[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 156 (Wednesday, December 7, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H11122-H11124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT AMENDMENT

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3963) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to 
extend the authorization of appropriations for Long Island Sound.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3963

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. LONG ISLAND SOUND AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 119(f) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
     (33 U.S.C. 1269(f)) is amended by striking ``2005'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``2010''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3963 to extend the 
authorization of appropriations for the Long Island Sound program under 
the Clean Water Act.
  More than 8 million people live within the Long Island Sound 
watershed. The sound generates more than $5 billion annually for the 
regional economy from boating, swimming, and commercial and sport 
fishing, plus other activities. The Long Island Sound, like many 
estuaries around the Nation, supports multiple uses and demands and 
provides habitat for a multitude of fish and wildlife species.
  Yet despite its value, the sound is experiencing stress from 
increasing population growth and development. Storm water and 
agricultural runoff, wastewater discharges with high nutrient levels, 
industrial pollution, and commercial and recreational waste all have 
led to water quality issues arising in the sound. The Long Island Sound 
is one of the estuaries in the EPA's national estuary program. A long-
term estuary management plan has been developed and approved for the 
sound. The Long Island Sound program was created in part to help carry 
out the goals of the sound's estuary management plan.
  H.R. 3963 reauthorizes the current level of funding for the Long 
Island Sound program to continue implementing the sound's estuary 
management plan. This includes $40 million annually through fiscal year 
2010 for the EPA to make grants to State and local parties for projects 
and studies aimed at improving water quality in the sound. H.R. 3963 
will help the local States and the EPA to restore and protect Long 
Island Sound, which is so important to the economy of this very 
important region of our country.
  I want to especially congratulate the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. 
Simmons) for sponsoring and pushing this bill to the floor here today. 
I urge all Members to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of H.R. 3963, bipartisan 
legislation offered by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons). 
This bill is important to all of us who rely on the sound as an 
economic engine for our communities and as a clean source of water and 
food for our families.
  It is important to recognize nationally designated estuaries such as 
Long Island Sound, not only for the economic growth they generate, but 
also their important role in the global environment. Estuaries provide 
feeding and nursing grounds for diverse plant life, wild birds and 
fish, along with other animals.
  In addition, countless families and businesses in my district and 
indeed throughout the northeast rely on Long Island Sound for their 
livelihood, enjoyment and peace of mind. The sound plays an integral 
role in not only the 8 million people who live in the immediate 
vicinity, but also the tens of millions who visit the area each year.
  In fact, this dynamic body of water produces $5.5 billion in revenue 
for State and local economies in the tourism, fishing and boating 
industries in the northeast each year.

                              {time}  1115

  I am proud to have participated in developing this legislation, and 
today's consideration ensures that we will be renewing our commitment 
to preserving Long Island Sound for future generations of Americans.
  On a more personal note, Mr. Speaker, I would encourage each of my 
colleagues to visit the sound and experience its grandeur. Again, I 
appreciate

[[Page H11123]]

my colleague from Connecticut's leadership and hard work on this 
legislation, and I urge support of this important bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
primary sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from Connecticut 
(Mr. Simmons).
  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this 
legislation, H.R. 3963, to reauthorize appropriations for the Long 
Island Sound Restoration Act set to expire at the end of this year. I 
want to thank Chairman Duncan for his very distinguished work in 
carrying this forward, as well as the chairman of the full committee, 
Chairman Young. And in particular, I would like to thank my co-chair of 
the Long Island Sound Caucus, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel), 
who has worked with me in a bipartisan fashion, and also the gentleman 
from, I believe, the First District of New York (Mr. Bishop), who 
actually assisted during the mark-up of this legislation when I had to 
be away. This is a classic case of Members of this body working across 
party lines, working across State lines for the common good; and I 
thank them for that support.
  As we have heard, Long Island Sound is a unique estuary in our 
country with both economic and ecological importance to the region and 
to the whole Nation. The sound generates between 5 and $6 billion of 
revenue on an annual basis and is cherished by the 28 million people 
who live within 50 miles of it. Think about that: 28 million people, 28 
million American citizens live within 50 miles of Long Island Sound. 
That is 10 percent of the Nation's population, and they can benefit 
from this wonderful resource.
  The Long Island Sound today is challenged by nitrogen loading that 
leads to hypoxia or low dissolved oxygen. The best way to defeat this 
problem is to remove significant levels of nitrogen from wastewater 
through complicated and expensive upgrades to sewage treatment plants. 
Connecticut, New York, and the Environmental Protection Agency have 
committed to reducing this nitrogen loading to the sound by 50 percent 
by 2014. But this cannot be done without this legislation and without 
the funds that this legislation carries. That is why this legislation 
is so critically important.
  Mr. Speaker, I submit for printing in the Record the following three 
letters as an example of the support that we have back home for this 
legislation:
                                               Executive Chambers,


