S.Hrg.119-118

1[Senate Hearing 119-118]2[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]34                                                        S. Hrg. 119-11856                       BEYER, TRAVNICEK, GARRISH,7                         AND ABBEY NOMINATIONS89=======================================================================1011                                HEARING1213                               BEFORE THE1415                              COMMITTEE ON16                      ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES17                          UNITED STATES SENATE1819                    ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS2021                             FIRST SESSION2223                                   to2425 CONSIDER THE NOMINATIONS OF LESLIE BEYER TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF26  THE INTERIOR (LAND AND MINERALS MANAGEMENT), ANDREA TRAVNICEK TO BE27   ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR (WATER AND SCIENCE), THEODORE28   GARRISH TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF ENERGY (NUCLEAR ENERGY), AND29      TRISTAN ABBEY TO BE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENERGY INFORMATION30                  ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY3132                               __________3334                             APRIL 30, 202535                               __________3637               [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]3839                       Printed for the use of the40               Committee on Energy and Natural Resources4142        Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov43                                ______4445                  U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE464761-234                    WASHINGTON : 20264849               COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES5051                        MIKE LEE, Utah, Chairman52JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming               MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico53JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho                RON WYDEN, Oregon54STEVE DAINES, Montana                MARIA CANTWELL, Washington55TOM COTTON, Arkansas                 MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii56DAVID McCORMICK, Pennsylvania        ANGUS S. KING, Jr., Maine57JAMES C. JUSTICE, West Virginia      CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, Nevada58BILL CASSIDY, Louisiana              JOHN W. HICKENLOOPER, Colorado59CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi        ALEX PADILLA, California60LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska               RUBEN GALLEGO, Arizona61JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota6263                  Wendy Baig, Majority Staff Director64            Patrick J. McCormick III, Majority Chief Counsel65                 Jasmine Hunt, Minority Staff Director66                 Sam E. Fowler, Minority Chief Counsel6768                            C O N T E N T S6970                              ----------7172                          OPENING STATEMENTS7374                                                                   Page75Lee, Hon. Mike, Chairman and a U.S. Senator from Utah............     176Heinrich, Hon. Martin, Ranking Member and a U.S. Senator from77  New Mexico.....................................................     378Hoeven, Hon. John, a U.S. Senator from North Dakota..............     579Murkowski, Hon. Lisa, a U.S. Senator from Alaska.................    208081                               WITNESSES8283Travnicek, Dr. Andrea, nominated to be Assistant Secretary of the84  Interior (Water and Science)...................................     685Beyer, Leslie, nominated to be Assistant Secretary of the86  Interior (Land and Minerals Management)........................    1287Garrish, Theodore, nominated to be Assistant Secretary of Energy88  (Nuclear Energy)...............................................    1689Abbey, Tristan, nominated to be Administrator of the Energy90  Information Administration, Department of Energy...............    219192          ALPHABETICAL LISTING AND APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED9394Abbey, Tristan:95    Opening Statement............................................    2196    Written Testimony............................................    2397    Responses to Questions for the Record........................    7298Arbogast, S.V.:99    Letter for the Record........................................    80100Archery Trade Association et al.:101    Letter for the Record........................................    78102Association of California Water Agencies:103    Letter for the Record........................................    81104Beyer, Leslie:105    Opening Statement............................................    12106    Written Testimony............................................    14107    Responses to Questions for the Record........................    58108Capuano, Hon. Linda et al.:109    Letter for the Record........................................    25110Clark, Michael J.:111    Letter for the Record........................................    84112Colorado Water Congress:113    Letter for the Record........................................    85114Crow Nation:115    Letter for the Record........................................    87116Energy Communities Alliance:117    Letter for the Record........................................    88118Family Farm Alliance:119    Letter for the Record........................................    91120Garrish, Theodore:121    Opening Statement............................................    16122    Written Testimony............................................    18123    Responses to Questions for the Record........................    68124Hanford Communities:125    Letter for the Record........................................    93126Heinrich, Hon. Martin:127    Opening Statement............................................     3128Hoeven, Hon. John:129    Introductory Statement.......................................     5130Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium:131    Letter for the Record........................................    95132Lee, Hon. Mike:133    Opening Statement............................................     1134Murkowski, Hon. Lisa:135    Introductory Statement.......................................    20136National Tribal Energy Association:137    Letter for the Record........................................    97138Noah Casper, Rebecca L.:139    Letter for the Record........................................    82140Roane County, TN:141    Letter for the Record........................................    99142Roberts, Melissa:143    Letter for the Record........................................    77144Southwestern Water Conservation District:145    Letter for the Record........................................   105146Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership:147    Letter for the Record........................................   101148Travnicek, Dr. Andrea.:149    Opening Statement............................................     6150    Written Testimony............................................     9151    Responses to Questions for the Record........................    48152Tri-City Development Council:153    Letter for the Record........................................   103154155                       BEYER, TRAVNICEK, GARRISH,156                         AND ABBEY NOMINATIONS157158                              ----------159160                       WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2025161162                                       U.S. Senate,163                 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,164                                                    Washington, DC.165    The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:00 a.m. in166Room SD-366, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Mike Lee,167Chairman of the Committee, presiding.168169              OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MIKE LEE,170                    U.S. SENATOR FROM UTAH171172    The Chairman. The Committee will come to order.173    Before turning to my formal opening statement, I want to174let members know how we will proceed this morning. I also want175to thank Senator Heinrich and his staff for working with us.176    Recognizing the demands on the schedule of every Senator,177and to be as efficient as possible, the Committee meets today178for a short business meeting, followed immediately after that179by a hearing on four nominations_two for senior positions180within the Department of the Interior, and two for senior181positions within the Department of Energy.182    [Recess to business meeting.]183    The Chairman. We are now going to turn directly into our184hearing, our fifth nominations hearing for the 119th Congress,185and we are going to receive testimony from four well-qualified186Americans nominated by the President for senior offices within187our Committee's jurisdiction, two at the Department of the188Interior and two at the Department of Energy.189    I am going to recognize Senator Murkowski to introduce Mr.190Abbey. She is apparently not here yet, so we will hold off on191that for a moment. Senator Hoeven has also already recognized192Dr. Travnicek.193    Senator Hoeven. I can do it again, if you would like.194    The Chairman. Yes.195    Senator Hoeven. Do you want to hear it? I mean, I have a196lot more to say about her if you want. Martin would probably197like to hear a lot more, right? I will do another introduction198if you want.199    The Chairman. That would also be fine.200    [Senator Hoeven's introduction of hearing witness Dr.201Andrea Travnicek was delivered during the business meeting. The202text of his introduction appears on page 5 of this hearing203document, preceding Dr. Travnicek's opening statement.]204    The Chairman. Now, in a moment, Senator Risch, who205graciously supplied us with the vote necessary to have a206quorum, has asked that I provide him a quorum in a competing207markup about to start in the Foreign Relations Committee. So208here, in just a moment, I will have Senator Hoeven preside in209my absence. So why don't you get these guys started. I will be210back in a few minutes.211    Senator Hoeven. That's fine.212    The Chairman. And then, we can give you some notes. If213Senator Murkowski is not here for the introduction, you can214introduce the other witnesses, swear them in, and then let them215begin the opening statements. I will be back soon.216    Thank you.217    Senator Hoeven [presiding]. Are we ready to proceed to have218the witnesses come forward?219    I want to welcome all of our witnesses here today.220    The rules of the Committee require that all nominees be221sworn in connection with their testimony. So if you would222please stand and raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear223that the testimony you are about to give the Senate Committee224on Energy and Natural Resources shall be the truth, the whole225truth, and nothing but the truth?226    [Witness panel sworn.]227    Senator Hoeven. Let the record show that they all responded228in the affirmative. Thank you.229    Before you begin your opening statements, I will also ask230the witnesses three questions that are posed to nominees231appearing before the Committee.232    First, this will be for all of you, and your response will233be, ``I do,'' if in fact, you do.234    First, will you be able to appear before this Committee and235other Congressional Committees to represent Department236positions and respond to issues of concern to the Congress?237    [All witnesses respond, ``yes.'']238    Senator Hoeven. Second, are you aware of any personal239holdings, investments, or interests that could constitute a240conflict of interest or create the appearance of such a241conflict should you be confirmed and assume the office to which242you have been nominated by the President?243    [All witnesses respond, ``no.'']244    Senator Hoeven. And third, are you involved or do you have245any assets in a blind trust?246    [All witnesses respond, ``no.'']247    Senator Hoeven. Thank you.248    All right, I have already introduced Dr. Travnicek, and I249guess we will just, for right now, we will hold and see if250Senator Murkowski gets here in time to introduce Tristan Abbey,251but we will just hold on that introduction for a minute.252    Senator Heinrich. Senator Hoeven.253    Senator Hoeven. Yes.254    Senator Heinrich. Why don't I give my opening statement?255That will save you a filibuster.256    Senator Hoeven. All right, sounds good.257    [Laughter.]258259          OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARTIN HEINRICH,260                 U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO261262    Senator Heinrich. Thank you, Senator Hoeven. Welcome, Ms.263Beyer, Dr. Travnicek, Mr. Garrish, and Mr. Abbey.264    This is our fifth nominations hearing this year, and265although the breadth of responsibilities of the offices that we266are considering is narrowing as we go on, their importance is267not diminished. We meet this morning to consider three268assistant secretaries and the Administrator of the Energy269Information Administration. Each of these offices we are270considering carries with it enormous responsibilities of the271utmost importance to the members of this Committee and to the272American people.273    Ms. Beyer has been nominated to be the Assistant Secretary274of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management. If confirmed,275she will oversee four of the principal offices of the276Department of the Interior: the Bureau of Land Management, the277Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and278Environmental Enforcement, and the Office of Surface Mining.279All told, she will oversee more than 244 million acres of land280that belongs to the public, 700 million acres of onshore281mineral estate, 3.2 billion acres of the Outer Continental282Shelf, 30 national monuments, and 25 national conservation283areas. It will be her job to both preserve and protect our284public lands and to provide for the development of their285natural resources in a safe and environmentally responsible286way.287    Dr. Travnicek has been nominated to be the Assistant288Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science. If confirmed,289she will oversee two of the oldest bureaus in the Department--290the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation. The291Geological Survey is one of our nation's oldest and most292respected scientific institutions, and it is our principal293source of knowledge about our lands and waters, our