We must also fulfill our obligation to coexist peacefully and respon- 

 sibly with other inhabitants of this planet earth, which is our home 

 and their home. 



H.R. 4481 sets national restoration goals and requires the devel- 

 opment of a long-term national restoration strategy. The National 

 Research Council stressed the critical need for a national strategy 

 to correct the current fragmented approach to restoration in its 

 1992 report on the restoration of aquatic ecosystems. H.R. 4481 

 designates the Fish and Wildlife Service as the lead agency to im- 

 plement this strategy because of its scientific and technical exper- 

 tise in the stewardship of habitat and biological communities. 



H.R. 4481 establishes a competitive grant program to encourage 

 and fund voluntary grassroots restoration efforts on non-Federal 

 lands. Active local community groups are the key to successful wa- 

 tershed restoration, and we have certainly seen evidence of this in 

 my congressional district. 



H.R. 4408, the Russian River Fisheries and Riverbed Restoration 

 Act provides a model for community-based restoration of a river 

 system which has been severely impacted by Federal flood control 

 projects and other development. 



The Russian River in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, in Lynn 

 Woolsey's and my districts, with its world class steelhead and coho 

 fisheries, was once a primary destination for fishermen and vaca- 

 tioners from the San Francisco Bay area. H.R. 4408 will implement 

 a restoration plan developed over the last three years by more than 

 25 organizations, businesses, and agencies. 



Restoration of upstream fish habitat in tributaries coupled with 

 a pilot project to test and demonstrate large mainstream river 

 channel restoration will breathe new life into the Russian River 

 system. A basin advisory committee is established to ensure broad- 

 based community participation in the implementation and monitor- 

 ing of this project. 



Whether we accept the challenge of aquatic ecosystem restoration 

 and its requisite long-term vision in this last decade of the 20th 

 century may well be the standard by which future generations will 

 judge our efforts. 



I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to all the witnesses who 

 will appear here today. I especially want to thank Mollie Beattie, 

 the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service for interrupting her 

 trip to Alaska and being here with us this morning. Also, Ms. Eliz- 

 abeth Norcross of American Rivers, who is here today in support 

 of H.R. 4481. 



I want to thank Freeman House, Founder and Director of the 

 Mattole Restoration Council in Humboldt County. The Mattole Res- 

 toration Council has truly been an inspiration for this bill. The pio- 

 neering work in inhabitory grassroots restoration by the Mattole 

 Council and other groups in my district really have inspired us to 

 go forward with the national strategy. 



I want to thank my colleague, Lynn Woolsey, for appearing today 

 in support of the Russian River Bill, H.R. 4408, and finally I want 

 to welcome and extend my thanks to Laurel Marcus of the Califor- 

 nia State Coastal Conservancy, who is the project manager for the 

 Russian River Resource Enhancement Plan. 



