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Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA), Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Chair Bill Johnson (R-OH), and Subcommittee Vice Chair Rep. John Joyce (R-PA) sent letters today to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) requesting information about their response to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. “The recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio has upended the lives of the residents in that community and threatened the surrounding communities in places like Western Pennsylvania. The people in these communities deserve full transparency from federal and state environmental protection officials to better understand what happened with this derailment and the extent to which their air, water, and soil has been contaminated,” said Rodgers, Johnson, and Joyce. “Today, we are asking Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel and Pennsylvania DEP Acting Secretary Richard Negrin to provide information to Energy and Commerce regarding their overall response and the actions they are taking to address the various hazards resulting from this month’s derailment. ” To help the Committee better understand what happened with this train derailment and its aftermath, members asked Ohio EPA Director Anne M. Vogel and Pennsylvania DEP Acting Secretary Richard Negrin to provide: A timeline of all the events related to the train’s derailment in East Palestine, including releases of any chemical substances caused by the accident, response actions taken to address various hazards presented by the derailment, and testing of air, water, or soil for contamination related to derailment. Details for all the chemical substances that were being transported on the train and their quantities. Who is overseeing this response and the details of Ohio EPA’s and Pennsylvania DEP’s work with Federal, state, and local officials, as well as any non-government entities. All the parties – and their jurisdiction – that Ohio EPA’s and Pennsylvania DEP’s have been coordinating with in responding to the derailment, in containing any pollutants, or in testing or monitoring pollutants in the environment. Any information that Ohio EPA’s and Pennsylvania DEP’s have regarding the “controlled burn,” including the reasons for that action, who made the decision to take that action, and any resulting environmental impacts from that “controlled burn,” such as airborne emissions. The results of environmental testing in the area and any detections above threshold levels. Information regarding water and air testing, members requested confirmation that these tests are being performed, who is leading it—and whether private contractors are being used—and the results of those tests. Information on efforts being undertaken by Ohio EPA, Pennsylvania DEP, and other state agencies help residents of the affected community understand the risks currently present to them so they are comfortable making decisions about returning to their homes. Information regarding the specific legal authority Ohio EPA and Pennsylvania DEP are using to respond to the issues involved with the derailment. CLICK HERE to read the full letter and complete list of information Chair Rodgers and Subcommittee Chair Johnson are requesting from Ohio EPA. CLICK HERE to read the full letter and complete list of information Chair Rodgers, Subcommittee Chair Johnson, and Subcommittee Vice Chair Joyce are requesting from Pennsylvania DEP. Note: Chair Rodgers and Subcommittee Chair Johnson sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan on February 17, 2023 requesting information about the agency’s response efforts in East Palestine, Ohio. CLICK HERE to read the full letter to EPA Administrator Regan. The EPA’s deadline to respond to this letter is March 3, 2023.

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chair Bob Latta (R-OH), Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Chair Bill Johnson (R-OH), and Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Jeff Duncan (R-SC) wrote to the heads of the Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Department of Commerce laying out expectations for intergovernmental cooperation regarding oversight. As Chair Rodgers said in the full committee markup of Energy and Commerce’s Authorization and Oversight Plan for the 118th Congress, “We have a responsibility to conduct oversight to get answers on behalf of those we serve and to ensure accountability so the government is responsive to the American people.” The members outline the below seven principles for each agency or department to comply with Congressional requests and provide answers the American people deserve. 1. For all requests or questions, please reproduce the requests or questions presented in a written letter with the department or agency response. 2. In the spirit of comity and inter-branch accommodation, your department or agency should endeavor to cooperate as much as possible with committee oversight requests. If your department or agency has determined it will not voluntarily cooperate with the requests, please provide electronic written notice within two business days specifying which requests you are declining to cooperate with and the stated reasons for voluntary noncooperation. 3. Your department or agency should make a determination on whether certain requests cannot be fulfilled as presented. Provide electronic written notice within one business week of receipt of the request about such determinations, stating the reasons why. If there is an alternative approach that could address the Committee’s request, then such an alternative approach should be suggested in the interests of comity and inter-branch accommodation. 4. If the department or agency needs clarification about a Committee request, your staff should make good faith efforts to contact Committee staff for assistance as soon as possible. 