mineral294wealth, and the natural hazards we face. The Bureau of295Reclamation oversees the water supplies upon which millions of296Americans in 17 western states depend. It manages nearly 500297dams and nearly 300 reservoirs. It is the second largest298producer of hydroelectricity and it irrigates 10 million acres299of land to grow crops on which we all depend.300    Mr. Garrish has been nominated to be the Assistant301Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Energy. Nuclear power generates302about 20 percent of the nation's current electricity. It does303so cleanly and reliably. We cannot do without it. We depend on304it to meet our energy needs and our climate goals. But the305current generation of nuclear power plants, built many decades306ago, will not last forever. At some point, they will need to be307replaced by newer, safer, and more affordable reactor308technologies, which will only come about through the sustained309research and development efforts of the Office of Nuclear310Energy.311    Finally, Mr. Abbey has been nominated to be the312Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, which313collects and analyzes the information about energy resources,314production, and demand, upon which the Department, Congress,315private industry, and the public depend.316    Senator Moynihan famously remarked that ``everyone is317entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.'' Each318Senator is entitled to their own opinion about energy policy,319but we must share a common set of non-partisan facts. It has320long been the Energy Information Administrator's task to321provide those facts, and it is absolutely essential that the322administrator stick to the facts and not color them with323partisan opinion.324    But as qualified as each of these nominees may be, no325single person can perform all of the important tasks with which326they will be entrusted by themselves. They are not expected to.327Instead, they are expected to inspire, to manage, and to lead328organizations staffed with dedicated and experienced329professionals who have devoted their careers to public service.330The career civil service in both of these departments and331across the entire government has been under relentless attack332by the current Administration. So the fundamental question I333have for each of the nominees this morning is whether, if you334are confirmed to these positions of public trust, you will335support and defend, rather than demolish the offices and336programs entrusted to your care, and if you will faithfully337execute the authorities delegated to you by Congress and follow338the law, as interpreted by the courts.339    Which brings me to something that you said, Mr. Garrish, 42340years ago, at your first confirmation hearing before this341Committee. I had to check on that the first time I read that342line. You gave the Committee your ``unqualified assurance''343that you would faithfully execute the public trust in a manner344that would ``properly reflect the legislative intentions of the345Congress without regard to the political views or personal346preferences of the Secretary or the Administration'' and that347you would discharge your duties ``on the basis of your best348professional judgment as to what the law is, not what you or349the Secretary or others might like it to be.'' You assured the350Committee that you were committed to that approach both351intellectually and philosophically, and I hope that is still352the case, Mr. Garrish. And I hope that all four of our nominees353can make that same commitment and give us that assurance this354morning.355    Thank you, Senator Hoeven.356    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Senator Heinrich.357    I have already introduced Dr. Travnicek. I am going to give358brief introductions for the other three. These were prepared by359the Chairman of the Committee.360    Ms. Leslie Beyer, nominated to be Assistant Secretary for361Land and Minerals Management, will manage roughly 245 million362acres of federal service lands and 1.7 billion acres on the363Outer Continental Shelf. She will oversee the Bureau of Land364Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the Office365of Surface Mining--agencies that shape how we access and366develop hundreds of millions of acres of public land and367offshore resources. Ms. Beyer is a defender of American energy,368recognizing that oil and gas have been fundamental to driving369our economy and lifting billions of people worldwide out of370poverty. She understands that America's strength is tied371directly to our ability to produce reliable, affordable, and372cleaner energy, especially from our abundant resources here at373home. This is exactly the kind of leader we need to unlock374American energy potential, cut through unneeded red tape, and375drive prosperity.376    Mr. Ted Garrish, nominated as Assistant Secretary for377Nuclear Energy, will lead America's nuclear energy initiatives.378Mr. Garrish is uniquely prepared for this role, having served379in senior nuclear positions dating back to the Reagan380Administration. Great. He has championed nuclear energy as a381clean, safe, reliable, and affordable solution already powering382one-fifth of America. He acknowledges that nuclear power will383be central to our future and that this technology will ensure384American energy stability for decades to come.385    And finally, Mr. Tristan Abbey, nominated as Administrator386for the Energy Information Administration, will oversee the387independent agency responsible for producing energy data that388guides policymakers, industry, and consumers. With Mr. Abbey at389the helm, we will have accurate, objective, and actionable390energy data crucial to unleashing America's energy strength and391reclaiming our global leadership.392    Each nominee here today is more than qualified. They393represent exactly the type of bold leadership America needs394now. American energy has always been a cornerstone of American395strength. When we produce energy here at home, we power our396economy, we lift entire communities out of poverty, and we397undercut our adversaries. Energy dominance means good jobs,398strong families, and a safer country. When we unleash American399production, it's the folks on the rigs, in the trucks, and in400the plants who win, for the path forward isn't more rules from401DC, it's more trust in the men and women who know how to get402the job done. We need pipelines, plants, permits, and a403purpose.404    President Trump's first 100 days back in office have made405one thing clear: the America of energy decline is over.406    With that, we will proceed to the opening statements for407each of the witnesses here today--nominees--and if you would408proceed, Dr. Travnicek.409    [Senator Hoeven's introduction of Dr. Travnicek, which was410delivered during the business meeting held immediately before411the hearing, is inserted below to precede Dr. Travnicek's412opening statement.]413414          INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN HOEVEN,415                U.S. SENATOR FROM NORTH DAKOTA416417    Senator Hoeven. I am introducing this morning Dr. Andrea418Travnicek, and she has been nominated to be Assistant Secretary419of the Interior for Water and Science, and she has just got a420stellar background for that position, and so, I am very pleased421to provide her introduction, not only because she is a fellow422North Dakotan, but because of her tremendous background and423skill set for this position.424    She has some family with her today_her father, Pat, and I425actually thought she had two sisters, Jean and Heather, but I426guess Jean is actually her mother, and I was confused when I427saw them, I thought there were two sisters, but it's really428great to have you guys here, and of course, I am kidding just a429little bit.430    Her father Pat has over 40 years, I think, with the United431States Air Force, both as a pilot in uniform, and also then in432civilian work as well. And I had the great good fortune when I433was Governor of North Dakota to fly with him. He flew B-52s,434and we did a practice run over the State Capitol in Bismarck,435at about 50,000 feet, which was a lot of fun. And I think the436only reason we got clearance to do it was maybe because I was437Governor at the time, I'm not sure, unless you guys were doing438that all the time and you just didn't bother to tell us,439because at 50,000 feet, we were way up there, but anyway, a440great record of service.441    And actually, when I was Governor, I hired Andrea to come442work for us. She graduated from our outstanding land grant443university, North Dakota State University, which, of course,444everybody knows is the home of the Bison. I don't have to tell445anybody that, certainly on the Republican side, because they446hear me talk about it quite a bit.447    She was a stellar student, but she was also a stellar448athlete. She was a tremendous soccer player, and so, just an449all-star performer all around. I hired her in the Governor's450office, and after that, she worked for Governor Dalrymple, who451succeeded me, and then another guy you might have heard of, and452that is Governor Burgum, who is now the Secretary of the453Interior. So it's no surprise that he wanted to bring Andrea454with him, and she, actually, during the first Trump455Administration, she was the Acting Assistant Secretary for456Water and Science, so she has got some great background for457this job.458    And so, I strongly recommend that people support her for459this position. She is the kind of person who understands_these460jobs are about getting things done. And Senator King, that461means working with everybody, even Independents. Not just462Republicans and Democrats, but Independents, too, to get things463done, and I highly recommend her and ask for your support for464her. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.465466 STATEMENT OF DR. ANDREA TRAVNICEK, NOMINATED TO BE ASSISTANT467         SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR (WATER AND SCIENCE)468469    Dr. Travnicek. Thank you.470    Good morning, Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, and471Members of the Committee. I am both humbled and honored to be472nominated by President Trump to serve the American people as473Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the Department of474the Interior. Furthermore, I am grateful for the support and475trust of Secretary Burgum. And thank you, Senator Hoeven, for476that kind introduction today.477    I would like to begin by recognizing and thanking my478parents Pat and Jean, and my sister Heather, who traveled from479North Dakota to be here today, while my grandma, Norma, and my480nephews, Ethan and Logan, and other family, are cheering me on481back home. I would also like to thank my friends, colleagues,482teammates and the Bison-with a ``z''--family, some of whom are483here today, for their continued guidance and support. I grew up484in a military family, moving about every three years through485high school, with roots grounded in northern Minnesota and486North Dakota. My roots are further tied to an Interior site,487actually--Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, located in488Minnesota--where my parents met. Who knew we would all end up489here today when Mom asked Dad to go for a walk along the lake.490    Both of my parents set the example early on of the491importance of serving others, through my dad's 44-year military492career service to the country that you heard about already, 28493of those active duty, and through my mom's service temperament494in her business, work as a travel agent, and as a military495spouse. Core values of dedication, integrity, and respect for496others were ingrained at a young age. Our parents also raised497us to have great respect for the natural world. We visited498national parks and national wildlife refuges across the country499between moves and spent summers back at the lake and farm in500Minnesota. These treasured experiences--hunting, fishing,501camping, and spending countless hours outdoors on the water,502set a foundation for my passion for natural resources. Spending503time in the field or kayaking are still my favorite places to504be.505    I am a proud graduate of North Dakota State University506three times over. My master's research was located in the507Badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where I conducted508a land management study to reduce invasive species in the park.509My Ph.D. research focused on stakeholder perspectives and510network relationships as they related to lake management511decisions in Minnesota. For over 20 years, my professional512career has been connected to the management of natural513resources in the private, public, and non-profit sectors.514Through research, grassroots efforts, and working directly with515landowners, project sponsors, and industries, I have been able516to quickly provide assessments, identify opportunities, and517provide solutions to meet management objectives across518competing frameworks.519    My work with the Army Corps in the Sacramento District520provided a backdrop to an understanding of the complexities521associated with the management of water in California.522Participating firsthand in federal and state regulatory523processes revealed inefficiencies in the bureaucratic system524and set my public service mission--to achieve management525decisions through accountable timely responses, process526improvements, and collaborative and common-sense approaches. In5272011, record flooding took place across the State of North528Dakota, impacting major communities along several rivers. As529the senior policy advisor to the Governor, I worked with530various international, federal, state, and local agencies and531tribal nations to quickly identify changing conditions and532determine needs. During this time, my parents' house was533flooded waist-high, and my sister's house was flooded to the534rooftop. This experience impressed upon me, both professionally535and personally, the importance of real-time data, timely536collaborative operations, and long-term management solutions,537not only within a specific community or state, but within a538shared watershed.539    While serving in various leadership roles at the Department540of the Interior during the first Trump Administration, I was541fortunate to work on several Administration priorities,542including those related to water and science initiatives. At543the state level, I led the Department of Parks and Recreation,544and during my tenure as the first Director of the Department of545Water Resources, federally recognized tribal nations were added546as partners for North Dakota cost-share for water projects.547Over $1.5 billion of state commitments were provided to cost-548share partners to build both water supply and flood protection549projects, and access to affordable and reliable water supply550through two state-owned regional projects was expanded. As we551look across the West today, maintaining critical water552infrastructure and managing water resources is crucial.553Thoughtful, collaborative approaches will be important to meet554management objectives for water users. And further identifying555and mapping our nation's own mineral assets and energy assets556through the U.S. Geological Survey's capabilities will assist557in fulfilling President Trump's priorities related to558increasing American mineral production and unleashing American559energy.560    If confirmed as the Assistant Secretary for Water and561Science, I will bring my core values and natural resources and562management experiences to the role. I look forward to leading563and working again with the dedicated teams of engineers,564hydrologists, and scientists at the Bureau of Reclamation and565the U.S. Geological Survey to implement the Bureaus' core566missions. I commit to working in cooperation with you and with567the American people as decisions are made, and to implement the568President and the Secretary's priorities to increase569accountability and responsiveness, implement innovation over570regulation, and manage America's resources for American571prosperity and national security.572    Thank you for meeting with me earlier this week and for573having me here today. I look forward to answering any574questions.575    [The prepared statement of Dr. Travnicek follows:]576577    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]578579    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Dr. Travnicek.580    And now, Ms. Beyer, your opening comments, please.581582STATEMENT OF LESLIE BEYER, NOMINATED TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY583         OF THE INTERIOR (LAND AND MINERALS MANAGEMENT)584585    Ms. Beyer. Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, and586members of the Committee, it is an honor to appear before you587today as President Trump's nominee for Assistant Secretary for588Land and Minerals Management at the Department of the Interior.589I am deeply grateful to President Trump and to Secretary Burgum590for their confidence in my ability to ensure responsible591stewardship of America's public lands for the benefit of all592Americans. I am also very thankful to have my friends and593family here today, my parents Stan and Connie, my children594Grant and Olivia, my oldest son, Ethan, watching us from595Oklahoma State, where he should be studying for finals, and my596Godparents, Charlie and Kathie.597    From the time that my Grandfather Leslie began his career598as a roughneck, and my Great Aunt Faye was one of the first and599only female toolpushers in the oilfield, we have seen600extraordinary feats of innovation in energy development that601took our country from being a net energy importer, to the602world's largest energy exporter, all while leading the world in603reducing emissions. Growing up on our family farm in West604Texas, I have been surrounded by the energy workforce my entire605life, and I have witnessed firsthand how America has proven606time and again that we can develop our resources cleaner,607safer, and more efficiently than anyone else in the world. The608advanced drilling equipment, the e frac systems, and the609underwater remote vehicles that I am involved with today are610vastly different than the tools of my grandparents' time, but611the commitment to responsible production and the respect of our612natural resources remains with me.613    From spending my birthday weekend each year in Alaska614hiking glaciers and running the Anchorage half marathon, to our615annual family dove hunting season opener, and now managing my616own farm, my family taught me to love and appreciate our lands,617public and private. The Assistant Secretary for Land and618Minerals Management plays a critical role in balancing multiple619uses of our public lands, recognizing the lands as a vital620asset of the American people and an important contributor to621our nation's financial health and security. If confirmed to622serve as Assistant Secretary, I pledge to be a responsible623steward of more than 245 million acres of surface, 700 million624acres of subsurface, and over three billion acres offshore,625ensuring that critical energy development takes place alongside626other important uses of recreation, conservation, grazing,627timber management, and housing. I appreciate and understand the628significant responsibilities of the role, with its management629of the four bureaus--the BLM, BOEM, BSEE and OSMRE. And if630confirmed, I commit to working collaboratively with the members631of this Committee regarding the decisions related to the632Department's stewardship of federal lands and waters, including633the management and development of their mineral and non-mineral634resources.635    As a former CEO of an organization representing over636650,000 U.S. energy workers, and now as a corporate director, I637have responsibility for executive oversight, governance, and638the health and safety of a combined global workforce of over63910,000 men and women. I bring a record of leadership and640extensive experience managing large organizations, qualities641that I will carry into the role of Assistant Secretary.642Throughout my career in both the public and private sectors, I643have emphasized collaboration, and will bring this approach to644the Department of the Interior, working closely with states,645tribes, local communities, and industry to develop decisions646that benefit all. I also commit to ensuring that the bureaus647under my authority carry out the directives established by648Congress. This includes working to ensure that lease sales are649conducted on a regular and predictable basis, providing the650certainty necessary for long-term investment, meeting our651national resource needs, and fulfilling the requirements of the652law amid rapidly growing energy demand.653    As a young White House staffer 20 years ago, I served on654multiple trips overseas as efforts were made to secure oil and655gas imports due to our perceived national energy scarcity. In656the following years, in my career in the energy services and657equipment sector, I had a front-row seat to the shale658revolution that has taken us from energy scarcity to energy659abundance and enabled the ability to strategically provide660resources to our allies. It has driven my passion for American661innovation, energy resilience, and respect for our nation's662resources.663    I appreciate meeting with many of you and learning of your664specific focus areas in public lands management. And if665confirmed, I will always keep at the forefront of my mind the666critical mission of protecting and managing our natural667resources, ensuring that we fully utilize our federal lands and668waters to benefit all Americans. Thank you for the honor of669appearing before you today, and for considering my nomination.670I look forward to answering your questions.671    [The prepared statement of Ms. Beyer follows:]672673    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]674675    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Ms. Beyer.676    And now, Mr. Garrish.677678   STATEMENT OF THEODORE GARRISH, NOMINATED TO BE ASSISTANT679              SECRETARY OF ENERGY (NUCLEAR ENERGY)680681    Mr. Garrish. Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, members682of the Committee, and professional staff, thank you for the683opportunity to appear today as the nominee for the position of684Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department685of Energy. It is truly an honor to appear before the Committee,686and I appreciate the confidence President Trump and Secretary687Wright have shown in nominating me for this role.688    First, I would like to thank my family, and especially my689wife, Dory Stacks, who has been my strength and support as I690embark on this position and this important task. Unfortunately,691due to a scheduling conflict, she has to watch this on the web,692although I have a number of friends here and colleagues that693have joined me today.694    My career has largely been devoted to energy, mainly in the695field of nuclear. And much of my time has been spent devoted to696public service, largely at the U.S. Department of Energy,697originally as General Counsel and later as Assistant Secretary698for Nuclear Energy and also in Congressional,699Intergovernmental, and Public Affairs, and most recently, as700Assistant Secretary for International Affairs. And first, I701would like to thank Senator Heinrich for the note relative to702the statement that I made. I cannot believe that it was 42703years ago, but I can assure the Committee that I abide by those704same principles today. In addition to energy, I also served as705Federal Inspector of the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation706System and as a member of the President's Commission on707Catastrophic Nuclear Accidents, also known as the Price-708Anderson Commission.709    Throughout my career, I have worked closely with this710Committee, and I can remember many late nights working with711professional staff and Senators assisting with legislative712efforts, and I hope that that would continue in the future. I713had the opportunity to serve as Assistant Secretary for Nuclear714Energy in the late 1980s, and the position was organized715differently at the time, and nuclear energy faced different716challenges than it does today. Today we are on the threshold of717making nuclear a significant contributor to our nation's energy718future and making a true comeback for this important source of719affordable, reliable, and safe energy, and to become a source720for industrial heat for chemical production, mining, and other721uses. While in the private sector, my time was spent largely on722nuclear projects. Notably, I often worked with ``newcomer''723nuclear countries, helping them develop their programs, talent,724and expertise consistent with the IAEA programs for new nuclear725nations.726    If I may, let me briefly give you my vision on some of the727important work that I would hope to achieve if I have the728privilege of confirmation. First and foremost, as soon as729feasible, we need to build a new reactor, either a large or730small--SMR or micro reactor. It is important for us to proceed731with development of advanced reactors and their licensing and732siting. Nuclear offers an extraordinary capacity to meet the733coming increased electrical demand in a reliable, affordable,734and safe way. This is important, and we need to get on with735building the next generation of nuclear plants.736    Second, the development of a robust domestic enrichment737industry is essential for our national security, and we must738conduct a realistic evaluation of our current system under739development and determine if our current methodology will work740and provide the needed actions to protect our national741security.742    Third, we should evaluate the status of the international743market for U.S. nuclear developers and supply chains overseas744to ensure that we maintain strong positioning for U.S. products745and services and build the long-term relationships needed for746U.S. companies, building upon our strong nuclear culture with747the highest standards of non-proliferation. We should also748consider the further use of intergovernmental agreements to749promote our U.S. interests.750    And finally, we need to begin to resolve the nuclear waste751dilemma and work with Congress, communities, and states on752solutions. If confirmed, it would be my honor to work753cooperatively with the Congress, especially this Committee, on754achieving these and other objectives. Hopefully, I can755contribute to the development of this important energy source.756Again, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to appear757today, and if confirmed, I look forward to working with the758members of this Committee and members of the staff in759furthering the interests of nuclear energy for the benefit of760the United States, and I look forward to responding to your761questions.762    [The prepared statement of Mr. Garrish follows:]763764    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]765766    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Garrish.767    And now, we are going to turn to Mr. Abbey, but I would768like to invite our colleague, Senator Murkowski, who was Chair769of this Committee for quite a number of years, for an770introduction of Mr. Abbey.771    Senator Murkowski.772773        INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT OF HON. LISA MURKOWSKI,774                    U.S. SENATOR FROM ALASKA775776    Senator Murkowski. Thank you.777    It is great to be able to welcome all of you here this778morning--a pretty incredible group of nominees that we have in779front of us. Some of you have been around for a while and we780welcome you back. But it's really my honor to be able to781reintroduce Tristan Abbey to the Committee. Mr. Abbey is a782proud alumnus of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He783served on my team from 2012 to 2017. He took a little bit of a784break and then he came back from 2019 to 2020. So he is785probably more familiar with this side of the dais over here786being used to sitting on the benches behind us, but really,787it's a privilege, it's really an honor to have you in front of788the Committee at the witness table as the President's choice to789lead the Energy Information Administration.790    I am going to tell you, as my colleagues, there is nobody,791there is no one that I have met around here who has spent more792time with EIA or with CRS. This is a gentleman who digs into793the issues. He is really smart in the first place, so he knows794a lot, but he goes so far below the surface to understand, to795master the issues, and then, applying this knowledge to help us796make really good policy. He was instrumental in helping us lift797the crude oil export ban with a strategy and an implementation798plan that, in my view, was quite remarkable. When I had799challenges, when I had tough policy questions, I brought800Tristan into it, and I did so because he is thoughtful, he is801analytical, he brings rigor to everything. He is a true expert802in his arena. These are all qualities that we would ask for in803an EIA Administrator.804    I think it's worth noting that four former EIA805Administrators agree with me. They have written a letter806supporting Mr. Abbey. So I would ask unanimous consent for that807letter to be added to the hearing record, following Mr. Abbey's808testimony.809    Senator Hoeven. Without objection.810    Senator Murkowski. So Tristan, again, thank you. You did811extraordinary work for the Committee, and I hope that