Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing The Cabin Fee Act of 2010.  This legislation would correct problems arising from how the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) implemented a law passed in 2000, which has saddled thousands of cabin owners on forest service land with massive fee increases.

“Montanans are rightfully outraged when government seizes their land by eminent domain, but increasing government fees beyond a property-owner’s ability to pay is just as capable of displacing someone,” warned Rehberg.  “This legislation will allow families to not only keep their cabins, but pass them down to future generations of Montanans instead of selling them to people from out-of-state.

The Cabin User Fee Fairness Act (CUFFA), passed in 2000, directed the USFS to create a fair appraisal process for determining cabin fees.  Unfortunately, USFS ignored many of the factors that play a critical role in determining the appraisal value, such as the limited ownership rights held by cabin owners who do not own the land where their cabins are situated, who do not have year-round use of the site, and who cannot limit public access to their lots.  This caused the Forest Service to over-evaluate the cabins, which in turn lead to unreasonable fee assessments.

Establishing this new structured, tiered fee system should also reduce the costs of overseeing and managing the cabin system for the Forest Service by eliminating the time-consuming and costly appraisal process.

“My family has had a cabin in Custer National Forest for 20 years,” said Roger Ferguson of Red Lodge.  “When this reappraisal happened our annual fee jumped from $1,220 to $3,250 in a single year even though we’re locked out of this land from December 1 until April 15 every year.  The Forest Service is charging us as if we had total access all the time.  I’m a retiree on a fixed income, and this change has undermined our ability to maintain and keep this cabin.  We may have to sell it.  Congressman Rehberg’s bill may be the salvation for the Ferguson family to keep this cabin, and we are very happy that he’s on our side.”

Rehberg is an original sponsor.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement following testimony of U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar before a Senate committee today.  Last week, Rehberg asked the Secretary for details pertaining to a leaked memo that lays out plans to use the Antiquities Act to carve out 13 million acres of national monuments in 11 western states including Montana.  That information has not yet been provided.  Rehberg also introduced H.R. 4754, which requires congressional approval of new National Monument designations in Montana, similar to a provision already in place for Wyoming.

“Public input is certainly important, but it’s not enough if that input is ignored or comes after a policy has been written or implemented.  When it comes to executive action, we’ve already seen this Administration shoot first and ask questions later, and now that the sights are on millions of acres in Montana, the responsible action is to reassert congressional oversight, just like Wyoming has already done.”

WASHINGTON D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, cosponsored the Open Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) of 2010, with bipartisan supporters from other Western states. The legislation reinstates oversight and transparency measures for taxpayer payments made to organizations through the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA).

“I think Montanans would be outraged to learn that huge national special interest groups with multi-million dollar endowments are bankrolling thousands of lawsuits with tax dollars meant for small businesses, individuals and non-profits,” said Rehberg a member of the House Western Caucus.  “It’s one thing to have access to the courts, but it’s another to force taxpayers to pay for it.  Since 1995, the federal government has inexplicably stopped tracking how it spends these funds, and it’s time to restore the transparency and accountability.”

Originally passed in 1980, EAJA was meant to help provide fair access to legal remedies for individuals, small businesses and non-profits with limited means.  It does this by reimbursing attorney’s fees for plaintiffs who sue the federal government if they win the case or settle out of court.  The original legislation required annual reports to Congress on the amount and nature of EAJA payments, but those reports ended in 1995.

Two private studies, one by a Wyoming law firm and another by Virginia Tech University, have shown that despite congressional intent to assist small organizations, some large environmental obstructionist groups appear to be the biggest beneficiaries of EAJA payments.  The Wyoming study, for example, found that more than 1,200 federal cases were filed in 19 states and the District of Columbia by just 14 environmental groups.  The cost to the taxpayer was $37 million.

The Open EAJA Act reinstates and consolidates tracking and reporting requirements under the Department of Justice (DOJ), and requires the DOJ to publish a public online, searchable database of EAJA payments.  It would also authorize an audit of the last 15 years, during which the fund has operated with absolutely no oversight.

