Subcommittee Hearing: Water, Oceans and Wildlife Legislative Hearing

Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Date: Thursday, July 25, 2019 Time: 10:00 AM Location: Longworth House Office Building 1334 Presiding: The Hon. Jared Huffman

On Thursday, July 25, 2019 at 10:00 A.M. in room 1334 Longworth House Office Building, the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife (WOW) will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:

  • H.R. 335 (Rep. Mast), To require the Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia to develop a plan for reducing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in South Florida, and for other purposes, “South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2019.”
  • H.R. 729 (Rep. Kilmer), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to authorize grants to Indian Tribes to further achievement of Tribal coastal zone objectives, and for other purposes. “Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act.”
  • H.R. 2185 (Rep. Holmes Norton), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to allow the District of Columbia to receive Federal funding under such Act, and for other purposes. “District of Columbia Flood Prevention Act of 2019.”
  • H.R. 3115 (Rep. Pallone), To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to make grants to State and local governments and nongovernmental organizations for purposes of carrying out climate-resilient living shoreline projects that protect coastal communities by supporting ecosystem functions and habitats with the use of natural materials and systems, and for other purposes. “Living Shorelines Act of 2019.”
  • H.R. 3237  (Rep. Neguse), To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the implementation of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program First Increment Extension for threatened and endangered species in the Central and Lower Platte River Basin, and for other purposes. “Platte River Recovery Implementation Program Extension Act.”
  • H.R. 3510 (Rep. Harder), To amend the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to reauthorize grants for and require applied water supply research regarding the water resources research and technology institutes established under that Act. “Water Resources Research Amendments Act”
  • H.R. 3541 (Rep. Salud Carbajal), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a coastal climate change adaptation preparedness and response program, and for other purposes. “Coastal State Climate Preparedness Act.”
  • H.R. 3596 (Rep. Chellie Pingree), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to establish a Working Waterfront Task Force and a working waterfronts grant program, and for other purposes. “Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act.”
  • H.R. 3723 (Rep. Levin), To promote desalination project development and drought resilience, and for other purposes. “Desalination Development Act.” (Bill text attached)

  

Witness List

Panel I – Congressional Panel

Representative Mike Levin (H.R. 3723)

California, 49th District

Representative Joe Neguse (H.R. 3237)

Colorado, 2nd District

Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (H.R. 2185)

District of Columbia, At Large

Representative Brian Mast (H.R. 335)

Florida, 18th District

Representative Kilmer (H.R. 729)

Washington, 6th District

Representative Salud Carbajal (H.R.3541)

California, 24th District

Representative Chellie Pingree (H.R. 3596)

Maine, 1st District

 

Panel II - Administration

RDML Timothy Gallaudet, Ph.D., USN Ret. (H.R. 729, H.R. 2185, H.R. 3115, H.R. 3541, H.R. 3596)  (testimony)

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere

Deputy NOAA Administrator

Washington, D.C.

 Mr. Karl Stock (H.R.3237, H.R. 3723) (testimony)

Acting Director of Policy and Administration    

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Washington, DC

   

Panel III – Expert Witnesses

Ms. Fawn Sharp, JD (H.R. 729)  (testimony)

President

Quinault Indian Nation

Taholah, WA

Ms. Emily E. Steinhilber, JD (H.R. 3115, H.R. 3541, H.R. 3596)  (testimony)

Research Assistant Professor

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA

Mr. Jon Paul (J.P.) Brooker, JD (H.R.335, H.R.3115, H.R.3541, H.R.3596)  (testimony)

Senior Manager and Policy Counsel for Florida Conservation

Ocean Conservancy

St. Petersburg, FL

Mr. Rich Walters (H.R. 3237)  (testimony)

Director of Conservation,

The Nature Conservancy (Nebraska)

Omaha, NE

Mr. Rick Shintaku (H.R. 3723)  (testimony)

General Manager

South Coast Water District

Laguna Beach, CA