    [Senate Hearing 117-504]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                            S. Hrg. 117-504

         A LEGISLATIVE HEARING TO EXAMINE S. 2194, THE COASTAL HABITAT
     CONSERVATION ACT OF 2021, S.__, THE STRENGTHENING COASTAL COMMUNITIES
      ACT OF 2022, S. 3069, THE GREAT LAKES FISH AND WILDLIFE RESTORATION
    REAUTHORIZATION ACT, AND S. 3767, THE DELAWARE RIVER BASIN CONSERVATION
                              REAUTHORIZATION ACT

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARING

                                   before the

                                  COMMITTEE ON
                          ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS

                              UNITED STATES SENATE

                        ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 SECOND SESSION

                                   __________

                                 JUNE 15, 2022

                                   __________

      Printed for the use of the Committee on Environment and Public Works

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

            Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov

                             ______

                  U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    49-822PDF           WASHINGTON : 2023

                   COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS

                        ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 SECOND SESSION

                      THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware, Chairman
    BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland         SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West
    BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont                 Virginia,
    SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island         Ranking Member
    JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon                 JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma
    EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts      KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota
    TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois            CYNTHIA M. LUMMIS, Wyoming
    DEBBIE STABENOW, Michigan            RICHARD SHELBY, Alabama
    MARK KELLY, Arizona                  JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
    ALEX PADILLA, California             ROGER WICKER, Mississippi
                                         DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska
                                         JONI ERNST, Iowa
                                         LINDSEY O. GRAHAM, South Carolina

                 Mary Frances Repko, Democratic Staff Director
                   Adam Tomlinson, Republican Staff Director

                                C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------
                                                                       Page

                                 JUNE 15, 2022
                               OPENING STATEMENTS

    Carper, Hon. Thomas R., U.S. Senator from the State of Delaware..     1
    Capito, Hon. Shelley Moore, U.S. Senator from the State of West
      Virginia.......................................................     3
    Cardin, Hon. Benjamin L., U.S. Senator from the State of Maryland     4

                                   WITNESSES

    Guertin, Stephen, Deputy Director, Program Management and Policy,
      U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.....     6
        Prepared statement...........................................     8
    Cope, Emily, Deputy Director, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries,
      South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.................    26
        Prepared statement...........................................    29
    Gray, Elizabeth, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Ex-Officio
      Board Director, National Audubon Society.......................    44
        Prepared statement...........................................    47

                                  LEGISLATION

    S. 2194, To authorize the Secretary of the Interior, through the
      Coastal Program of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service,
      to work with willing partners and provide support to efforts to
      assess, protect, restore, and enhance important coastal areas
      that provide fish and wildlife habitat on which Federal trust
      species depend, and for other purposes.........................    77
    S. __, To amend the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to make
      improvements to that Act, and for other purposes...............    89
    S. 3069, To reauthorize the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife
      Restoration Act of 1990, and for other purposes................   124
    S. 3767, To amend the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the
      Nation Act to reauthorize Delaware River Basin conservation
      programs, and for other purposes...............................   126

                              ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

    Testimony of U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Rob Portman, June
      15, 2022.......................................................    69
    Letter to the Committee on Environment and Public Works from the
      National Audubon Society et al., June 13, 2022.................    70
    Letter to Senators Carper and Capito from the Coalition for the
      Delaware River Watershed, June 13, 2022........................    74

         A LEGISLATIVE HEARING TO EXAMINE S. 2194, THE COASTAL HABITAT
    CONSERVATION ACT OF 2021, S. __, THE STRENGTHENING COASTAL COMMUNITIES
      ACT OF 2022, S. 3069, THE GREAT LAKES FISH AND WILDLIFE RESTORATION
    REAUTHORIZATION ACT, AND S. 3767, THE DELAWARE RIVER BASIN CONSERVATION
                              REAUTHORIZATION ACT

                                  ----------

                            WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

                                           U.S. Senate,
                     Committee on Environment and Public Works,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The Committee, met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m. in room
    406, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Thomas R. Carper
    (Chairman of the Committee) presiding.
        Present: Senators Carper, Capito, Cardin, Whitehouse, and
    Graham.

              OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. THOMAS R. CARPER,
                U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF DELAWARE

        Senator Carper. Good morning, everyone. I am happy to call
    this hearing to order.
        We welcome our witnesses.
        We welcome the jury sitting back here, all these young
    people in the audience. It is nice to see you guys.
        Today, our Committee, the Environment and Public Works
    Committee, will examine four pieces of legislation.
    Collectively, they would enhance the ability of the U.S. Fish
    and Wildlife Service to restore but also conserve coastal
    habitats for the benefit of wildlife and people too.
        The critical work implicated in each of these bills could
    not be more timely. According to the United Nations, we are
    experiencing an unprecedented global biodiversity decline. And
    extreme weather events are causing accelerated loss of coastal
    habitat, imperiling vulnerable species.
        But that is not all. These coastal areas that many species
    call home also protect coastal communities, homes, businesses,
    and infrastructure alike. So by investing in coastal habitats,
    we are investing in local economies at the same time.
        One of the bills we are examining today, the Coastal
    Habitat Conservation Act, would codify the Fish and Wildlife
    Service Coastal Program. This voluntary program provides
    technical and financial assistance to States, to Tribes, to
    landowners, and to other partners to support habitat
    conservation in coastal watersheds.
        Since 2010, this program has enabled, just in Delaware
    alone, some 66 projects. For every Federal dollar invested,
    partners have contributed $7, an impressive leveraging ratio.
        I want to thank both Senator Cardin and Senator Graham, who
    will be joining us later, for their leadership on this
    legislation, and Senator Cardin in particular for encouraging
    us to hold today's hearing.
        We will also consider legislation today pertaining to two
    regional Fish and Wildlife Service programs. The Great Lakes
    Fish and Wildlife Restoration Authorization Act would
    reauthorize the Service's Great Lakes Program. This program has
    provided funding for research and restoration projects in the
    Great Lakes since 1998. That is before a number of our guests
    out here today were born.
        The Delaware River Basin Conservation Reauthorization Act
    would reauthorize the Service's Delaware River Basin Program.
    This program has successfully brought Federal along with State
    and local governments together with regional partners to
    identify, to prioritize, and to implement restoration
    activities within the Basin.
        I would like to note that the Fish and Wildlife Service has
    done an exceptional job of getting this program off the ground
    since Congress authorized it in 2016. Recent grants from the
    Service are already being put to work in Delaware enhancing
    pollinator habitats and improving fish passage and restoring
    our wetlands.
        Last but not least, today we will consider draft
    legislation that amends the Coastal Barrier Resources Act and
    codifies maps to add units to the Coastal Barrier Resources
    System. This program protects sensitive habitats, and in doing
    so saves taxpayers dollars by restricting the use of Federal
    funding in those areas.
        The bipartisan Coastal Barrier Resources Act became law in
    1982, the year I was elected to serve in the U.S. House of
    Representatives. It became law in 1982, in no small part due to
    the hard work of my predecessor, Congressman Tom Evans from
    Delaware. And I am glad to carry on his important work.
        As I mentioned earlier today, the benefits of coastal
    restoration are well documented. After Hurricane Sandy, the
    Fish and Wildlife Service received funding for large scale
    restoration activities to remediate habitat damage and to
    improve resiliency. The Service spent some of this much needed
    funding to restore Fowler Beach in Prime Hook National Wildlife
    Refuge, one of our two national wildlife refuges in Delaware.
        As a result of that project's completion more than 6 years
    ago, record numbers of piping plovers are nesting on our
    beaches. And he community resiliency benefits are just as
    impressive. The homes and infrastructure surrounding Fowler
    Beach which had flooded in nearly every major rain event in the
    years before the completion of this project no longer flood.
    That is what we call in our State a real win-win.
        In addition to advancing the legislation before our
    Committee today, I believe we should also undertake these types
    of large scale restoration activities ahead of the next storm,
    instead of in response to it. Doing so would make our coastal
    communities even more resilient and better able to withstand
    extreme weather events in the face of a changing climate.
        Just as our Committee has agreed that an ounce of
    prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to our goals
    for conserving species, the same is true of building resiliency
    in our Nation's coastal communities. The Fish and Wildlife
    Service has demonstrated that we can and we should tackle these
    important goals together. This is evident from their successful
    work not just in the First State but in many other States as
    well.
        While what we have experienced in Delaware is the rule, not
    the exception. When we restore and conserve habitat, we also
    protect communities and support local economies. I hope that
    our colleagues and our distinguished panel of witnesses will
    highlight their similar experiences. And we look forward to
    hearing from all of you.
        Before we do, though, let me turn to our Ranking Member,
    Senator Capito, for her opening remarks.
        Senator Capito.

            OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO,
              U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA

        Senator Capito. Thank you, Chairman Carper, and thank all
    of our witnesses for coming today. I look forward to hearing
    from each one of you.
        When considering our Nation's natural resources and all
    that our beautiful country has to offer, it is important to
    consider the importance of our coastal communities and foster
    programs that protect those resources while also supporting
    economic growth. We are lucky on this Committee to have much
    representation from our coastal States.
        We are here today to examine a number of bills that would
    affect our coastal communities and the programs established to
    conserve and protect those areas. The Coastal Habitat
    Conservation Act of 2021 introduced by my colleagues, Senators
    Cardin and Graham, provides statutory authority for the U.S.
    Fish and Wildlife Coastal Program, as the Chairman said,
    originated in appropriations language in 1985.
        The Coastal Program works through partnerships to protect,
    restore, and enhance important coastal areas that provide fish
    and wildlife habitat. I want to thank Senator Graham for
    inviting our witness Emily Cope, from the South Carolina
    Department of Natural Resources, for their support for
    partnership programs that encourage conservation of these
    areas.
        Next on the agenda is Chairman Carper's draft legislative
    text, the Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2022, which
    would amend the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, or CBRA, and
    codify changes to the John Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources,
    CBRS, maps. In the past, these maps have been codified in a
    bipartisan manner. In 2018, 35 revised maps were adopted with
    the bipartisan support of this Committee. That compilation of
    maps was the largest legislative update to the CBRS since 1990.
        In addition to codification of maps, the legislation we are
    looking at today would make programmatic changes to the CBRA
    program. As we learn more about the proposed amendments to the
    CBRA, it is important to me that we maintain the bipartisan
    approach to updating CBRA that the Committee has followed in
    the past.
        We will also consider the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife
    Restoration and Reauthorization of 2021, which would
    reauthorize that underlying statute through fiscal year 2027 to
    fund projects to conserve Great Lakes fish and wildlife
    habitat.
        Finally, we will consider the Delaware River Basin
    Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2022 that the Chairman
    spoke about, which would reauthorize the Delaware River Basin
    Restoration Grant Program through 2030 and makes a number of
    changes to the program. I think the Chairman is aware, we have
    made him aware, that we have heard some concerns on this bill,
    specifically, that it fails to address some of the regulatory
    overreach of the Delaware River Basin Commission.
        The concerns are that commission has overstepped its
    intended role as coordinator and clearinghouse for State and
    Federal stakeholders in the Delaware Basin by taking actions to
    ban the development of natural gas in the commission's
    footprint, a troubling precedent. Indeed, the commission's
    claim to regulatory authority is rooted in a statute enacted
    before the passage of the Clean Water Act or even the creation
    of the EPA.
        At a time when we are seeking to increase our natural gas
    production to meet domestic and international demands, it is
    worth the Senate reviewing whether the commission has assumed
    for itself a regulatory role that is out of step with our
    current environmental statutes and policy needs. As we examine
    each of the four pieces of legislation before us today, I look
    forward to hearing more about the programs that you support and
    working toward bipartisan solutions.
        Again, I thank the Chairman for this hearing.
        Senator Carper. I have just spoken with Elizabeth Grace
    Mabry. She thinks we may be conflating two different items that
    have very similar names. But we will get to the bottom of that
    and try to straighten this out.
        Senator Capito. Sounds good.
        Senator Carper. Thanks so much.
        Before I introduce Mr. Guertin, our first witness on panel
    one, all by himself, I want to turn to our colleague without
    whom we probably wouldn't be here today.
        Senator Cardin, thank you for your leadership on these
    issues.

             OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN,
                U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND

        Senator Cardin. To our Chairman and Ranking Member, thanks
    for scheduling the hearing on these four very important bills.
    I thank you.
        One of the things I really enjoy about this Committee is
    that we do work together, Democrats and Republicans, to advance
    the agenda of the Environment and Public Works Committee. And
    today is no exception.
        I am very proud to partner with Senator Graham on the
    Coastal Habitat Conservation Act. I can point to so many areas
    where this has been beneficial in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
        As the Chairman pointed out, this is a voluntary program
    that provides the services of Fish and Wildlife for the
    planning, protection, and restoration of public and private
    lands on our coastal habitat.
        Mr. Chairman, I can point to so many examples of where this
    program has been instrumental in helping us achieve our
    objectives in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. I could point to
    the fact that we have been able to deal with habitat
    restoration for Federal trust species; the DelMarVa fox
    squirrel is doing very well, thanks to the help of this
    program.
        We can point to the fact that our nutria population on the
    Eastern Shore is just about zero, which is critically important
    to protecting our wetlands. We can point to wetlands
    restoration from Blackwater throughout our watershed. We can
    point to our coastal cities, including Annapolis, that have
    benefited from these programs. We can point to the oyster beds
    that are now coming back as a result of the help from these
    programs. There are so many examples that we could give.
        I take pride because the Fish and Wildlife Service started
    with the Chesapeake Bay but it is now a national program and a
    very effective national program. This legislation would codify
    and authorize at a level slightly higher than the President's
    fiscal year 2023 budget. The fiscal year 2023 budget is $16
    million. We are suggesting reauthorizing it at $20 million,
    growing to $25 million.
        I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for their help in
    putting together this legislation, and I look forward to our
    witnesses.
        Senator Carper. Senator Cardin, thank you so much. Thank
    you so much.
        We have two panels today. The first panel is a one person
    panel. And I want to welcome Stephen Guertin, who is currently
    serving as the Deputy Director for Program Management and
    Policy at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Mr. Guertin has
    been a public servant for over 30 years, almost all of his
    life. He started to work at the Department of Interior in 1989,
    and later the Fish and Wildlife Service, where he has held
    several leadership positions.
        He also served in the United States Marine Corps for 8
    years, and we want to thank you for your service, and thank you
    for joining us today. I am a retired Navy captain, and we have
    Dan Sullivan, who is from Alaska, who is a Marine colonel. So
    Navy and Marine Corps welcome you here today.
        I like to say the Navy and Marine Corps have a friendly
    rivalry. I like to say different uniforms, same team. So we
    welcome you before this team here today.
        You may begin your testimony when you are ready. The
    Committee will then proceed with asking you some questions
    before we move on to our second panel. Please proceed.

        STATEMENT OF STEPHEN GUERTIN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, PROGRAM
        MANAGEMENT AND POLICY, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE,
                       DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

        Mr. Guertin. Thank you, Chairman Carper, Ranking Member
    Capito, and members of the Committee. I am Steve Guertin,
    Deputy Director at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We
    appreciate the opportunity to testify today on three bills, as
    well as the discussion draft regarding the conservation of
    coastal habitats.
        Our Nation's coastal habitats play a vital role in
    sustaining healthy populations of fish, wildlife, and plants.
    These habitats provide shelter and food to a diverse array of
    species. They serve as breeding grounds and nurseries for fish
    and shellfish and are important stopovers for migratory birds.
        Coastal habitats are equally important for people. They
    support commercial and recreational fisheries, buffer
    communities against storms and sea level rise, improve water
    quality, and provide other valuable ecosystem services. These
    coastal habitats are threatened by climate change, rising sea
    levels, increasingly frequent and intense storms, and habitat
    loss. With population growth and urbanization projected to
    increase along our coastline, the people, assets, and natural
    resources exposed to these risks will only increase.
        We at the Fish and Wildlife Service play a key role in
    protecting, conserving, and restoring these important habitats.
    We recognize the importance of amplifying our efforts to
    address these threats as well as the need for greater
    investment in coastal habitat conservation.
        These bills and the discussion draft before the Committee
    today would take steps to address these needs, and we support
    these legislations. We support S. 2194, the Coastal Habitat
    Conservation Act, which would codify and authorize funding for
    the Service's Coastal Program. The Coastal Program is a
    voluntary, partnership based program that provides beneficial
    and financial assistance to States, Tribes, coastal
    communities, and other partners for habitat conservation in
    coastal watersheds. It leverages partner funds at a ratio of
    five to one, increasing the positive impact of every taxpayer
    dollar.
        These projects result in many benefits for fish, wildlife,
    plants, and people. They help build resilience to the impacts
    of climate change, conserve Federal trust species, and improve
    habitat connectivity. They also provide lasting benefits to
    coastal communities and their economies by employing
    contractors, restoring coastal wetlands, supporting fisheries,
    improving water quality, and increasing opportunities for
    hunting and fishing.
        We support S. 3069, which would reauthorize the Great Lakes
    Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act. This partnerlike grant
    program under the act has a successful track record of
    restoring and managing fish and wildlife resources and their
    habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. The program has provided
    over $32 million in Federal funding to 193 projects. We have
    worked collaboratively with more than 100 organizations that
    have contributed about $15 million in matching, non-Federal
    support.
        We also support S. 3767, which would reauthorize our
    successful Delaware River Basin Restoration Program. This
    voluntary, non-regulatory program brings partners together
    across the Delaware River watershed in pursuit of a shared
    vision: Restoring and protecting the Nation's watersheds'
    natural resources for the benefit of wildlife and people.
        This program supports partner priorities of the watershed
    by awarding matching grants to on the ground conservation
    projects. Since 2018, we have awarded nearly $27 million to 123
    projects which have generated $46 million in matching funds.
    These projects have helped restore fish and wildlife habitat,
    improve water quality, reduce flooding, and enhance public
    access and recreational opportunities.
        Finally, we support the draft bill, the Strengthening
    Coastal Communities Act. The Coastal Barrier Resources Act,
    through its non-regulatory, free market approach, mitigates
    coastal hazards associated with climate change by removing
    Federal subsidies and incentives for development along our
    coastlines. This in turn reduces development pressures and
    conserves fish and wildlife and their habitats. The Coastal
    Barrier Resources Act has been highly successful in its 40 year
    history by reducing the intensity of development on these
    important coastal barriers, resulting in over $9.5 billion in
    savings.
        The draft bill would improve our administration of the
    Coastal Barrier Resources Act. For example, it would examine
    future application of the act to high hazard areas not included
    in the current CBRA system. The bill would also adopt our final
    recommended modernized maps for more than 450 coastal barrier
    resource system units, including those maps recently revised
    through our Hurricane Sandy remapping project. Adoption of
    these maps by Congress would be the single largest action to
    modernize the system since the law's enactment.
        We support the draft bill and look forward to working with
    the Committee on technical changes to ensure the successful
    implementation of the act and the long term protection of these
    important coastal barriers that help keep our communities safe.
    We appreciate the Committee's interest in advancing coastal
    habitat conservation and restoration, and I would be pleased to
    answer any questions that you may have.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Guertin follows:]

