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Energy and Natural Resources

I support an all-of-the-above energy strategy that responsibly develops all domestic energy sources including hydropower, nuclear, oil, natural gas, geothermal, and renewables. Our region demonstrates that conservation and economic development are not mutually exclusive goals. We all want clean air and clean water, but we also want important recreation opportunities and good-paying jobs. American has the highest standards and regulations in the world and we can have all these things if we return to common sense land policies.

The Third Congressional District is home to the 2nd largest shale basin in North America, the Bureau of Land Management's Western Headquarters, and some of America's largest uranium deposits. More than 55% of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District is federal land. Coal-fired power plants provide 45% of Colorado's net generation. Colorado’s Third District accounts for nearly 44% of Colorado’s natural gas production, and Colorado is the 7th largest natural gas-producing state.

Colorado’s West Slope used to have a booming energy production economy. I remember because the roughnecks used to come to my restaurant, and I knew we had a good day when the mud from their boots covered my floors. There used to be 112 rigs on the West Slope, but now we have 3 rigs. Now, not in my backyard extremists and leftist Democrat policies have driven away those good-paying jobs. 

The root causes of this record-breaking inflation were trillions of dollars of wasteful federal spending and unnecessary attacks on American energy. The Biden administration has waged an all-out war on American energy production. Biden shut down the Keystone XL pipeline on day one, imposed new rules to block pipeline projects, canceled oil and gas leases on millions of acres in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico, suspended oil-drilling leases in a small sliver of ANWR even though Congress passed a law for this very purpose, imposed a moratorium on new federal oil and gas leases on federal lands, failed to meet the statutory deadlines for quarterly lease sales, and took countless other anti-energy measures that have contributed to gas prices and inflation reaching record levels.

America makes the cleanest energy in the world. In fact, our natural gas is 42% cleaner than Russian gas. American innovation, in particular fracking, has allowed America to be the global leader in reducing emissions since 2000. We need to stop buying oil and gas from Russia, stop begging OPEC, Venezuela, and even Iran to produce energy for us, and start producing more energy responsibly in America. 

I introduced the Fueling American Prosperity Act to reduce gas prices and responsibly develop American energy by streamlining the permit process. My legislation would also restart the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, ban importing Russian oil and natural gas, and resume oil and natural gas leasing. My bill will increase American energy exports to boost our economy and project American strength while exporting freedom throughout the world.

When Biden unilaterally locked up federal lands and threatened Colorado’s energy jobs, I introduced the Protecting American Energy Jobs Act to stop his attack on our energy workers. If Biden’s anti-American energy policies were left in place, Colorado will lose 16,000 energy jobs during his first term and over 200,000 in the next decade. My bill repeals Biden’s job-killing executive mandates, ensures reliable and affordable energy supplies, and fosters economic growth and job creation in rural communities.

I cosponsored the Keystone XL Construction and Jobs Act and introduced two bills to overturn Biden's job-killing Keystone XL decision. 

I led an effort demanding accountability for Biden's failed energy policies and asking what actions this administration plans to take to reduce pain at the pump.

The Forest Service estimates 63 million acres are currently at high risk of catastrophic wildfire and each year, nearly 10 million acres in the U.S. catch on fire. Colorado also had the three largest recorded wildfires in state history in 2020. Federal agencies have chosen to spend billions on the backend putting out wildfires as opposed to prioritizing active management upfront that would reduce the size and number of wildfires. From 2015 to 2020, they spent $14.1 billion of taxpayer money just putting out fires.

Wildfires are bad for the environment. NASA estimates that one large fire emits more pollution in a few days than all the cars in Colorado emit in an entire year. In recent years, Denver registered the worst air quality in the WORLD due to fire pollution. Wildfire smoke is also responsible for serious disorders, including eye and respiratory tract infections, reduced lung function, bronchitis, exacerbation of asthma, and even premature death.

According to the Colorado State Forest Service more than 24.4 million acres of Colorado forestland impact Colorado’s water supply, where 80% of the state’s population relies on those forested watersheds for municipal water supplies. Healthy forests act as a natural water filter and storage system and are critical to maintaining healthy watersheds. In the United States, forests are a source of drinking water for over 180 million people. We can reduce the size and severity of wildfires through active forest management, which will also help protect our watersheds and municipal water supplies.

I am working hard to prevent catastrophic wildfires and cleanup our forests. I’ve introduced the most comprehensive forest legislation in decades. My bill, H.R. 4302, will prevent wildfires, actively manage our forests, and improve the environment. It contains important litigation reforms that will prevent frivolous lawsuits that have closed our mills. And the best part about it is my legislation is fully paid for and will generate billions of dollars for the U.S. Treasury. Finally, my bill puts rural communities first by ensuring counties receive 25% of the revenue generated from timber harvests, allowing them to fund essential services including local wildland firefighting teams, hotshots, smokejumpers, and equip these firefighters with the best training and equipment possible.

I also secured $48 million in legislation signed into law for the U.S. Forest Service to actively manage our forests and address high-priority invasive species and pests like the bark beetle infestations ravaging Colorado and creating deadly wildfire hazards.

Additionally, my commonsense amendment to actively manage our forests and protect energy infrastructure, like powerlines, from wildfires passed the House Committee on Natural Resources with unanimous, bipartisan support.

When the Biden bureaucracy tried to move the Bureau of Land Management headquarters in Grand Junction back to the swamp, I led a public pressure campaign that kept the Western Headquarters, 56 Headquarter jobs and 70 other good-paying Bureau of Land Management jobs in Grand Junction. 

I have taken numerous other actions to support American energy dominance. I cosponsored the Protecting American Energy Production Act to prohibit partisan mineral withdrawals and ensure federal resources are produced responsibly. I cosponsored the Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act to remove bureaucracy and red tape that is preventing important pipelines from being built to safely and reliably transport American energy. I cosponsored the Energy Permitting Certainty Act to prevent frivolous lawsuits from preventing the processing of energy permits. I also cosponsored the Onshore Energy Production Act to immediately resume onshore oil and gas lease sales.

I introduced the House Companion to the Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act. This locally-driven, bipartisan bill protects the Dolores River, prevents a federal water grab, allows current uses, and upholds private water rights. 

I am aggressively working to remove invasive salt cedar and Russian olive trees that are guzzling water and recently worked with Montezuma County to secure an important appropriations victory that passed the House and will allow for a pilot program to combat salt cedars. Salt cedars consume about 200 gallons of water per day per plant.

In a legislative provision signed into law, I secured $10 million for the Indian Irrigation Fund to address the deferred maintenance backlog and increase water storage projects like the Southern Utes’ Pine River Indian Irrigation Project.

I also helped lead the charge to defeat the misguided proposal put forth by Denver suburbs' plan to steal seven billion gallons of water per year from the San Luis Valley. For more information on my work on water, see a comprehensive list of my water policies here.

Republicans know the answer to the energy crisis, and we know how to lower gas prices. It's American energy and drill baby drill.