[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 149 (Thursday, November 10, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2328-E2329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2419, ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 9, 2005

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, the House-passed version of the 
legislation, this conference report is not perfect. But it is not so 
bad as to require opposition, and does provide funding for many 
important purposes. Therefore, I will vote for it.
  The conference report includes a number of items of particular 
importance to Colorado.
  In particular, I am very pleased that it includes funding for the 
final stages of work connected with the cleanup of Rocky Flats.
  Once home to a nuclear weapons factory, Rocky Flats is located just 
15 miles from downtown Denver. At one time it was the location of large 
quantities of nuclear materials and other hazardous substances--and 
because of its proximity to our state's major metropolitan area, timely 
and effective cleanup and closure of the site has been a matter of top 
priority for all Coloradans.
  Just last month, the overall contractor for the cleanup, Kaiser-Hill, 
announced that their work was done. The Department of Energy must still 
confirm that, and there still must be a formal decision by state and 
federal regulators. But those who knew Rocky Flats as it was can hardly 
recognize the site as it is today.
  The cleanup of Rocky Flats is a major achievement for which we can 
all be proud. I want to especially note the efforts of the workers and 
their dedication not only the security of this country, but their 
dedication to performing a safe and extensive demolition and 
decommissioning.
  This was very complicated and difficult work involving dangerous and 
toxic materials. The

[[Page E2329]]

fact that it was done decades ahead of predictions and at a cost vastly 
less than expected is a testament to all those involved, and I think we 
have an obligation to make sure that workers' benefits are carried 
forward and that they are properly compensated for work-related health 
problems.
  Getting to this day has been long and difficult. But the Colorado 
congressional delegation worked hand-in-glove with the local 
communities, DOE, and the contractors to work through the obstacles and 
I think lessons learned at Rocky Flats can be applied to the cleanup 
challenges at other nuclear-weapons sites.
  I look forward to the next major chapter--transfer of most of the 
Rocky Flats site to the Interior Department for management as a 
National Wildlife Refuge. But getting that chapter properly written 
will require some additional steps, notably including the acquisition 
of mineral rights at Rocky Flats that are now in non-Federal ownership.
  To facilitate that acquisition, I have introduced legislation (H.R. 
4181) to authorize DOE to expend funds to acquire some or all of the 
minerals, including $10 million from its appropriation for fiscal year 
2006. The bill also provides that DOE's expenditure of $10 million for 
that purpose (or, under certain circumstances, an appropriate payment 
to specified Federal and State officials for acquisition of Rocky Flats 
minerals or for habitat restoration at Rocky Flats) will satisfy 
certain claims the State of Colorado might bring for natural resources 
damages resulting from past discharges of hazardous substances at or 
from Rocky Flats).
  The bill also would give the Interior Department two additional 
methods (either instead of or in addition to purchase for cash) for 
completing such acquisitions--namely: by giving ``credits'' that could 
be used instead of cash to pay for oil and gas leases on the Outer 
Continental Shelf; and/or by allowing federal lands or minerals 
anywhere in the country to be exchanged for the Rocky Flats minerals 
(under current law, such exchanges can only occur within the same 
state--Colorado lands/minerals for other Colorado lands/minerals).
  Other parts of the conference report are also important for Colorado, 
including the funding for several Bureau of Reclamation projects in our 
State, including the Colorado-Big Thompson and the Fryingpan-Arkansas 
projects as well as the ongoing construction of the Animas-La Plata 
project.
  Similarly, the conference report provides needed funds for operation 
and maintenance of a number of reservoirs operated by the Army's Corps 
of Engineers as well as for other Corps activities in Colorado, 
including aquatic restoration work involving Goose Creek and Lower 
Boulder Creek.
  I am very glad to note that the bill will provide funds for 
completing construction of the new science and technology facility at 
the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
  I find it highly ironic, however, that the new NREL facility comes at 
the expense of the very renewable energy research and development 
programs that would be conducted within it. It's conceivable that we'll 
have new buildings but nothing to fill them with--no scientists or 
other NREL personnel, since many of them will lose their jobs due to 
deep cuts in program funding.
  As co-chair of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus in 
the House, I have worked for years to increase--or at a minimum, hold 
steady--funding for DOE's renewable energy and energy efficiency 
research and development programs.
  Given the finite supply and high prices of fossil fuels and 
increasing global demand, investing in clean energy is more important 
than ever. DOE's renewable energy programs are vital to our Nation's 
interests, helping provide strategies and tools to address the 
environmental challenges we will face in the coming decades. These 
programs are also helping to reduce our reliance on oil imports, 
thereby strengthening our national security, and also creating hundreds 
of new domestic businesses, supporting thousands of American jobs, and 
opening new international markets for American goods and services.

  But for our investment in these technologies to payoff, our efforts 
must be sustained over the long term. This conference report does not 
do that.
  Though some of the renewable energy accounts are increased from FY05 
levels, it is an illusion. The EERE accounts are earmarked so heavily 
that there is little left of the core programs.
  While the biomass line is up slightly from FY05, fully 53 percent of 
the FY06 funds are earmarked. Wind is slightly reduced from FY05 
levels, but this is after repeated cuts--11 percent in just three 
years. Factoring in earmarks makes the situation even worse. The bill 
earmarks fully a third of the funds appropriated for wind energy for 
Member projects. Solar energy funding is down from FY05 levels, and 
also earmarked--17 percent of the total goes to Member projects.
  I am concerned that year by year, DOE's renewable energy and energy 
efficiency programs seem to be losing--through gradual cuts, shifts of 
more EERE dollars to hydrogen and fuel cells and out of core renewables 
technologies, and earmarks.
  These cuts will only increase U.S. vulnerability to energy supply 
disruptions, worsen fuel price volatility, and cause higher energy 
prices overall unnecessarily, and are especially ill-advised at a time 
when the need for a secure, domestic energy supply is so crucial.
  So, Mr. Speaker, while I regret that they could not adequately 
address all our needs, in Colorado or elsewhere, I appreciate what the 
conferees have done and urge the House to pass this important 
conference report.

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