Energy and Natural Resources

American strength starts with American energy dominance. I support an all-of-the-above energy strategy that utilizes all domestic energy sources including hydropower, nuclear, coal, solar, oil, wind, natural gas, geothermal, and other renewables.  Responsible land stewardship and freedom make up the foundation of rural Colorado, and I am working to protect our public lands, waters, and natural resources from federal overreach. 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 Western Headquarters, the largest wind turbine tower manufacturing facility in the world, 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.

Like many families across the District, my family works in the oil and natural gas industry. I have worked as a natural gas product technician, GIS technician, and pipeline integrity coordinator, and my husband is a natural gas drilling foreman. I know how important energy jobs are for our region. I introduced the Protecting America’s Energy Jobs Act to nullify Biden’s anti-energy job-killing policies targeting Colorado families. If we keep Biden’s policies in place, Colorado will lose 16,000 jobs by the end of his first term.

 Sadly, the Biden regime has continued its all-out war on American energy production. Biden shut down the Keystone XL pipeline on day one, imposed new rules to block pipeline projects, cancelled 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.  

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 and now we have 2 rigs, soon to be 3 rigs. Not in my backyard extremists and leftist Democrat policies have driven those good-paying jobs. that allowed mom to stay home and raise the children while dad put in an honest day’s, work out of our district and off of federal lands. 

America makes the cleanest energy  in the world. In fact, our natural gas is 42% cleaner than what Russian gas. American innovation, in particular fracking, have 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 relying on the American roughneck. I introduced the Ukraine Assistance and American Energy Acceleration Act to get America back on a path towards energy independence. My legislation would restart 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.

Responsible land stewardship and freedom make up the foundation of rural Colorado, and I will work to protect our lands, waters, and natural resources from federal overreach, including the 30 x 30 land grab that aims to lock up 30% of public and private property and water by 2030. I introduced the 30 x 30 Termination Act to stop this land grab and protect private property rights.

Additionally, I am working hard to improve Colorado’s forests, reduce wildfires, and build up our economy. Last year, our District experienced the three worst wildfires in Colorado’s history, so I am working hard to support active forest management to reduce wildfire risk. My bipartisan amendment to use scientific active forest management to protect critical energy infrastructure passed through the House Committee on Natural Resources unanimously.

I also introduced the Active Forest Management, Wildfire Prevention and Community Protection Act to improve the health of our nation’s forests, remove bark beetle-killed trees, protect property, stop frivolous litigation, increase resources for rural communities, and prevent catastrophic wildfires. My legislation was developed in consultation with forestry experts, and it harnesses scientific tools available to prevent wildfires and improve Colorado’s ecological and economic health.

Our region demonstrates that conservation and economic development are not mutually exclusive goals, and I support policies that are environmentally and economically responsible and allow access to America’s public lands. Colorado’s locally driven conservation of the greater sage-grouse is a perfect example of state-managed wildlife management that is not mutually exclusive of economic development. I am working against federal land grabs disguised as sage-grouse conservation plans, and I will ensure Colorado remains prosperous and free.

 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 against this move. I believe that public land agencies should be located near the people they serve and the land they manage—not centralized in D.C. As a result of my work, the Bureau of Land Management’s Western Headquarters and 36 good-paying jobs will remain in Grand Junction.

I cosponsored legislation to prevent the return of the 2015 WOTUS rule, a land and water grab that sought to assert Clean Water Act and federal jurisdiction over areas with the slightest connection to water resources.

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.

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