Revisiting the 2019 Washington DC Fly-In

Senator Gardner shared hopes for BLM moving their headquarters west to Grand Junction, CO. He also touched on combined efforts he is undertaking with other members of Congress which include rural Broadband, advocating for transportation needs in Western Colorado, introducing a Good Samaritan bill with Congressman Tipton, continued advocacy for the full funding of PILT as Colorado faces flooding due to the tremendous snowpack over the winter. When asked about efforts to address Upper & Lower Basin water use agreements being honored, Senator Gardner that efforts on a bill regarding Drought Contingency Planning with Senator Feinstein's support includes collaborative efforts to increase water storage, California included. Regarding the Public Lands bill which passed recently, Senator Gardner referred to it as the "most significant public lands bill that the House has passed in a decade."

Hal Quinn started with stating that "minerals have experienced bi-partisan neglect the last few years". He went on to add that the coal industry is under stress with competing resources, such as natural gas, entering the market. Solar and wind energy have been incentivized as coal plants are getting older while facing increasing regulatory burdens, and premature coal plant closures have an adverse effect on American taxpayers. Utah and Colorado coal are sought after as exports in Asian markets.

Tony Antonelli met Club 20 members with the statement, "the road to Mars goes through Grand Junction." He elaborated by saying that there are parts flying in some space missions from Grand Junction and the Western Slope in Colorado. When asked how Club 20 can support the space industry, he urged continued vocal support for NASA's deep space missions. The last time humans were flying in deep space was 1972, and with the mandate to return to the moon by 2024, Antonelli shared his top three priorities for meeting the goal. After Antonelli asserted, "we can do this already today," he said that the number one priority is to use what we already have. Descriptions and photos of a the unmanned EM-1 planned for a June mission, and the EM-2, which he referred to as the "most important piece of aluminum on the planet", which went through a lengthy release process to disclose to the public, were highlighted as mechanisms being used to reach the mandate. A second priority to meet the mandate deadline is what Antonelli referred to as acquisition strategy, which includes advocacy for getting through government contracts faster and more efficiently, an item the current administration released a statement about two days later. The third priority is to come to agreement among involved stakeholders about risk strategy as related to the safety of individuals involved with the space missions. Antonelli said that qualifying for a mission assignment includes undergoing the "most thorough medical exam in the world".

Chapin White shared that the focus of his recent research has revolved around generating Medicare provider utilization and payment data to provide an analysis from a level of transparency that his team at RAND Corporation was aiming for in conjunction with employer-led initiatives. One point of analysis resulting from the research was to create a public hospital price report. Chapin shared that Colorado has a reputation for having data transparent and available. This led to Chapin's findings that Colorado private health plans, on average, are paying 275% what Medicare would be, and this is based on the allowed amounts versus billed amounts from claims data. Grand Junction is one of the highest payers of health care in Colorado, and Colorado is among the highest payers of health care in the United States. However, there may be a gap in data due to some plans not being submitted yet. Chapin displayed a visual resource which shows the breakdown and analysis of health care costs within Colorado, and also includes data from other states where this research has been completed. Chapin's presentation can be viewed here. Statements have been made by the American Hospital Association and the Colorado Hospital Association regarding this RAND report.

Carrie Domnitch asserted that the current administration's actions regarding energy should be re-framed from being considered as rollbacks to improvements in current regulations. The Congressional Review Act (CRA) has been the tool to address such updates in rule-making and regulation. Domnitch commented that this approach of using (CRA) to update past regulations has not resulted with great success in the courts. With attempts to update regulation getting tied up in court battles, efforts to take more aggressive efforts in the energy industry, such as off-shore leasing, have been stalled.

Paul Gosar, Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus (CWC) first thanked Club 20 Executive Director, Christian Reece, for going out of her way to represent Western Colorado interests by testifying at hearings spearheaded by the CWC. Congressman Gosar outlined the recent work of the Western Congress, including advocacy for Secretary Bernhardt's confirmation for the Department of the Interior, opposing a bill from Congressman Grijalva on grounds that it would kill the mining industry and consequently increase dependence on China by permanently prohibiting mining and other multiple use activities on over a million acres of land in Northern Arizona. Among 25 highlights of Western Congress' recent achievements, Congressman Gosar took Congressional delegates 7,000 feet underground to understand the potential of a diverse energy portfolio which welcomes safe and environmental practices such as fracking, and believes that an educational approach where the adage, "walk a mile in my moccasins and you will understand" is vital. He also believes that going on the offense is important, and from that perspective it is important to emphasize if wind and solar energy is desired, being a proponent of mining goes hand in hand. Mining provides the foundation from which all other energy resources can be supported and fortified.

