Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - June 26, 2007)

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Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, every summer an environmental phenomenon occurs off the coast of Louisiana, at times covering over 7,000 square miles off the Gulf of Mexico. This dead zone, or hypoxic zone, in the Gulf of Mexico is an expanse of oxygen-depleted waters that cannot sustain most marine life. This hypoxic zone is caused by excessive amounts of nitrogen pollution delivered to the gulf by the Mississippi River.

The dead zone has become a serious threat to commercial fishing, shrimping and recreational industries. The gulf produces approximately 40 percent of the United States commercial fish yield. The livelihoods of many thousands of people and their communities are at risk, as is the large marine ecosystem on which they depend.

My amendment provides resources to combat the development of hypoxia by directing $2.5 million in additional funding for the Environmental Protection Agency's Gulf of Mexico program. These funds will go to the five Gulf of Mexico coastal States, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, local governments, colleges, interstate agencies, individuals and nonprofit agencies. They are used to develop the techniques and science needed to restore and protect the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and included projects to develop solutions to the dead zone in the gulf, improve water quality, and restore coastal areas.

The Gulf of Mexico program, with a recommended budget of $4.5 million, has again been provided with much less funding than the other great water body programs, for example, the Chesapeake Bay at $30 million, the Great Lakes at $25 million, the Puget Sound at $15 million and the Long Island Sound at $10 million.

With the growth of the dead zone and the dramatic loss of coastal wetlands, my amendment will help to make up for this disparity at a time when funding to develop solutions is needed more than ever.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment. We must develop the techniques to restore and protect the areas of our gulf coast.

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Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment that shifts funding within the EPA environmental program and management account.

Although the rules of the House prevent me from specifying in the amendment where the funding will go, it is my intention to increase by $2.5 million the funding for grants as part of the Environmental Protection Agency's Gulf of Mexico Program. Grants awarded under this program go to the five Gulf of Mexico coastal states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida), local governments, colleges, interstate agencies, individuals, and nonprofit agencies. They are used to develop the techniques and science needed to restore and protect the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. They have been used for projects working to develop solutions to the dead zone in the Gulf, improve water quality, restore coastal areas, and educate others about findings to allow better informed decision-making.

The Gulf of Mexico Program, with a recommended budget of less than $4.5 million, has again been provided with much less funding than the other similar great water body programs. For example, the Committee has provided $30 million to the Chesapeake Bay program, $25 million to the Great Lakes program, and $15 million to the Puget Sound program. My amendment will help to make up for this disparity, at a time when grants to develop solutions in the Gulf are needed more than ever.

For example, it is imperative that solutions are found to the Dead Zone problem in the Gulf that are consistent with the economic well-being of the region and our inland states. The dead zone is an area off the Louisiana and Texas coasts in which water contains low amounts of oxygen. It is caused by excessive algal growth. The low oxygen causes fish and shrimp to leave the area, and it kills the marine life that cannot get away. Last year, the dead zone measured over 6,600 square miles, which is about the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined.

Another important area where solutions are needed is with restoring our coastal wetlands. Since the 1930s, coastal Louisiana has lost over 1.2 million acres, an area nearly the size of the state of Delaware. This area is critical to fish and wildlife, including endangered species, and to the people of Louisiana.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment. The Gulf of Mexico produces approximately 40 percent of the U.S. commercial fish yield, and it provides critical habitats for 75 percent of migratory waterfowl traversing the United States.

We must develop the techniques to restore and protect the areas off our Gulf Coast. Increasing the allocations for grants will help to do that.

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