WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced they will be leading the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forestry, and Mining Thursday.

The jurisdiction of the subcommittee includes oversight and legislative responsibilities for public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service, as well as management of the Outer Continental Shelf and the National Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

“Senator Wyden is an independent thinker who understands the importance of balance between access, conservation, and multiple use on public lands,” Sen. Lee said. “I look forward to working with him on the Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forestry, and Mining, and learning from his experience as a former chairman of the committee.”

“Senator Lee and I have a track record of working together on issues like protecting Americans from government surveillance, and I look forward to working with him on the Subcommittee on Public Lands,” Wyden said. “Keeping our public lands open to all Americans is a top priority for me, and I look forward to having a fellow Westerner sitting next to me on the dais.”