THE ADMINISTRATION'S NEW WETLANDS 



POLICY 



TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1993 



House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Environ- 

 ment AND Natural Resources, Committee on Mer- 

 chant Marine and Fisheries, 



Washington, DC. 

 The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:24 a.m., in room 

 1334, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Gerry E. Studds 

 [chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding. 



Present: Representatives Studds, Hochbrueckner, Pallone, Un- 

 soeld. Reed, Furse, Hamburg, Lambert, Eshoo, Hutto, Ortiz, 

 Saxton, Young, Weldon, Ravenel, Gilchrest, and Taylor. 



Staff Present: Dan Ashe, Senior Staff Member; Lesli Gray, Re- 

 search Assistant; Marvadell Zeeb, Staff Assistant; Harry F. Bur- 

 roughs, Minority Staff Director; and Cynthia M. Wilkinson, Minori- 

 ty Chief Counsel. 



OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. GERRY E. STUDDS, A U.S. REPRE- 

 SENTATIVE FROM MASSACHUSETTS. AND CHAIRMAN, SUBCOM- 

 MITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 



Mr. Studds. We are here this morning to review the details of 

 the administration's newly announced wetlands policy. 



If you were doing a crossword puzzle and the clue was, "an eight 

 letter word for 'political stalemate'," you might be inclined to 

 answer it, "gridlock." The correct answer, however, is "wetlands." 



For more than a decade, our Nation and this Congress have been 

 hopelessly paralyzed over this issue. While both sides of the debate 

 have contributed many thoughtful, well-reasoned suggestions, gen- 

 uine debate seems to have ceased sometime ago. Each side has 

 built its equivalent of the Maginot Line and is too firmly en- 

 trenched to move an inch further toward compromise. 



Late this summer. President Clinton took a giant step forward by 

 announcing a new Federal wetlands policy. The President's leader- 

 ship presents a golden opportunity to move away from polarization 

 and begin serious Congressional action. To this end, I will soon be 

 introducing legislation that reflects the administration's policy. 



We have before us today some of the most knowledgeable people 

 in our government on the issue of wetlands protection and regula- 

 tion. We look forward to hearing what you have to say. 



Welcome. 



Mr. Studds. I would remind Members that with the exception of 

 the Chair and Ranking Members, the rule is five minutes largely 



(1) 



