[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 123 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8898-H8899]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  PUGET SOUND WATERSHED COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PROJECT ACT OF 2007

  Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3184) to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to 
carry out a competitive grant program for the Puget Sound area to 
provide comprehensive conservation planning to address water quality.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows

                               H.R. 3184

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Puget Sound Watershed 
     Comprehensive Conservation Project Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLANNING FOR PUGET SOUND 
                   AREA.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall carry 
     out a competitive grant program for the Puget Sound area to 
     provide comprehensive conservation planning to address water 
     quality. The Secretary shall enter into cooperative 
     agreements with State and local governments, Indian tribes, 
     or non-governmental entities with a history of working with 
     agricultural producers to carry out projects under the 
     program.
       (b) Assistance.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
     may--
       (1) provide project demonstration grants, provide technical 
     assistance and carry out information and education programs 
     to improve water quality in the Puget Sound area by reducing 
     soil erosion and improving sediment control; and
       (2) provide a priority for projects and activities that 
     directly reduce soil erosion or improve water quality.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary $5,000,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2008 through 2012 to carry out the program.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
South Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Goodlatte) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from South Dakota.
  Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Puget Sound is home to over 4 million people and 
numerous species of fish, birds and other wildlife. It is the economic 
and environmental driver of the region and an ecological wonder. Sadly, 
the health of this national treasure has been steadily in decline. The 
water quality is suffering with areas of deadly low oxygen and levels 
of harmful toxics that are now being detected in some aquatic species.
  However, there is hope. The State of Washington has been leading the 
charge in fighting this problem and working to restore the Sound to 
where it should be. This legislation will provide critical support to 
those efforts by developing a comprehensive conservation project to 
help determine the right conservation planning efforts for local 
agricultural producers.
  It will provide the capacity that local conservation districts simply 
don't have in meeting the unique challenges of the Sound. This project 
would mirror others that have occurred or are occurring in nationally 
important watersheds.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  The Puget Sound region is home to diverse natural resource dependent 
industries, including everything from fishing, tourism and recreation 
to agriculture and forest products. As an estuary, the Sound also 
houses diverse fish and wildlife species. The Sound itself consists of 
over 2500 miles of shoreline and is fed by over 10,000 streams and 
rivers that run throughout northwest Washington.

[[Page H8899]]

  As the second largest container shipping port in the U.S., the Sound 
is extremely important to the State and Nation as a whole.
  The watershed that feeds the Sound includes several large population 
centers, but is also home to significant agriculture production, 
including many specialty crops including raspberries, flower bulbs and 
vegetable seeds. Agriculture contributes $5.6 billion to Washington 
State's economy, establishing its rank in agriculture production as 
12th in the Nation.
  Unfortunately, the Puget Sound region is undergoing tremendous change 
as more people move into the region and water quality and soil concerns 
increase. The bill before us today helps address these environmental 
concerns by encouraging agricultural producers in the region to adopt 
voluntary conservation practices.
  The bill also requires a comprehensive plan to encourage cooperation 
among the multiple agencies and landowners in the region. Many farms in 
the Puget Sound are adjacent to endangered salmon-bearing streams and 
bear the brunt of protection for these and other endangered species.
  These regulatory requirements place significant burden on producers 
struggling to stay on the land. We must continue to encourage 
cooperation and proactive partnerships with producers in this region, 
as well as the other heavily agricultural regions in the country, 
helping to keep producers on the land and keep the Nation's 
agricultural economy healthy and diverse.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Washington, (Mr. Larsen), an original 
cosponsor of the bill.