5. We expect your department or agency to provide a written response to our oversight requests within two weeks of receipt of the letter. If the department or agency needs additional time to respond to Committee requests, your staff should make good faith efforts to contact Committee staff for assistance as soon as possible. 6. If your department or agency has determined that certain requested documents cannot be produced pursuant to a privilege or other legal basis, your department or agency should submit an index of the withheld documents and the privilege asserted within two business weeks of receipt of the request letter. 7. If your department has determined that a requested witness cannot be made available pursuant to a privilege or other legal basis, your department or agency should submit in writing an explanation of the privilege or other legal basis asserted within two business weeks of receipt of the request letter. CLICK HERE to view the letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. CLICK HERE to view the letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. CLICK HERE to view the letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan. CLICK HERE to view the letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

On President Biden’s first day in office, he shut down the Keystone XL pipeline and eliminated 11,000 good paying American jobs with the stroke of a pen.   This sent a signal—the wrong signal—that the Biden administration would make it harder for American energy producers, refiners, and workers to unleash domestic production.   Cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline was only the first of many attacks from this administration on American energy production. Since then, President Biden’s anti-American energy actions have included:  Suspending oil and gas leasing on federal lands  Delaying permits for energy infrastructure and pipelines  Draining our strategic petroleum reserves, compromising both our energy and national security  Begging foreign regimes like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Venezuela for more oil  Emboldening Putin with Nord Stream II  President Biden’s commitment to “no more drilling”—stated as recently as this month at a political event—and his administration’s growing list of burdensome executive proposals have caused U.S. refining capacity to decrease two years in a row. As reported by  Forbes , “If you are a refiner forecasting billions in losses—and you require massive investments in order to keep your refinery operating safely and in compliance with the laws—you may very well make the decision to close down.”  Yet recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has continued taking steps to enhance the regulatory burden on American refineries, which will make gas even more unaffordable for people.   That’s why E&C Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) co-authored a letter to President Biden raising concerns about the negative impacts of the EPA’s new Risk Management Program (RMP) proposal, particularly on the refining industry. This proposal could jeopardize as much as half of the United States’ refining capacity. Here are several highlights from the letter:  “This regulatory proposal, the scope of which exceeds the controversial rule finalized by the Obama EPA,  will do little to nothing to improve workplace safety but instead drastically raise fuel costs—contrary to President Biden’s promise to ‘use every tool’ at the Administration’s disposal to lower the price of gasoline for the average American. “The Risk Management Program (RMP) has helped industry and regulators form consensus on process safety standards and best practices, while also appropriately communicating levels of risk to the public. However, EPA’s recently proposed rule departs from prior practice for the RMP program, raising questions about how useful this rule will be in protecting workers and the public.  EPA’s proposal adds costly, burdensome, and ineffective requirements on regulated facilities, including domestic fuel refiners  that are not comparable with the alleged safety benefits.” […] “If implemented as proposed, we understand that this rule has the potential to significantly impede domestic gasoline production, impacting supply chains and increasing costs for consumers. In other words,  this rule will be directly responsible for increasing consumer prices at the pump and exacerbating America’s high inflation rate.” […] “Importantly, many of the proposed rule’s suggested ‘alternatives’ have not been demonstrated at scale and EPA’s proposal does not discuss the risks associated with alternative technologies. Risk shifting to alternative technology is inappropriate without the Agency focusing a critical lens on potential adverse consequences of the replacements. ” […] “Any proposed update to the RMP must be supported by a strong data and evidence, rather than driven by ideology.  It must also not compromise safety nor adversely impact US energy and economic security.”   Despite what the EPA claims,  this   proposed RMP regulation will do little to improve workplace safety. Instead, it will hurt domestic fuel refiners and cause already expensive gas prices to surge even higher.  Hardworking Americans are already suffering under 40-year high inflation rates—they can’t afford more pain at the pump. The last thing Americans need is an energy transition forced on them through government regulations and subsidies that favor foreign sources of energy over the abundant supplies we have right here in the U.S.   If President Biden wants to make good on his promise to “use every tool” to lower the cost of gas, he needs to borrow some of our tools that would end his war on American energy producers, refiners, and workers.   Energy and Commerce Republicans will cut the red tape and help flip the switch to unleash more American energy production, build energy infrastructure, and increase our refining capacity. This is the best way to fight inflation, reduce emissions, and improve people’s quality of life. CLICK HERE  to read the full letter to the EPA. CLICK HERE  to read more about E&C Republican solutions.

