Key Takeaways
- •Rick Knick (Chairman, Dry Prairie Rural Water) revealed a new Bureau of Land Management permitting delay regarding sage grouse habitat that threatens to postpone the Fort Peck project.
- •Megan Onders (Chief, King Island Native Community) testified that the ARTIST Act functions as a jobs bill by protecting the essential subsistence income Alaska Natives earn from ivory.
- •Rep. Huffman (D, CA-2) pressed Timothy Petty (Assistant Secretary, NOAA) on whether the agency followed legal protocols before convening the "God Squad" for Endangered Species Act exemptions.
- •Republicans and Democrats generally agreed on reauthorizing water research, but Rep. Huffman (D, CA-2) expressed concern that the ARTIST Act could undermine state-level bans on illegal elephant ivory trafficking.
- •Congress must pass H.R. 7250 to prevent the Fort Peck water project's authorization from expiring while local partners navigate pandemic-driven cost increases and federal environmental permitting hurdles.
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Hearing Analysis
Overview
This hearing addressed four legislative measures aimed at balancing natural resource management, tribal water rights, and the protection of indigenous cultural economies. The discussion focused on reauthorizing critical water infrastructure in Montana, supporting a nationwide network of university-based water research institutes, formalizing the role of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Chesapeake Bay, and ensuring Alaska Natives can sell traditional handicrafts without interference from state-level ivory bans. These bills collectively represent a bipartisan effort to modernize federal water policy while addressing specific regional challenges ranging from PFAS contamination to the economic survival of Arctic communities.
Key Testimony & Policy
The subcommittee evaluated H.R. 5694, the Alaska’s Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition (ARTIST) Act, introduced by Rep. Nicholas Begich (R-AK). Chief Megan Onders of the King Island Native Community testified that ivory carving is a "jobs bill" for Alaska Natives, providing essential income in regions where per capita earnings are low and fuel costs are high. Dr. Timothy Petty, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Commerce (NOAA), noted that while the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) already allows for subsistence take, H.R. 5694 would clarify Section 101(b) to ensure that authentic handicrafts can be sold and possessed nationwide, preventing state-level elephant ivory bans from inadvertently criminalizing Alaska Native art.
H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act, sponsored by Rep. Robert Scott (D-VA), seeks to reauthorize the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office. Josh Kurtz, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, emphasized the office's role in oyster restoration and the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System, which provides real-time data for fisheries and maritime safety. The bill also formally authorizes the Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, a competitive grant system for K-12 environmental literacy. However, Chair Harriet Hageman (R-WY) expressed reservations regarding the inclusion of specific climate change programs within the office's statutory charge.
The subcommittee also considered H.R. 7889, the Advancing Water Research and Collaboration (AWRC) Act, introduced by Rep. Robert Wittman (R-VA). Dr. Kevin McGuire of Virginia Tech, representing the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR), testified that the bill reauthorizes 54 university-based institutes. A significant addition to the statute is the inclusion of artificial intelligence (AI) as a research priority, specifically addressing the massive water demands of AI data centers. The bill also targets PFAS "forever chemicals" and workforce development, maintaining a one-to-one federal-to-state funding match.
Finally, H.R. 7250, introduced by Rep. Troy Downing (R-MT), proposes a two-year extension for the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System. Rick Knick, Chairman of Dry Prairie Rural Water, explained that the 3,200-mile pipeline project is nearly complete but requires an extension to 2028 due to COVID-related supply chain costs and recent permitting delays. The project provides clean drinking water to 18,000 residents in northeastern Montana, replacing contaminated or high-nitrate local sources.
Notable Exchanges & Partisan Dynamics
A significant portion of the hearing involved a confrontation between Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Dr. Petty regarding the "God Squad" (Endangered Species Committee). Rep. Huffman questioned why the Department of the Interior was moving to convene the committee to grant oil and gas exemptions in the Gulf of Mexico, potentially threatening the Rice’s whale. Dr. Petty, who sits on the panel, stated he was unaware of any completed biological opinion finding "jeopardy" within the last 90 days, a statutory prerequisite for the committee to meet. Rep. Huffman criticized the lack of transparency and the potential for the administration to bypass the Endangered Species Act.
Regarding the ARTIST Act, Rep. Huffman expressed support for Alaska Native rights but voiced concern that the bill’s language might inadvertently weaken the ability of states like California to enforce bans on illegal elephant ivory. Rep. Begich and Chief Onders argued that the current patchwork of state laws creates "misinformed consumers" who are afraid to purchase legal Native art, stifling a legitimate indigenous economy.
