The House Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Endangered Species Act, has been reorganized by its new chairman, Representative Rob Bishop (R-Utah).  Of note to RCRC Member counties, the Public Lands Subcommittee will be chaired by Representative Tom McClintock (R-Placer), with Representative Doug La Malfa (R-Butte) serving as Vice Chair.  This subcommittee has traditionally held jurisdiction over the U.S. Forest Service and other forest-related measures/issues.  

Chair Bishop also consolidated all water and power functions into a new Subcommittee on Water, Power, and Oceans.  Both McClintock and La Malfa will serve on this panel, which is being Chaired by Representative John Fleming (R-Louisiana).  Endangered species and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) issues will be dealt with at the full Committee level, diminishing jurisdiction of another subcommittee to only federal lands issues.  The House Natural Resources Committee gains ten new Republicans, including Representative Paul Cook (R-Inyo/Mono/San Bernardino).  Another California Republican, Representative Jeff Denham (R-Stanislaus) will rejoin the Committee, which had been chaired by Representative Doc Hastings (R-Washington).  Hastings chose not to seek re-election in 2014.