John Hoeven: “But you are not putting them up for lease. You not only are blocking development, you have raised royalty rates.”

We’ve now secured a total of $157 million for the initiative’s first phase, which will develop large-scale pilot projects to prove that it works and is commercially viable.

The legislation I included in the Farm Bill will prevent the spread of prairie dog habitats, while creating a larger setback on federal acres to protect private lands from prairie dog colonies.

That’s why we’re focused on making sure federal conservation programs are voluntary and farmer-friendly.

Doing so will support their long-term success and improve public safety across the nation, while better keeping officers safe on the job.