Organizations Mentioned
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Discussed as the lead agency for Chesapeake Bay restoration and the primary regulator for the Marine Mammal Protection Act. - Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Criticized by witnesses for a recent permit delay involving sage-grouse habitat that is stalling the final phase of the Fort Peck water project. - Bureau of Reclamation: Praised by Montana witnesses as a "premier" partner for providing engineering oversight and cost-indexing support for rural water infrastructure. - National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR): Highlighted as the coordinating body for 54 university-based research centers tackling PFAS and AI-related water issues. - King Island Native Community: Represented by Chief Onders to illustrate the cultural and economic importance of the ARTIST Act for Bering Strait villages. - Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR): Testified in support of the WATERS Act, emphasizing the $100 billion economic value of the Chesapeake Bay. - Dry Prairie Rural Water Authority: Identified as the local non-tribal partner working with the Fort Peck Tribes to complete the regional water system.
What's Next
The subcommittee will likely move to mark up the four bills following the submission of additional written testimony. Key points for future negotiation include the specific "climate change" language in H.R. 6893 and potential amendments to H.R. 5694 to ensure it does not interfere with elephant ivory enforcement. For H.R. 7250, members indicated a need to engage with the BLM to resolve the sage-grouse permitting delay that threatens the 2028 completion deadline for the Fort Peck project.
Transcript
The Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will come to order. Good morning, everyone. I want to welcome members, witnesses and our guests in the audience to today's hearing. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare a recess of the subcommittee at any time. Under Committee Rule 4f, any oral opening statements at hearings are limited to the chair and the ranking member. I therefore ask unanimous consent that all other members' opening statements be made part of the hearing record if they are submitted in accordance with Committee Rule 3o. Without objection, so ordered. I also ask unanimous consent that the Congressman from Alaska, Mr. Begich, be allowed to participate in today's hearing. Without objection, so ordered. We are here today to consider four legislative measures: H.R. 5694, Alaska's Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition Act, or the ARTIST Act, sponsored by Representative Begich of Alaska; H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science, or WATERS Act, sponsored by Representative Scott of Virginia; H.R. 7250, to reauthorize the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000, sponsored by Representative Downing of Montana; and H.R. 7889, the Advancing Water Research and Collaboration Act of 2025, or the AWRC Act of 2025, sponsored by Representative Wittman of Virginia. I now recognize myself for a five-minute opening. Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold a legislative hearing on four bills. Last August, several members of our subcommittee had the pleasure of visiting Alaska with Chairman Westerman and Congressman Begich. For Alaska Natives, the harvest of marine mammals is protected under federal law. This harvest is done for subsistence purposes and includes the use of marine mammal parts to make various forms of artwork and handicrafts. We saw this firsthand in our visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Alaska residents and visitors alike purchase these products. However, as some states have enacted ivory bans to prevent trafficking of animals like elephants, these bans have inadvertently banned the possession of products made by Alaska Natives. Congressman Begich's legislation, the ARTIST Act, would prevent these bans from being applied to authentic artwork and articles of handicraft created by Alaska Natives. This bill will protect the right of Alaska Natives to make these products and the right of citizens from around the country to purchase and possess them. I would like to thank Megan Alvanna-Stimpfle, the chief of the King Island Native Community in Nome, Alaska, for traveling to be here today. Our next bill, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science Act, reauthorizes the Chesapeake Bay Office within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the most important resources for the Mid-Atlantic region. It is a source of recreational boating and fishing activity, generating millions of dollars in revenue each year. It is also important for the seafood sector, generating 500 million pounds of seafood annually. The bill makes changes to the management structure of the Chesapeake Bay Office and expands a number of its functions, which this committee will evaluate thoroughly. I am also concerned that this bill would add climate change programs and activities to the office's statutory charge. We will need to address this language and gain a better understanding of the intent of this bill to move it through the committee process. Our third bill, introduced by our committee's vice chair, Rob Wittman, reauthorizes the Water Resources Research Institutes. This network encompasses universities in every state across the country and advances key research to protect our country's water resources. Organized as the National Institutes for Water Resources, these entities work with universities across the country and collaborate with the United States Geological Survey to advance our understanding of America's water resources. Joining us today is Dr. Kevin McGuire, the director of the Virginia Water Center at Virginia Tech University. Some of their recent work includes assessing how hydrology impacts habitat for species, how soil and landscape impact water flows, and the effectiveness of different ways to treat water resources. Reauthorizing this program will continue this work, and I want to thank Congressman Wittman for his leadership. Our final bill is led by Congressman Troy Downing, the newest member of the Committee on Natural Resources. I join all my colleagues in welcoming Mr. Downing to our dais. Congressman Downing's legislation extends the authorization of the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System to 2028. Extending this authorization allows ongoing construction and maintenance of the system to occur. This system, when completed, will deliver drinking water to more than 20 different communities. I appreciate Mr. Downing's work to support a project that will benefit so many people across Montana. With that, I want to thank our witnesses for being here, and I look forward to today's discussion. I now recognize Ranking Member Huffman for his opening statement.
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