                                                State Capitol,

                                   Hartford, CT, October 25, 2005.
     Hon. Don Young,
     Rayburn House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Young: I am writing to urge your vigorous 
     support for H.R. 3963, a bill to extend the authorization of 
     appropriations from the Long Island Sound Restoration Act of 
     2000 (``LISRA'') (Title IV of Public Law 106-457). As 
     detailed in the attached fact sheet, the approximately 9.7 
     million dollars in LISRA funds awarded to Connecticut have 
     benefited over 16 distressed communities in Connecticut. The 
     distressed communities have utilized the funds to plan for 
     and design upgrades at their sewage treatment plants to 
     remove nitrogen, the most significant threat to water quality 
     in Long Island Sound.
       Long Island Sound (LIS or Sound) is a complex and unique 
     estuary, and Connecticut's most precious environmental 
     resource. The Sound has a 16,000 square mile watershed that 
     is home to approximately 10 percent of the population of the 
     United States. LIS contributes more that $6 billion to the 
     regional economy, through activities such as boating, 
     commercial and sport fishing, swimming, and beach going. The 
     ports of Bridgeport, New Haven and New London handle national 
     and international freight.
       The Sound is facing a number of serious challenges due to 
     the developed nature of its watershed, including excessive 
     nitrogen loading that causes hypoxia or low dissolved oxygen. 
     Connecticut, New York and the Environmental Protection Agency 
     have committed to reducing nitrogen loading to the Sound by 
     58.5% by 2014 to address the hypoxia. Such reduction can best 
     be accomplished by upgrading sewage treatment plants to 
     remove nitrogen, a process that requires a substantial 
     investment in planning, design and construction.
       A federal appropriation under LISRA will leverage 
     Connecticut's state based initiatives to control nitrogen. To 
     date, Connecticut has invested over $150 million from our 
     state Clean Water Fund to upgrade sewage treatment plants to 
     remove nitrogen. We estimate that demand for funds to control 
     nitrogen in the next two fiscal years will be over $200 
     million, with that amount increasing in future fiscal years.
       In summary, the Long Island Sound Restoration Act provides 
     a critical federal contribution to projects designed to 
     restore the health of Long Island Sound. Further, the funds 
     are used by Connecticut to assist our distressed communities 
     in doing their part to restore Long Island Sound, an estuary 
     of national significance. Thank you in advance for your 
     support.
           Sincerely,
                                                     M. Jodi Rell,
     Governor.
                                  ____



                                          Audubon Connecticut,

                                  Southbury, CT, October 26, 2005.
     Hon. Robert R. Simmons,
     Cannon House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Simmons: I am writing you in strong support of 
     House Bill 3963, the re-authorization of the Long Island 
     Sound Restoration Act. This legislation has been vital to the 
     success of efforts to restore water quality in the Sound, an 
     Estuary of National Significance. We thank you for your 
     sponsorship of this important legislation.
       The Long Island Sound Restoration Act (the Act) is making a 
     tangible difference in the health of the Sound. With the help 
     of funding provided through the Act, nitrogen loading in Long 
     Island Sound has been reduced by 25%. This is a great start, 
     but still far from meeting the goal of reducing the total 
     enriched nitrogen load to the Sound from point and nonpoint 
     sources within the Connecticut and New York portions of the 
     watershed by 58.5% by 2014, as agreed to by the EPA and the 
     Governors of Connecticut and New York in the 2003 Long Island 
     Sound Agreement.
       Re-authorizatlon of the Long Island Sound Restoration Act 
     is critical to continued water quality improvement In the 
     Sound. The States of Connecticut and New York cannot do it 
     alone.
       The Sound is a national, as well as regional resource. 
     Approximately, 10% of the U.S. population lives within 50 
     miles of the Sound, making it a key recreational area for the 
     region. The Sound provides an oasis of essential wildlife 
     habitat in a densely-populated area of the country. The Sound 
     is also an economic engine, pumping an estimated $5.5 billion 
     per year into the regional economy. Restoring clean water to 
     the Sound is imperative.
       Audubon Connecticut, a part of the National Audubon Society 
     with more than 10,000 members statewide, works to protect 
     birds, other wildlife and their habitat using science, 
     conservation, education and advocacy. Audubon Connecticut is 
     a member of the Long Island Sound Study's Citizen's Advisory 
     Committee and Stewardship Work Group. Together with Audubon 
     New York and Audubon's National Policy Office in D.C., we 
     have launched a joint Long Island Sound Campaign that focuses 
     on improving water quality and habitat, two key areas that 
     will have the most benefit for people and wildlife. We also 
     participate in the Clean Water Jobs Coalition, an alliance of 
     business, labor and environmental organizations that 
     advocates water quality improvements in the Sound.
           Sincerely,
                                                Alexandra Breslin,
     Director of Governmental Affairs.
                                  ____