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Senator Carper. Good. Thanks for that testimony. Thanks
    again for your service in uniform and civilian life, and for
    your leadership today.
        I want to start with a question dealing with the
    relationship between the Fish and Wildlife Service and the
    National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The Delaware River Basin
    Conservation Act receives appropriations, as you know, through
    the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Fish and
    Wildlife Foundation administers grants under that act through a
    cooperative agreement with the Service.
        My question is this. Would you elaborate on the importance
    of this relationship with National Fish and Wildlife
    Foundation? How does your partnership with that foundation help
    leverage additional investment in conservation?
        Mr. Guertin. Thank you for your question, Mr. Chairman.
        We have a very unique mission with the Fish and Wildlife
    Service. It tells us to work with others to conserve, protect,
    and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the
    continuing benefit of the American people. And we take that
    model and that mission to heart. Our work with the National
    Fish and Wildlife Foundation is an example, a great example of
    collaborative, voluntary, non-regulatory conservation. And we
    use it to high advantage and great success in the Delaware
    Basin.
        As a matter of fact, Congress saw the effectiveness of this
    program and appropriated an additional $5 million a year for
    the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for us also to use for this
    successful partnership. We both bring our expertise, our
    capacity, our networks, and our hard working employees, as well
    as those of our partners, to the mission, and collaborate
    effectively. The match that we are getting out of this
    partnership is very, very impressive. We have awarded about $27
    million and the matches come in at $48 million.
        Senator Carper. Say that again.
        Mr. Guertin. We at the Federal level have used about $27
    million of our appropriated dollars, and the match, led by the
    foundation, has brought in another $47 million. So total
    capacity out there is enormous, and it is all done on a
    voluntary, non-regulatory approach. And so we find the
    partnership highly effective and look to it to guide some of
    our conservation work in other regions of the country as well.
        Senator Carper. I like to say teamwork makes the dream
    work. It is certainly true in this case as well.
        Second question. The Fish and Wildlife Service is known as
    a regulatory agency to a lot of people. The legislation before
    us today supports non-regulatory, voluntary partnership based
    conservation. In my experience, the Fish and Wildlife Service
    embraces this approach whenever possible.
        My question is, would you elaborate on the effectiveness of
    this approach when it comes to habitat conservation?
        Mr. Guertin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are all in when it
    come to non-regulatory, voluntary approach to habitat
    conservation. We have many authorities under the Fish and
    Wildlife Coordination Act, legislation that encourages us to
    work with partners across the landscape.
        In my experience, when we can help develop a shared vision
    amongst all partners, States, Tribes, private sector, military,
    private industry, and others, and we each bring our advocacy,
    our capacity, and our hard working folks to the table, we can
    accomplish great strides for conservation. Our administration,
    our leadership, Director Williams and others, are encouraging
    us to focus where we can make the most significant impacts with
    limited dollars.
        This collaborative approach is one way and one approach
    that helps us do that. And we can see these types of results in
    Delaware, in the Chesapeake Bay, in the Great Lakes, in the
    prairie pothole region and other parts of the country.
        Senator Carper. Thank you.
        One last question, then I will yield to Senator Capito. My
    staff knows two of my favorite words are ``for example.'' I
    love examples. I use a whole lot myself. But would you share
    with our Committee today some examples of how the legislation
    before us supports the conservation and recovery of threatened
    and endangered species?
        Mr. Guertin. Thank you for your question, Mr. Chairman.
    These legislative vehicles will give an enormous amount of
    support and capacity for the Fish and Wildlife Service to
    deliver our mission. These are the kinds of tools we can use in
    our joint quest to bring species recovery or to head off a
    potential listing.
        A great example is our work with States and others on the
    salt marsh sparrow in the Chesapeake Bay area. These small
    birds are threatened by sea level rise. And we have seen about
    an 85 percent decline in them. So we are in a race against the
    clock now using voluntary conservation to head off a potential
    listing. It is all about voluntary cooperation.
        In the Delaware River, we have done a lot of proactive work
    on the bog turtle. In the Great Lakes, we have done a lot of
    work on piping plover restoration. We have a lot of positive,
    cooperative conservation for grassland nesting birds, monarchs
    and other pollinators. Matter of fact, there will be a big
    summit or conference here on monarch conservation next week in
    the capital as well.
        Then Senator Cardin talked a little bit about some of our
    other success stories in conservation with the DelMarVa
    squirrel and nutria eradication in the Chesapeake Bay. We led
    an effort involving a lot of partners, and were able to
    eradicate this invasive species from the ecosystem. We have now
    turned our efforts to other parts of the country where
    unfortunately, they have started to show up.
        So these pieces of legislation will do an enormous amount
    of good to further give the Fish and Wildlife Service
    authorities and funding levels to go after this mission with
    our partners.
        Senator Carper. Those are good examples.
        Before I yield to Senator Capito, I just shared with her a
    note handed to me by a member of our staff. And the note says
    that Ranking Member Capito raised concerns regarding the
    Delaware River Basin Commission, which involves, as you know,
    the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA. My question is,
    could you confirm for us that this commission is separate and
    apart from the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act, which is
    a voluntary, non-regulatory Fish and Wildlife Service program?
        Mr. Guertin. To the best of my knowledge, yes, Mr.
    Chairman, they are two separate and distinct organizational
    entities.
        Senator Carper. I will ask you to respond to that in
    greater detail for the record.
        Then we will talk some more later.
        Senator Capito. OK.
        Senator Carper. Thank you.
        Senator Capito.
        Senator Capito. Thank you.
        Thank you, Mr. Guertin, for being here with us today, and
    your long years of service at the Federal level.
        When you are talking about the coastal program, and you
    have talked about partnerships, the Chairman was talking about
    the foundation, how do you weave that into private landowners
    and those kinds of other partners that could be involved or
    would be affected by what you might be moving forward with at
    the coastal program?
        Mr. Guertin. Thank you for your question, Senator. We are
    talking about non-regulatory, voluntary programs here. And that
    is an approach we try to employ whenever we can. We try to
    establish a vision for a landscape. We reach out and work very
    closely with our State counterparts, State fish and game
    agencies, the Tribes, and other jurisdictions.
        Then with private landowners, we have several effective
    programs, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, our private lands
    program, or the coastal program, where we build trust and
    confidence up over time, some of it at the kitchen table, some
    of it at local forums, some of it working with the Farm Service
    Agency and others to try and generate interest in conservation.
        In many cases, private landowners approach us. We can use
    these programs as a front porch for people to talk about a
    shared vision, and then work with them on fulfilling some of
    their conservation needs as well as some of ours.
        But we really use a model of trying to bring people to the
    table and look to convening authorities, many of which are
    already in existence. And we can just turn to those and bring
    some of the capacity, and bring capacity from other Federal
    agencies like Farm Service Agency and RCS, and others and some
    of the BIL funding is a great example as well, to bring it to
    the table and pursue a shared vision for conservation on the
    landscape.
        Senator Capito. Great, thank you. That is good.
        In considering the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act, are
    there changes to the program that you think would improve its
    implementation? In every program, not just this one, but any
    program, in any bailiwick, certainly we want to eliminate any
    kind of possibility of duplicative programming that might be
    coming out of one pocket but serving the same purpose. It sort
    of dilutes the purpose if you keep separating it out into
    different programs.
        Do you have any suggestions there?
        Mr. Guertin. We see the Coastal Program authorized under
    the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act as pretty effective right
    now. We have a lot of flexibilities. We believe getting it
    codified with its own authorities would be enormously helpful
    going forward. That will give us kind of a stronger mandate.
    Setting these new fund targets or authorized funding levels
    will help us internally with the Department, OMB, advocating
    for budget increases, and we think it will give Congress a lot
    more oversight, getting clearer reporting and chain of command
    from us into how we are executing the program on the ground.
        We work very closely with this program and our Partners for
    Fish and Wildlife Program, private lands program, to try and
    have a more consistent approach on the landscape. And our field
    employees are great. They take off the bowling shirt, and when
    landowners and others come up to talk to them, they are not
    representing the Coastal Program or the Partners Program. They
    are representing the Fish and Wildlife Service and the
    consortium of land managers on the landscape to try and hammer
    out that shared vision and try to forge common sense solutions
    going forward.
        Senator Capito. Thank you. Just for my own education here,
    you are talking about, we codified the maps, I said in 2018.
    You said this is 400 maps that would be codified, the most
    ever.
        How does that affect what you do?
        Mr. Guertin. Thanks for your question, Senator. This
    Hurricane Sandy remapping project, as well as the smaller units
    we updated in about six other States are an enormous
    undertaking. About a third of the acreage of the CBRA will be
    impacted as well. It is really going to provide a lot of
    certainty and answer a lot of questions to homeowners who have
    advocated for several years, they were erroneously included in
    the CBRA boundaries. Using new technology, we were able to
    clean up some of those.
        It is also going to give Congress a clean slate to start
    the program afresh with more consistent interpretation and
    application of where the delineation of the boundaries is. And
    it actually adds several hundred thousand acres as well to
    CBRA, which will further provide additional strong natural
    habitat to resist storms, absorb a lot of that energy, provide
    great habitat.
        So it is a revolutionary accomplishment and I think a game
    changer for coastal conservation if Congress were to move
    forward and enact this legislation and codify these map
    revisions into law.
        Senator Capito. OK. Final question. Would that be
    equivalent to, say, a FEMA flood map, or something of that
    nature? Inland, that is what we deal with.
        Mr. Guertin. What our maps do, Senator, if they are enacted
