[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 106 (Thursday, July 9, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1022-E1023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2016

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. DOUG COLLINS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 7, 2015

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2822) making 
     appropriations for the Department of the Interior, 
     environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2016, and for other purposes:

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Chair, this amendment is critically 
important. The designation of the Northern Long Eared Bat as threatened 
has had a significant impact on the Ninth District of Georgia, despite 
the fact that the only evidence it is there is a geo-tagged dot on a 
map.
  These bats are listed as threatened because White Nose Syndrome has 
led to a drastic decline in their population. Humans don't cause White 
Nose Syndrome but they are being penalized for it. There are some 
counties in my district where the bat has never been seen, but because 
they're in the bat's ``range'' they are subject to burdensome 
restrictions.

[[Page E1023]]

  A construction project for a new interchange in my home, Hall County, 
was delayed because of the need to survey for the bat.
  What's worse, even if no bats are found during the preconstruction 
bat survey, Fish and Wildlife Service requires a clearing restriction 
in construction contracts for prime-building months if certain factors 
contributing to a quality bat habitat are present. These types of 
restrictions increase prices and create unnecessary and burdensome 
delays on important infrastructure projects. Similar restrictions can 
also negatively affect other sectors such as forestry, ranching, and 
utilities.
  The underlying bill takes important steps to address the problematic 
requirements associated with the bat's status as a threatened species. 
This amendment goes the extra step to prevent the current situation 
from getting even worse by prohibiting the use of funds to list the 
Northern Long Eared Bat as endangered.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

                          ____________________