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Subcommittee Leaders sent letters to the Departments of Commerce, Energy, Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency requesting briefings to address concerns about how the U.S. government is identifying and mitigating potential compromises to its network security.  Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Republican Leader Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Subcommittee Chairwoman Diana DeGette (D-CO), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (R-OH), Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA), Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Republican Leader Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Subcommittee Chairwoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Energy Subcommittee Republican Leader Fred Upton (R-MI), Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL), Environment and Climate Change Republican Leader David McKinley (R-WV), Subcommittee Chairman Paul Tonko (D-NY), Health Subcommittee Republican Leader Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Subcommittee Chairwoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) also joined in sending the letters to the federal agencies.  Excerpts and highlights from the letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm:  “Secretary Granholm:   “We write to request a briefing from your department related to the recent open-source software vulnerability—Apache Log4j. The ubiquitous nature of this vulnerability and the hundreds of thousands of known exploits since its disclosure raise concerns about how the U.S. government is identifying and mitigating potential compromises to its network security.”   […]   “On December 11, 2021, CISA Director Jen Easterly stated that ‘this vulnerability, which is being widely exploited by a growing set of threat actors, presents an urgent challenge to network defenders given its broad use.’ She later added, ‘[t]o be clear, this vulnerability poses a severe risk. We will only minimize potential impacts through collaborative efforts between government and the private sector.’”   […]   “Over the past several years, the Committee has done extensive work on cyber threats, including hearings and investigations examining the information-security programs and controls over key computer systems and networks at multiple agencies under the Committee’s jurisdiction.  Because the Log4j vulnerability is widespread and can affect enterprise applications, embedded systems, and their sub-components, the Committee is seeking to gain a comprehensive understanding of the scope of the vulnerability and actions being taken to mitigate its effects. The risk to federal network security is especially concerning because nation-state threat actors have attempted to exploit this Log4j vulnerability.   “Accordingly, we request a staff briefing to discuss your department’s response to the Log4j vulnerability by August 10, 2022, including the following questions:  When did your department first learn of the Log4j vulnerability?  When did your department first learn of the Log4j vulnerability?  What specific actions has your department taken in response to CISA’s guidance in December 2021 and subsequent directive on April 8, 2022, regarding the Log4j vulnerability?   What tools does your department employ to detect all instances of the Log4j vulnerability on your networks? What is your department’s schedule for identifying the Log4j vulnerability?  Does your department employ software that utilizes Apache Log4j? If so, how many software products employed by the department include the Log4j vulnerability?   Has your department been impacted by a compromise or exploitation of the Log4j vulnerability? If so, when was your department first compromised, when did you detect the compromise, what was the extent of the compromise, and how did the department address the compromise?   What incident alert thresholds does your department have for potential compromises generally, and what are your requirements for escalating and reporting anomalies?  Does your department have a specific plan to identify and remediate, on an ongoing basis, software that it uses to ensure the department is not currently using software vulnerable to a cyber threat?”  CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Department of Commerce.   CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Department of Energy.   CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Department of Health and Human Services.   CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Environmental Protection Agency.   CLICK HERE to read the letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans are examining the role of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations behind increasing risks of dangerous blackouts, which jeopardizes Americans’ safety and security. Americans are suffering enough from record high and unaffordable costs created by President Biden’s energy crisis. They deserve and need every assurance their air conditioning will come on this summer and heat will come on in the winter to keep their families safe. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and other grid authorities say these blackouts are likely this summer and warn of increasing risks in the future. These threats come as the Biden administration continues its rush-to-green agenda to shut down American fossil energy and leave the nation dependent upon intermittent and unreliable sources that strain the electrical grid. In the letter from the members to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, the members demand to know how the EPA’s regulatory actions are affecting America’s both immediate and long-term grid reliability. In particular, they question the Biden administration’s radical “EGU Strategy” in its climate agenda and how that will affect America’s energy reliability. This oversight letter follows letters sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Department of Energy (DOE) on June 6, 2022, where the members called on the agencies to “assure reliability in the bulk power