We're ready to start. anyway, thank you very much and this This conference is to talk about a piece of legislation that we're going to file and just to talk about it somewhat generally protects them. The builders there for anyone. From the beginning of this year, it's been a process of the comedian is membership on the Democratic side made made climate change a top priority for the natural resources Committee and so over the last year we've heard from scientists, advocates indigenous communities and tribes climate Justice advocates elected officials youth leaders community members about the consequence. Of doing nothing regarding our excessive carbon pollution and the need for Congress to take some action. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to travel Speaker Pelosi to my Dream for Cup 20 - five, along with other other House members, many of them from Select the main purpose of that we assure the world you know what's the spite the lack of Open up position of this of the Trump administration to doing something about climate change on a worldwide basis that we were still in it and that many local communities leaders, cities towns States businesses work in it and and trying urgently to meet this urgent need and that was that was on the cusp of the report that came out that even some of the predictions in Paris and even. And leading up to this day that the urgency had grown that much more and that we had to take swift action and we have to do it soon and and and from that and the Speaker made it clear that each Committee has an important role to play in development legislation to address climate change and so today with the. The vice Chair of the Resources Committee and the Chair of the Public Lands some Committee. We're here to announce this could the legislation to share one part of the climate change solution. Oil gas oil natural gas coal stretches for public lands and waters contributors to quarter Cup of our country's climate emissions. these fossil fuels worsen the extreme temperatures we were realizing stronger storms and realizing rising Sea levels. acidity. Warming oceans and our bill, the American public Lands Waters and Waters Climate Solution active players. It's simply the Department of Interior of the US Forest Service to manage our public lands, which net zero greenhouse gas admissions by 20 - four when the bill New fuel on federal lands and waters will be hooked for the minimum of one year. This gives our federal agencies time to assess a future easy how much of it or if we have it can be permitted responsibly in a way that's consistent with reaching a net zero climate emissions on public lands and waters by 20 - four. the bill sets in immediate intermediate targets along the way and requires service to publish regular strategies explain in detail how they will meet these startups to solve our climate crisis need to attack this problem from two seconds one hand we need to down existing faster production the Trump administration is hand and you know the drill in Jesus like candy and is ever given by the administration for the the kind of change in fact at the same time we need to increase the amount of carpet more natural landscapes and explain to expand the deployment of renewable public provides incentives with regard to the department fail to meet the missions targets on the bill they can at least more sales until they come into compliance of course Parts of the country that are currently economically tied to fossil fuel extraction from public lands and waters. Our bills makes. Helps these communities and the people impacted by the just necessary transition they setting up a new transition Assistance fund money for this one would come from increasing the royalty rate of fossil fuel production. We also raise funds by establishing new fees on public land, plus a few releases trees that big oil and not taxpayers will have to cover the intent. Here is not a self-fulfilling prophecy where we just create an incentive for more extraction on the contrary. Is to win the GOP said that within 10 years that's over a billion dollars and more that I think is going to be needed to transition. One of the issues around climate change is this very critical point on how you move from where we are now to where we need to be and that requires resources that requires planning and that requires money. the president's and the money will be will be returned to impacted me. To the United States to be used for reclamation restoration of water, retraining workers and diversify the local economy. The President's energy plans have nothing to do with making America's life better. As we all know it is about how much profits can be generated in extraction and for big oil, our bills about what's right for the whole country, not just polluting industries and we so my colleagues. The natural resources are committed to ensuring our public lands and waters are managed for the public's benefit. This means we do see the pollution that causes climate change by transitioning away from coal oil gas extraction and making our public lands and waters pollution free by 2040. We will add a major contribution to combat climate change, protect our current and future generations from the greatest consequential challenge and threat that we. Which is climate change. at the end of the speakers of we'll be glad to try to answer any of your questions I. There's a lot of legislation that's going around different dates times just different transitions, but we we stuck with it within our jurisdiction as a natural resources Committee. we remain in our life and this is significant number 20 - five percent both of the problem and the solution, and this is an initial A comprehensive approach that Congress has to take responsibility as well flying the other committees as well, and that's what we're pushing. We're we wanna we