhering to the 'polluter pays' principle.

Congressional oversight is clearly needed in this area. We must ensure taxpayer dollars are not needlessly put at risk to cover cleanup costs when this could be avoided.

When that happens and there is no bond or other financial assurance, the taxpayer is stuck with the bill to clean up the pollution.

This common-sense principle says that if you cause environmental harm, you are responsible for cleaning it up.

I want to applaud the Chairman's focus on whether energy developers on Bureau of Land Management land are adhering to the polluter pays principle.

I do think that the Inspector General, it is my hope and intent I've been told, has an ongoing investigation where all of the questions that you have asked should be answered;

I do not think that is true. Is it not true that you have issued a rule? Can you talk about that?

I want to quickly respond to some of the comments made by the other side. Federal agency responsibility for NEPA is effectively being eliminated by this law and an alternative, undefined process is being established hindering the public's…

I wanted that documented.

It's about people, families, and the effect that mountaintop removal mining has on their lives.

We cannot get to the bottom of these complaints if we don't hear both sides of the story.

But we also owe it to them to issue a strong Stream Buffer Protection Rule and to give that rule a fair evaluation when it is released.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you to all the witnesses for being here today. It is always good to be in a hearing with you.

So it is my understanding there was very little input from the states during the 2008 EIS process, either, and that this Administration has actually had a more open process for state participation than the earlier one.

I think everyone in this room wants to avoid a listing of the greater sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act.

I do ask for unanimous consent to enter into the record a Drakes Bay Special Use Permit, former Secretary Salazar's decision, consistent with congressional intent.

Casting doubt is extremely effective because it leads to delay.

These are laws that were passed by large bipartisan majorities of this Congress, laws that polls show the American people continue to support.

The last I understood, enforcing the law was a necessary government function.

I think there is a lot of good faith between all of the parties here.

They would point out that the allegations of fraud and deception were investigated by the Department of the Interior's Inspector General, who found, and I quote, 'no evidence, documents, EIS revisions, or witnesses that supported these…

Basic fairness requires that you at least give them a chance to tell their side of the story.

Meanwhile, when it comes to actual science, specifically the overwhelming consensus of the world's scientists on the causes and effects of global climate change, my friends across the aisle simply dismiss it as a liberal hoax.

I have to say that is a tough sell, given the Majority party's consistent record of attacking government science, of underfunding science and research; and frankly, of flouting science, especially when it comes to our climate and our…

I ask for unanimous consent to enter into the record the minutes of the Bastrop Wildfire interagency meeting on September 13, 2011.