system and the affordable, reliable delivery of electricity.” EXCERPT FROM LETTER TO EPA: “We believe the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should also account for its plans and actions to help us assess factors behind both the immediate and the long-term risks to electric reliability across the nation. “In recent months, you announced a suite of EPA actions to target fossil fueled electric generating units, an ‘EGU Strategy,’ to drive the Biden Administrations climate agenda. This ‘EGU strategy’ includes many major new regulations now under development or proposed – the Interstate Transport Rule, Regional Haze, Risk and Technology Review for the Mercury Air Toxics Rule, a new set of greenhouse gas performance standards, effluent limitations, and a legacy coal combustion residue rule—all of which directly affect power plants that are essential for reliable electric operations. “We are concerned that EPA actions threaten to accelerate fossil generation retirements, at the very same time electric system operators report growing shortfalls in such baseload capacity will accelerate blackout risks.” The members make several requests of Administrator Regan, including the following: Describe what specific actions you are taking or are prepared to take to address energy or electricity emergencies this summer in the bulk power system. List all waivers or other emergency actions you are considering or have taken over the past two years in connection with electricity reliability. List all regulatory actions you are considering or have taken over the past two years to alleviate electricity reliability risks. List and provide a description of all interactions with the Department of Energy concerning potential and proposed rulemakings and enforcement activity that may affect the reliable delivery of electricity. List and provide a description of all interactions with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission concerning potential and proposed rulemakings and enforcement activity that may affect the reliable delivery of electricity. List and provide a description of all interactions with states concerning potential and proposed rulemakings and enforcement activity that may affect the reliable delivery of electricity. List and provide a description of all interactions with the Independent System Operators, and states concerning potential and proposed rulemakings and enforcement activity that may affect the reliable delivery of electricity. In developing its reported “EGU Strategy” to “marry a range of authorities” to regulate the power sector, has EPA evaluated the cumulative impact of the strategy in accelerating plant closures? If so, please provide us with these assessments. How will the June 30 Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency affect your “EGU Strategy” to regulate sources in the power sector? Regarding the proposed Transport Rule [Federal Implementation Plan], what specific statutory provisions authorize EPA to impose a federal plan that effectively overrides the electric power sector planning authorities in 26 states? CLICK HERE to read the letter to Administrator Regan. CLICK HERE to read Fox News' exclusive report on the letter.

Washington, D.C. — This week, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), and the top Republican on the House Financial Services Committee, Patrick McHenry (NC-10), led a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler regarding the SEC’s proposal to require extensive climate change-related disclosures from public companies. The letter urges Chair Gensler to rescind the proposal immediately and focus on the SEC’s statutory tripartite mission, rather than a far-left social agenda that is shutting down American energy, raising energy costs on families, and making President Biden’s inflation crisis worse. Republican Leaders McMorris Rodgers and McHenry were joined by 129 of their House Republican colleagues. Read the letter to SEC Chair Gensler here or below: “Dear Chair Gensler, “We write regarding the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) proposed new rules requiring publicly traded companies to disclose extensive climate-related data and additional ‘climate risks.’ The proposed rules exceed the SEC's statutory authority and fundamentally misappropriate the SEC's rulemaking authority. Congress did not establish the SEC to set climate policy nor to be the final arbiter of businesses' strategies to combat climate change, which is what these rules will do. We call on the SEC to rescind the proposed rules immediately. “As you know, the ‘SEC's long-standing tripartite mission to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation’ has been the foundation of its work. Congress passed the Securities and Exchange Acts of 1933 and 1934 ('33 and '34 Acts) to implement a disclosure-based regime that facilitates – not participates or dictates outcomes – in the investment decision-making process. Over the last 80 plus years, the SEC has implemented this statutory directive through a principle-based approach to rulemaking. This approach relies on companies to determine what is material to investors, not the SEC. “This principles-based disclosure regime enables companies to choose how best to comply and thrive under those polices. Investors decide whether they want to back those strategies. The proposed climate rules shift the SEC' s rulemaking authority, taking a novel, activist approach to climate policy. This far exceeds the SEC's authority, jurisdiction, and expertise. As a result, it will deservedly draw legal challenges. It also puts our time-tested approach to capital allocation, as well as the agency's independence and credibility, at risk. “We call on you to rescind these proposed climate rules and to respect the statutory limitations Congress placed on the SEC in the '33 and '34 Acts. It is Congress' job to set our environmental policy, not the job of unelected regulators. The SEC should focus on its core mission-protecting investors; maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and facilitating capital formation rather than a far-left social agenda.”