Sally Gutierrez, from the EPA Water Permits Division, shared that 700,000 permits have been issued under the authority, and most of the authority is delegated at the state level. John Ravenscroft, a biologist on the EPA Water Reuse Team, provided an overview of the Water Reuse Action Plan currently in draft form. Ravenscroft also invited attendees to note the EPA's invitation for public input on action plan development to prioritize water reuse with safe and efficient methods. The comment period for public input closes on July 1, 2019. Karen Fligger, Senior Program Manager, WIFIA Program, Office of Water, provided an overview of the water funding program which is open to governments, utilities, and private entities. Letters of interest for the next round of funding is open until July 5, 2019. A minimum loan for a large community ranges around $20 million. Approximately $1.5 billion is available in the next round of funding.

Congressman Perlmutter shared his committee involvement this session which includes serving on the Rules Committee which every bill goes through. Serving on this committee has given him the unique ability of analyzing every house bill introduced in a legislative session. Congressman Perlmutter referenced the 17 amendments to H.R. 1500 - Consumers First Act, and the most recent amendment up for vote that day. He commented that the most surprising committee effort he has been a part of is as a flagbearer for the marijuana industry. As Americans have weighed in to legalize marijuana, Congressman Perlmutter said that it is important to follow through on getting cash from illicit drug sales off the street. An answer to this is the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019, which he has co-authored. Congressman Perlmutter applauded the 2.7% unemployment rate for the last six years in Jefferson and Adams Counties. He also echoed Tony Antonelli's statement on the journey to Mars going through Colorado. As a member of the Space Subcommittee, Congressman Perlmutter has advocated for U.S. Space Command Headquarters to be based in Colorado, and he has also introduced a bill with Congressman Tipton to direct NASA to study establishing an institute pertaining to space resources. The Space Resources Institute Act (H.R. 1029) was introduced in February.

Michael Bennet shared that he recently introduced a bill to hold opioid manufacturers more accountable in light of the opioid crisis in the United States. He also shared that he is working on a bill which includes input from West Slope stakeholders, and he hopes that it will dramatically reduce the red tape for rural counties applying for federal funds for water related infrastructure projects. The bill would allow for region based applications, and he had in mind water projects that would likely never get financed to to be built independently, but could be packaged along with other infrastructure projects among a region to more easily compete with urban areas for limited federal infrastructure dollars. Senator Bennet asserted that he has looked favorably on full funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT). He plans to collaborate with fellow legislators about an adjustment to the PILT formula as it applies to areas with low population and a majority of public lands. With regard to the Colorado forest roads and maintenance backlog, Senator Bennet was asked to advocate for the USFS receiving its fair share of Federal Land Transport Program dollars, which is up for reauthorization in 2020. Senator Bennet expressed that he would be glad to help with that, sees it as a huge problem, and a result of cuts to discretionary funds. He applauded Secretary Perdue for his work which resulted in fire borrowing coming to an end. Senator Bennet was praised for his past leadership and legislative efforts on enterprise zones in Colorado coal communities, and the idea of incorporating a similar approach with a tax bill's opportunity zones was brought forward, to which he agreed to take a look.

Margaret Everson began by saying, "I know you've come here because you care deeply about people, your communities, and open spaces; and I look forward to working with you on your mission." With regard to the interplay between issues of water and key species, "effective conservation is as much about people as the environment". With that in mind, Everson shared that the agency is working to update the list of endangered species governed by the Endangered Species Act. Some of this work includes delisting and downlisting, and Everson believes that it is important to take the time to celebrate when it comes time to formally conclude that a species' recovery has been successful. To that end, she sees that celebration as actionable, which might include putting that message on a US Fish & Wildlife t-shirt. For validated celebration to occur, Everson said that all listed species have to be on a quantifiable recovery plan. Recovery plans would put criteria into play with local agencies, with the end goal front and center. There is a plan concerning the Gunnison Sage Grouse currently in the drafting stage, and the agency is seeking feedback and commentary. Everson asserted that public access and outdoor recreation are critical to communities like those within the Club 20 region. Hunters and anglers fees are funding sources for conservation efforts. Increased access to 133,250 acres in the past will be met with significant increases to access with the streamlining of regulations which will be rolling out in the coming weeks. When asked about wolves, Everson commented that the gray wolf has a proposed delisting with a comment period open now until early July. She believes that the recovery of the gray wolf has had a strong success and she is confident of a final delisting.