    into law, is they delineate the boundaries of the Coastal
    Barrier Resources Act. If any acreage or structures are
    included by those, they are not eligible for Federal flood
    insurance.
        Senator Capito. I see.
        Mr. Guertin. They can still go ahead and develop, but they
    have to use non-Federal funding or seek insurance elsewhere. So
    it is a marketplace disincentive----
        Senator Capito. There are interplays with that.
        Mr. Guertin. Yes. Interplays with both of those, yes.
        Senator Capito. Thank you.
        Senator Carper. Thank you.
        Thank you, Senator.
        We have been joined by someone who thinks and talks and
    works a lot on coastal issues. He has been one of our leaders
    on this issue.
        Sheldon, thank you for joining us. You are recognized.
        Senator Whitehouse. My pleasure, Chairman. Thank you, and
    thank you to the witness for joining us.
        With respect to the Strengthening Coastal Communities Act,
    the administration of it is by Interior with consult to the
    Army Corps, NOAA, and FEMA. And I would propose that the
    Coastal Zone Management Act agencies at the States be included
    in that consultation. The State agencies are effectuating the
    Federal CZMA policies on behalf of Congress.
        And at least in the case of Rhode Island, they do a far,
    far, far better job of mapping risk than FEMA flood maps have.
    FEMA flood maps have proven defective over and over again in a
    great variety of ways, the most flagrant of which is probably
    refusing to anticipate the realities of sea level rise and
    assuming static state with no scientific evidence to support
    that assumption.
        So I think it is really important that CZMA agencies be
    added, and would make that recommendation to the extent you
    have input into that process.
        More generally, I just wanted to flag the importance of
    funding for coastal resilience. We are, in Rhode Island and
    elsewhere, seeing really remarkable changes happening along our
    coasts. We are seeing sea level rise. Again, thanks to the CRMC
    mapping, we can understand what it means for Rhode Island in
    the future. We are going to have to redraw our map. Mainland
    areas will become islands; we turn into an archipelago in many
    respects. And that is an enormous, enormous change to burden a
    State with. We need resources to managing that coming hazard.
        We are seeing ocean heating. That is causing our fisheries
    to go into complete uproar. Invasives coming in, longstanding
    fisheries departing. That creates enormous upheaval in
    communities based around fisheries.
        We are seeing globally massive amounts of ocean
    acidification for reasons having to do with Pacific hydrology.
    It has been worse on the West Coast first. But we are seeing
    industries like shellfish aquaculture being crushed by the
    ocean water in which they try to grow the small oysters and
    clams becoming so acidic that it kills the small oysters and
    clams. So they have to buffer their entire intake in order to
    get around the acidification of the waters. We are seeing the
    terapod, which is a foundational species of the ocean
    ecosystem, experiencing massive shell damage when sampled
    offshore.
        Of course, ocean storms are dialed up by heavier, higher
    ocean surface temperatures. We are seeing higher ocean surface
    temperatures. So we are seeing far worse storms, which then
    rolls back into the problem of bad FEMA mapping when you look
    at what happened to Texas and some of these recent hurricanes
    that have come ashore there, where more than half of the
    flooding happened in areas that FEMA had failed to identify as
    flood prone.
        So we have a mess on our hands, and it is going to take
    real resources to coasts to get around that. I make that point
    often, but I wanted to make it again here. We see it, for
    instance, in the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which ought
    to be renamed the Upland and Freshwater Conservation Fund,
    because of where it directs its attention. Luckily, we are
    developing an Oceans and Coastal Fund to deal with coasts and
    saltwater. We are increasingly able to fund that. But it is a
    stepchild compared to the Upland and Freshwater Conservation
    Fund.
        We are still pursuing with the Army Corps of Engineers why
    it is that the Inland and Coastal Flooding Fund, depending on
    the year, spends 20 times as much on inland flooding as coastal
    flooding, or 100 times as much on inland than coastal flooding.
    So our coastal communities are facing really unprecedented
    risks and hazards. I encourage you to continue to bear down on
    these issues and particularly to the extent you deal with
    Interior and the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Army
    Corps and its flooding fund, let's try to figure out why it is
    that coasts are disfavored so badly in those.
        Mr. Chairman, my time has pretty much expired. But if the
    witness would like to make a comment, I would be happy to
    entertain his comment, and I appreciate his service.
        Mr. Guertin. Thank you for your statement, Senator. I
    appreciate your support for these three bills and the draft
    legislation.
        Just for the record, I would note in addition to these
    coastal related programs, we have a lot of other programs that
    deal with oceans and coasts, 180 of our National Wildlife
    refuges that encompass about 750 million acres of submerged or
    terrestrial and underwater ecosystems are a part of that. We do
    a lot of work in our five National Marine monuments,
    interjurisdictional fisheries work, migratory birds, and
    others.
        So if you look at the whole portfolio of programs U.S. Fish
    and Wildlife is entrusted to manage, we have a lot of interest
    and support for oceans and coastal programs, and continue to
    keep them a priority. We will do our best going forward to make
    sure the Land and Water Conservation Fund takes into account
    some of your concerns about the allocations made to inland
    acquisition or easements as opposed to coastal packages as
    well. And the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund and others,
    because there are a lot of packages of funding that are
    deployed for conservation.
        Senator Whitehouse. I think if we can continue to support,
    Mr. Chairman, the Coastal Fund, which got, for instance, $492
    million, the biggest allocation it has ever received, in the
    Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, and we have other plans for
    additional revenues, then we don't have to get into a fight
    between coastal and upland and saltwater and freshwater. We
    grow the pie in ways that support coastal communities without
    having to take back the enormous largesse that the Land and
    Water Conservation Fund sends to upland and freshwater
    resources.
        Thank you.
        Senator Carper. Thank you very much, Senator Whitehouse.
        I have at least one more question I would like to ask. It
    deals with proactive coastal conservation. In my opening
    statement, I talked about the successful restoration of Fowler
    Beach, which is a part of the Prime Hook National Wildlife
    Refuge. This was not a small project. This was a huge project.
    The cost was about $38 million, which is enormous. Considering
    the community flood protection and the habitat resiliency
    benefits, the return on investment is also substantial.
        The Fish and Wildlife Service undertook the Fowler Beach
    restoration project after Hurricane Sandy had caused such
    damage up and down the East Coast, but especially in New Jersey
    and Delaware and Maryland. The reality is that the project was
    long overdue.
        Do you think the Fish and Wildlife Service could and should
    do more projects like this one proactively instead of
    retroactively?
        Mr. Guertin. Thank you for your question, Mr. Chairman. To
    go back to one of my earlier statements, our leadership team
    wants us to focus our efforts where we can make the most
    significant impact. Sometimes that requires us to pull together
    or bundle several funding streams to go after a larger
    ecosystem or watershed based restoration or conservation
    action.
        So we are certainly taking a look at some of those. We can
    point to congressional leadership on passing the recent
    Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. A lot of the funding capacity
    that came to us was specifically for large scale ecosystem
    restoration on a geographic scale, Delaware River, Lake Tahoe,
    Klamath Basin, and the National Fish Habitat Passage Program as
    well.
        So yes, we are certainly taking a look at those. A lot of
    the lessons learned with Fowler Beach in Delaware can be taken
    and used in other geographies of the country as well. But these
    big, larger scale projects require bundling funding from
    elsewhere. And so we always have to balance that out with the
    needs of smaller scale projects or other needs as well.
        I look forward to working with you and the Committee as we
    move forward with your deliberations on our pending budget
    request for 2023. It includes a lot of funding to do this kind
    of work, including for the Coastal Program that is under
    congressional consideration right now. That would fund some
    more of that kind of work.
        Senator Carper. Good. As you know, we have a number of
    committees and subcommittees that are meeting simultaneously.
    So our members are engaged in other places; they will be coming
    and going throughout. I am not sure that during the time you
    are here we will be joined by another one of our Committee
    members.
        I am going to give you an opportunity, since we have a
    minute or two here, is there anything else you would like to
    mention in terms of a question maybe you weren't asked, that
    you would have liked to have been asked, or something else you
    would like to say just as a closing thought?
        Mr. Guertin. Thank you for that opportunity, Mr. Chairman.
    Just to reaffirm our continued interest and support for what
    you are doing here. We really appreciate the Committee
    evaluating these three bills as well as the draft bill. We
    stand ready to provide any kind of support on a technical or
    policy level that will help your deliberations.
        We think these four pieces of legislation will be force
    multipliers for us. They will give us needed authority and
    authorization for appropriations, flexibilities as well. They
    will allow us to do a better job working with our partners on
    coastal resiliency, address climate change, work on some of
    these big natural resource programs. We really appreciate your
    leadership and look forward to working with you going forward.
    Thank you.
        Senator Carper. We look forward to it as well. Thanks for
    your service, and we look forward to working with you and your
    team, the people you represent.
        Thank you so much. Semper fi.
        Mr. Guertin is going to be succeeded by a second panel. We
    have two witnesses on our second panel. One is Dr. Elizabeth
    Gray, and the other is Ms. Emily Cope.
        We thank both of you for joining us today. It is good to
    see you. Go ahead and take your seats if you would, please.
        I see a former Sea Grant fellow from our Committee, who is
    leaving. It is nice to see you, Katie, welcome. I could barely
    see your lips move when Mr. Guertin spoke.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Carper. All right, Emily Cope. How are you today?
    Great to see you.
        Just a brief introduction if I could. We are delighted to
    welcome Emily Cope, recommended as a witness by a member of our
    Committee from South Carolina. Ms. Cope is currently serving as
    Deputy Director for Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries for South
    Carolina Department of Natural Resources. She has served the
    department for over 22 years and has held numerous positions
    within the agency, most recently serving as Assistant Director.
        Ms. Cope, I think one of your two Senators may be able to
    drop in and join us at some point during your testimony. If he
    does, we will certainly recognize him to add whatever comments
    he would like to add. We are delighted that you are here. Thank
    you so much for joining us.

