[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 13901-13902]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR H.R. 2864

                                 ______
                                 

                  HON. HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 22, 2010

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my 
support for H.R. 2864, which amends the Hydrographic Services 
Improvement Act of 1998 to authorize funds to acquire hydrographic data 
and provide hydrographic services specific to the Arctic for safe 
navigation, delineating the United States extended continental shelf, 
and the monitoring and description of coastal changes. This legislation 
will authorize appropriations for studying the Arctic, which will 
enable the United States to better examine and understand our Arctic 
territory.
  I have visited the Arctic and I know first hand the important role 
the Arctic plays in the global ecosystem and our national security. I 
was able to see the impact of climate change on the Arctic. As a member 
of the House Armed Services Committee, I have participated in numerous 
hearings and I have shared the increasingly strategic role the Arctic 
plays in our national security. As a new member of the Transportation 
and Infrastructure Committee, I look forward to addressing issues 
related to maritime activities in the Arctic.
  The United States has significant political and economic interests in 
the Arctic. Hydrographic services are important for maintaining Arctic 
environmental protection, navigational safety, and international 
relations. Over the last five years, sea ice in the Arctic Circle has 
been at its lowest levels on record, and there has been a 35 percent 
decrease in thicker multi-year sea ice. These are symptoms of climate 
change, and represent a threat to fragile ecosystems and Arctic 
inhabitants. Hydrographic research is necessary to improve scientific 
understanding of the Arctic system and its adaptation to the dramatic 
environmental changes it is currently experiencing.
  Rising sea levels in the Arctic have also altered sea routes and 
coastlines, compounding the need for new hydrographic research to 
produce updated navigational charts. Because the region has heretofore 
been relatively inaccessible, information about the Arctic is lacking 
in comparison to information about other American marine and coastal 
areas. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, the Arctic currently has minimal tide, current, and 
water level prediction coverage, obsolete shoreline and hydrographic 
data, unsatisfactory nautical charts, and poor weather and ice forecast 
coverage. Moreover, most Arctic waters that have been charted were 
surveyed with obsolete hydrographic technology, as far back as the 
1800s, and

[[Page 13902]]

most of Alaska's northern and western shoreline has not been mapped 
since 1960, if ever. New hydrographic data on the Arctic region is 
sorely needed. Charts produced from new research will ensure the safety 
of both civilians and the Coast Guard as they live and work near and on 
our Arctic waters.
  The opening of new Arctic sea routes as the polar ice caps melt also 
has political implications. Recent geological surveys indicate that as 
many as 90 billion recoverable barrels of oil and 2 trillion cubic feet 
of natural gas may be present in the Arctic Circle. With unprecedented 
access to these resources made possible by climate change, the 
contentious debate over drilling in the Arctic will continue to 
intensify, as will disputes over coastal borders between circumpolar 
nations. The better the U.S. understands the nature of our Arctic 
territory, the better prepared we will be to participate in the 
international conversation about the future of Arctic policy.
  I support this bill because new hydrographic research is necessary to 
gather the most accurate data about our Arctic coastline and natural 
resources. This data would include oceanographic tidal, current, and 
wave information; depth measurements for bodies of water; information 
on navigational hazards and considerations; and updated navigational 
maps of the area. With this data, the Coast Guard and research 
institutes can inform the American public and government about the 
Arctic to the best of their abilities. To make this possible, I urge 
Congress to pass H.R. 2864, to authorize funds for hydrographic 
research in the Arctic.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

                          ____________________