the812Committee will recognize that by giving you its strongest813support. But I am pleased to see you today. I don't know if814your wife and baby are here, but--yeah, right behind you there.815We have kind of watched everybody grow up together. So welcome816back, and it's an honor to introduce you.817    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Senator Murkowski.818    We will start five-minute rounds of questioning. I want to819check with our Ranking Member, Senator Heinrich.820    Did I miss somebody?821    Oh, I'm sorry. You want an opening statement too?822    [Laughter.]823    Senator Hoeven. Usually after Senator Murkowski goes, you824know, with her all her time as Chairwoman, nobody can improve825on that, but in your case, Mr. Abbey, we are going to let you826go ahead with an opening statement.827828 STATEMENT OF TRISTAN ABBEY, NOMINATED TO BE ADMINISTRATOR OF829             THE ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION830831    Mr. Abbey. Thank you very much, Senator Hoeven, and Senator832Murkowski for that wonderful introduction. Thank you, Chairman833Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, and members of this Committee. It834is an honor to appear before you today. I am grateful to835President Trump for the nomination to serve as Administrator of836the Energy Information Administration and to Energy Secretary837Chris Wright for his confidence in me to serve in this838position.839    My wonderful wife, Jenn, is in attendance. It was during my840first tour here on the Committee's staff that I met her, and841during the second that we were married. Our two children are a842bit too young for this event, but in due time, I hope they843watch the video. These three ladies--Jenn, Evelyn, and844Josephine--bring more joyful light into my life than I ever845could have imagined. When I was a kid, my parents, Phil and846Wilawan, led my brother Ian and me on a couple of great847adventures to the Middle East. Abqaiq leaves a lasting848impression on a kindergartener and a teenager doesn't forget849the Suez Canal. I can never thank my dad and mom enough for850showing us the world in all of its richness. Times weren't851always easy, but I hope they don't regret it, because I never852will.853    I could never have predicted the path of my career, one854possible only here in the United States. After a brief stint in855finance, I arrived here on Committee staff in 2012. Eager to856learn, I worked on the economics of basically all things857energy, even dabbling in the lands portfolio, the complexity of858which makes the electric grid look like a game of tic-tac-toe.859In many ways, I grew up here on the Committee staff. In 2017, I860was honored to join the first Trump Administration, initially861on the ``beach head'' team at the Department of Energy, and862later the National Security Council and National Economic863Council staff.864    Following my time at the White House Complex, I returned865here to the Committee staff, where I worked on Washington's866response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when the oil price fell867below zero. Serving the American people in various roles within868the Federal Government has been the honor of my life. Each of869these public-sector opportunities was a blessing. None of this870work could have been accomplished without frequent and871persistent engagement with the EIA. Some will say that the872Administrator of the EIA should not have this deep level of873exposure to the policymaking world. On the contrary, leadership874that understands the demands of policymaking and the needs of875policymakers is exactly what the EIA requires at this critical876time.877    If confirmed as Administrator, I would have three878priorities. First, as a member of the President's team, I would879fulfill my statutory role of providing objective energy data880and analysis to the American people and to policymakers--in881Ranking Member Heinrich's term, the ``common set of nonpartisan882facts.'' Having served inside the government at both ends of883Pennsylvania Avenue and outside, as a think-tanker and private-884sector consultant, I have seen EIA from a wide variety of885perspectives. The reputation that the agency has built is one I886pledge to steward carefully, if confirmed.887    Second, EIA is in urgent need of revitalization. It is888still the world's premier energy data agency, but this did not889happen overnight. Our nation invested billions of dollars and890nearly fifty years to make it so. If confirmed, I would ensure891that this investment continues to pay off. In my view, EIA must892clear the decks of unfinished projects, recruit and retain the893best talent, develop the most powerful analytical abilities,894and modernize its information systems.895    Finally, I believe that existing Congressional mandates for896EIA should be executed upon. Two stand out in particular. One897is the expansion of global energy data collection and analysis.898The other is the establishment of a critical minerals outlook.899I know that this Committee is particularly interested in both900issues, and I believe achieving these two goals alone would go901a long way to placing the EIA on sound footing for a902generation.903    Thank you for your time, and thanks again to President904Trump and Secretary Wright for their confidence. I look forward905to your questions.906    [The prepared statement of Mr. Abbey and the letter907mentioned by Senator Murkowski follow:]908909[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]910911    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Abbey.912    At this point, we will kick off five-minute rounds of913questions. I do want to check with the Ranking Member to see if914he had anything before we begin the questions.915    Senator Heinrich. Go ahead.916    Senator Hoeven. Okay, thank you.917    Dr. Travnicek, if confirmed, will you prioritize the918development and maintenance of western water infrastructure to919ensure communities, farmers, and ranchers continue to have920access to reliable and affordable water supplies?921    Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator Hoeven, for that922question. We know that infrastructure for water supply is923extremely important across the West. We were making sure in the924State of North Dakota that we had resources to make sure that925we were able to get that affordable, reliable water supply to926people. So if confirmed in this role, yes, I am committed to927working toward that as well.928    Senator Hoeven. Thank you.929    Also, talk about the importance that USGS continues on a930regular basis to update estimates of recoverable oil and gas931reserves and talk about what you can do to continue to enhance932that energy development.933    Dr. Travnicek. Senator, as it relates to the USGS, we know934that their body of work is extremely important. They play a935critical role as it relates, not only to the critical mineral936list, but also as it relates to oil and gas assessments. So937making sure that we have the expertise on that and to be able938to keep up with those studies and those demands that we are939seeing to make sure that we have that dominance of energy here940in America, so yes, so continue to work on that as well.941    Senator Hoeven. What are your top three priorities? What942are the top three things you are going to accomplish going in943to the position?944    Dr. Travnicek. Senator, if confirmed, the top three945priorities that I would be looking at--we know that there is a946lot of discussion right now related to the Colorado River. We947have some looming deadlines that are in front of us next year.948So we are going to have to work really closely with those seven949states within the Basin. At the same time, also, the critical950minerals list. We know that that is due this year. We are going951to have to be working really closely with our federal agencies,952our different stakeholders, the public, as we work to get that953list put together, get that updated based on what we are954hearing from the public. And then, getting back to where we955started the conversation earlier, looking at infrastructure. We956know that we have drought across the West, across the country,957so we are going to have to look at all those different tools in958the toolbox, making sure that we have modernized systems out959there, making sure that we are looking at aquifer recharge,960looking at water reuse, wastewater. So really just looking at961that suite of possibilities as we try to get water where it's962needed.963    Senator Hoeven. Thank you.964    Ms. Beyer, we have a lot of resources that are owned by the965public, but that interface with private ownership as well. And966so, BLM runs across that all the time. Are you committed to967maximizing access to development of those resources in a968responsible manner? And will you work with me on my North969Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act, which helps make sure that970everyone is treated fairly in that development, whether it's a971public interest or a private interest?972    Ms. Beyer. Yes, sir, Senator, I appreciated our visit about973that, and if I am confirmed, I absolutely look forward to974working with you. There are multiple uses there for those975lands, and if confirmed, like I said, I look forward to working976with you on that.977    Senator Hoeven. How about NEPA timelines, right? I mean,978because delay can be defeat, right? We need certainty out there979for everybody, for all involved. So what about these NEPA980timelines and getting things done, again, in a transparent,981responsible way, but getting things done?982    Ms. Beyer. Sir, I think we can all agree that permitting983should be streamlined. This Committee has done extraordinary984work on that. And if I am confirmed, I hope to work with this985Committee moving forward, but absolutely, you know, coming from986the oil fields services sector of the business, this is a987650,000-plus workforce that develops energy in the U.S., and if988our companies can't get permits to produce, permits to build989transmission, we will be behind in answering the increasing990energy demand. And so, that, sir, is a top priority for me, is991to be able to assist and help with getting a more reasonable992timeline on our permitting system.993    Senator Hoeven. Thank you.994    Mr. Garrish, how are we going to get past some of the995public perceptions and concerns in regard to nuclear--or, as996one of my good friends and a former President used to say,997``nuclur'' energy. How are we going to develop nuclear energy998and get people to be comfortable that we are developing it in a999safe, reliable way with a good management plan for, you know,1000the nuclear waste?1001    Mr. Garrish. Well, Senator, nuclear is, in fact, one of the1002safest forms of energy available today. And I think it is a1003matter of communicating with the public and making sure that1004they understand what's happening. We need to make sure that we1005have a good public affairs component to every nuclear plant,1006that the community understands exactly what a nuclear plant is,1007and that the sorts of fears that they have are really1008unfounded.1009    Senator Hoeven. So what is the one thing you would say to1010people and want them to remember in regard to safely handling1011nuclear energy?1012    Mr. Garrish. Well, in terms of this, the record is1013indisputable in terms of the safety of nuclear plants.1014    Senator Hoeven. Okay. That's strong. Appreciate that very1015much.1016    Thanks to all of you, and Mr. Abbey, I am not going to have1017a question for you because I understand Senator Murkowski has1018got a lot of them, so we will wait for that.1019    Ranking Member Heinrich.1020    Senator Heinrich. Thank you, Senator Hoeven.1021    Ms. Beyer, as Assistant Secretary, you will oversee1022management of more than 245 million acres of public land. This1023land belongs to all Americans, including every single one of my1024constituents, and Americans highly value their ability to1025access these lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreational1026uses. Do you support the large-scale divestment of our public1027lands?1028    Ms. Beyer. Sir, only Congress has the authority to dispose1029of any public lands, but I believe that our public lands have a1030multiple-use mandate, and they can be used for energy1031production, recreation, and any number of other uses for the1032benefit of all Americans.1033    Senator Heinrich. Dr. Travnicek, you have been on staff at1034the Department for several months now, and I appreciate many of1035our conversations. But that gives you specific insights into1036decisions that have already been made at the Department. The1037new NEPA guidance for energy projects that the Secretary1038announced last week does not make any mention of tribal1039consultation. However, it requires all reviews to be done1040within 14 to 28 days. I have personally never seen meaningful1041tribal consultation completed in that time frame. So my1042question is, is the Administration proposing to eliminate1043tribal consultation for these projects?1044    Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator Heinrich, and I also1045appreciated some of the conversations that we have had already.1046So we know that there have been a lot of conversations for a1047long time related to trying to streamline the permitting1048processes, right?1049    Senator Heinrich. Yes.1050    Dr. Travnicek. I think we have all been frustrated by that.1051We have seen some of the discussions here within this Committee1052as well. So we are really just trying to figure out how we can1053move forward while still meeting the different requirements as1054well, right? We know that ESA was mentioned in there, and NHPA.1055Also, we know that we will have to engage with tribes. So at1056the same time, how do we get the permits out the door, get the1057infrastructure in place, develop the resources that we need? So1058it's going to be trying to work on all of the above, working1059with ESA, NHPA, and also engaging with the tribes.1060    Senator Heinrich. As someone who strongly supported1061permitting reform, and a majority of the members on this1062Committee did, I think we largely support getting to yes or no1063faster, but I really want to urge you to make sure that that1064tribal consultation process is not a ``check the box''1065exercise, that it is meaningful.1066    I am going to switch gears a little bit, back to you, Ms.1067Beyer. Two weeks ago--actually let me quote back something that1068you said just a few minutes ago: ``If our companies can't get1069permits, we will be behind.'' I agree with that sentiment. Two1070weeks ago, Secretary Burgum sent a letter to the Acting1071Director of BOEM, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,1072ordering an unprecedented stop-work