[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 98 (Friday, June 26, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 25, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2996) making 
     appropriations for the Department of the Interior, 
     environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2010, and for other purposes:

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chair, I rise in support of this FY 10 
Interior-Environment Appropriations bill for the investments it makes 
in our infrastructure, natural resources and cultural life--as well as 
its commitment to tackling the ongoing challenge of global climate 
change.
  This legislation provides $10.46 billion for the Environmental 
Protection Agency to safeguard our nation's land, air and water. Of 
that amount, $2.3 billion will go to the Clean Water State Revolving 
Fund and $1.4 billion will go to the Drinking Water State revolving 
fund to help over 1500 communities improve their wastewater and 
drinking water systems. One and a half billion dollars will go to clean 
up hazardous and toxic waste, including $605 million for our nation's 
most toxic Superfund sites and $100 million for brownfields cleanup and 
redevelopment. And $601 million is provided at President Obama's 
request to enable the EPA to enforce our nation's environmental laws.
  Our national parks receive $2.7 billion, which includes $100 million 
to support the park service's 10-year initiative to upgrade park 
facilities before the National Park System's Centennial Anniversary in 
2016. Our national wildlife refuge system is provided $503 million for 
its conservation efforts. And the U.S. Forest service is allocated 
$2.77 billion to manage of (Air federal forests--including targeted 
support for the Legacy Road and Trail Remediation program protecting 
streams and water systems from damaged forest roads, as well as the 
Forest Legacy Land Conservation Program to help protect environmentally 
important, privately owned forest lands.
  To support our nation's cultural heritage, this legislation invests 
$340 million, split evenly between the National Endowment for the Arts 
and the National Endowment for the Humanities. And the Smithsonian will 
receive $774 million for reducing its backlog of deferred maintenance 
and the planning and design of the new National Museum of African 
American History and Culture.
  Finally, this bill provides a total of $420 million on climate change 
related initiatives--including $50 million for the EPA's Energy Star 
program, $17 million for the development of a Greenhouse Gas Registry 
necessary for monitoring greenhouse gases and $10 million for new 
grants to empower local communities to find innovative ways to cut 
their, greenhouse gas emissions.
  Madam Chair, I commend Chairman Dicks, Ranking Member Simpson and the 
rest of the subcommittee for developing this thoughtful bill, and I 
urge my colleagues' support.

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