Rep. Gosar Sets the Record Straight on Bill Protecting Private & State-Owned Mineral Rights from Federal Overreach

Statement

Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement in support of legislation he sponsored with Rep. Diane Black (TN-06), H.J.Res.46, a Congressional Review Act (CRA) bill that blocks the National Park Service's (NPS) Oil and Gas Rule:

"Extremist groups are stoking unsubstantiated claims that H.J.Res.46 will authorize new drilling in our National Parks. This is utterly false. According to the National Park Service, "There are currently 534 non-federal oil and gas operations in a total of 12 System units…Non-federal oil and gas rights exist within System units in situations where the United States does not own the oil and gas interest.' H.J.Res.46 simply seeks to block a midnight Obama regulation implemented in November which unjustly targeted the livelihoods of these existing non-federal operations. Once this fundamentally-flawed Obama regulation is rolled back, these private and state-controlled operations will continue under the same environmental regulations that have worked well for the past 38 years."

"Private property rights are a bedrock principle of America. However, the Park Service's midnight oil and gas regulation jeopardizes significant investments made by job creators, states and private companies. The federal government has no right to impose job-killing regulations for private and state-owned oil and natural gas wells not owned by the federal government, especially when these wells are already subject to existing environmental regulations. Again, these are non-federal oil and gas rights we are debating. If allowed to stand, the Park Service's new regulation could result in unconstitutional takings, permitting delays and job losses. Congress must block this rule as a result."

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