Gary Lawkowski shared that with the administration's providing an end to the war on coal through the DOI Secretarial Order (SO) 3349, a "sky is falling" reaction has led to litigation. Lawkowski believes that the intent of SO 3349 is to strike a proper regulatory balance. The Office of Surface Mining (OSM) is tasked with proposing which actions can be taken to achieve this balance. Actions include consideration of timely interaction between OSM and the Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME). Discussion on rule-making for the future on how this best works with states is underway. With that in mind, Lawkowski believes that "compensatory mitigation doesn't fix problems". Executive Order 13807 has led to an administration wide review of processes which includes taking a look at the five binders of repetitive policy outlining the NEPA process, which has ultimately delayed infrastructure projects. The initiative to revise the NEPA process includes streamlining documents so they average 150 pages, they provide the information in a digestible format which facilitates informed decision-making, and hopefully will reduce the time it takes for approved project implementation to begin.

Casey Hammond shared that Secretary Bernhardt had recently asked him to assist with BLM leadership. Hammond agreed that the NEPA revision work is important so that stakeholders do not need to read 1000s of pages to assure compliance. The NEPA documentation needs to be digestible for the public, and work related to it based on timelines. Hammond affirmed that Secretary Bernhardt brings a level of accountability to the building. There's a sense of urgency with a push to address tasks within three days of receipt, whereas in the past there was sometimes a culture of work where if receipt of an assigned task was disliked, it was simply pushed to the corner and forgotten. The workflow has improved so much that items that might have taken approximately 227 days to reach completion, are now down to 25 days.

Mark Planning brought with him Chris Morris, Deputy Asst. Secretary for House Affairs (DOE) and Shawn Affolter, Deputy Asst. Secretary for Senate Affairs to provide an update. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in Colorado, has a huge presence regarding the development of advanced energy practices, and is working with a lab in Virginia to answer the question: How do you integrate fossil fuel and minerals to impact the grid in such a way that an extra layer of cybersecurity is added? Secretary Perry's visit to Ukraine to discuss energy exports has garnered a change in the LNG export paradigms. Secretary Perry's efforts have led to LNG exports to 34 countries. When asked about Jordan Cove and improving equity in export volumes, Planning maintained that Secretary Perry would urge a call to Senators requesting that the 5th FERC nomination be addressed. A question about what is being done to address the difficulty in obtaining air quality permits, funding to support R&D in coal-fired plants is an option.

Dwayne Bolton was asked how Club 20 might help the DOE meet its biggest goals and overcome hurdles under the current administration. Bolton shared that education of regulators and policymakers is vital; to have a vibrant energy market utilizing environmentally and advanced approaches requires a base load use of some traditional fuels. With 17 national labs working on various energy innovations which vary from nuclear, applied science, rare earth, weapons, coal, gas, and renewables, the administration and Secretary Perry have made it clear that they want government to get out of the way, invite private industry folks to see what is in infancy to determine investment as innovation is brought to market. NREL's next generation solar panel innovation was mentioned, with reference to breakthroughs in Photovoltaic research. Secretary Perry is supporting supercomputer projects for national independence and competition when it comes to big data. As work continues on building the resiliency of the grid in the face of attacks and cybersecurity issues, the DOE's primary focus is on energy dominance. As conversations about traditional energy resources continue, the administration and Secretary Perry maintain that it is a matter of national security to replace the base load with solar, wind, etc. American military bases become vulnerable if the base load is not replaced with something that is stable.

Jim Hubbard responded to a question about how 'social licenses' for active management have impacted the progress of his work, and he responded, "What has given us more license is groups like you who are active locally". Hubbard was also asked if there is a water planning component included in the forest planning process, which provided an opportunity for Club 20's involvement with the Colorado Forest and Water Alliance (COFWA), and interest in collaborative efforts. Hubbard shared that the Farm Bill has watershed restoration pieces included and that timelines for implementation are being generated now. The bill introduced as the Restore Our Parks Act earlier this year was discussed as a possible solution regarding the USFS having the second largest maintenance backlog of all land management agencies. A Club 20 member stressed that instances like the Bark Beetle infestation, which will run its course since chemicals previously used are now off the table, can only be remedied with healthy forest management. Hubbard mentioned that some of the annual national targets were dropped due to the government shutdown, but that the department targets did not drop. However, there has been some interference with some contracts and there were some missed windows with prescribed burning.