Washington, D.C. — Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee Republican Leader David B. McKinley (R-WV) are pressing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to be accountable with the vast amount of money it has been allotted to address Superfund sites and its implementation of the program. After the EPA received $3.5 billion from Congress for Superfund sites, the EPA is requesting in President Biden’s proposed budget an additional $454.6 million annually for long-term remedial actions. The members want to know from Administrator Regan how these funds, in addition to the billions of dollars at EPA’s disposal for Superfund projects, are being used and how the agency will ensure the disbursements are transparent. Americans expect the EPA to use its funds responsibly and for the EPA to actually clean up these cites, not just squander the money irresponsibly. The members point out how during the Trump administration, the EPA operated in a far more efficient manner. LETTER EXCERPT: “The most important goal of [Superfund] program is to clean up sites so that they can be deleted from the National Priorities List (NPL) and placed back into productive use. Merely completing construction at a site does not mean a cleanup is done and people can reuse that land. “Regrettably, there is a history of CERCLA resources being wasted on transaction costs instead of actual cleanup. Reports indicate that less than half of these funds have gone to actual cleanup (or ‘moving dirt’) and that cleanups take between one and two decades to complete. Progress at EPA de-listing CERCLA sites bottomed out in fiscal year 2016 with EPA focused on other policy goals and less than 5 sites were removed. “In fiscal years 2017 through 2020, however, EPA recommitted to CERCLA cleanups and fully or partially delisted 82 sites – matching the total of the preceding eight years. The Agency also deleted all or part of 27 NPL sites, the largest number of deletions in a single year in twenty years. In addition, EPA employees initiated a process to streamline internal barriers to site deletions, resulting in a consolidated rulemaking process that will reduce workloads, shorten process lead times, and lower program costs. We do not want to return to past inefficiencies, and we want to ensure that the EPA’s allocation and use of federal resources will keep cleanups moving forward.” As part of their inquiry, the members want Administrator Regan to answer certain questions about the EPA’s Superfund operations by June 24, 2022. Why is the Biden administration asking for additional appropriations in the budget in light of the very substantial funding provided by the IIJA, including the Superfund tax receipts, which are not subject to appropriation? What are the EPA’s plans for the expenditure of the $3.5 billion from the IIJA? What are EPA’s plans for the receipts from the Superfund tax? What is EPA doing to optimize the spending of funds from the Superfund Special Accounts? What percentage of the annual Superfund expenditures from annual appropriations is actually planned to be spent on Superfund field work? Of that amount, how much is meant for actual remedial and removal activities? Please identify on which sites EPA intends to spend IIJA funding for “dirt-moving” remediation or removal and those sites addressed through the requested, appropriated dollars. Of these, how many will be delisted? Why does the proposed budget request seek $33 million less for Emergency Response and Removal – actual emergency cleanup – than in FY 2021? CLICK HERE to read the full letter to Administrator Regan.

