On July 13th, 2023, the Energy & Mineral Resources Subcommittee held a hearing on H.R. 4374, the Energy Opportunities for All Act, sponsored by Rep. Eli Crane.
In June 2023, the Department of the Interior (DOI) issued a Public Land Order officially imposing a 10-mile buffer zone around Chaco Culture National Historical Park, thereby preventing oil and natural gas leasing in the area for the next 20 years. The withdrawal would prevent 233 horizontal wells and the production of 86 million barrels of oil and 25.8 billion cubic feet of natural gas, costing the federal government $51 million annually in lost royalties, or $1 billion over 20 years. Navajo mineral owners, who rely on income from responsible energy development, would lose an estimated $194.3 million over that 20-year period. (Caption Credit: Committee on Natural Resources, Bruce Westerman, Chairman). (Photo Credit: Ian Macari, Committee on Natural Resources, Bruce Westerman, Chairman).