we've We heard those instructions from the Speaker. This is the part. We're doing more to come individual members are going to be promoting complimentary pieces of legislation dealing with production and dealing with other aspects of climate change within our jurisdiction that we welcome here. we welcome the strong discussions we need to be have and one year two year plus discussion we welcome that describes the legislation we welcome the discussion about the controls on production and the and the blessing of that impact for the long term that's the complimentary legislation that particularly mister I gonna be working on to add to this and we work on the discussion about the the feasibility of where this fits in a package of solutions and recommendations that the select committee will be provided to us this is a step unnecessary stepped in our jurisdiction a step that is not the not the not the perfect but a step that kind of break the job of moving on a gender forward to deal with a significant converses possibility which is public magic that are offering to the discussion and like I said this is a flexible open process but we need to find some legislation before the start of the session ah approach the conversation and to be able to bring into action and for other committee down with that they need to reduce my colleague in the value leader of this resources committee and a voice that has been had a very carefully to ah to the issue We face including climate change for America. That's one of the priority issues of the public lands. the vice chair of the natural full Committee was deaf. Thank you so much chairman for Hope for your leadership on this and so many issues to ensuring our children and grandchildren to have a planet in our future. Our communities deserve a federal government that puts our health and well-being First. The public lands continue to be a major source of carbon emissions that poison our air land and water. We're aiming for renewable energy Revolution while ensuring no community is left behind on the road to prosperity that our renewable. Economy will create I'm proud to stand with leaders on the Natural Resources Committee to introduce a climate solution that is centered on climate Justice and moving our country past fossil fuels that poison our Earth as chairwoman of the subcommittee on National parks, forest and public lands. What are the things that troubles me most is that public lands and waters are responsible for nearly one quarter of the nation's carbon emissions every single year. The federal government should be leading the way in an effort to combat climate change yet the lands we manage or some of the worst offenders earlier this year. Several of us went to New Mexico for a field hearing and we visited Chaco Canyon and surrounding sites. When we were there, we look through infrared cameras to see poison coming out of drilling equipment and pipes. you could smell the methane we experienced headaches from breathing it in and heard stories about how it affects the health of children who live nearby. All of these leakage is why New Mexico has an enormous methane cloud over the northwest corner of our entire state. The Intergovernmental Panel on climate change made it clear that we need to change course now and get to net zero carbon missions across our economy by 2050. But what's more important is this bill focuses on our communities. It will provide financial assistance to workers like those in New Mexico that will be economically impacted by transition away from fossil fuel extraction on public lands. Workers will be able to transition and retrain local economies will help diversify and there will be funding to reclaim and restore land and water that has been affected by fossil fuel development. Our country can set the example for renewable energy Revolution by reducing emissions from public lands and helping our people and our planet to thrive. That's why I'm proud to be here today with my colleagues taking this important step to address climate. Now, I'd like to welcome Representative Mike Levin. Yes, Wilderness Society. Thank you. Chairman the Vice Chair Holland, It's truly an honor to be here. my name is Drew McConville. I'm the senior Managing director for Government relations of the Wilderness Society and since 1930 - five, the Wilderness Society is work to protect public lands from wilderness areas forest or wildlife refuges National parks. these are places that provide clean air that we that we breathe and clean water that we drink and recreational opportunities and connections that connect us from the past to current to But still today, our public lands are not managed with any regard to climate change and as a result they are a leading driver of the crisis. So you know energy development on on our public lands produces massive amount of greenhouse gas initiative even if you're thinking globally if the US US public lands where their own nation in fact, they would be they ranked fifth in terms of emissions globally. Our public lands are at the front and Center of impacts of climate change, as well as the communities that depend on them. so whether that's flooding melting glaciers melting from across or cat catastrophic wildfire but and at a time when we desperately need to hit the brakes and the climate crisis, What is the Trump administration doing they're slamming the gas? our public lands have so much more to offer than yesterday's energy. Our public lands will tremendous potential to store carbon to responsibly. Renewable energy and to put people to work. It's time we realize the potential of our public lands to be part of the climate solution rather than part of the problem, and that's why it's so exciting to be talking about this bill today. this bill would finally require public lands to be managed with climate in mind to set it would have binding