                                               Save the Sound,

                                    Norwalk, CT, October 26, 2005.
     Hon. Robert R. Simmons,
     Cannon House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Simmons: The purpose of this letter is to express 
     our strong support of House Bill 3963, the re-authorization 
     of the Long Island Sound Restoration Act. Thank you for 
     sponsoring this important legislation which has been critical 
     to the success of efforts to restore water quality in the 
     Sound, an Estuary of National Significance.
       The Long Island Sound Restoration Act (the Act) has had a 
     real and quantifiable impact on the health of the Sound. With 
     the help of funding provided through the Act, nitrogen 
     loading in Long Island Sound has been reduced by 25%. While 
     this represents real progress, we have a long way to go to 
     meet the goal of reducing the total enriched nitrogen load to 
     the Sound from point and nonpoint sources within the 
     Connecticut and New York portions of the watershed by 58.5% 
     by 2014, as agreed to by the EPA and the Governors of 
     Connecticut and New York in the 2003 Long Island Sound 
     Agreement.
       Re-authorization of the Long Island Sound Restoration Act 
     is essential to achieving continued water quality improvement 
     in the Sound. The States of Connecticut and New York cannot 
     do it alone.
       As you know, Long Island Sound is a significant natural 
     resource, both regionally and on a national level. 
     Approximately 10% of the U.S. population lives within 50 
     miles of the Sound, making it the signature recreational area 
     for the region. The Sound provides a variety of essential 
     wildlife habitats in a densely populated area of the country. 
     The Sound is also valuable as an economic asset, generating 
     an estimated $5.5 billion of revenue for the regional economy 
     each year. Restoring clean water to the Sound is imperative 
     to sustaining these critical values.
       Save the Sound, a program of Connecticut Fund for the 
     Environment, is dedicated to the protection, restoration and 
     appreciation of Long Island. We are a member of the Long 
     Island Sound Study's Citizen's Advisory Committee and Long 
     Island Sound Stewardship Work Group. We are actively engaged 
     in

[[Page H11124]]

     habitat restoration projects around the Sound and we manage 
     shoreline cleanups in Connecticut, partnering with citizens, 
     agencies and other organizations to achieve results.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Robin Kriesberg,
     Director, Environmental Projects.
                                  ____