order to Equinor's Empire1073Wind Project off the coast of New York. That's a fully1074permitted project. It has undergone rigorous review. It's1075already under construction and it would power half a million1076homes. Canceling this project is a job killer for the skilled1077trades. And my concern is that it will squash any faith that1078the private sector has in the federal permitting process. If1079you can do this to one project, of one energy type, you can do1080it to another of a completely different energy type.1081    So if fully permitted projects are subjected to arbitrary1082stop-work orders, how can we expect the private sector to1083commit capital to those large expensive projects?1084    Ms. Beyer. Senator, thank you for that question. As you1085know, I have not been confirmed, and so did not participate in1086that decision-making. I agree with you----1087    Senator Heinrich. Speak to the larger issue, like not the1088specificity of that issue.1089    Ms. Beyer. Right. While we need all forms of energy that we1090can get our hands on, there is a premium to secure reliable and1091affordable energy. I am from Texas. We have a lot of wind1092energy there. I appreciate that it's additive, but there is a1093premium to secure affordable and reliable energy that is not1094weather dependent, in my view. And I will adhere to the1095guidance of the Secretary, if I am confirmed.1096    Senator Heinrich. In your view, should permitting be1097transparent and predictable?1098    Ms. Beyer. Yes, sir.1099    Senator Heinrich. Thank you.1100    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Senator Heinrich.1101    Senator Justice.1102    Senator Justice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member,1103everyone here, especially these great nominees and all their1104families. I think about all the people that are out here in our1105audience and everything. I think about a young man that is1106intrigued and fascinated and motivated by the process of1107everything that's going on here. His name is Mikey Wolford, and1108I absolutely want everybody here to just take just a moment and1109try to listen to what I would have to say because I am from a1110real energy state and I have been in the energy business1111forevermore. And absolutely, I know a lot, an awful lot about1112energy, and I can tell everyone here, whether they are on our1113side of the aisle or the other side of the aisle, it does not1114matter to me. What really should matter to all of us is, we1115have a crisis right now and it's looming like Godzilla standing1116in the background right now for all of us, for every single1117last one of us. And we have got to react or Godzilla will1118surely have a good day and we will have a bad day.1119    And to react is just this simple, and I have said it over1120and over and over and over. You are going to have to decide,1121America. We are going to have to decide either for homes or1122jobs and industry. We are going to have to decide. And so, with1123all that being said, you know, these nominees, I would say to1124you just this: you have a responsibility here that is second to1125none. It's unbelievable, the pressure, the responsibility, how1126we are relying on you right now. As you go forward, and I1127surely hope and pray you will be confirmed without any1128problems, but with all that being said, today, like it or not1129like it, in this country, energy is everything--everything. No1130matter what anybody says, it is the answer and it is the key to1131Emerald City, period. Now, that's all there is to it.1132    So with all that being said, I am sure that you have areas1133of expertise like crazy. I am sure you have a passion and a1134love for our lands, you know, Dr. Travnicek, you know, you1135spoke of, you know, how you grew up and loved to hunt and fish1136and everything. Well, that's me all over. That is absolutely me1137in every way. And I am sure all of you feel exactly the same.1138No one wants to harm our environment. No one wants to do1139anything to our waters, absolutely, but we have got to react1140because there are bad days looming right in front of us if we1141don't react. That's what our President is trying to do. That's1142what he does with an emergency in regard to energy.1143    So I would say to you just this, and I have got just a1144couple of real quick questions and everything. I would say, in1145regard to water, you know, many of our communities are very1146rural and we rely on private wells. What resources--and this1147question is for Dr. Travnicek--what resources will your1148Department provide to assist these communities in ensuring the1149safety and reliability of their water supplies?1150    Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator, for the question.1151    We know, as we are looking in rural areas and within1152communities, that water infrastructure is going to continue to1153be more important. So, as it relates to, if confirmed, the1154Bureau of Reclamation, I will be looking at the different1155authorities that we do have, looking for opportunities where1156there might be availability for cost share. And at the same1157time, just trying to see, too, what partnerships might be, as1158we look at those local communities.1159    Senator Justice. Thank you.1160    I have got to say one other thing, and I don't have a whole1161lot of time, but Senator Hoeven is a really sharp guy and he is1162a friend and he made a statement just a second ago--he is dead1163on the money, splitting the bullseye like you can't imagine. He1164said delay can be defeat. Well, I have never heard it put that1165way, but it is absolutely splitting the bullseye. You have got1166to move. You have got to have a real passion. You have got to1167move, and you have got to know the world. The world depends on1168you. Every single country in this world, the more energy they1169have, the longer their people live, the healthier their people1170are. We need to quit being afraid of energy. You have got a lot1171of good people out there that know how to extract and make1172energy for all of us. We need to let them go, we need to turn1173them loose, and we need to quit being afraid. Absolutely--it1174can scare us to death. We don't need to worry about Godzilla1175and the claws unless we don't act. And if we don't act,1176Godzilla will act, I promise you.1177    That's all I have got. Thank you so much.1178    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Senator Justice. Thanks for your1179comments and your strong message, appreciate it very much.1180    Senator King.1181    Senator King. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.1182    Ms. Beyer, a couple of things. I just want to follow up on1183Senator Hoeven's question. The problem with the effective1184revocation of a permit that had already been granted is the1185chilling effect that has on developers, generally, whether it's1186wind power or oil and gas or anything else. That was an1187extraordinary action, and having been an energy developer1188myself, you spend millions of dollars, and months and years to1189get your permits. And to have a permit effectively canceled1190after you had gone through that entire process, the concern has1191to be, not necessarily about this particular project, but what1192this says to developers, generally, about the reliability and1193certainty of the permitting process. And I joined with Senator1194Barrasso and others, Senator Manchin, on permitting reform. I1195am very strongly in favor of permitting reform, but a step1196which withdraws an already issued permit, I hope that you will1197agree, is a dangerous message to the development community,1198generally.1199    Ms. Beyer. Senator, I agree with that completely. The1200community that is developing, that is producing, that is1201building transmission, the midstream companies that will move1202our energy across the country, they absolutely need certainty1203in our permitting system so that they can make financial1204investment decisions.1205    Senator King. I appreciate that.1206    Let me go on to a different question.1207    Ms. Beyer. Of course.1208    Senator King. Thank you for that answer.1209    You answered Senator Heinrich about conveyance of public1210lands--you said only Congress can do that. Can I press you a1211little bit further and say that you will not support the1212conveyance or transfer of public lands without Congressional1213approval?1214    Ms. Beyer. Sir, if I am confirmed, I will follow the law,1215as directed by Congress. I know that----1216    Senator King. But let me talk just in general policy. Do1217you think there is any justification for the conveyance of1218public lands in a more general sense, and I don't mean little1219inholdings and that kind of thing where we do those things all1220the time that make total sense, but I am talking about a more1221broad program of conveyance of public lands to states or1222private interest. As a matter of policy, do you support that or1223do you oppose it?1224    Ms. Beyer. I believe that not every acre of public land1225holds the exact same value and that states know best how they1226want to use their public lands. And so----1227    Senator King. So you are saying that you are okay with1228conveying federal public lands to states? Is that what you just1229said?1230    Ms. Beyer. I hope to be a collaborative partner with1231Congress on that.1232    Senator King. Well, I hope you will take that very1233seriously because I have grave concerns about conveyance of1234public lands. It belongs to the public, and the public should1235have a response, and the public's voice is right here. So in1236your initial statement--only Congress can do this--I hope that1237you will live up to that in your position.1238    Mr. Garrish, I have been in a number of meetings recently1239about SMRs and development of future nuclear power. It strikes1240me that it's not going to happen on its own in the private1241sector because it's simply too expensive, that there needs to1242be a kind of CHIPS and Science Act, if you will, for new1243nuclear technology with federal support for the first five, or1244some number, because the expense is so great of developing a1245brand new, highly complex piece of technology. What are your1246thoughts on that?1247    Mr. Garrish. I agree with that completely. The private1248sector cannot----1249    Senator King. Let the record show that he said he agreed1250with me completely. Thank you.1251    [Laughter.]1252    Mr. Garrish. My position on this is that we need to develop1253a series of mechanisms for financing of reactors. The private1254sector can do some of this. The loan office can help. That was1255very helpful in the Vogtle plants, as you know, and it has been1256helpful in other plants that we have. In addition to that, we1257have to look for other sources of financing and even grants, in1258some cases, and we do have some grant programs currently----1259    Senator King. Particularly for the early prototypes.1260    Mr. Garrish. Getting prototypes to work and to be tested1261and to demonstrate the materials that you need for licensing,1262that is a program that we currently have underway, and we are1263going to implement at the Idaho National Laboratory, and that1264is an extremely important part of the process. We have to get1265these plants past the first-of-a-kind. We have to build five of1266them or ten of them to be able to demonstrate that these can be1267built in factories and we can move forward.1268    So I agree with you, this is a complex matter as to how we1269go through the process, but we have to look for financing tools1270and financing interest and people that are interested in doing1271this, including the government.1272    Senator King. Mr. Garrish, I really appreciate your1273willingness to continue to serve and to demonstrate that those1274of us who remember President Reagan still have something to1275offer.1276    [Laughter.]1277    Mr. Garrish. Thank you.1278    Senator King. Thank you.1279    Mr. Abbey, just very briefly, we need objective data to1280make good policy. It's as simple as that. And I hope in your1281position, and I think you have the background to do so, you1282used the term, ``objective data.'' That's what is needed--1283straight-up, honest data without political bias that will then1284help us to make good policy. Are you committed to objective1285data?1286    Mr. Abbey. Absolutely, Senator.1287    Senator King. Thank you.1288    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.1289    The Chairman [presiding]. Senator Murkowski, you are up1290next.1291    Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.1292    I am just smiling because I was given a statement from1293Senator Murkowski, who was on this Committee on July 15, 1986,1294and apparently at that time, my father introduced you, Mr.1295Garrish, to the Committee as you were being nominated to become1296the Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation1297System. So as my colleague has said, there are a few from the1298Reagan days that not only understand things, but understand1299things so well that they are back yet again. So, a little bit1300of Committee history here. So just want to acknowledge that.1301    Ms. Beyer, I want to speak to you--a couple questions here,1302and I love your connections to Alaska. It takes tough1303individuals to run the Mayor's Marathon, and I just love the1304fact that you like to spend family time up there. So you are1305familiar with Alaska. The last time we had a Senate-confirmed1306ASLM position was an Alaskan, Joe Balash. He obviously got a1307lot of these issues that are before Interior, before BLM. And1308you are going to be asked to pick up a lot in this space, as1309you well know. I know that you are familiar with the ``no more1310wilderness'' clause that is contained in ANILCA. I just need1311your commitment to me and to the Committee that you will ensure1312that BLM and other agencies under your purview abide by this1313``no more'' clause. And even going a little bit beyond that,1314whether or not you would be willing to work with the delegation1315to evaluate what has happened in Alaska since passage of ANILCA1316as a result of BLM's oftentimes unilateral decisions to1317withdraw more and more land from public access. So just a1318willingness to work with the delegation on this.1319    Ms. Beyer. Absolutely, ma'am. Given my personal affinity1320for the state, it's one of the things that I am most looking1321forward to working on, if I am confirmed. I will look forward1322to spending time there and working with you on all those1323issues.1324    Senator Murkowski. Good. We will invite you back often.1325    Speaking of Alaska land conveyances, as you know, we are1326dealing with the lifting of outdated public land orders--long,1327long overdue land conveyances that are owed