“The hard working folks of the Montana Wood Products Association appreciate Rep. Rehberg signing on to the Open EAJA Act of 2010,” said Ellen Simpson, the Executive Vice President of the Montana Wood Products Association.  “Changes in EAJA are sorely needed to shine a bright light on obstructionists who have made a cottage industry out of suing the Forest Service to stop active management on Montana’s national forests.  The taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent and who benefits while the forests die.  The Open EAJA Act of 2010 will provide that information.”

WASINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today issued the following statement following the Department of the Interior announcing the decision to list the greater sage-grouse endangered status as “warranted but precluded from ESA protection.”  According to the Montana Sage Grouse Work Group, the state of Montana currently supports an estimated 27 million acres of greater sage grouse-inhabited grasslands, while the group’s management plan puts into effect several measures for conserving and improving the bird’s habitat.  The determination to classify a species as warranted but precluded occurs when the appropriate agency has found that a species merits listing as either endangered or threatened under the ESA, but that practically, the listing cannot occur because of other pending proposals to list species.  Each warranted but precluded determination must be updated annually to show expeditious progress in listing those species.

“For our ranchers, farmers and anyone who makes a living off the land, the ESA can be a four-letter word.  Every week, the Interior Department is taking drastic steps to interfere in the proven efforts of the local land owners and managers who are personally invested in safeguarding precious resources like sage-grouse.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today introduced legislation that would exempt the State of Montana from the provisions of the Antiquities Act, which allow the President to circumvent public opposition and congressional oversight to designate land as a National Monument.  The introduction comes after the discovery of an internal memo from the U.S. Department of Interior, which outlined plans to misuse the Antiquities Act to designate 13 million acres in 11 Western States.  This figure includes 2.5 million acres in Montana.

“For more than a century, the Antiquities Act has served a valuable function in the preservation of America’s natural treasures, making it all the more tragic that it’s now being misused for a 13 million-acre land-grab,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Western Caucus.  “When it comes to land in Montana, we’ve got a long-standing tradition of working together to find consensus-based solutions.  Circumventing that tradition by unilaterally carving out millions of acres with the stroke of a pen is not the American way.  The President is not a king, and we are not his subjects, which is why congressional checks and balances are so important.”

Rehberg, who recently sent a letter to Interior Secretary Salazar demanding details on the proposals, introduced H.R. 4754, which requires congressional approval of new National Monument designations in Montana.  This requirement isn’t unprecedented; the current law prohibits the extension or establishment of any National Monument in Wyoming without the express authorization of Congress.

“This isn’t about undermining a good law,” said Rehberg.  “It’s about preventing a good law from being abused.  It’s about ensuring Montanans are heard and preventing a bureaucratic overreach.  It’s about making sure that we aren’t rendered landless in our own state because a big-city politician thought it would be fun to shut us out of our land.”

The Department of Interior Memo can be found here: http://robbishop.house.gov/UploadedFiles/states_for_designation.pdf

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, joined fellow members of the House Western Caucus in sending a letter demanding answers from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar regarding efforts to designate 2.5 million acres of land in Montana – some owned by private citizens – as a newly created National Monument.  The plan was leaked from an internal Department of Interior memo, which lays out plans to federalize potentially millions of acres of private lands in Montana.  The memo also calls for the buy-out of 80,000 acres of private inholdings within the Missouri Breaks National Monument and the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, in addition to the acquisition of 39,000 acres of state-administered inholdings in the same area.

“This naked abuse of power is not only a misuse of the Antiquities Act, but an egregious affront to the will of Montanans,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Western Caucus.  “The White House is considering a land-grab of more than three times the acreage with absolutely no regard for the interests or views of the people in Montana.  No wonder folks that I’ve heard from are fed up with how things work in Washington.”

The Antiquities Act authorized the President to designate objects or areas of historic or scientific interest as National Monuments on lands owned or controlled by the United States.  An internal Department of Interior document recently revealed the Administration is considering using this law to create as many as 14 new National Monument designations in the West.  These designations could lock up as many as 13 million acres of land in 11 different Western states, including Montana.

Rehberg has been a vocal opponent of a similar effort to lock up millions of acres through the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act.  That effort, at least, requires a vote by Congress which gives the impacted people an opportunity to be heard.  Rehberg has testified multiple times on behalf of more than 10,000 Montanans who contacted his office in opposition to this bill.

