John Curtis

Nobody can love this county more than I do. Some people may be able to love it just as much, but nobody loves it more, I guarantee you that.

Congress is elected by the people and is accountable to the people. Agencies are not.

I am proud to have led the various initiatives that would stop Federal overreach and put Utah back in the driver's seat on conservation.

This is an issue that we can beat. And what I mean by that is, we can come together with different viewpoints.

If we are to restore any semblance of that arrangement, we will have to begin by empowering local communities like Hurricane and St. George.

The Federal Government has also disregarded collaboration, to instead use the deeply divisive Antiquities Act.

This is why I introduced the HOUSES Act, with Senator Lee, to allow local governments to nominate certain parcels to build affordable housing.

Utahns know best how to manage these lands, and I will continue to fight to increase their stewardship of them in their own backyard.

Empowering Local Voices and Stopping Federal Overreach to Improve Management of Utah's Public Lands.

So, Mr. Garrett, just in your mind, what happens if large sections of these lands are able to be locked up?

And I want to be really clear. And, Mr. Garrett, you can probably help me on this.

It is great to be here. What a delight to have not just one, but two witnesses from Utah today.

Utah Farm Bureau also supports H.R. 7006 sponsored by Representative Curtis to prohibit natural asset companies (NACs) from entering into any agreement with respect to land in Utah.

American energy is inexpensive, reliable, clean, and abundant.

We oppose this legislation because, beyond the fact that natural asset companies do not exist and their creation is no longer being considered...

I think, really, in the West, we are the original conservationists.

I introduced a bill that would prohibit Natural Asset Companies from entering into any agreement involving Utah's land or natural assets.

After a company has spent substantial time and resources getting a project permitted, Interior is still withholding notices to proceed drilling permits and other authorizations because of litigation threats.

Geothermal is an affordable, reliable, clean source of energy, and that is hard to find.

I am proud to sponsor the GEO Act, which simply requires the Department of the Interior to issue all applications and authorizations, as long as the underlying lease is intact.

H.R. 7377, the Royalty Resiliency Act, introduced by Representative Hunt from Texas, would fill a gap in existing law with respect to how oil and gas royalties are paid to the Federal Government.

H.R. 7375, introduced by my friend, Representative Hageman from Wyoming, would amend how the BLM charges expression of interest fees for oil and gas development on Federal lands.

H.R. 7409, the Harnessing Energy at Thermal Sources Act, or the HEATS Act, introduced by Representative Kim from California, is a common-sense bill that would alleviate the BLM from having to permit geothermal wells on state and private…

This Administration has stopped processing permits and authorizations for geothermal and oil and gas projects based solely on the threat of litigation.

I have introduced recently into the House a bill that would actually reimburse states.