under our Alaska1328Statehood Act, as well as the Native Claims Settlement Act. We1329have to resolve submerged lands issues. These are matters that1330require a great deal of detail, time, and resources. But we1331have been a state now for long enough, and I think some of1332these promises that were made at statehood need to be1333completed. We need your help to do that, and I would just like1334your commitment to that.1335    Ms. Beyer. Absolutely, ma'am, if I am lucky enough to be1336confirmed, I look forward to working on that.1337    Senator Murkowski. Good, good, good.1338    And last question to you--I know you aren't in the building1339yet, but the Department has just recently announced a new five-1340year program for offshore development as well as what they are1341calling a new High Arctic Planning Area. And I get where the1342Administration is coming from. It's basically put everything on1343the table, and then figure out how we might want to winnow some1344of these back, actually where we want leasing to occur. As you1345well know, in Alaska, there are places that we seek to develop1346aggressively, responsibly, and then there are areas that we1347don't. So I would just ask your commitment, again, that you1348would work with the Alaska delegation. We have Alaskans that1349are here in the room as part of Alaska Day today, but1350especially our North Slope leaders to determine where leasing1351is appropriate, and perhaps not appropriate within the Alaska1352OCS.1353    Ms. Beyer. Absolutely. I look forward to being briefed on1354the details of that and I will take a very close look at it.1355    Senator Murkowski. Very good, appreciate that.1356    Mr. Abbey, I am going to give you an opportunity to share a1357little bit of your vision here. You don't have much time, but1358you have spent a lot of time thinking about many of these1359things. You mentioned the vision that you have for the critical1360minerals and the specific outlook, but is what we were able to1361accomplish when it came to lifting the oil export ban, and1362again, the strategy, the implementation, can we do this with1363critical minerals? Can we do this with LNG exports? Is this1364something that, in your new role, you think you can bring to1365the table looking at the objective, analytical data that EIA1366brings to bear, but can we develop, can we work towards1367developing better strategic approaches to these very important1368issues?1369    Mr. Abbey. Thank you, Senator, for the question.1370    In my view, objectivity is a discipline. It is something1371that you can practice, and in various capacities I have been an1372objective steward of data. In other capacities, I have had more1373of a policy role. If confirmed as Administrator, I would no1374longer be in a policymaking role, but I do believe that the1375crude oil export debate illustrates the importance of EIA.1376There were a lot of think tanks and consulting firms that were1377writing reports about crude oil exports, but all of them were1378using EIA data. EIA data, to borrow Ranking Member Heinrich's1379term, once again, this common set of facts. And I think the EIA1380can absolutely play a critical role in helping anybody who is1381trying to develop any kind of energy policy to equip them with1382the information that they need.1383    Senator Murkowski. That's a good answer.1384    Mr. Abbey. Thank you.1385    Senator Murkowski. I appreciate it.1386    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.1387    Mr. Abbey. I learned from the best.1388    Senator Murkowski. Thank you.1389    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Murkowski.1390    Ms. Beyer, I would like to start with you, if that's okay.1391    I'm sorry--I forgot. Senator Cortez Masto, that was very1392bad. You are up to bat. Thank you.1393    Senator Cortez Masto. Well, as Chairman, I respect your1394position, so thank you.1395    First of all, congratulations. Congratulations on your1396nominations. Welcome to the family members that are here. It's1397an exciting time. Thank you so much.1398    Let me start with you, Mr. Garrish. I am sure you are not1399surprised--I am from Nevada, and this is a question I ask1400everyone from Department of Energy, starting with Secretary1401Chris Wright, who provided the following QFR response during1402his nomination process. He said, ``The people of Nevada are not1403in favor of Yucca Mountain and thus President Trump and I do1404not support Yucca Mountain as a waste repository.''1405    My question to you is, do you agree with this statement?1406    Mr. Garrish. Yes.1407    Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you.1408    If confirmed, will you maintain efforts to establish a1409consent-based repository site selection process?1410    Mr. Garrish. I would like to speak to that, if I may.1411    Senator Cortez Masto. Please.1412    Mr. Garrish. I have been concerned over the word consent-1413based. I would prefer something that sounds more like1414collaborative. In other words, I would like to collaborate with1415states, not--the idea of consent suggests that you are doing1416something to the states that they may not want. I would prefer1417to work collaboratively with the states and determine what1418states might be interested in this potential opportunity and1419whether there are things that could be added to it, benefits,1420and that is a process that we could enter over a period of1421time.1422    And so, I would propose initially to go with a system that1423would be more collaborative than consent-based.1424    Senator Cortez Masto. Can I ask, then, if there is a1425consent-based legislation, and the consent is really taking1426into consideration whether the states--including Nevada--and1427the stakeholders agree to any nuclear waste being sited in1428their state, you would take that into consideration and would1429not force it upon them if they did not agree to it?1430    Mr. Garrish. Generally, I guess my belief is that if the1431state is not interested, then the collaborative process would1432probably terminate.1433    Senator Cortez Masto. Okay.1434    And so, that law in legislation, when we talk about1435consent-based and every state being treated equally, that1436should include the State of Nevada?1437    Mr. Garrish. Well, the legislation that I think that you1438are referring to, there is no administrative position on it at1439this time. So I am not in a position to say one way or the1440other.1441    Senator Cortez Masto. Thus, the superseding legislation to1442allow all states to be treated equally, including the State of1443Nevada. You would support that if there was superseding1444legislation?1445    Mr. Garrish. Well, I am not in a position today to tell1446you, legislatively, to give you a position on behalf of the1447Administration.1448    Senator Cortez Masto. So let me just say, previously the1449Secretary has said he would support it. So I am a little1450confused why you wouldn't, but we can have further conversation1451about this. I am concerned about your position, however, but I1452need to get on to some other questions here, but let's have1453further conversation.1454    Mr. Garrish. I understand that we are scheduling a meeting,1455hopefully, where we can talk about this and the collaborative1456approach and generally your suggestions. I am very interested.1457    Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you.1458    Mr. Garrish. And I think in terms of entering this1459position, if confirmed, I would really like to get your views1460as one of the first people I talk to on this.1461    Senator Cortez Masto. Good. I look forward to the1462conversation.1463    Dr. Travnicek, you talked about the Colorado River. Thank1464you very much. This is a priority for all of the Basin States1465along the Colorado River. We know that we have deadlines coming1466up. The guidelines for future water allocations expire in 2027.1467There are negotiations going on right now. The hope is that the1468Basin States will come together and agree to the guidelines and1469how they are going to manage the Colorado River. My question to1470you is, if confirmed, how will you prioritize this process to1471ensure that the Basin can reach that necessary consensus and1472avoid litigation before time runs out?1473    Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator, for the question.1474    Yes, as discussed earlier, the Colorado River is going to1475be front and center. If confirmed, it will be one of my top1476priorities to hit the ground running on right away. We know1477that we have to work with the seven Basin States. It needs to1478be consensus-driven, state led. We don't want this to be1479decided by a judge. So it's going to be my top priority.1480    Senator Cortez Masto. And I look forward to working with1481you. I know all the Basin States--we do, as well.1482    One final question, let me ask you, because this came to my1483attention just recently talking with my electric co-ops, who1484are concerned about hydropower from the dam, Hoover Dam, as1485well as Glen Canyon Dam. But let me just talk a little bit1486about Hoover Dam. In Congress, we previously made significant1487investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and1488Inflation Reduction Act to improve water infrastructure and to1489mitigate drought conditions along the river. And you talked a1490little bit about that. Unfortunately, many of those funds are1491currently halted. Additionally, Colorado River contract1492customers have been working with the Bureau of Reclamation to1493receive some of those Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to1494install wide-head turbines that can operate at low levels and1495continue to generate the hydropower that my companies and1496Nevadans need.1497    If these turbines are not installed and production1498generation drops due to the low water level that has been set1499by the Bureau of Reclamation, customers in Nevada will be1500forced to replace these hydropower resources with more1501expensive power, impacting power prices for rural communities1502in Nevada. And so, my question to you is, can you commit to me1503to work to release those funds that were allocated by Congress1504in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation1505Reduction Act that addresses those needs--specifically those1506projects that we need along the Colorado River? Would you1507commit to working with me to release those funds?1508    Dr. Travnicek. Senator, thank you for the question.1509    So as it relates to hydropower, right, we know that1510Reclamation is the second largest producer of hydropower. It is1511extremely important. It is extremely important to have those1512low costs related to the energy production as well. So as we1513look at those different funds, I appreciate the overview1514related to what those funds have been sitting and supposed to1515go toward, so if confirmed, I will be committed to looking into1516that just to understand more of what it is and how that could1517help.1518    Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you.1519    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.1520    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Cortez Masto.1521    Ms. Beyer, let's start with you. We have about 700 miles of1522our southern border that consists of federal land, and on a1523number of occasions, over and over and over again, over many1524years, federal land managers have blocked access or delayed1525access to customs and border protection to that land. They want1526to keep them out of that land in the name of environmental1527protection, but meanwhile, illegal border crossings have1528themselves caused massive environmental degradation, including1529leaving trash piles, damaged ecosystems, wildfires, and other1530problems. If confirmed, how will you prioritize preventing1531environmental damage that may be caused by illegal immigration?1532    Mr. Beyer. I believe that the local stakeholders know best1533what is going on on those public lands, and I would instruct1534the BLM to work collaboratively with people on the ground to1535ensure that we are using/making the best use of the land.1536    The Chairman. It's certainly not an environmentally neutral1537thing to allow the border to be open. And so, that certainly1538has to be taken into account.1539    Dr. Travnicek, a federal decision last year requires the1540bypass of hydropower generation at Glen Canyon Dam to control1541the smallmouth bass, a species that, itself, threatens the ESA-1542listed humpback chub. Now, restricting hydropower generation1543does a lot of things, including forcing customers to purchase1544more expensive replacement power. This is also depleting the1545Basin Fund, which supports critical infrastructure along the1546Colorado River that the Colorado River Basin States need and1547rely on. If confirmed, how will you balance ESA compliance on1548the one hand with the need to protect affordable hydropower and1549to benefit American families and otherwise address the needs of1550the Colorado River Basin States?1551    Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator Lee, and I really1552appreciate the conversation yesterday as well.1553    We know, as we are looking at the Colorado River, and we1554are looking at how those dams are operated, and the energy that1555goes with it, that we are going to have to have some of that1556balance. There was that decision that was completed last year,1557right, that does lean in a little bit more on looking at1558reducing and impacting the hydropower energy. So if confirmed,1559I am committed to looking into it and trying to figure out how1560we can still rely on that lower cost of energy.1561    The Chairman. Much appreciated, thank you.1562    Mr. Abbey, in 2021, Congress directed EIA to produce a1563critical minerals outlook and to deepen its capabilities in1564international analysis. It's now 2025, and we haven't seen the1565report. If confirmed, how do you view the international1566critical materials landscape, and what would you do as the1567Administrator of EIA to ensure that we have the best1568information available to strengthen our supply chains?1569    Mr. Abbey. Thank you very much, Chairman Lee, for that1570question.1571    There are two great Americans in the audience, who I didn't1572mention in my opening statement--my mother-in-law and my1573father-in-law, Pat and Rick Bruno, who can attest to the fact1574that, although I am extremely interested in the critical1575minerals issue, I am not presently employed at DOE. I am1576blissfully living a life in Tampa at the moment. I think the1577issue that you raise is absolutely----1578    The Chairman. Washington is a lot like Tampa. You won't1579notice a difference.1580    [Laughter.]1581    Mr. Abbey. I think the issue that you raise, Senator, is1582absolutely important. One