        STATEMENT OF EMILY COPE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, WILDLIFE AND
      FRESHWATER FISHERIES, SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
                               RESOURCES

        Ms. Cope. Thank you. It is my pleasure to be here.
        Chairman Carper, I appreciate you and Ranking Member Capito
    and members of the Committee allowing me the opportunity to
    come here today and address your Committee in support of S.
    2194, the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act. As you mentioned,
    my name is Emily Cope, and I serve as the Deputy Director for
    the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
        First, I would like to thank my Senator, Lindsey Graham,
    for co-sponsoring this legislation with Senator Cardin. The
    support and dedication that both of them have shown for our
    country's natural resources has resulted in wide sweeping
    impacts and is greatly appreciated.
        The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is
    supportive of your efforts to authorize the Secretary of
    Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to work with
    willing partners to further the purpose and implementation of
    the Coastal Program. Habitat loss due to development pressure,
    natural disasters, and climate change continues to threaten our
    coastal ecosystems and communities. This in turn jeopardizes
    our fish and wildlife species as well as our local economies.
        South Carolina, along with many other coastal States, has
    implemented numerous habitat enhancement, as well as research
    and survey projects utilizing Coastal Program funding.
    Specifically, in South Carolina, we focused on threatened and
    endangered species as well as species of concern including
    black rail, loggerhead sea turtles, shorebirds, and waterbirds.
    These projects simply would not have been possible without
    Coastal Program funding.
        In addition, because the Coastal Program implements the
    National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Program, I want to more
    specifically elaborate on these efforts. On the land
    acquisition side, the South Carolina Department of Natural
    Resources has secured over $9.5 million of funding through the
    Coastal Wetlands Conservation Program and protected 52,320
    acres on 11 different tracts of land.
        These areas are not only managed by SCDNR to enhance
    coastal resources but are also open for public recreation
    opportunities. This $9.5 million investment was leveraged by
    approximately $77.8 million of State, private, and Federal
    funds as well as in kind contributions. These projects involve
    numerous partners, including but not limited to Ducks
    Unlimited, Local Land Trust, the National Oceanic and
    Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Forest Service, and other
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service programs.
        Most recently, South Carolina has utilized an additional $2
    million from the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Program
    to restore and enhance hydrological function of 3,578 acres of
    managed wetlands on two SCDNR properties. This funding was
    leveraged with approximately $1 million of State funding.
        Ducks Unlimited has been a significant partner in these two
    projects and has provided numerous hours of oversight,
    engineering, and design, as well as technical expertise. Key
    activities include the addition of water control structures and
    the restoration of canals, embankments, and berms on these
    historically and ecologically important wetlands.
        Through these acquisition and restoration efforts of the
    programs I have mentioned, we have protected and enhanced
    critical wetland habitat for not only migrating waterfowl but
    also other wetland dependent bird species, herpetofauna, and
    native plants, many of which are species of concern and are
    priorities for conservation efforts.
        In addition, these areas provide valuable ecological
    filtering services from landscape runoff, namely pollutants and
    silt which would have entered our rivers, estuaries, and ocean,
    thereby decreasing water quality. These impoundments also
    buffer the mainland from storm surges and exceptionally high
    tides, which are becoming more common each year.
        I hope these examples give you a clear picture of not only
    the direct impacts of the Coastal Program, but also the volume
    of leverage and partnerships generated by such. South Carolina
    is known for its beauty and the quality of its coastal
    resources. These resources provide our citizens with a sense of
    place, support our local communities, and enhance the quality
    of life for our residents. They are a key reason that people
    from across the United States come to visit our State.
        By solidifying the future of the Coastal Program, we can
    ensure South Carolina continues to set the bar high for coastal
    resource conservation.
        Again, on behalf of the South Carolina Department of
    Natural Resources, I sincerely want to thank you for your
    support of the program and your commitment to ensuring its
    future through this important legislation. And with that, I
    will be happy to answer any questions.
        [The prepared statement of Ms. Cope follows:]

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        Senator Carper. That is great. Thank you so much. Great to
    see you in person.
        I think we are joined by our second person who is going to
    be on this panel, Dr. Elizbeth Gray.
        Dr. Gray, are you out there?
        Ms. Gray. I am, I am on video feed. Can you see me?
        Senator Carper. Yes, we can see you, and hear you.
        Let me just take a moment to introduce you, Dr. Gray.
    Currently serving as CEO of the National Audubon Society. Prior
    to joining Audubon, Dr. Gray worked for the Nature Conservancy
    for more than 17 years, most recently serving as the Global
    Managing Director of the Nature Conservancy's Climate Change
    Program.
        We welcome you. There was once a Delawarean, actually a
    very senior member of the leadership team at DuPont Company,
    who became Governor of Delaware, Russell Peterson, who later
    became the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality in
    the Nixon and Ford administration. And then I think after that,
    he served as the CEO of the National Audubon Society. So we
    have a rich heritage from Delaware that has been part of the
    National Audubon Society's leadership.
        We welcome you especially today, with that history in mind.
    Please proceed. Your full testimony will be made part of the
    record, then we will get into some questions with both you and
    Ms. Cope.

    STATEMENT OF ELIZABETH GRAY, PH.D., CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND
          EX-OFFICIO BOARD DIRECTOR, NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY

        Ms. Gray. Thank you, Chairman Carper.
        Good morning. My name is Dr. Elizabeth Gray, and I am the
    Chief Executive Officer of the National Audubon Society.
        Audubon represents 1.8 million members nationwide
    protecting birds and the places they need through our 23 State
    programs, 41 centers, and 450 chapters. I appreciate the
    opportunity to testify today on behalf of Audubon regarding
    coastal habitats and the need to protect and restore these
    vital areas.
        Over the past year, I have identified three pillars that
    are guiding the National Audubon Society's work: Hemispheric
    conservation, equity diversity inclusion and belonging, and
    climate change. Audubon's work around protecting and restoring
    coastal resources, such as wetlands, beaches, and barrier
    islands, touches upon all three of these pillars. These
    resources serve as recreational spaces, enhance our resilience
    to climate threats like floods and hurricanes, and provide
    habitat for birds and other wildlife.
        Yet climate change and development have diminished bird
    habitats. The U.S. has lost 3 billion birds since the 1970s,
    with a 70 percent decline in sea and shorebird populations over
    the last 50 years.
        Increasing storms and hurricanes also threaten coastal
    communities. Hurricanes have killed nearly 6,700 people and
    caused more than $1.1 trillion in damages from 1980 to 2021.
        However, the burdens of climate change do not affect all
    communities equally. Those on the frontlines of climate change,
    primarily lower income communities, communities of color, and
    tribal nations and indigenous communities, are being the first
    and the worst hit by its impacts.
        The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plays a crucial role in
    climate resiliency and adaptation through its administration of
    programs throughout the United States that focus on habitat
    conservation and protection. Audubon supports these four bills
    which would codify, reauthorize, and expand critical U.S. Fish
    and Wildlife Service programs in vulnerable coastal areas,
    increase coastal resiliency and safeguard important habitat.
        The Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2021 would improve
    coastal community protection through the authorization of
    technical assistance for grant programs targeted to coastal
    habitat conservation. The Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife
    Restoration Reauthorization Act reauthorizes the U.S. Fish and
    Wildlife Service to continue to work with States and other
    agencies to develop and execute proposals to conserve, restore,
    and manage fish and wildlife populations and other habitats.
        The Delaware River Basin Conservation Reauthorization Act
    reauthorizes critical conservation programs throughout the
    Delaware River Watershed and improves the equitability of
    Federal funding provided through the Act. The Strengthening
    Coastal Communities Act of 2022 expands the bipartisan Coastal
    Barrier Resources Act and its system of protected areas,
    protecting vital coastal ecosystems while saving Federal tax
    dollars.
        The Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2021 would
    authorize imperative technical assistance to sustain the U.S.
    Fish and Wildlife Service's Coastal Grant Program. To clarify
    from my written testimony, this bill authorizes that technical
    and financial assistance, not the grant program itself. With
    the support granted by this authorization, the Coastal Program
    focuses on habitat conservation along the Nation's coastlines,
    which provide resiliency for coastal communities prone to
    storms and flooding as well as critical habitat for birds,
    fish, and other wildlife.
        Both the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration
    Reauthorization Act and the Delaware River Basin Conservation
    Reauthorization Act reauthorize vital Fish and Wildlife Service
    programs that support coastal habitat conservation protecting
    critical areas for migratory birds in these regions. And the
    Strengthening Costal Communities Act of 2022 would expand the
    successful and bipartisan Coastal Barrier Resources Act which
    currently protects 3.5 million acres along undeveloped beaches,
    islands, and wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, Great
    Lakes, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. CBRA does not
    prohibit development. It simply removes the taxpayer from
    funding in important designated areas.
        CBRA supports coastal resiliency by protecting undeveloped
    areas that buffer nearby communities from storms and flood. It
    has saved the Federal taxpayer $9.5 billion and is projected to
    save billions more. It protects wetlands that provide important
    habitat and support the Nation's $244 billion a year
    recreational and commercial fishing industry.
        This legislation would strengthen and expand CBRA by adding
    278,000 acres, expanding the definition of an undeveloped
    coastal barrier, and directing the Service to carry out a
    Coastal Hazard pilot project to identify areas that are and
    will be vulnerable to coastal hazards at sea level areas.
        Thank you for the opportunity to testify. I am happy to
    answer any questions you may have.
        [The prepared statement of Ms. Gray follows:]

