Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017
Floor Speech
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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank the gentleman for his leadership with this amendment.
This amendment is meant to address the overreach, a punitive approach that the EPA is taking, intervening itself within a process that the States are taking the leadership of cleaning up a treasure--the Chesapeake Bay. We are not talking about taking away funding. As chairman of the Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee, there are significant conservation dollars that go into cleaning watersheds. Watersheds are part of the jurisdiction of the subcommittee that I chair in this House on the Agriculture Committee.
This amendment is identical to one approved by the House last year in consideration of the Interior appropriations bill, Mr. Speaker. I have been hearing since 2009 from my constituents, many of which own farms, about the significant challenges and the costs of the Chesapeake Bay total maximum daily load, or TMDL, mandate.
These significant concerns also extend to the State and local governments because of the billions of dollars in direct costs and new regulatory burdens the TMDL imposes. The Agriculture Committee's Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee, which I have the honor of chairing, has also listened to the concerns of stakeholders over the past few Congresses. While each and every one of these witnesses wholeheartedly supports the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay, there remains great concern over the lack of consistent models, the heavy- handed approach of the TMDL, and the lack of needed flexibility while implementing the watershed implementation plans, or WIPS. This amendment is needed in order to allow for that flexibility at the State and local levels.
Pennsylvania has been very innovative in our efforts to do our part with the bay restoration, and that restoration will continue into the future. However, rather than acting punitive, the EPA must work collaboratively with the States.
I strongly support this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
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