[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10756]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED

  (Mr. McNERNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding 
environmental research being conducted at the University of California, 
Merced.
  In the midst of California's worst drought on record, scientists at 
UC Merced are studying the effects drought, fire, and global warming 
are having on soil and water resources.
  One such researcher, Dr. Berhe, along with her students and 
collaborators, supported by the National Science Foundation, are 
investigating the impacts of fire, erosion, and climate change on soil 
processes.
  Extreme drought and other catastrophic events can alter the carbon 
storage potential of the soil, its water-holding capacity, and lead to 
high rates of surface runoff.
  Research such as Dr. Berhe's is critical for addressing challenges to 
the soil's ability to sequester atmospheric carbon, water security, and 
the health of the ecosystem.
  Continued Federal support of science and research is needed to 
provide better information for formulating solutions to the challenges 
in the world around us.

                          ____________________