The House Interior and the Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which is chaired by Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, today marked up its appropriations act for fiscal year 2012. The Act provides a responsible level of funding for the Department of the Interior, the EPA, and related agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, by saving $2.1 billion from the current fiscal year’s… Read more »
The Idaho Congressional Delegation today praised the actions of the U.S. Department of the Interior to delist the recovered gray wolf in the Northern Rocky Mountains. The decision came after Congressman Mike Simpson, Chairman of the House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee, inserted language in the recent continuing resolution to return the gray wolf to state management.
“No one… Read more »
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey will join Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise on Thursday. Salazar, Abbey and Simpson will discuss the early start to the 2011 fire season in the southwest, safety and preparations for the rest of the year, and a national strategy designed to… Read more »
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 1473. This legislation provides the largest spending cut in history for the federal government and contains Simpson’s language to delist wolves and defund Department of Interior’s Wild Lands initiative.
“Congress… Read more »
“I am confident that this language gets us closer to our ultimate goal, which is seeing the entire Northern Rocky Mountain wolf population taken off the endangered species list and managed exclusively by the states,” said Simpson. “Not only do wolf populations in the west far exceed recovery goals, but without proper management they have become so robust that they are adversely impacting other wildlife populations in the region and are spilling into other states not in the original recovery area. This language takes an important first step by allowing for a wolf hunt this year in Idaho and Montana and allowing Wyoming to move closer to developing an approved state management plan.” Read more »
“The longer this initiative has been out in the public, the more concerns I hear about the impact it will have on ranching, energy production, recreation, and even the BLM’s own ability to manage their lands,” said Simpson. “To that list, I would add my own deep concern that with this initiative, the Department has overstepped its authority. Only Congress has the authority to create new land designations, and I intend to restore that authority by including this provision in the CR.”
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“To me, it is pretty clear the Obama Administration’s climate change regulations circumvent the legislative process and take the decision about how to address our nation’s energy future out of the hands of the American people,” said Simpson. “The Administration is basically trying to use the EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act to force Congress to pass cap and trade legislation that is widely opposed by the American people, all without regard for the impact that it would have on our still-fragile economy. “
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“There is no doubt in my mind that the states, not the federal government, should be managing these animals,” said Simpson, who chairs the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. “The Fish and Wildlife Service made the right decision in delisting wolves and returning management authority to the states. Idaho and Montana have "effective, approved plans in place for managing wolves and should regain control over management." Read more »
