WASHIINGTON — After waiting 30 years to lead the
House Resources Committee, Rep. Nick Rahall wasted no
time Friday in publicly outlining his agenda for the
panel.
Among the West Virginia Democrat’s top priorities
is renewing the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program and
the fees on the coal industry that help pay to clean up
dangerous mine sites. The program could get a $5 billion
boost over 10 years if Congress approves a catchall bill
before it adjourns for the year this weekend.
He also wants to protect federal lands from increased
oil exploration because he thinks alternative fuel
sources are needed to reduce U.S. dependence on oil,
especially foreign oil.
While he emphasized protection of natural resources,
Rahall said his approach was not at odds with meeting
the needs of a growing nation.
“I recognize the right and duty to develop and use the
natural resources of our land,” Rahall said. “I do
not recognize the right to waste them or to rob by
wasteful use the generations that come after us.”
Rahall, 57, officially becomes chairman of the committee
in January when the new Democratic majority takes
control of the House.
He noted that most chairmen of the panel have come from
states west of the Mississippi River. Westerners have
gravitated to the panel because it has jurisdiction over
public lands, water reclamation agreements, mineral
rights, mining, fisheries and wildlife laws, and
American Indian issues.
But Rahall said he understands the issues because some
of them apply to West Virginia and because he has spent
three decades on the committee, including six years as
the top Democrat.
The committee also deals with environmental policy such
as the Endangered Species Act, which protects animals
and plants facing possible extinction, and the National
Environmental Policy Act, which gives the public the
right to challenge government actions that could affect
the environment.
Justin Tatham, preservation advocate with the U.S.
Public Interest Research Group, said he expects Rahall
to be an improvement over outgoing chairman, Richard
Pombo, R-Calif.
Pombo supported drilling for oil in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge and weakening the Endangered Species
Act, Tatham said.
“We’re really excited about Congressman Rahall,”
Tatham said.