“When it comes to unilateral federal land grabs, Montanans don’t mince words.  They want bureaucrats to keep their hands off our state,” said Rehberg, citing a Facebook group he launched that has more than 3,000 members, “For the Montanans who work, till, graze, hunt, fish, hike, camp and enjoy this land, conservation is not only a daily personal choice; it’s our way of life.  Real conservation isn’t about making tough decisions for someone else who lives thousands of miles away, yet that’s exactly what the White House is trying to do.”

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WASHINGTON, DC – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today posted a list of verbal and written comments he heard from Montanans during the 22 public meetings he held regarding Sen. Jon Tester’s Wilderness bill. The comments are posted in the “Transparency Center” portion of Rehberg’s congressional website. Last week, Rehberg promised to take this action in a letter to Senator Tester and asked the Senator to join him in doing so in order to maximize transparency in the legislative process.

“I heard from hundreds of Montanans, each with their own ideas and opinions,” said Rehberg, “While ideas will vary in merit, each deserves to at least be heard and considered in a public forum. That’s what I’m trying to do – put them all in the bucket and see which ones end up floating.”

Rehberg has laid out a number of these comments as examples of what he’d like to see changed in the underlying legislation. One proposal, addressing an overriding concern heard in 22 listening sessions, is the notion of a wilderness ‘phase-in’ that would time the creation of new wilderness to the active management of other lands. This solution would alleviate the concern that as soon as the bill becomes law, the wilderness designations are immediate, while there is no assurance that stewardship components would not be infinitely delayed by litigation.

Rehberg, who relayed multiple suggestions in real-time to the public and the press during the course of his listening tour, has gathered a wide array of additional ideas for changes to the legislation including boundary line concerns from farmers and ranchers, preservation of recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts, and maintaining the ability to accurately inventory natural resources like molybdenum.

“There’s no silver bullet here,” warned Rehberg. “There are a lot of very good ideas that should each be considered on their own merit. While I appreciate the buy-in from the partnerships that helped draft the bill, this legislation affects all Montanans who deserve the right to be heard. In addition to some other fixes, an incremental phase-in would help ensure logging isn’t bogged down by lawsuits after new wilderness areas are designated.”

Comments can be found online at http://rehberg.house.gov

Rehberg, Capito, Altmire, Holden, Salazar and Shimkus Lead Effort to Provide Voice for Coal in House

WASHINGTON – As energy issues remain at the forefront of the national political debate, a coalition of coal-state members of Congress announced today that they have teamed-up to form the Congressional Coal Caucus. 

Calling coal “America’s most abundant and affordable energy resource,” the bipartisan group of congressmen and women note that coal provides nearly 50% of America’s energy supply and generates more than 130,000 coal-mining jobs.  They’ve pledged to use their new caucus to provide a voice for coal communities in Congress.

“Coal is a critical component to our nation’s energy future,” said Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.  “Whether it’s on a cap-and-trade bill or on clean coal technology, this caucus will give coal-states a forum to highlight their priorities and present a unified voice.  I’m proud to join my colleagues in forming this caucus and I look forward to our work together.”

“As a Congress, it is vitally important that we continue to support the development of clean coal technologies,” Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., said. “I am proud to help launch this caucus, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to help enact policies that will maximize America’s coal resources.”

Members joining Altmire and Capito in forming the coal caucus include Reps. Tim Holden (D-PA), Denny Rehberg (R-MT), John Salazar (D-CO) and John Shimkus (R-IL).  Together the new coalition will promote awareness of American coal along with the new technologies currently on the horizon that can help make coal use cleaner and safer.

The six initial caucus members are also circulating a Dear Colleague inviting other members of Congress to join them.  

“The Coal Caucus gives coal states like Pennsylvania a strong voice in Congress to encourage the use of coal as an affordable, reliable and increasingly clean source of energy,” said Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa.  “I am proud to be a part of this effort to promote economically and environmentally sound mining, reclamation and consumption practices including clean coal technologies on Capitol Hill.”

“America needs an all-of-the-above energy plan that increases domestic supplies, lowers costs and makes us less dependent on foreign sources of energy,” said Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont.  “While many in Washington may think that energy comes from the wall outlet, Montanans have been in the energy production business long enough to understand the vital role coal plays in our country and our economy.  As a caucus, we’ll focus on developing cleaner and more efficient ways to use America’s vast stores of coal, and by doing so, help create good-paying jobs and affordable energy for American families.”