of the first things I would do, if1583confirmed, is meet with the team to understand what steps, if1584any, have been taken to adhere to the statutory guidance from1585Congress to establish that outlook. As you mentioned, it was1586directed in 2021 and does not exist today. If confirmed, it1587would exist.1588    The Chairman. Thank you.1589    Mr. Garrish, I loved seeing the reference earlier to the1590other Senator Murkowski, talking to the--well, not the other1591Theodore Garrish, but the same one, just in a different era.1592Our country is facing a looming energy crisis due to the growth1593of energy-intensive industries, and in many cases, the1594retirement of dispatchable and firm generation resources. In1595response, many states, including my own State of Utah, are1596taking steps to significantly increase their production. The1597State of Utah, through Operation Gigawatt, is working to double1598its energy capacity over the next 10 years, an ambitious, but I1599believe, achievable ambition. It's leading the way in making it1600easier to build new nuclear energy as part of that same effort.1601    As energy demand continues to grow, we need to increase our1602supply with reliable, affordable, clean baseload generation,1603like nuclear. If confirmed, what will you do in your role as1604Assistant Secretary over the Office of Nuclear Energy to make1605sure that we get continued operation of the existing nuclear1606fleet and make sure that we get new nuclear plants up, running,1607and online as soon as possible?1608    Mr. Garrish. Senator, nuclear definitely has a role in the1609future and will play an important part. And what I believe that1610we have to do initially is get a plant licensed and operating1611here as soon as possible. There are a number of programs that1612the Department currently has underway--the Advanced Nuclear1613Reactor program-- that will really facilitate first movers to1614get the advanced reactors into the marketplace. Similarly,1615there are programs right now at Idaho National Laboratory where1616we can begin the testing of prototypes, full-size prototypes,1617to begin to have new reactors available into the market. The1618key is, we need to build one, we need to license one, and we1619need to do it in an economic way. And that process is going to1620take a little time, but we need to get started with it1621immediately, and that's an important aspect of my plans, if1622confirmed, that I would really intend to begin with.1623    The Chairman. I realize the office you have been nominated1624to fill plays a different role, but are there benefits that1625could be derived from a collaboration between your office and1626the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to accelerate the process?1627    Mr. Garrish. Absolutely, and I think one of the very1628interesting ideas that has been suggested is a very close1629collaboration with our office as they begin to test the new1630reactors and work with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on1631ways in which licensing could be enhanced and we could do1632research that is directly related to the information needed to1633accelerate the license process.1634    The Chairman. Excellent, thank you very much.1635    Senator Padilla, you are up next.1636    Senator Padilla. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and a thank you to1637all the witnesses that are here today.1638    I want to begin with an idea, an opportunity, I think,1639that's not just near and dear to me and important for the State1640of California, but can be critical, pun intended, for the1641country. Just last year, the Department of Energy announced the1642results of the most comprehensive analysis to date quantifying1643the domestic lithium resources in California's Salton Sea1644region. The announcement confirmed what we have known in1645California for a long time now, that the Salton Sea region has1646significant potential as a domestic source of critical minerals1647to reduce our reliance on minerals from foreign countries,1648particularly China. So it's a matter of both economic1649opportunity and national security.1650    My question is for Ms. Beyer. What is your plan to develop1651domestic sources of lithium and assure that we are not reliant1652on foreign sources?1653    Ms. Beyer. Senator, thank you for the question. I agree1654with you 100 percent. We have to be very focused as a country1655on developing our own critical minerals to secure our supply1656chain and make us less dependent on other countries for those1657minerals. If I am confirmed and oversee that mining process at1658the office at OSMRE, while that's primarily around coal, I will1659do everything within the power of the SLM to ensure that we can1660mine effectively and get America ahead on that process. We know1661that we are behind, and it is incredibly dangerous,1662specifically with regard to China.1663    Senator Padilla. Well, I think your chances of getting1664confirmed are pretty darn good. So let me jump into some1665specifics into the weeds here. If confirmed, would you commit1666that brining, as a means of extraction, would be included in1667any administrative action to incentivize the domestic supply of1668critical minerals?1669    Ms. Beyer. Sir, since I have not been in the building and I1670have not been fully briefed on that, I can't say specifically1671what I would support, but I look forward to learning more about1672it. I hope to get in the building soon and to be able to get1673into the weeds of that.1674    Senator Padilla. Okay, well, I look forward to being part1675of that education coming up to speed and would certainly ask1676that you work with California leaders to advance brining and1677other opportunities in the Lithium Valley region of California.1678    My next questions are directed at Dr. Travnicek. First of1679all, congratulations again on your nomination. Before we begin,1680I just wanted to confirm one thing. You are currently working1681as a Senior Advisor at the Department, correct?1682    Dr. Travnicek. Senator, that's correct.1683    Senator Padilla. Okay. So if you have watched any of the1684confirmation hearings for your colleagues that have come1685through this Committee, I am sure you have heard me talk about1686our work in recent years to establish and to expand national1687monuments in California in recent years. And as I have talked1688about here in Committee, and as I have raised with the1689Secretary directly, repeatedly, in person and on the phone and1690during his confirmation, the landscapes I am referring to have1691little or no energy or mineral potential. We were very--you1692know, we worked to establish the boundaries very precisely with1693a mind to that. By the way, these monuments enjoy tremendous, I1694mean, literally overwhelming support in California across the1695board.1696    Now, I raise that because I would hate to see--I don't1697believe these monuments, new and expanded, fit really into this1698right-sizing effort that I am hearing about the Administration1699discussing when it comes to national monuments. So I would like1700to know, have you been part of the discussions at the1701Department to date in terms of the right-sizing of national1702monuments or the review process for protected landscapes for1703energy or mineral potential?1704    Dr. Travnicek. So Senator, as the Senior Advisor, I have1705been working on different executive orders and secretarial1706orders that have come before the Department. As relates to this1707one, I have not been specifically involved.1708    Senator Padilla. Okay, well, if and when you do become1709involved, engagement with stakeholders is critical for this and1710in all processes. And as far as we can tell, we are hearing1711about a review. We are hearing these monuments may be on the1712list, may not be on the list, maybe they are on the list, but1713the folks on the ground, the very leaders that advocated for1714the establishment and the expansion of these monuments have not1715been consulted. So I would ask that you commit to, again, if1716and when you become involved with this, to commit to true1717engagement with local leaders, both sides of the aisle--1718Democrats and Republicans--tribal leaders, conservationists,1719and others as part of any so-called review. And I would further1720ask that you commit, just as the first Trump Administration1721did, if there is going to be a suggested reconfiguration of the1722boundaries, that it be made public and a public comment period1723or an opportunity for public input be allowed before any final1724actions are taken.1725    Can you commit to that as a good faith process with the1726public?1727    Dr. Travnicek. So Senator, if confirmed, I am committed to1728working with you and others that might have feedback related to1729that. As discussed, there are executive orders and secretarial1730orders, and it will be different bureaus that will be working1731on that versus the ones that I will be involved with, but I1732would bring any of those concerns and commitment to working1733with those colleagues that might be working on that initiative.1734    Senator Padilla. Okay, thank you very much.1735    The Chairman. Senator Daines.1736    Senator Daines. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.1737    Ms. Beyer, the BLM's core principle is multiple use. That's1738Congressionally mandated in the Federal Land Management and1739Policy Act. However, under the Biden Administration, the Bureau1740of Land Management implemented the so-called Conservation and1741Landscape Health Rule that subverted the agency's multiple-use1742management of public lands. At that time, I heard a lot from my1743ranchers. I expressed deep concerns with this rule, especially1744as it pertained to the impacts on livestock grazing on public1745lands. Livestock operations are part of our Montana way of1746life, and cattle and sheep grazing on public lands provides1747benefits by mitigating the risk of wildfire, suppressing1748invasive grasses, and improving wildlife habitat, while1749economically supporting our rural communities who are1750struggling across our state.1751    Will you commit to reconsidering this overreaching rule1752that harms multiple use and destroys transparency and public1753input around land use decisions?1754    Ms. Beyer. Senator, thank you for the question.1755    I know that has been an extraordinary issue in your state,1756and I have followed that. And if I am confirmed, I absolutely1757will follow the law, the multiple-use mandate, and the contours1758of FLPMA that provide that.1759    Senator Daines. Thank you.1760    Earlier this month, we were very pleased that President1761Trump announced a number of executive orders to support coal in1762Montana. My generational roots go back five in Montana. I know1763many watch shows like Yellowstone or they see Brad Pitt with a1764fly rod in his hand, you think it's only about fly fishing, and1765as a lifelong fly fisherman, I couldn't agree more, but we also1766have more recoverable coal than any state in the United States.1767It's one of the understated facts and something that many don't1768know.1769    So these EOs to support us in Montana with coal include1770rolling back the Miles City Resource Management Plan amendment1771prohibiting new coal development in eastern Montana. I am1772grateful that Secretary Burgum, likewise, took steps to support1773energy development on our federal lands. I truly believe that1774BLM can balance coal, oil, gas, and renewable energy1775development while also supporting conservation, recreation, and1776grazing resources. That really is the mandate from Congress.1777    My question is, do you support the actions by the President1778and the Secretary to roll back these anti-energy rules, like1779the Miles City RMP and the unreachable bonding rates and return1780the BLM to its true multiple-use mandate?1781    Ms. Beyer. Senator, thank you.1782    I think President Trump and Secretary Burgum have laid out1783a very bold vision for developing more American energy1784resources, and coal has a very important role in that. I1785believe in American innovation around reducing emissions and1786how effectively we can produce energy around coal. And so,1787absolutely, sir, I commit to working with you on that and to1788following the direction of the President and the Secretary.1789    Senator Daines. You know, it ought to be a warning shot,1790what we saw happening in Spain and Portugal this past week1791about what happens when ideology and nonsense drives energy1792policy and where we get energy in terms of the balance between1793intermittent sources of energy and baseload power. And I am1794grateful that in this Administration baseload power is cool1795again, thank God.1796    Dr. Travnicek, the Bureau of Reclamation is currently1797working quickly to address the catastrophic failure of two1798siphons from the St. Mary River that are a critical part of the1799Milk River Project that provides water to irrigators on1800Montana's Hi-Line. I don't expect you to be an expert on this,1801but I want to raise your awareness here because you will be1802confirmed and you will be serving. I am grateful for that.1803Additionally, I am working to finish Montana's last tribal1804water compact. I have been working on tribal water compacts for1805much of my time back here in Congress. These are sometimes over1806a century--back to, certainly, treaties--and getting these1807resolved on behalf of the irrigators and the tribes is one of1808my highest priorities. We are down to one left in Montana, and1809that's for the Fort Belknap Indian community. We are making1810great progress on that. We are very close. This will improve1811infrastructure and economic development for both our tribal and1812our non-tribal water users.1813    My question is, will you work with me to ensure the1814continued success of these federal water projects so that1815farmers, ranchers, tribes and municipal users will have1816certainty over their water rights and their usage?1817    Dr. Travnicek. Senator, thank you for the overview of both1818of those important concerns that you have in trying to move1819those projects forward. I am committed to working with you on1820those.1821    Senator Daines. Thank you.1822    And that St. Marys project, by the way, when you see1823beautiful movies and pictures of Montana, you see a lot of1824water, that's true--we actually are a semi-arid climate in1825Montana. It's pretty dry, and particularly where St. Marys is1826at, it's a very arid part of our state, and literally, it's an1827artery, a lifeline of water that has been tragically1828interrupted because of an infrastructure failure. And time is1829of the essence to get this completed so we can support1830irrigators this year.1831    I am out of time, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.1832    