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FEDERALhearing transcript

Congressional Hearing on Federal Programs Serving Tribes

Original title: EXAMINING FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT SERVE TRIBES AND THEIR MEMBERS

January 1, 2017

tribal affairsenergy developmentfederal oversightregulatory reformnative american policy

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing highlights potential legislative and administrative changes to federal permitting processes that could impact the cost and speed of energy development projects on tribal lands.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Native American Tribes

Tribes are subject to federal regulatory processes that dictate the cost and timeline for energy development on their lands.

Environmental Protection Agency

The agency is identified as a key regulator whose exclusion from the Department of the Interior's service center impacts the efficiency of tribal energy permitting.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2017.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript of a 2017 House subcommittee hearing focused on identifying regulatory and bureaucratic obstacles that hinder energy development, education, and healthcare on tribal lands. The committee examined how federal oversight and complex permitting processes create unique challenges for Native American tribes compared to non-tribal lands.

Key Facts

  • The hearing was held on February 15, 2017, by the Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy and Environment.
  • Tribes face higher costs and longer wait times for energy development permits on tribal land compared to non-tribal land.
  • The Department of the Interior created a service center to streamline tribal energy regulations.
  • The EPA, Army Corps of Engineers, and Fish and Wildlife Service were excluded from the Department of the Interior's service center, limiting its effectiveness.
  • The subcommittee identified energy development, education, and healthcare as the primary areas of concern for tribal members.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it harder to develop energy on tribal land?
According to the hearing, tribes face unique regulatory hurdles, including mandatory detailed s and costly permitting processes that are not required to the same extent on non-tribal lands.
What was the purpose of the Department of the Interior's service center?
It was created to streamline the regulatory process for energy development on tribal lands, though the committee noted it lacked participation from key agencies like the EPA.

Why It Matters

The hearing highlights potential legislative and administrative changes to federal permitting processes that could impact the cost and speed of energy development projects on tribal lands.

News Coverage

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Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Regulatory Siloing

The hearing highlights a failure in inter-agency coordination where the Department of the Interior's attempt to streamline regulations was undermined by the absence of other key federal agencies.

Department of the InteriorEnvironmental Protection AgencyArmy Corps of Engineers

Connected Entities

personBlake Farenthold“Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy and Environment”Map →
organizationArmy Corps of Engineers“Regulatory agency noted for its role in energy development permitting”Map →
personFrank Rusco“Director, Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Government Accountability Offi”Map →
organizationEnvironmental Protection Agency“Regulatory agency noted for its role in energy development permitting”Map →
personMary Kendall“Deputy Inspector General, U.S. Department of the Interior”Map →
personTyson Thompson“Councilman, Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council”Map →
organizationFish and Wildlife Service“Regulatory agency noted for its role in energy development permitting”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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