targets and provide a range of management tools to ensure that our public lands and waters absorbed more climate pollution and they are responsible for producing this bill recognized. Natural solution in protecting Biodiversity was built jumpstarts transition from a fossil fuel to clean renewable energy in this bill ensures that no community is left behind. And it does that by safeguarding disadvantaged and vulnerable communities and investing in transition Internet transition. so again I wanna thank Jeremy Alba Holland and everyone who's supporting this bill and my colleagues and just say that we ordered society or members and supporters standard. Our public lands to help solve the climate crisis and with that I wanna introduce Sharon Bucciano with the nephew. Thank you and thank you chairman for half off. There's plenty to do in your lanes and thank you for doing it and thank you for your leadership and also thank you to your staff for the hard work that they're doing day in and day out to put these issues out there and and to get action to happen. So my name is Sharon Bud Chino. I direct the landscape work at the Natural Resources Defense Council from our oceans off Alaska to the Red Rock Canyon in Utah and the swamps of Florida. Our public lands and waters are some of our nation's most priceless assets. Unfortunately, we've been subsidizing their destruction as well as our own by drilling and digging them up for oil gas and coal. The time is come for these lands and waters to be managed differently and the committees bill does that the bill recognizes that energy development on public lands and water should be guided by promoting a rapid sustainable just and equitable transition to a clean energy economy. This is a future that we all including our children can get excited. The bill provides a path to take us to this future. It requires a steady reduction in fossil fuel emissions from public lands and waters. I'm a lawyer and as a lawyer, I care about enforcement. this bill provides it is a mission succeed. The bills targets the Department of the Interior, Cannot issue, new leases or permits to drill or dig. With this bill, we can manage our public lands and waters to solve not fuel the climate crisis. We can care for the Earth. We can care for our children. We can care for our communities. We can care for our future. Thank you. And I'm gonna introduce my friend and Sharon Good morning. Good afternoon. I'm Aaron Menses. I'm a birth works. Our mission is to protect the communities and the environment from the impacts of energy and mineral development. Well, so you can sustainable just an approval solutions. We are pleased to endorse today's legislation. We thank mister Miss Holland and others. this bill will help transition our public lands more toward part of the clinic. Solution and away from contributing to the problem once it's problem is the oil and gas expansion. That's feeding the climate emergency unfolding right now, especially in the Texas and New Mexico Permian Basin and in the four corners region of New Mexico. That's where on our public lands and long southwest. the oil and gas industry is method and pollution alone threatens to set back progress on climate around the world, which is why the. Bill directs our scientists and land managers to use Science-based decision making to reduce oil and gas emissions from activities on public lands and one necessary step is to pause new drilling on our public lands. The other important thing about this bill is that it strengthens the government's consultation role with environmental Justice communities. the climate crisis impacts all of us. Disproportionately impacts communities of color and our transition away from fossil fuels toward clean energy must be just equitable and fair. That means oil and gas companies need to pay their fair share of those transition costs, including royalties fees and rinse, and this bill will help raising modest portion of the needed revenues for the just transition and importantly, allow those communities most impacted. And so we're grateful to mister Miss Holland and others for their leadership on this bill and both of whom I have supported additional ideas that we've into the climate solutions fabric today's bill helps fit our public lands within that broader climate solution. Also part of that broader Climate Solution is my friend. Marnie Hayden, vice President of policy legislation with Justice Good morning. And good afternoon. My name is Marty Hayden and I'm the vice President of policy and legislation at our Justice. Our Nation nation's Premier Public interest Environmental Law Organization. I am honored to be here to express Express our gratitude to Chairman Burr and Vice Chair Holland and all the cosponsors of the American Public Lands in Water's Climate Solution Act. We are excited. With this bill represents, it's an opportunity to turn our public lands and waters into part of the climate solution. Instead of being a source of the climate crisis, The science is clear. The time is limited to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, and that continuing to prioritize possible fuel development on our public lands and waters will only hasten those impacts the bill. Recognize the opportunity and the responsibility, the federal government has to manage these areas in ways that increase their climate resilience, protecting human well-being biodiversity and our interconnected environment. if one listens to and learns from Frontline communities, you know that the realities of a changing climate will negative. Impact those already over burdened by pollution and other toxic environmental injustices. Andrew often have the least resources to respond to those insults. Earth Justice is appreciative that the bill reflects the chairs and the bikes chairs long-standing commitment and attention to environmental