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Senator Carper. Thanks so much for joining us remotely, and
    for those comments.
        We are going to be joined by a couple other members of our
    Committee.
        I understand Senator Graham is trying to get here, Ms.
    Cope, if he can.
        Senator Capito is going to lead off the questioning, and I
    will follow. Thank you.
        Senator Capito. Thank you both for your testimony, and
    thank you for what you are doing for the country and your State
    to preserve our natural resources.
        I am going to start with you, Ms. Cope. You mentioned in
    your statements the coordination that you do with Ducks
    Unlimited and U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Can you give me some
    other examples of partnerships that you have that have been
    particularly successful, and are those partnerships growing,
    and how that impacts your ability to move forward with these
    programs?
        Ms. Cope. Absolutely. Thank you for your question.
        In utilizing Coastal Program funding, one of the projects
    we did was enhancing black rail habitat on private lands. So
    the Coastal Program was able to provide funding for us to go in
    and treat some vegetation that was deteriorating the quality of
    wood stork habitat as well as increasing predation on wood
    storks.
        So without the Coastal Program funding and the
    participation of private landowners, we would not have been
    able to do that project, and we would not have been able to
    increase the wood stork nesting that is in South Carolina. So
    private landowners provide a critical partner in some of the
    things we do.
        In addition, when we utilized one of our national coastal
    wetlands conservation projects, one of our properties was
    Samworth Wildlife Management Area. We went in and did some
    major renovations. We had tremendous storm damage as well as
    just dealing with effects of higher tides impacting the berms
    and impoundments. In that Ducks Unlimited was a partner, but we
    also partnered with Audubon South Carolina as well as the Open
    Space Institute, who brought resources and technical expertise
    to the table. They donated those as in kind contributions.
        Through that, we were able to re-top 7,780 linear feet of
    dike as well as 13,425 linear feet of interior canal
    restoration, 1,460 linear feet of interior setback dike,
    thereby enhancing also 2,560 linear feet of berm along those
    eroded dikes, as well as installing four trunks and water
    control structures.
        Because these other partners were willing to come to the
    table, share their resources and their technical expertise, we
    were able to develop a project that would enhance these wetland
    areas for not only wintering waterfowl, but many other non-game
    species and many species of concern.
        Senator Capito. Great. I know South Carolina, having been
    to the South Carolina coast myself, it has beautiful and very
    great beaches. I know that because of that, there is a lot of
    infrastructure, hotels, people, and recreationists who want to
    enjoy those areas.
        How do you balance that when you are looking at the
    conservation aspects with the infrastructure needs and just the
    human love of your coasts?
        Ms. Cope. Thank you. That is a great question, and a huge
    challenge for us. Our natural resources and our coastal
    ecosystems are a tremendous draw to our State. And oftentimes
    when people come to visit, they determine that it is a
    wonderful place to live.
        So we do have just under a 200 mile coastline. And there
    are significant development pressures along that coastline.
    What we have tried to do is utilizing funding of our partners
    as well as our own internal agency funding and programs to
    identify those areas that are most significant, and to try to
    protect those areas in perpetuity.
        Our goal is not only to manage them to enhance natural
    resources, but to open them up for public use and enjoyment. We
    believe that people will conserve what they appreciate and what
    they love. And so by providing them these public areas, by
    protecting the resources on these areas and managing them for
    not only water quality but numerous fish and wildlife species,
    we can instill a conservation ethic and a passion for
    conservation in not only our citizens but also our visitors, so
    in hopes that when they go back home, even if they don't move
    to South Carolina, they will support conservation back in their
    own States.
        Senator Capito. Right. So you have a 200 mile coastline. If
    you were to put a percentage, or let's say a 1 to 10 scale of
    repairs that have been made, what else needs to be done, are
    you at a 7? Are you at a 10 but constantly redoing? Or are you
    at a 1, which I know you are not at a 1, so we can eliminate
    that.
        But if you understand the point of my question, it is how
    much more work is there to be done? I know it is a constant
    reassessment of where you are. But there certainly have to be
    places that still are in great need.
        Ms. Cope. Absolutely. And this is really an off the cuff
    estimate. I would say we are probably at a 6 or a 7. We have
    been incredibly successful at moving the needle on restoration
    projects as well as habitat protection projects. But there is
    still a lot to be done, especially on private lands.
        But one of the biggest challenges we have is dealing with
    climate change and just the effects of Mother Nature. So it is
    a continuous effort. The dikes on our impoundments continue to
    settle and wear away, as well as managing invasive species. So
    we are never finished, but we are committed to the task and
    will continue to move the needle and do all that we can.
        Senator Capito. Good. Let me ask one other question. This
    came up when we were considering the transportation bill that
    we very successfully put together for the big infrastructure
    bill, which were, and I think, Senator Graham, this was an area
    of concern for him, the exit routes in the Myrtle Beach area
    for hurricane evacuation.
        Do you work with the DOT or State DOT, are you a part of
    that strategy that the State has tried to put together to make
    sure people can be safe?
        Ms. Cope. Yes, ma'am. I have not worked with those
    individuals directly, but as an agency we do have staff who
    work with them. A couple of key things we look at. One would be
    the routes of the proposed interstate, making sure that we
    minimize impacts to natural resources, but also identifying
    proper mitigation alternatives.
        So while we work very hard to protect our natural
    resources, we understand needs of public safety and
    transportation. And we are known for working with our partners
    and our sister State agencies to try to find a balance and
    minimize impacts but meet the needs of our citizens.
        So one of our primary focuses has been assuming funding for
    I-73 or other roads go into effect, how can we protect land in
    other areas and mitigate the impacts of those.
        Senator Capito. Thank you.
        Ms. Cope. My pleasure.
        Senator Carper. Thanks, Senator Capito. I am going to give
    you a break for a minute, Ms. Cope, and ask a couple questions
    of Dr. Gray, then come back to you.
        Dr. Gray, are you still with us?
        Ms. Gray. I am still here.
        Senator Carper. That is good.
        Dr. Gray, your testimony focused on Audubon's support for
    four specific Fish and Wildlife Service coastal programs. But
    the National Audubon Society actually has, as I understand it,
    a broader national coast strategy.
        My question would be, would you elaborate on the importance
    of this broader coastal restoration strategy, and share with
    the Committee more about why Audubon invests time and resources
    into our Nation's coasts?
        Ms. Gray. Absolutely. Our coastal areas are of course
    important to our seabirds and shorebirds that rely on them.
    Many areas along both the Pacific and Atlantic flyways are
    critical stopover sites for our precious natural resources, of
    which birds are one huge piece.
        We also invest in coastal restoration and protection and
    conservation efforts because not only do they provide important
    habitat for critical nesting birds, but they also provide
    buffers for coastal communities, which are our constituents,
    with several million members that support us and advocate on
    our behalf.
        So we have critical habitat needs that are involved. We
    have important resiliency needs that play into protecting
    coastal communities. Also, we know that many of these coastal
    habitats also serve as carbon sinks. They are important sources
    of carbon sequestration as our temperature continues to rise,
    and we need to take action. These can serve as natural
    infrastructure, not only for helping us adapt to the effects of
    climate change that Senator Whitehouse spoke so eloquently
    about, but also help us mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by
    storing and capturing carbon out of the atmosphere.
        So for all those reasons, habitat protection to people who
    live in these coastal communities, and carbon sequestration and
    storage. That is the underlying reason for our broader coastal
    community program.
        Senator Carper. Good. Thanks for that explanation.
        A question on landowner equities if I could. The National
    Audubon Society advocates for sound policies to protect coastal
    habitats. But I understand you also have some skin in the game
    as a coastal landowner. Would you just take a minute and share
    with the Committee more about Audubon's equities as a landowner
    and how as a landowner Audubon has benefited from the Fish and
    Wildlife Service coastal programs that we are discussing today?
        Ms. Gray. Of course. I would like to highlight a specific
    project, which is the Blackwater Salt Marsh rehabilitation
    project that we have been doing in Maryland. We definitely have
    a number of projects with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on
    coastal work throughout the U.S. But the Blackwater Salt Marsh
    rehab program in Maryland is one of the more important ones,
    specifically because it allows us to both better serve the
    communities that are there and also the wildlife that depends
    on that region.
        So we do rely on vital funding from the U.S. Fish and
    Wildlife Service. Frankly, we wouldn't be able, without that
    funding, to spend the time and energy needed to have an
    impactful presence in the places that we work. So as climate
    change increases in its impact, as it threatens not only the
    wildlife and the communities that are frontline, frankly, in
    the fight against sea level rise and flooding, including sunny
    day flooding that we see.
        It is really critical, our partnerships with agencies like
    the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it helps us build