                              {time}  1715

  Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Ms. Herseth 
Sandlin for speaking on behalf of this critical legislation. I want to 
thank the chairman and the ranking member of the Committee on 
Agriculture as well for helping bring H.R. 3184 to the floor.
  The livelihoods of many families in Washington State depend upon the 
health and vitality of the Puget Sound. Unfortunately, as we already 
heard, there is no denying the health of the Puget Sound has been 
declining. Salmon and other species call the sound home and are either 
threatened or endangered. Water quality is extremely poor in certain 
places, and some aquatic species have shown harmful levels of toxins.
  Agriculture is a large and important part of the economy in the Puget 
Sound region, and I represent much of it; and we do not want to see our 
ag economy decline either. Ag producers face the constant challenge of 
keeping good ag land in production while being responsible stewards of 
the land and of the Puget Sound watershed. That is why the State of 
Washington and our State's Governor Chris Gregoire have led the charge 
in pulling together ag producers, business, industry, and local 
nonprofits and many others to develop long-term strategies to restore 
the Puget Sound.
  However, our State cannot do it alone. This legislation takes a first 
step, and only a first step, to provide critical Federal support to 
those efforts by developing a competitive, comprehensive, conservation 
program to help determine the right conservation planning efforts for 
local agriculture producers. As well, again, this is only a small piece 
of the puzzle. Most of that puzzle will come from State and local 
governments.
  These types of efforts have been done or are being done in other 
areas of the country. The results of comprehensive conservation 
planning helps ag producers make smart conservation decisions and 
investments, and, in turn, takes important steps restoring the health 
of the Puget Sound. This bill will provide the capacity that local 
conservation districts simply do not have in meeting the unique 
challenges of this critical watershed.
  Ag producers in Washington State have a role to play in protecting 
the health of the Puget Sound, and they are more than willing to do 
their part, but we need a comprehensive conservation strategy to get 
that job done, and that is what H.R. 3184 helps us do. I urge the 
passage of H.R. 3184 and again thank the chairman and the ranking 
member of the committee for helping to bring this to the floor
  Mr. DICKS. Mr Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3184, a bill to 
authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a competitive grant 
program for the Puget Sound area to provide comprehensive conservation 
planning to address water quality.
  For generations, Puget Sound has been the most important geographic 
feature driving human settlement in the region--first Native American 
communities followed by the 4 million people who now call it home. With 
2,500 miles of shoreline and 2,800 square miles of inland marine 
waters, it is the second largest estuary in the United States after 
Chesapeake Bay. Puget Sound is environmentally, culturally and 
economically linked to Washington State's way of life and it is truly 
one of America's most spectacular bodies of water, with more than 200 
species of fish, 25 kinds of marine mammals, 100 species of sea birds 
as well as clams, oysters and shrimp.
  But the health of Puget Sound is in decline--its waters are 
experiencing the stress of growth and development and its ability to 
sustain the abundant fishery we've always enjoyed is in doubt. Around 
the Sound we have detected low levels of oxygen and increasing 
concentrations of toxic substances in aquatic animals. With the overall 
health of this great ecosystem in decline, we have launched a 
cooperative effort involving all of the local government entities 
around the Sound, as well as the State and Federal governments, to 
curtail any harmful substances from being introduced into its waters, 
to change unwise industrial and agricultural practices and to continue 
aggressively our research into the causes of pollution in this 
historically pristine inland sea.
  One of our responses must be to encourage innovation and action at 
the local level and to help local communities recognize the importance 
of incremental actions in the overall solution. Congressman Rick Larsen 
and I have introduced H.R. 3184, the ``Puget Sound Watershed 
Comprehensive Conservation Project Act of 2007.'' This legislation is 
supported by all Members of the Washington State congressional 
delegation. It would authorize a total of $25 million in grants to 
assist non-Federal governmental or non-governmental organizations, 
Tribes, and individuals in implementing land management practices and 
projects that improve water quality and habitat for fish and wildlife 
in the Puget Sound watershed.
  H.R. 3184 authorizes conservation projects that will target 
innovative conservation measures where they do the most good. The 
program is intended to stimulate the development and adoption of 
innovative conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging 
Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in 
conjunction with agricultural production.
  Mr. Speaker, the Federal government is playing a very important role 
in restoring the health of Puget Sound, and I believe H.R. 3184 can 
make a vital contribution to this effort. I urge adoption of the 
resolution.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3184.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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