Arctic refuge drilling closer as Senate panel backs bill
WASHINGTON— Oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge moved closer Wednesday as a key Senate panel approved a bill to open the remote refuge to energy exploration.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the drilling measure, 13-10. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia joined 12 Republicans to back the bill.
Opening the remote refuge to oil and gas drilling is a longtime Republican priority that most Democrats fiercely oppose. The 19.6million-acre refuge in northeastern Alaska is one of the most pristine areas in the United States and is home to polar bears, caribou, migratory birds and other wildlife.
The Trump administration and congressional Republicans are pushing to revive the drilling plan as a way to help pay for proposed tax cuts promised by President Donald Trump. The GOP-approved budget includes $1 billion in revenue from drilling leases over 10 years.
Coal boss for mine safety
WASHINGTON— The Senate on Wednesday narrowly approved President Donald Trump’s selection of a retired coal company executive to oversee U.S. mining safety.
David Zatezalo, of West Virginia, retired in 2014 as chairman of Rhino Resources, a coal company cited for repeated safety violations.
Calif. gunman killed wife
RANCHOTEHAMA, Calif. — A rampaging gunman killed five people in Rancho Tehama, including his wife, whose body was found hidden beneath the floor of their home, authorities said Wednesday.
At a morning news conference, Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston said that Kevin Janson Neal, 44, likely began the rampage after killing his wife with several gunshots and hiding her body.
At 7:54 a.m. the next day, authorities say Neal went on a 25-minute tear through the community of 1,500 and killed four more people, including a female neighbor he had previously attacked during an ongoing dispute.
At least 14 other people were injured, including seven children — one of whom remains in critical condition, Assistant Sheriff Johnston said. Authorities and people who knew Neal said he had a volatile, sometimes violent past.
CFPB head to step down
WASHINGTON— Richard Cordray, one of the few remaining Obama-era banking regulators, said on Wednesday that he plans to step down as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by the end of the month, clearing the way for President Donald Trump to remake a watchdog agency loathed by Republicans and Wall Street.
Mr. Cordray’s turbulent six-year tenure at the 1,600person agency was marked by aggressive efforts to rein in banks, payday lenders and debt collectors that often drew protests from the business community. His frequent clashes with conservatives turned Mr. Cordray into a favorite of Democrats and consumer groups and a villain to Republicans and the financial industry.