[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2165]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         INTRODUCING THE EVERGLADES FOR THE NEXT GENERATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 28, 2013

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
Everglades for the Next Generation Act.
  Everglades restoration is unfortunately at a standstill. All of the 
projects that can be started are already underway and nearing 
completion. It has been six years since the last Comprehensive 
Everglades Restoration Projects (CERP) were authorized. The Water 
Resources Development Act (WRDA) is supposed to be the vehicle for 
these authorizations, but clearly is not sufficient. In the 12 years 
since CERP was signed into law, Congress has passed only one WRDA bill. 
An awkward state of limbo is not the future Congress had in mind for 
the Everglades when it passed CERP, and it is not the future that the 
American people deserve. Congressional inaction has persevered for far 
too long despite bi-partisan support for restoration.
  Regardless of the real progress, restoration efforts will not succeed 
without the next generation of projects, which cannot begin without 
further Congressional authorizations. That is exactly what this bill 
does: authorizes the shovel-ready projects which have been awaiting 
another WRDA. Additionally, this legislation will make it easier for 
the Army Corps of Engineers to move on many of the remaining projects 
in order to prevent future Congressional bottlenecking.
  Restoration is not a theoretical exercise. CERP has demonstrable 
successes and biennial reports from the National Academy of Sciences. 
We know that the federal and state governments can successfully work 
together with private businesses and landowners to reach mutually 
beneficial agreements that restore the health of this unique, 
beautiful, wild, and wonderful resource that is absolutely essential 
for Florida.
  I urge my colleagues to support critically important legislation.

                          ____________________