The Chairman. Senator Hickenlooper.1833    Senator Hickenlooper. Thank you, Mr. Chair.1834    Ms. Beyer, obviously, Coloradans support conservation1835protection for our public lands, like most states. These lands1836boost the $17 billion recreation economy, not to mention all1837the wildlife and watershed benefits that accrue. You are1838nominated for a role that would oversee the Bureau of Land1839Management, which manages lands for multiple processes or uses.1840You are certainly experienced in the oil and gas side of1841things, but you are also going to have to transition to a1842broader lens now and look at making sure that we ensure healthy1843lands, diversity of landscapes, reliable access to outdoor1844recreation. Will you work with us to make sure that we maintain1845these approaches to conservation and protection of our public1846lands?1847    Ms. Beyer. Senator, I appreciate you pointing that out, and1848absolutely, I agree with you and commit to working with you on1849that.1850    Senator Hickenlooper. Great, thank you.1851    And Mr. Garrish, nuclear energy could play a huge role in1852our national security, and I share the frustration of many1853organizations--Nuclear Energy Institute, the Colorado Nuclear1854Alliance, Nuclear Innovation Alliance--that DOE has let go more1855than half its staff at the Loan Programs Office. The Loan1856Programs Office--LPO--one of the most effective federal offices1857supporting new nuclear projects in the United States. How does1858the Administration, from your perspective, plan to expand1859domestic nuclear energy while simultaneously dramatically1860reducing the staff that would be most critical for that1861expansion?1862    Mr. Garrish. Well, I am hopeful that as applications come1863into LPO for additional nuclear projects that there is1864sufficient staff to handle them, and I see no reason of that1865currently. And I am not totally familiar with the staff1866situation at LPO, but I anticipate that we will have the staff1867to handle that.1868    Senator Hickenlooper. So if you find there is insufficient1869staff, you will raise your voice and say, we need more staff?1870    Mr. Garrish. Indeed.1871    Senator Hickenlooper. Good. Good to hear that.1872    Dr. Travnicek, the Department of the Interior recently1873announced some of the emergency permitting procedures to1874accelerate the development of domestic resources of critical1875minerals. As has been noted, this initiative seeks to reduce1876multi-year review processes to, well, as much as possible--in1877some cases, as quickly as 28 days. I am an outspoken, I guess I1878would say, supporter of bipartisan permitting reform. I1879emphasize bipartisan permitting reform. But I am concerned1880about some of these drastic actions. What are the litigation1881risks of taking such dramatic steps to accelerate timelines1882without an act of Congress? In other words, are we creating far1883more obstacles or problems in the future as we seek to1884circumvent the existing structure? And then, how do you justify1885operating under a national energy emergency while excluding key1886technological technologies like solar, wind, and energy storage1887from these new procedures?1888    Dr. Travnicek. Senator, thank you for the question.1889    Yes, we have been directed to the presidential order in1890regards to the energy emergency that we see here in this1891country. I know that this Committee has been active, as it1892relates to finding ways to streamline the permitting processes.1893The team at Interior has been working very hard to try to see1894if there are any ways to streamline them even further. And1895that's where you did see this last week where there was a new1896permitting process that was rolled out to try to expedite that1897to make sure that we can develop the resources, and also get1898the infrastructure needed to make sure that we are getting that1899clear energy dominance.1900    At the same time, it also is looking at just ESA, NHPA. I1901know there was a question earlier related to tribes. So the1902Department is going to work really hard to implement that.1903    Senator Hickenlooper. Great, thank you.1904    And I will ask you each, just, there have been some, I1905think, some serious discussions about large-scale sales of1906public lands for the generation of revenue for the Federal1907Government. I just wanted to ask each of you to give your1908authentic opinion as to whether that's a worthy outcome. And I1909am a great believer in budgets and frugality, but I think a1910wide-scale sale of public lands just for the generation of1911revenue seems very ill-advised. I just want to hear each of1912your opinions on that.1913    Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator, for the question.1914    We know, as it relates to federal lands, there are a lot of1915multi-use efforts that are associated with them. So----1916    Senator Hickenlooper. I am just talking about the sale. So1917I understand putting multi-use, and I understand that, and in1918some mountain towns you can sell an acre or two from the BLM1919that they can use for affordable housing or workforce housing,1920I get that. I am not against that. I am talking about larger-1921scale sale of public lands to generate revenue, solely to1922generate revenue for the Federal Government.1923    Dr. Travnicek. Yes, and at the Department of the Interior1924right now, we do have a directive through an executive order to1925review all of those public lands, seeing if there are any1926opportunities. So it would be working with the states, looking1927for opportunities to see if there is any opportunity.1928    Senator Hickenlooper. So you are okay with that, all right.1929    Ms. Beyer. Senator, Congress has the authority to dispose1930of public lands, and I agree with my colleague from the1931Interior perspective. We would look to the states, any state1932looking to do a lands transfer.1933    Senator Hickenlooper. So you said Congress has the1934authority, but then you are going to look to the states. So1935look to the states to advise Congress? That's the question. I1936just want to--I am not trying to be trouble, I am just trying1937to make sure we get----1938    Ms. Beyer. No, I understand, sir. I meant that in the1939context of--I am sure there is a role for the Department of the1940Interior. I do not currently work in the building, but my1941understanding of the constitution is that it gives that1942authority to Congress.1943    Senator Hickenlooper. Right, we agree.1944    Mr. Garrish.1945    Mr. Garrish. Senator, I am not familiar enough with the1946subject to be able to provide much of an opinion. However, it1947would seem to me that, as I understand it, that this is a1948matter for Congress.1949    Senator Hickenlooper. Thank you.1950    Mr. Abbey. Thank you, Senator, for the question. I1951appreciate the issue that you raise. As the nominee for the EIA1952Administrator position, which is policy neutral, I,1953unfortunately, am not able to respond.1954    Senator Hickenlooper. All right, thank you. I am out of1955time.1956    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Hickenlooper.1957    Senator Gallego.1958    Senator Gallego. Thank you, Chairman and Ranking Member.1959    My first question is for Dr. Travnicek. One of the most1960pressing issues from my state is drought funding, and we1961continue to see challenges with funding freezes at the Bureau1962of Reclamation. If you are confirmed, these funds will be your1963responsibility. Reclamation has halted critical funding that1964has been a bridge to keep the Colorado River Basin system1965functioning. I am concerned that these funds are being held,1966and I have heard reports that the Department plans to hold1967funding until a seven-state agreement is reached. Do you commit1968to releasing all previously appropriated funding and do you1969recognize the urgency of drought funding in the West?1970    Dr. Travnicek. Thank you, Senator, for the question. And as1971I have discussed before, we do know that drought is an1972extremely important issue that we are seeing here in the West1973and that we are all going to have to work really hard and use1974all the different tools in the toolbox. As it relates to the1975funding that might be put on pause right now, I committed to,1976if confirmed, looking into it further just to understand what1977is on pause.1978    Senator Gallego. Okay, just because for us it looks--it1979seems like it's not exactly the smartest move because there are1980some states that would be absolutely happy to let this go to1981litigation, keep fighting it out, and then you are punishing1982some of the Lower Basin States that need this investment now,1983which will end up actually helping all of the Basin in terms of1984their--how many acre-feet of water we need behind the dams. So1985I just want to make sure you keep that in perspective.1986    I would like to also ask about the Northeastern Arizona1987Indian Water Rights Settlement Act. This would be the largest1988Indian water rights settlement ever enacted in the history of1989this country and provide the southern tribes--the Navajo1990Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and the San Juan Southern Paiute1991Tribe--with desperately needed water and infrastructure funding1992and water to actually even, you know, spur their economy.1993Without a settlement, other water users in the Colorado River1994Basin face uncertainty regarding the tribes' Colorado River1995water rights. So essentially, we don't know how much we have1996left if we haven't allocated what these tribes justly deserve.1997So it's particularly important because the Navajo Nation has1998one of the largest single outstanding claims in the whole1999Colorado River. Approximately one-third of Navajo homes still2000do not have running water even to this date. So this settlement2001will bring certainty to the Basin and ensure tribes can thrive2002on their homeland.2003    So will you commit to working with me and the Arizona2004delegation--bipartisan delegation--to finish this settlement?2005    Dr. Travnicek. So Senator, I understand the importance of2006the Indian Water Rights Settlements. When I was here during the2007first Trump Administration, I had an opportunity to work with2008several of those tribal nations. So I am committed to working2009with you on those.2010    Senator Gallego. Great, thank you.2011    Questions for Mr. Garrish. You know, I appreciate our time2012yesterday talking about, you know, creative solutions for2013energy and fast deployment of nuclear energy. As you know, I am2014very interested in SMRs, and they have a great potential to2015meet Arizona's rising energy demand. And I have heard from2016communities that actually are very excited about the deployment2017of this technology, and so, I was hoping that you and I could2018talk further about potential creative ways to actually have2019faster deployment.2020    So will you commit to visiting Arizona and working together2021on fast deployment of SMRs, including the potential for their2022use on military bases in the state?2023    Mr. Garrish. Senator, thank you for your time that we took2024to discuss this important topic. Arizona has a tremendous2025opportunity for nuclear development, and you are currently home2026of one of the most successful and largest nuclear plants, and I2027think that there are many opportunities going forward, and I2028look forward to working with you, including military bases, for2029nuclear potential.2030    Senator Gallego. Thank you.2031    Ms. Beyer, Arizona is home--and thank you again for also2032speaking to me yesterday--is home to 12.1 million acres of BLM2033land, a department that you are going to oversee. Within these2034are national monuments that highlight the natural and cultural2035beauty of my state. One example is the Ancestral Footprints of2036the Grand Canyon National Monument. The Grand Canyon is not2037only a natural wonder of the world and a sacred site for many2038tribes, it's an enormous economic driver for Northern Arizona,2039as the second most visited national park in the country. Loving2040the Grand Canyon isn't controversial--80 percent of all2041Arizonans support the Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon,2042and the Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon isn't unique2043in being protected by presidential declaration. Grand Canyon2044National Park itself started out that way.2045    In recent weeks, reports have circulated that the2046Administration is planning to shrink the boundaries of a number2047of monuments, including the Ancestral Footprints of the Grand2048Canyon National Monument. Do you plan to support the rollback2049of monument protections for the Grand Canyon?2050    Ms. Beyer. Senator, thank you for the question, and thank2051you for the time yesterday. I enjoyed speaking with you about2052this and a number of your other areas of focus.2053    The Grand Canyon is an amazing place. My parents, here, and2054my son, have spent a lot of time there. And you know, while I2055am not at the Department, I am not aware of any of those2056discussions, but the importance and the majesty of the Grand2057Canyon is not lost on me.2058    Senator Gallego. Thank you, and I yield back, Mr. Chair.2059    The Chairman. Thank you very much, Senator Gallego.2060    I want to thank the witnesses and everyone for their2061participation today. It has been a little chaotic with multiple2062markups and multiple committees happening, but a lot of2063cooperation from members of the Committee has helped.2064    Questions for the record for this hearing are due by 6:002065p.m. this evening. The record of the hearing will remain open2066for statements until 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 8.2067    Again, I thank members of the Committee. On behalf of the2068Committee, I am pleased to extend congratulations to all these2069nominees and look forward to working closely with each one. I2070also look forward to working with all of the Senators on the2071Committee as we continue to consider each of the President's2072remaining nominees within the jurisdiction of this Committee in2073such a productive manner.2074    I hope every Senator of the Committee will continue to work2075with me to persuade leadership on both sides of the aisle to2076bring up these nominations for a vote on the floor as soon as2077possible.2078    And again, I thank all the Senators for their cooperation2079this morning.2080    The hearing is adjourned.2081    [Whereupon, at 11:47 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]20822083                      APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED20842085                              ----------20862087[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]20882089                                 [all]