Washington, D.C. – The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee will hold a business meeting and two subcommittee hearings this week. The full committee will hold a business meeting on Wednesday, March 24, at 11:30 a.m. in SD-366 to consider the following bill and issue: To consider the nomination of Sue Ellen Wooldridge, to be Solicitor at the Department of the Interior. S. 1910 - A bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out an inventory and management program for forests derived from public domain land. The Public Lands Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Wednesday, March 24, at 2:30 p.m. in SD-366 to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 433, a bill to provide for enhanced collaborative forest stewardship management within the Clearwater and Nez Perce National Forests in Idaho, and for other purposes; S. 2180, a bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to exchange certain lands in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in the State of Colorado; and H.R. 1964, a bill to assist the States of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in conserving priority lands and natural resources in the Highlands region, and for other purposes. Invited Witnesses Include: Panel I: The Honorable Mark Rey Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment United States Department of Agriculture Robert W. McIntosh Associate Regional Director for Planning & Partnerships, Northeast Region United States Department of the Interior Panel II: Thomas Gilbert Executive Director The Highlands Coalition Titusville, NJ Dr. Bonner Cohen, PHD Senior Fellow National Center for Public Policy Research Warrenton, VA Susie Borowicz Elk City, ID Rick Johnson Idaho Conservation League Boise Office Executive Director Boise, ID 83701 The Water and Power Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Thursday, March 25, at 2:30 p.m. in SD-366 to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 1085, a bill to provide for a Bureau of Reclamation program to assist states and local communities in evaluating and developing rural and small community water supply systems, and for other purposes; S. 1732 a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a rural water supply program in the Reclamation States to provide a clean, safe, affordable, and reliable water supply to rural residents; and a bill (yet numbered) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a rural water supply program in the Reclamation States to provide a clean, safe, affordable, and reliable water supply to rural residents and establish guidelines for projects and for other purposes. Invited Witnesses Include: Panel I: The Honorable John W. Keys III Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation United States Department of the Interior Panel II: Jim T. Dunlap National Director New Mexico Rural Water Association Farmington, NM Dave Koland Manager Garrison Diversion Conservancy District Carrington, ND ###