    resiliency; it helps us protect both wildlife and people from
    the impacts of storm and flooding. As you all know, these are
    just becoming more and more intense over the last few years. We
    anticipate that trend will continue into the future.
        Senator Carper. All right. Thanks for explaining that.
        Last question I am going to ask of you, Dr. Gray, then I am
    going to yield to Senator Graham, welcome.
        I will turn to you next, Lindsey.
        Last question for Dr. Gray from me, at least. Reinvesting
    savings that are generated from CBRA, Coastal Barrier Resources
    Act, your testimony mentions billions of dollars, billions of
    dollars in taxpayer savings generated by the Coastal Barrier
    Resources Act. That would be music to the ears of former
    Delaware Congressman Tom Evans, who was very much involved in
    its creation.
        My question is, do you think Congress should consider
    reinvesting a portion of those savings into proactive habitat
    conservation and community resilience?
        Ms. Gray. The quick answer to your question, and thank you
    for that question, Chairman Carper, is yes. There are a number
    of scientific studies that show it is actually less expensive
    to be proactive and invest in this type of habitat restoration
    and conservation up front rather than waiting for hurricanes
    and other natural disasters to strike. In addition, it is
    definitely less expensive to try to keep populations of our
    birds and wildlife healthy rather than continually trying to
    fight against extinction, when species are already threatened
    and endangered.
        So I would absolutely advocate for reinvesting in a
    proactive approach, in addition to a reactive approach, which
    we know we also will do. But yes, I think National Audubon
    Society would be highly supportive of that.
        Senator Carper. All right, great. Thank you so much.
        Senator Graham, we are glad to see you. Ms. Cope has been
    holding forth quite ably and awaiting your arrival. Thank you
    so much for recommending that we invite her to testify today.
    She is doing a great job.
        Senator Graham. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I really
    appreciate the Committee. You do a good job, and your Ranking
    Member. It is a pleasant place to work, and good causes.
        Ms. Cope, thank you so much. I appreciate your coming up
    here and sharing your testimony with us. I really am not going
    to ask any questions; I just want to make a statement.
        It seems that we have a hard time getting anything done in
    Washington. This is an area where we are getting things done.
    This is a Committee where we are getting things done. So the
    Coastal Habitat Conservation Act that I am sponsoring with
    Senator Cardin from Maryland codifies an existing program that
    has been around since the 1990s that allows the Department of
    Natural Resources in South Carolina to partner with Ducks
    Unlimited, all kinds of different groups, to put land in
    conservation. It is voluntary; the money comes from fees
    collected from the tourism and fishing industry. Now putting it
    into law, codifying it, having it authorized, I think will take
    it to the next level.
        So, Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank you for inviting Ms.
    Cope.
        We are very proud of you, Emily, at home. You do a great
    job.
        God has blessed South Carolina with an incredible coastline
    and a beautiful State. We are going to try to keep it that way.
    We are going to make it business friendly but partner with the
    private sector to put land in conservation. That is a win-win
    for sportsmen, for just the beauty of South Carolina. And this
    is a voluntary program, collected, the money comes from fees
    from the boating and sporting community.
        I want to say on behalf of our entire delegation, thank you
    for what you do. We are very proud of the work being done by
    the Department of Natural Resources.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Carper. Thank you so much again for recommending
    Ms. Cope. I am going to grill her now further. Thank you so
    much for bringing her to our attention.
        Ms. Cope, I want to ask you a question with respect to
    Coastal Program support for endangered species. Your testimony
    acknowledges that the State of South Carolina uses some of the
    funding it receives from the Fish and Wildlife Service program
    to support the recovery of endangered and threatened species,
    such as the black rail bird and loggerhead sea turtle, species
    I am sure you are familiar with.
        Would you take a minute and elaborate on that work for us,
    please?
        Ms. Cope. Yes, sir, I appreciate it. The black rail is a
    very secretive marsh bird. And it was listed as federally
    threatened. In South Carolina, we really did not know much
    about how many of these were in our areas, and specifically
    where we would find them.
        So through the Coastal Program funding we were able to
    conduct additional surveys and locate them on some of our
    properties. We were able to learn more about the types of
    habitat that they utilize. This in turn led us to be able to
    manage our impoundment slightly differently, so that we could
    provide additional habitat for the species in hopes of
    increasing its reproduction and helping to recover the species.
        Some additional ones on the sea turtles is, sea turtles are
    very prone to predation from coyotes and feral hogs on their
    sea turtle nests on the beach. So we utilized Coastal Program
    funding to go in and initiate trapping efforts on one of our
    properties, the Yawkey wildlife area in Georgetown County, to
    protect these sea turtle nests.
        In looking at it as we did the trapping, depredation of
    these nests decreased significantly, thereby increasing
    reproduction of our sea turtles and helping to further restore
    the population. Our goal through all of these efforts is to
    recover these species so that we can eventually work toward
    delisting and down listing the species that are listed through
    the Endangered Species Act.
        Senator Carper. All right. Thank you for that.
        I understand, I think you said in your testimony that South
    Carolina's coastal resources support your local communities.
    That is our experience in Delaware as well. People travel from
    all over the world to visit our five star beaches and view our
    wildlife. And when they do, they drive what is already a
    thriving tourism economy.
        Would you take a minute for us and just elaborate on how
    South Carolina's coastal resources support local communities
    and economic growth?
        Ms. Cope. Absolutely. So historically speaking, hunting and
    fishing are key recreational activities in South Carolina. They
    are part of our culture and who we are. As times have changed,
    we have seen an increase in more of the non-traditional outdoor
    recreation opportunities.
        So our coastal resources are very diverse. We have people
    who run commercial hunting and fishing operations. We have
    people who travel simply to hunt and fish on their own. But we
    have an even larger number of constituents who visit South
    Carolina just simply to enjoy the scenic views of our coastal
    areas, to go boating and kayaking, to go birdwatching and do
    nature photography.
        So all of those combined together not only provide
    opportunities for local people to spend money in these areas
    and support the local economies, but it also brings people in
    from all across the United States to see these coastal areas.
    So they support the local economies just simply through their
    normal tourism dollars.
        Senator Carper. OK. One more question. We have some people,
    I mentioned to Senator Capito, there are some young people
    sitting out in the audience here, behind you over your left
    shoulder, Ms. Cope. I think some of them, at least one of them,
    might be an intern who is working with Senator Cardin's office.
    Several others are interns in Senator Shelby's office.
        I am going to telegraph my pitch. When we have finished the
    questioning, I will ask if you might like to share a message
    while these young people are here that you would like for them
    to take with them once their internship on Capitol Hill is over
    this summer.
        My last question of you, Ms. Cope, deals with the
    collaborative nature of coastal projects in South Carolina.
    Your testimony explains really well how different Federal
    agencies and partners have come together to support coastal
    projects in South Carolina.
        My question would be, would you say that these partnerships
    are enabling more landscape scale restoration than if each of
    these entities were working independently?
        Ms. Cope. Absolutely. By working together and having these
    partnerships, we are moving the needle on conservation so much
    more significantly than if we were doing it alone. And what we
    have found is that by creating the local partnerships, working
    with other State and Federal entities and especially our
    private landowners and private organizations, we all have
    different resources to bring to the table. We all have
    different contacts.
        So it really is finding the right tool for the job and
    getting the right people to the table. We share a commitment
    and a passion for conservation. So by working together and
    creating a team, then we are incredibly successful. We leverage
    each other's resources, and we get things done much more
    effectively and efficiently than any of us could alone.
        Senator Carper. All right. A follow up if I could. I said
    earlier two of my favorite words are ``for example.'' With that
    in mind, are there any examples of larger scale projects that
    your State of South Carolina is supporting that you might share
    with us today?
        Ms. Cope. As far as new projects?
        Senator Carper. Yes.
        Ms. Cope. So we are working on multiple land acquisition
    projects in our State, on our coast, which will protect, one
    will protect about another 7,000 acres of land along one of our
    coastal river systems. That not only protects water quality as
    it is flowing out to the estuary but also protects habitat for
    gopher tortoises as well as many wading birds that are species
    of concern.
        So we have a long list of habitat acquisition projects that
    are going on. We are currently working on some more restoration
    projects on our waterfowl areas to continue to get a handle on
    better management of these areas.
        I would offer up, I am sure Senator Graham would agree, if
    any of you would like to come to South Carolina and see what we
    are doing on the ground and visit our great State, we would be
    more than delighted to host you.
        Senator Carper. I love that. I always like to put in plugs
    for inviting people to come to Delaware. It is only fair that