Justice communities through meaningful consultation and input in order to stop current and prevent future and repair historic oppressions as we transition to a new clean economy. While we know such transition must happen rapidly or Justice. Commands the Bills commitment to the economic revitalization assistance and protections for those communities and workers currently dependent on the possible fuel economy to ensure that the transition happens as sustainably justly and equitably as possible. Thank you all again for your leadership or Justice looks forward to working with all of you to pass this important legislation. Thank you. Thank you Mark we're we're available to answer your questions. I spoke and we'll be glad to take a couple right now, but I would encourage you that we have fallen and representatives and organizations as true but I think Would be important. Mishra if you look at the legislation we attack the issue is the mission side of the issue we have to reduce and part of that is the production issues I think is the best dancer in the question as we make a transition and our public lands become more our natural source of a natural solution for the Areas, particularly some of the extractive areas that we're talking about here today. Production will go down and and and I think I say that because you cannot sustain the filing process an order Make the necessary resource allocations yet the ramp up production in the higher levels. Images already no. so yeah, there's gonna be a reduction but I don't think I'm not equating catastrophic States. In fact we we depend on on some of them are going through production. That's grandfather did that already has a legal rights to that to be a source of revenue with increased royalty. To help us make veterans nation, but inevitably part of this lifetime with somebody else's lifetime. Yeah, I mean they're. I think you replace that energy source and those jobs with renewables and alternatives, and that's why we have nothing in the legislation that lives up those those royalties on those areas. In fact, we wanna we wanna be identified source to be. placements teacher Steve Close Well, Thank you again all of you for coming. I just wanted to say you know going back to what I said in my earlier statement about us taking them going to New Mexico for a field hearing and seeing all that methane leaking out of those pipes close to where people live close to school buses driving by and I just want to say that. A lot of the gas and oil industry has not taken steps even though the technology exists to make it a cleaner industry. They're not doing it. They're not doing it is cheaper to just let the methane pour out of the pipes into our atmosphere. So this is part of the cause for this 20 - three percent that we're talking about and it needs to stop because our children's lives and their health is worth more than that. So that's I I just wanted to In the Snapshot for us, the moment is Trump administration and and the rollbacks that they did on the regulatory sets maintain that just make the problem worse. my plan make the power work the problem worse, and so the list goes on. so if we take the snapshot of where we are three years in Public lands and waters have become bigger. To the problem than they were before so. Chairman real quick if you had your hand up, do you like to ask your questions. Girl There's a tentative date that I noticed, which is March where the select Committee would be making recommendations to all the various committees of jurisdiction. when almost every Committee has something to do with the question that we're talking whether it's transportation defense name it and so there's not any Committee to accept from having to come up with something so they gonna make recommendations what we are doing is is is as as the resources Committee and having gone through all these years. Is providing that Committee in ourselves with what we believe is a template and if the select Committee has ideas that benefit and are perfecting to what we're doing absolutely. But that's in March we will before that date. We will we'll be back here with you this Halloween night to talk about the environmental Justice bill that will also be submitted that deals with those front. and how that to the climate change discussion you know comprehensive this is our part this early and Potentially That's the whole. They they could you know you have a lot of piece of legislation to 2050 2040 20 -third and 2050 2016 different transition points, and I think the select Committee is going to have a handfuls trying put together but also complies with the right now and I think that's the biggest question special yeah you know 2015 and 2040 because we felt that we have that's 20 - five percent responsibility that there was some urgency for us to set that date and that in that period of time, kind of an in between day between 2030 and 20 fifth. But part of the reason for that selection is that I I mean that ah just talking about it that is more than one year all of us to that discussion we are talking about ah they were talking about the discussion related to stronger if you want to get in a peace peace peace of art discomfort was the legal side of of Existing operations for existing clients and saying we're gonna take them away from you Deb and I don't have 520 - five trillion laying around to be able to be able to purchase those rights and so and and you know, oil and gas are gonna cost more than reality. But so this is our effort to try to do something that's potentially doable that can be signed into Trying to find that spot that that makes it work and that can get broad support. Can I ease can be stronger and we open to that discussion with those recommendations come from the selectivity of issues around production comes from other pieces of legislation. Of course we're open. thank you