“Since day one, President Biden and the Democrats have been shutting down American energy.” House Energy & Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) spoke with Fox Business’ Elizabeth MacDonald Tuesday evening about the high gas prices American families are facing because of the rush-to-green agenda that is shutting down American energy. Leader Rodgers also described how Energy and Commerce Republicans are leading an investigation into possible Russian influence over U.S. based environmental groups. Watch her interview here and check out the key excerpts below. We should be saying YES to American energy. Let's #FlipTheSwitch & help lower gas prices for hardworking Americans. ? pic.twitter.com/Zf7Bqo0DkB — CathyMcMorrisRodgers (@cathymcmorris) March 16, 2022 ON RISING ENERGY PRICES “Gas prices were going up before Russia and Ukraine. It hurts everyone when they go to the pump. “I’ve talked to a truck driver who isn’t sure what his future is going to be because of rising gas prices. What we’re seeing is [the Left] doubling down on their political agenda instead of doing what’s best for hard-working American families, what’s best for our economy, our competitiveness, and our security. “National security should be at the forefront of our decision making right now. Energy security is national security. Energy is everything.” ON FLIPPING THE SWITCH ON FOR MORE AMERICAN ENERGY “We should be saying ‘yes’ to American energy. “Since day one, President Biden and the Democrats have been shutting down American energy. They shut down the Keystone pipeline. They’ve been saying they’re going to shut down oil and natural gas, even though it’s the cleanest in the world here in the United States of America. “We should be saying ‘yes’ to North American energy. The Keystone pipeline was thousands of jobs as well as us being able to import from our friend and ally, Canada, versus Russia. “And what we saw in the last year was, under the Biden administration, Russian imports of crude oil had increased nearly 25%. “We need to flip the switch. Energy dominance is so important. It’s important to families. It’s important to our economy. “We cannot be a diplomatic power without being a military power. We cannot be a military power without being an economic power, and energy is foundational to all of that.” POSSIBLE RUSSIAN COLLUSION “Republicans are leading an investigation as to whether United States environmental groups have been influenced through President Putin’s dark money to shut down American energy. “When I visited Ukraine in 2015 with the Energy and Commerce Committee, the Ukrainians as well as NATO warned us that President Putin and Russia was funding the NGOs, the non-governmental organizations as well as other environmental groups that were opposed to fracking in Europe. “Today, Europe gets 40% of its natural gas from Russia. It’s what funds his economy and ultimately his military. “We are asking questions of U.S. environmental groups due to a suspicious foundation in San Francisco, and their ties to this foundation, as to whether Putin also has been influencing American environmental groups to shut down American energy.” EXPORTING LNG TO HELP OUR ALLIES “We should be exporting natural gas right now. This administration is shutting down the export permits. They are saying ‘no’ to us being able to export natural gas and to not just Ukraine, but to Eastern Europe, so that they wouldn’t be dependent upon Putin and continuing to fund his war chest and his war machine.” NOTE: Energy & Commerce Committee Republicans sent letters to the League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Fund, and the Sierra Club questioning whether they were influenced by Putin to shut down American energy. Earlier this month, Leader Rodgers and Energy Subcommittee Republican Leader Fred Upton (R-MI) sent letters to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and to the Commissioners of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) urging them to immediately approve delayed permits for natural gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities.

Were They Influenced by Putin’s Dark Money to Shut Down American Energy? Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans sent a letter to three environmental groups with financial ties to a San Francisco-based environmental NGO called the Sea Change Foundation as a next step in the investigation of foreign influence over U.S.-based environmental NGOs. According to reports, it’s been alleged that Vladimir Putin has used Sea Change to funnel money into U.S. based environmental advocacy efforts designed to shut down and undermine American energy production. The letters ask the League of Conservation Voters, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Sierra Club: To identify the total amount of funding they received from Sea Change since 2006. To identify the specific efforts the funding was designed to support. To disclose if they are aware of concerns that Sea Change may be a conduit for Russian funding. If they currently or ever have received funds from the Russian government or anyone connected with the Russian government. If they have taken any action at the request of the Russian government or anyone connected with the Russian government. Due to the recent bilateral pact between Russia and China on defeating sanctions, if they have received funds from the Chinese Communist Party or taken any action on their behalf. All three of these groups were identified as top recipients of Sea Change grants since 2006. Read excerpts and find full letters to all three groups below. LETTER EXCERPT: “It has been alleged that Putin is using a San Francisco-based eNGO, the Sea Change Foundation (Sea Change), to funnel money into U.S.-based environmental advocacy efforts designed to undermine American energy production. According to a 2014 report, Sea Change receives contributions from a ‘Bermuda-based company called Klein Ltd.’ which is used ‘for funneling Russian government money to American environmental groups in order to undermine U.S. natural gas and oil production to Russia’s benefit.’ Notably, reports suggest that your organization is one of the top e-NGO recipients of Sea Change grants since 2006.” The Energy and Commerce Republican members request the three organizations respond by March 25, 2022 to a series of questions regarding their ties to the Russian and Chinese governments and their funding. CLICK HERE to read the letter to the League of Conservation Voters. CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Natural Resources Defense Council. CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Sierra Club. CLICK HERE to read what E&C Republicans sent to four groups over possible ties to the Chinese Communist Party.