During a series of questioning by Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) at today’s House Natural Resources Committee hearing, the U.S. Department of Interior Secretary, Sally Jewell, agreed to work with Rep. Stewart to ensure that the Department would include the count of prairie dogs dwelling on privately owned land when assessing the endangered species status. The Utah prairie dog is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that occurs in southwestern Utah. Currently, the federal government regularly counts the number of prairie dogs on public land, but does not count the number of animals on private land. Read more »
Today, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, held a second hearing to examine ways to improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather forecasting. Witnesses shared testimony on newly introduced legislation, the Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2013, which prioritizes forward-looking weather research and opens up NOAA’s process to encourage private sector weather solutions. Read more »
In reaction to today’s supreme court rulings on the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) released the following statement: Read more »
Today, President Obama outlined the Administration’s climate change plan, which would lead to increased energy costs and stunted economic growth. Following the announcement, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Environment, released the following statement: Read more »
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced it has backed away from its controversial study alleging groundwater contamination from hydraulic fracturing activities in Pavillion, Wyo. The study, released in December of 2011, was met with a firestorm of criticism and concerns, including the absence of peer review prior to the report’s release, a lack of data transparency, failure to adhere to information quality guidelines, and poor sampling and monitoring techniques that called into question the validity of the results. Read more »
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Chris Stewart (R-Utah) today sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Robert Perciasepe demanding the release of data underpinning costly new air quality rules. Read more »
Today, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, held a hearing to examine the science behind the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) upcoming review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone. As directed by the Clean Air Act, the EPA reviews and sets standards for pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment every five years. Read more »
Today, the House of Representatives voted in favor of a transfer of 100 acres of land from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to the city of Fruit Heights in Davis County. Co-sponsored by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) and Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), the Fruit Heights Land Conveyance Act, H.R. 993, is Stewart’s first piece of legislation to pass the House. The transferred land will be used by the city of Fruit Heights for a much needed expansion of the Kaysville cemetery. Read more »
