OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JIM NUSSLE, A 

 REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF IOWA 



Mr. NusSLE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, too, have been doing 

 a lot of visiting back home and have heard similar comments that 

 I have heard today. I also had a group of farmers in last night, so 

 it is in very recent memory that they told me that shouldn't we be 

 using some common sense in all of this. I suggested to them don't 

 assume that common sense is necessarily going to be used in this 

 discussion and debate throughout Congress. I think you are going 

 to see it here but not necessarily throughout the Congress. 



Using the data that is fair and accurate and using studies that 

 are accurate, they have been hearing back in Iowa, and I am sure 

 it is true across the country, about a number of different extreme 

 movements on either side that are going to try and shove some- 

 thing down their throat and they are worried. Quite honestly, I 

 don't blame them because they are the first ones to drink the 

 water. And they tell me, "I don't understand why farmers for some 

 reason are made out to be the bad guys in all of this." They are 

 the first ones, their kids, their families, their neighbors are the 

 first ones to drink the water. They are the first ones that suffer as 

 a result of a loss of integrity to that natural resource that they 

 have to use to make a living and keep their families strong for gen- 

 erations to come. 



So obviously they want to be players in this. They want to have 

 a voice in this. But more importantly, they want that balance that 

 Mr. Pomeroy spoke about, that balance between those competing 

 interests. I thought that was a very good point. So that is what we 

 are going to try and work for, and I appreciate the hearing today, 

 Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Johnson. The gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Baesler. 



Mr. Baesler. No statement, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Johnson. The gentlewoman from Indiana, Ms. Long. 



Ms. Long. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just simply want to com- 

 mend you for holding these hearings and also emphasize the need, 

 as has been stated by my colleagues, the need for balance. Cer- 

 tainly, protecting the environment is important, but unnecessary 

 regulations and adding additional burden to the management of 

 farms and ranches, that is something that we really need to work 

 to try to avoid. 



So I am looking forward to hearing the testimony from the De- 

 partment and also from the panels today. I hope that we can move 

 forward in a very practical and sensible way. Thank you. 



Mr. Johnson. With that, we will proceed with the first panel. 

 The first panel, if you will come forward please, consists of Mr. 

 Tom Herbert, who is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Natural 

 Resources, USDA. He is accompanied by Mr. Russ Earnest of the 

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Interior; Michael 

 Davis, Ofilce of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil 

 Works, Department of the Army; and Bob Wayland of the Environ- 

 m.ental Protection Agency. We welcome the panel here. 



It is called to my attention that in the course of people coming 

 into the committee room that I overlooked the gentleman from 

 Texas, Mr. Sarpalius. I would ask if he has any opening remarks 

 that he would like to make. 