“Coal is a vital resource in Colorado and throughout the nation, and will continue to play a role in helping meet our nation’s energy needs.  Coal provides jobs in my district and nearly all of our energy is derived from coal.  I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Coal Caucus,” said Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo.   

 “With the current debates over energy policy as well as the environment, it is more important than ever that coal interests be represented in Congress,” said Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill.  “We can move much faster toward energy independence by taking advantage of the enormous supply of coal that exists in my district and elsewhere in the nation. To ignore an abundant source of low-cost energy in our own country is absurd.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, sent a letter to the Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Water and Power requesting action on the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act, which he sponsored.  On September 22 of last year, that Subcommittee held a legislative hearing, although since then no action has been taken.

“This is an important piece of legislation, and I’ll keep fighting until it’s signed by the President,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Native American Caucus.  “I’ve worked with the Crow to address the concerns that were brought up at last year’s hearing, and it’s only fair to give this bill a chance to be heard at the full committee level.”

Rehberg’s legislation authorizes the federal component of a comprehensive settlement of the reserved water rights claimed by the Crow.  The bill approves the Crow Tribe Water Rights Compact reached between the tribe and other non-federal parties quantifying water rights and authorizing economic development projects.

The Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission was established by the Montana legislature in 1979 to resolve water compacts between the state and tribes.   The Commission and the Crow Tribe negotiated the Crow Tribe-Montana Compact in 1999.  The Montana Legislature ratified a Compact that same year.

“This water settlement is extremely important to the Crow Tribe and to the State of Montana,” said Cedric Black Eagle, Chairman of the Crow Tribe.  “We are deeply appreciative of Representative Rehberg’s efforts to keep this legislation moving as quickly as possible through the legislative process.”

LETTER:

Dear Chairwoman Napolitano and Ranking Member McClintock:  

I am writing to request your consideration of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2009 (H.R. 3563), which was heard by the Subcommittee on September 22, 2009.  Since that time, the parties to the compact have worked to address concerns raised during the hearing and in subsequent meetings with administration staff.  As such, I urge your action to move this bill through the committee process.

This legislation ratifies the water rights compact between the Crow Tribe and the State of Montana, which was agreed upon in 1999.  H.R. 3563 would help rehabilitate and improve the Crow Irrigation Project, and create jobs and lasting infrastructure for future generations.  Members of the Crow Tribe have long awaited a final resolution, and I urge your action to ensure this bill moves forward in a timely manner.

I respectfully request this bill be brought before the Subcommittee for markup at the earliest available date and referred to the full Committee on Natural Resources for its consideration.  Thank you for your attention to this matter, and please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sent a response to Senator Jon Tester (MT) regarding his request for a meeting to discuss his wilderness bill. Senator Tester sent a letter to Rehberg late last week asking the Congressman to meet him in his Senate office in Washington, DC to discuss the issue. Rehberg recently completed 22 public meetings in Montana on the subject of Senator Tester’s wilderness bill.

“While it’s clear that some fortunate interest groups have been very involved in writing this bill from the beginning, my goal is to include all Montanans who are impacted by this legislation,” said Rehberg, a member of the Congressional Sportsman’s Caucus. “Each of my twenty-two meetings has been open to the public. I certainly don’t see a reason why a meeting with Senator Tester should be any different.” Rehberg asked Senator Tester to meet with him in Montana, rather than in his Washington, D.C. office, and that the meeting be open to the public and the press.

In his letter, Rehberg also asked Senator Tester to join him in posting the individual comments Senator Tester heard from Montanans at his “open house” meetings on his website. “As Montana’s representatives to the U.S. Congress, we have the honorable distinction of setting for ourselves a higher standard of openness and transparency,” wrote Rehberg in his letter.

Finally, Rehberg noted that all of Senator Tester’s “open house” meetings took place after his bill had been written and introduced. Since Senator Tester’s most recent meeting was more than two months ago, Rehberg asked to see the most recent working draft of his wilderness bill that contained any changes resulting from the input he received at those meetings.

“I think Montanans would like to see how their ideas are being implemented in the bill,” said Rehberg. “Seeing what progress has already been made would certainly make our meeting more productive since we could avoid concerns that have already been addressed.”

Complete Letter Below:

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