The incoming chair of the House Natural Resources Committee said the fight against climate change will not be the panel's sole focus.
Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., said on a conference call with reporters Thursday that "promoting a cleaner, healthier environment [as it] involves carbon in the atmosphere is a priority of mine, but there's much more to the environment than carbon in the atmosphere," The Hill reported.
Westerman said he sees common ground in working with Democrats, who will be in the minority in the House for the first time in four years. Westerman, who will succeed Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., noted the issues of forestry, such as the Save Our Sequoias Act, a bill he backed in the House, and reforms to environmental and energy permitting, a concern of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.
He said permitting reform is "an opportunity where we could hopefully work together and get more Democrats on board."
Westerman, though, said the committee would push back on Biden administration energy policies, especially those regarding fossil fuels, which likely will anger Democrats.
"I don't want to get boxed into saying it's a committee about the climate or even a committee about the environment but about good stewardship of our natural resources," Westerman said.
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