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel), the cochair of the Long Island 
Sound Caucus.
  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in very strong support of the 
reauthorization of the Long Island Sound Restoration Act. I want to 
begin by thanking Chairman Young and Ranking Member Oberstar for their 
efforts to bring this legislation to the floor today. I want to in 
particular thank my cochair of the Long Island Sound Taskforce, Mr. 
Simmons, and Mr. Bishop for their leadership on this important 
legislation and their ongoing efforts to put politics aside and advance 
the cause of environmental and economic preservation of the Long Island 
Sound.
  This is, as the gentleman from Connecticut said, a classic example 
that there is no Republican or Democratic way to protect a body of 
water. This is something that we need to develop consensus on and this 
bill does just that. This bill is bipartisan, and it is bicoastal at 
the same time. I am hoping that when we come back next year we can 
continue that spirit of bipartisanship and advance the Long Island 
Sound stewardship program which Mr. Bishop, Mr. Simmons, and I have 
been working on; and I am confident that the same sense of consensus 
will prevail.
  As we have heard, Mr. Speaker, the Long Island Sound is one of 
America's great natural wonders. It sustains the diversity of birds, 
wildlife, marine organisms and serves as a recreational magnet and 
economic generator to the tens of millions of American who live within 
50 miles of its shores. The Long Island Sound is an important part of 
America's heritage. Nathan Hale slipped across the Long Island Sound, 
arrived in Huntingtown. It played a critical part in the American 
Revolution. It is important to our economy. It is important to our 
national identity. It is important to our environment.
  For thousands of years, the sound has been a productive and a central 
resource for the human inhabitants occupying its shores. Three New York 
counties, 24 Connecticut towns border the sound. That puts pressure on 
this environmental asset in terms of surface run off from some of the 
most densely populated areas in the country. Over 100 sewage treatment 
plants discharge a combined one billion gallons of waste into the sound 
each day.
  Thankfully, in 2000 the Long Island Sound Restoration Act authorized 
the Federal Government to spend $40 million annually over 5 years to 
clean the sound. Now we need to continue that important effort.
  There is still a lot of work to be done. We have made some progress, 
but not enough. Nitrogen levels have decreased since 2000, but the 
sound continues to suffer from significant nitrogen pollution, and high 
nitrogen levels in the sound lead to decreased levels of dissolved 
oxygen in the water, a condition called hypoxia, which kills marine 
life and destroys the delicate ecosystem of the sound.
  This reauthorization gives us an opportunity to continue the 
important work of respecting and preserving the Long Island Sound, not 
only as a critical environmental asset for the United States of America 
but also as an important economic generator.
  Once again I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop), 
the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons), my cochair of the Long 
Island Sound; the ranking member and chairman for bringing us to this 
point today and urge support for this bill.
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I will close simply by urging my 
colleagues to support this very worthwhile and very important piece of 
legislation. Again I want to thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. 
Simmons) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) for their great 
work on this important bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I will close simply by saying, as has been 
pointed out, 8 million people live directly within the Long Island 
Watershed, 28 million people within 50 miles, and millions more visit 
those areas each year. This is a bill that is very important for the 
environment and very important for the economy. Both of these bills 
amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, and both the BEACH Act 
and the Long Island Sound legislation are good bills that all Members 
on both sides can be very proud of.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 3963, a bill 
to extend the authorization of appropriations for the Long Island Sound 
Program until 2010. A healthy Sound is critical to the communities 
surrounding the urban watershed as well as to the wildlife within it. I 
offer my congratulations to my colleagues on the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, Mr. Bishop and Mr. Simmons, for 
working so diligently on this imperative bill.
  Long Island Sound stretches 110 miles, from New York City to southern 
New England. One in ten Americans lives within an hour's drive of the 
Sound, which provides over $5 billion for the local economy. Over 120 
species of finfish currently inhabit its waters, supplying a diverse 
population for sport fishing and the seafood industry. The Sound 
supports its neighboring industries with not only products for sale but 
also an important means of transportation. It provides aquatic 
recreation activities, sightseeing, and beautiful views for homes along 
its shores. Indeed, the Sound is the foundation of livelihood for many.
  However, many pressures from residential, industrial, and 
agricultural activities have caused the natural conditions of this 
region to be altered. Economic advances in the watershed have changed 
land surfaces, reduced open spaces, and restricted access to the Sound, 
while increasing several types of pollution in the waters.
  These harmful effects are not a hopeless ending to the Sound. In the 
early 1900s, the Sound's population of terrapins was near the point of 
extinction due to overfarming to feed the nation's appetite for turtle 
soup. During Prohibition, however, sherry--a key ingredient in turtle 
soup--was forbidden to be sold. The farming for the terrapins waned and 
the population was able to rebound to its natural state, even after 
sherry became legal once more.
  Similar progress to restore and protect the populations and quality 
of the Sound are still necessary, this time in a more direct manner. 
The Long Island Program contributes this support that is so direly 
needed.
  I support this bill and urge my colleagues to take swift action for 
its passage.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3963, which would 
reauthorize appropriations through fiscal year 2010 for the Office of 
Management Conference of the Long Island Sound Study and for grants to 
implement the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and 
Management Plan.
  Protecting and preserving the environment is one of the most 
important jobs I have as a Member of Congress. We simply will not have 
a world to live in if we continue our neglectful ways.
  Long Island Sound, which contributes more than $5 billion annually to 
the regional economy, is one of the most populated and visited areas of 
our country. In fact, approximately 10 percent of the American 
population lives within the Long Island Sound watershed.
  It is a source of livelihood, nourishment and recreation for many in 
Connecticut and elsewhere, and it is critical that we treat it well.
  In the interest of preserving open space, increasing access to the 
Sound, and protecting and managing important habitats, the 
reauthorization of this funding is needed to identify and protect 
coastal areas along this precious estuary with significant biological, 
scientific or recreational value.
  I am pleased this legislation is being considered so we ensure 
funding for this critical habitat will continue to be preserved and 
urge passage of the legislation.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3963.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________