John Barrasso

I think all of America knows what a wonderful and beautiful State Wyoming is, and why we welcome our visitors.

I come to the floor as a physician who has practiced orthopedic surgery in Casper, WY, for 25 years. I come to offer a second opinion on the health care bill that was recently passed and signed into law. My opinion on this bill is very…

I am determined to try to make that happen, which will unlock substantial amounts of opportunity to produce electricity on Indian lands all across the Country.

I appreciate his work in those areas and they are also incorporated in the discussions today.

Energy independence is crucial for our nation, and we must include tribal lands in our efforts.

We are grateful for the significant tribal outreach that Chairman Dorgan and Vice Chairman Barrasso have conducted.

If I could ask, I know you have been a strong supporter of Title V of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Energy development on the Wind River Reservation means jobs. Energy development on the Wind River Reservation means incomes for families.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

I have concerns about timber sale programs and how that will play into this.

We need to make sure on the front end that we have got collaborative efforts working because that is a key to moving forward on these various contracts in timber sales.

Thank you for being here to chair this important hearing.

But the President's budget doesn't include bark beetle funding for the Intermountain West in fiscal year 2011.

As Senator Barrasso has said, there are 12 States today that are facing an epidemic with the bark beetle.

Because if a million trees are falling every 10 days, and we want to give considerable thought to that, but the bark beetle infestation is continuing.

Senator Barrasso's bill reduces one item of risk by explicitly reinforcing on public lands the common-law precedent that a storage space belongs to surface estate.

We support Senator Barraso's efforts to accomplish a similar purpose for federally owned pore space on federal land.

It is essential that any federal legislation attempting to clarify pore space ownership on federal property not disrupt long-standing rules of property.

Finally, Alstom also sees Senate Bill 1856 sponsored by Senator Barrosso as addressing an important prerequisite for making CCS a commercial reality.

Do you think Title V of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act provides you the necessary authority to issue permits then for long-term commercial-scale carbon storage facilities?

Coal is essential to the American energy needs. It provides about 50 percent of the country's electricity.

In Wyoming, over half of the land is owned by the Federal Government.

Is the process of permitting these projects on Federal land consistent not just across your department, but also with, say, other land management agencies?

I am asking you, begging you, to get underway and get this technology perfected.

As this goes forward, I don't know what kind of public participation you are expecting then in the permitting process, guidelines that the department would follow when it comes to the project's notification of adjacent property owners and…