    you do that for South Carolina, or West Virginia.
        Senator Capito, is there anything else you would like to do
    before we recognize some of these young people in the audience?
        Senator Capito. No, I just appreciate everybody's
    testimony. It has been very interesting. Thank you very much.
        Senator Carper. Thank you.
        I am going to ask, if there is in our audience today at
    least one intern here representing Senator Cardin's office,
    would you raise your hand?
        Hello, are you from Maryland? Good. Welcome.
        Do we have any interns from Senator Shelby's office?
        That is good.
        Dr. Gray, you couldn't see this, but we have a number of
    folks from Senator Shelby's office. Do any of you live in
    Alabama? If you live in Alabama, raise your hand.
        If you live in Delaware or West Virginia, raise your hand.
        All right. If you would like to live in Delaware or West
    Virginia, raise your hand.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Carper. Dr. Gray, I am going to ask you and Ms.
    Cope if you would like to share some words of wisdom. Thinking
    back, these people look like they are probably in their early
    20s. Maybe some thoughts you would like to share with them.
        Senator Capito. Could I add, I have Baylor behind me, and
    she is my intern here. So direct it to her as well.
        Senator Carper. Baylor, like the university?
        [Remark off microphone.]
        Senator Carper. That is great.
        Senator Capito. She goes to Alabama, though. There is a
    conspiracy here.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Carper. Ms. Cope, any thoughts?
        Ms. Cope. Absolutely, my pleasure, and thank you for the
    opportunity.
        It is so refreshing to see young people who have an
    interest in our political system and especially conservation
    and the environment. So I would just encourage each and every
    one of you to continue to learn, continue to get involved in
    conservation as well as the political arena. Because we can do
    a lot on the ground as far as direct management.
        But in terms of really moving the needle for conservation,
    it happens through the political arena. Because if we didn't
    have the support of our congressional delegations to support
    funding, and work on critical legislation to help protect and
    manage our resources, then we would not be able to move things
    forward.
        So whatever path you take down the road, always remember
    the importance of it. As I told some friends of mine yesterday,
    please remember the importance of voting. Because every vote
    matters. It is worth taking the time to do your research and
    select candidates that are truly going to represent you and
    your State well.
        Senator Carper. Very well said.
        Dr. Gray, are you still with us?
        Ms. Gray. I am. Thank you for the opportunity to say a few
    words to the interns. I am happy to share that I have actually
    worked with each of the States represented today. And so it is
    a real pleasure to participate today in the hearing.
        The words I would leave you all with is, we are in a
    climate and a biodiversity crisis. I doubt this is news to
    anyone who is sitting here today. But I do believe, while this
    planet is in crisis, we inherited this planet from past
    generations, we are deeding it to future generations. I think
    we have about a decade to get this right and set the planet on
    a course that will continue to serve us moving forward as human
    beings and all the other species that share it.
        I love what Emily Cope said; I think what you are doing is
    extremely important. If the planet doesn't continue to survive,
    none of us will. It is absolutely essential to our well being,
    to our food security, to our energy security, to our
    livelihoods, and to our health and well being and happiness.
        Continue to do what you are doing. National Audubon Society
    focuses on education, on advocacy, and on the ground projects.
    Every organization that has been mentioned today, whether it is
    a political organization, an agency, a non-profit organization,
    needs talented young people to come and work with it and to
    continue to make this world a better place.
        So I would echo what Emily said; vote, make sure you
    support people who support the environment, and be active.
    Continue to speak up, continue to intern, and remember that
    this precious planet is, at the end of the day, all that we
    have.
        Senator Carper. That is great. Thank you.
        I have a thought I want to share on a personal note also
    with the students who are here, the interns who are here.
        Any comment you would like to offer?
        Senator Capito. I think it is a great way to be here on
    Capitol Hill to see not only Government working, but to meet so
    many other bright young people around the country who are
    motivated to learn about being public servants.
        I would say to my interns, which I always do, dig in, and
    have a good time, and talk to all your friends about the
    importance of what Ms. Cope said, voting and being a
    participant. If you are on the sidelines and don't participate,
    you don't have the right to complain. So get in the game. It is
    a very exhilarating process.
        Senator Carper. Thank you very much.
        This is a Committee that has been around for quite a while.
    We have 20 members, 10 Democrats, 10 Republicans. Senator
    Capito and I are privileged to lead the Committee at this point
    in time. And we work across the aisle very well. We were both
    born in West Virginia. People ask me, if I couldn't be
    Governor, I used to be Governor of Delaware, they would say,
    after you are Governor of Delaware, what would you like to do?
    I would say, I would like to be Governor of West Virginia.
    Well, you can't do that.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Carper. But we have the opportunity to work
    together on a whole range of issues. Much of the legislation
    that we pass here is passed unanimously. The large
    infrastructure bill was transformational, signed by the
    President last November or December, was adopted in this
    Committee unanimously, for all the roads, highways, bridges,
    pieces of surface transportation, all the water pieces, water
    infrastructure legislation, all was adopted unanimously here
    and later made part of the infrastructure bill.
        When I was the age of these young people here, Senator
    Capito, I actually had a chance to visit Washington, DC, for
    the first time. I was a naval ROTC midshipman. I ended up being
    stationed later in Corpus Christi at a naval air station.
        My roommate was from Baltimore. We had the opportunity to
    visit Washington, DC, at one time. It was 1965, a million years
    ago. I had some time on Capitol Hill, and I didn't know what
    was going on. I looked around, and wandered into the Rayburn
    Building over on the House side. I asked one of the security
    people, I said, is there anything going on here? I would like
    to find a hearing and sit in on a hearing if I could.
        Lo and behold, there was a hearing going on. It was the
    Civil Rights Act of 1965. And I wandered into the Judiciary
    Committee hearing room chaired by Emmanuel Celler. I had the
    opportunity to see and hear one of the most transformational
    bills regarding voting rights in this country ever debated and
    adopted at a very young age, really at your age.
        That was part of what inspired me to become involved
    publicly. I did a lot of years in the Navy after that, but
    ultimately ended up here with Senator Capito.
        Senator Capito. My father was on that committee.
        Senator Carper. Wow. Small world.
        Senator Capito. He was in the room.
        Senator Carper. In the room, wow.
        I would close with this. Actually I have two closes. I love
    to give commencement speeches. We get to do high school
    commencement speeches and college commencement addresses. I got
    to do one last month, with the President of the United States
    who spoke at the University of Delaware. I got to speak as
    well.
        I gave a 10 word commencement address, 10 words. Then I had
    the graduates stand up, and I had them repeat the 10 words. I
    am not going to do that with you guys today. But the 10 words
    are, the first two are, aim high. Aim high is first. The next
    two are work hard. The next four are embrace the Golden Rule,
    treat other people the way we want to be treated. The last two
    are don't quit. Aim high, work hard, embrace the Golden Rule,
    and don't quit.
        I would urge you to keep those in mind as you go forward.
    They might help guide you. They have certainly helped to guide
    me in the years I have been privileged to live and to be
    involved here.
        Again, to our witnesses here and all of our panelists, but
    especially the last two, thank you so much for joining us. I
    want to thank our first panel of witnesses as well, and those
    of our Committee who were able to join us.
        I want to thank our staffs for the work that led up to this
    hearing today. We are grateful to our witnesses especially for
    your work at a time when we face a lot of challenges. But there
    is also a lot of opportunity. I like to say in adversity lies
    opportunity. But there are opportunities when it comes to
    conserving our coastal ecosystems.
        Now I want to ask unanimous consent to submit for the
    record materials that relate to today's hearing. That includes
    testimony from Senators Klobuchar and Portman in support of the
    Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Reauthorization Act.
    I also have a letter from some 33 advocacy groups, including
    conservationists, hunters, anglers, and advocates in support of
    the Coastal Barrier Resources Act.
        Finally, last but not least, I am including a letter from
    the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed in support of
    the Delaware River Basin Conservation Reauthorization Act.
        Hearing no objection, so ordered.
        [The referenced information follows:]

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           Senator Carper. Senators will be allowed to submit written
    questions for the record through the close of business on
    Wednesday, June 29th, 2022. We will compile those questions and
    send them to our witnesses and ask our witnesses to reply by
    Wednesday, July 13th, 2022.
        With that, before we adjourn, I want to say to the interns
    who are here, I am going to ask you to come up and join us at
    the front of the room. We will take a quick picture, if Senator
    Capito wouldn't mind, and maybe Baylor will join us as well. We
    will take a quick picture for posterity.
        With that, this hearing is adjourned. Thank you all.
        [Whereupon, at 11:30 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
        [The legislation related to this hearing follows:]

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