8 



It is apparent that a healthy Russian River is truly essential to 

 everyone's best interest in our district and around. 



Yet, determining how to restore the health of the Russian River 

 has been the cause of heated debates in northern California for 

 many, many years. With so many differing needs for the river's re- 

 sources, from jobs, to recreation, to drinking water, to salmon and 

 steelhead habitat, it has seemed impossible to get all the interested 

 parties to agree on the best way to begin restoration. 



Mr. Chairman, that is, until now. 



As a result of public forums and numerous meetings with con- 

 cerned citizens and organizations, Congressman Hamburg and I 

 have introduced H.R. 4408, which has broad-based support from 

 the Russian River communities in both of our districts. H.R. 4408 

 focuses on two of the most urgent problems confronting the Rus- 

 sian River: First, restoring salmon and steelhead, and, second, pre- 

 venting the main channel from further degradation. 



To bring back salmon and steelhead to our river, H.R. 4408 fos- 

 ters unprecedented cooperation between various levels of govern- 

 ment, including the California Department of Fish and Game, and 

 the Soil Conservation Service. Federal funds will be used in this 

 bill to implement the innovative plan by the Department of Fish 

 and Game to create salmon and steelhead nurseries in the Russian 

 River streams. 



To protect the health of the main channel, our bill will fund a 

 pilot project which will implement the recommendations of a Rus- 

 sian River advisory committee on restoring and enhancing the riv- 

 erbed. The advisory committee will be made up of representatives 

 from interested groups and agencies and it will be led by the Cali- 

 fornia Coastal Conservancy. Laurel Marcus from the Conservancy 

 will be providing you with very valuable information and testimony 

 a little later this morning. 



Together, these two projects are the logical and practical first 

 step in the process of restoring the Russian River back to its natu- 

 ral health. With the support of the Russian River communities, the 

 cooperation of all levels of the government, and the dedication of 

 Congressman Hamburg and myself, I am confident that H.R. 4408 

 will successfully begin the restoration of our magnificent river. 



I look forward to working with you, Chairman Studds, and with 

 the Committee on the Russian River Fisheries and Riverbed Res- 

 toration Act, and I thank you again for holding this important 

 hearing. 



Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Studds. Are there questions for either of our colleagues? 



If not, we thank you for your active participation. We look for- 

 ward to working with you. 



Mr. Studds. We will bring the first panel, all four of you, to the 

 table, and I will take advantage of this time to apologize once again 

 for the necessity of my leaving, particularly to Director Beattie. 



You look remarkably alert under the circumstances. And I am 

 going to leave you in the capable hands of the distinguished gen- 

 tleman from New York. 



Ms. Unsoeld. Mr. Chairman, before you leave, would you not 

 agree that there are members of the new administration that are 



