[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 107 (Friday, June 29, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1459-E1460]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 26, 2007

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2643) making 
     appropriations for the Department of the Interior, 
     Environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2008, with Mr. Watt (Acting Chairman) in the 
     chair.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, thank you for this 
opportunity to speak in support of H.R. 2643, the Interior and 
Environment Appropriations Act of 2008 and to commend Chairman Dicks 
and Ranking Member Tiahrt for their leadership in shepherding this bill 
through the legislative process. Madam Chairwoman, I support this bill 
because it focuses our efforts on global climate change and ensures 
that America's water and air will be cleaner.
  It is said the Arctic region is warming fastest, threatening the 
livelihoods of indigenous hunters by thawing the polar ice-cap and 
driving species like polar bears toward extinction by the end of the 
century. Today, more than one third of the world's population lives. 
within 60 miles of a shoreline. Thirteen of the world's twenty largest 
cities are located on a coast. Because of their precarious location and 
unique meteorology, these cities are particularly vulnerable to the 
effects of global warming. As industrial and commercial centers, many 
are also net contributors of greenhouse gas emissions, extending the 
effects of global warming.
  Given the earth is ``committed'' to rises in temperature over the 
next 30-40 years, it was only rational these futures be built into 
business models. But reducing emissions did not need to be at the 
expense of competitiveness: in fact, carbon trading, clean 
technologies, and sustainable energy generation all promised new 
opportunities for skilled jobs and economic growth.
  Houston is also experiencing more frequent and more powerful storms 
and rain fall, in terms of flooding, some of the old structural 
solutions--the concreted bayous of Houston need additional measures to 
ensure the safety of the population. Unfortunately, Houston's 
development pattern had made such weaknesses more acute. The city 
represented ``classic urban sprawl over coastal ecology.'' With its 
large, low density population and high density roads and impervious 
surfaces the city was highly vulnerable to flooding. Before the 
development arrived, the natural ecology of the Houston delta would 
have managed increases in rainfall and flooding. But the constructed 
environment had pushed back forest and wetland ecologies and undermined 
natural flood alleviation mechanisms.

[[Page E1460]]

  The major causes of flooding in the Houston basin are due to 
Houston's highly developed area; the intensity and duration of Texas 
rainfall; and flat topography with little storage. These conditions led 
to Houston suffering heavily at the hands of flooding--most recently, 
the $5 billion price tag after the inundations accompanying Tropical 
Storm Allison. The flooding heavily damaged the urban infrastructure 
and, because of the release of human waste from sewers and medical 
waste from hospitals, posed a severe public health risk.
  Improving the security of our nation's drinking water and wastewater 
infrastructures has become a top priority since the events of 9/11. 
This legislation takes significant actions in assessing and reducing 
vulnerabilities relating to the toxic contamination of our water 
system. The quality of water should be of the utmost importance when it 
comes to the health and well-being of the people in this country but 
the effects of storm water compromises this quality. Individuals who 
swim in front of flowing storm drains are susceptible to earaches, 
sinus problems, diarrhea, fever, and rashes; these individuals are 50 
percent more likely to develop a variety of symptoms than those who 
swim 400 yards away from the same drains.
  In a ranking of environmental risks posed to the metropolitan Houston 
area, an Environmental Foresight Committee has identified water 
pollution as having a relatively high risk. Houston needs to address 
the trash and odor problems in our waterways which. significantly 
affect quality of life, and economic tourism, development.
  Maintaining the biological soundness of the state's rivers, lakes, 
bays, and estuaries is of great importance to the public's economic 
health and general well-being. The fact that greater pressures and 
demands are being placed on the federal government pertaining to 
security of our water resources makes H.R. 2643 paramount to reexamine 
the process for ensuring that these important priorities effectively 
address the maintenance of a proper ecological environment of the bays 
and estuaries of the nation and the health of related living marine 
resources.
  It is time that we as Americans start becoming more aware and better 
activists in keeping the air we breathe clean. Air pollution can damage 
trees, crops, other plants, lakes, and animals. Breathing polluted air 
can make your eyes and nose burn. It can irritate your throat and make 
breathing difficult. Each day, air pollution causes thousands of 
illnesses leading to lost days at work and school. Air pollution also 
reduces agricultural crop and commercial forest yields by billions of 
dollars each year.
  There are 900,000 children in Harris County alone who are at risk of 
the health effects from the pollutants in the air. Children are more 
vulnerable to air pollution than adults because they spend more time 
outdoors than adults, are usually outdoors most in the summer when air 
pollution levels are highest, and have immature immune systems.
  It is time to put a stop to global pollution, it is time to build a 
better and healthier earth and we can do so by supporting H.R. 2643.
  For these reasons I strongly urge my colleagues to support this 
resolution.

                          ____________________