Thank you very much. We have further witnesses on the technical aspects of the bill, and thank you again for this hearing and this opportunity.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Thank you very much, Congressman Vitter.
Ranking Member Borski.

Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Chairman, let me just congratulate Congressman Vitter for what I consider to be an outstanding statement, and to commend him for his leadership on this issue and wish him well in his efforts. I also want to commend him for his great wisdom in seeking a spot on this Committee, that he certainly understands or knew coming in that this is an area where we try to work together on a bipartisan basis for the good of the country.

Again, I just want to congratulate him for his leadership on this issue.

Mr. VITTER. Thank you very much. The first member of Congress I met face to face after my election happened to the Chairman of the full Committee, who happened to be in New Orleans for an event. I had dinner with him, and I immediately knew that my initial interest in this Committee as a place to really get things done and be productive was fully justified. He was very welcoming of my interest. Thank you.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Thank you. One slight clarification for me. I understand the pollution aspects. The saltwater infiltration happens because of what?

Mr. VITTER. Naturally there is some saltwater infiltration. Lake Pontchartrain is actually sort of a mixed bag. But there has been a lot more intrusion over the years in part because of the dredging and channel digging of the oil and gas industry. So that is one factor which has increased that intrusion and increased the negative effects of it.

Mr. SHERWOOD. In other words, there is more free flow between the lake and the bay and the Gulf?

Mr. VITTER. Yes, because basically southeast Louisiana has been channeled and dug over the last 50 years through that oil and gas production, which incidentally clearly benefits the whole of the country.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Thank you very much, Congressman.

Mr. VITTER. Thank you.

Mr. HORN. I just want to add to this, Mr. Chairman, if I might, this is a very fine bill. The fact that you met with so many people in that area and all those elected officials should make it easy going when it comes here. Because it sounds like the people are united, and how could they not be united, given the goal. So I thank you for all you have done to work on this.

Mr. VITTER. Thank you, Mr. Horn.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Thank you.

We will merge the next two panels. So panel three and four will come up together.

Mr. David Miller, Executive Director from Albany, New York, of the National Audubon Society; Ross Pepe, of the Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Hudson Valley, from Tarrytown, New York; and Mr. John Atkin, the Executive Director of Save the Sound, Inc., from Stamford and Glen Cove. And panel four also, Mr. Tim Coulon, from Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; and the Lake

Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Mr. Carlton Dufrechou, Executive Director; and from Southeast Louisiana University, Dr. William N. Norton, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences.

We will start with Mr. Miller.

TESTIMONY OF DAVID J. MILLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW YORK STATE; ROSS J. PEPE, PRESIDENT, CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY COUNCIL OF WESTCHESTER AND HUDSON VALLEY, INC.; JOHN ATKIN, PRESIDENT, SAVE THE SOUND, INC.; TIM COULON, PRESIDENT, JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA; CARLTON DUFRECHOU, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN FOUNDATION; AND DR. WILLIAM N. NORTON, SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY

Mr. MILLER. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I would like to have my full statement entered for the record, as well as an attachment to that material we did with the Clean Water Jobs Coalition, which I will leave for the Committee, that outlines our support of the Long Island Sound Restoration Act.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Without objection.

Mr. MILLER. Thank you very much. Without the Long Island Sound Restoration Act our job to clean up Long Island Sound will not be able to be met as we move forward.

It is a tall order to speak after such a distinguished group, including our own Governor Pataki, who makes a challenge for each environmental advocate in New York State to be able to be as well versed in the environment as he was today. His commitment to Long Island Sound is unparalleled, as well as the other legislative leaders.

In addition to my role at National Audubon, I also chair the Governor's Long Island Sound Coastal Commission. I also co-chair the CAC for the Long Island Sound Study. I know first-hand, not only from those efforts, but also from my own personal experience, that Long Island Sound is indeed a national treasure. It is a national treasure because I grew up on Long Island Sound. That is where my conservation_roots began, understanding the birds, the wildlife, the magic, the Jurassic nature of a horseshoe crab, or the magic of a fiddler crab running through the waters.

I have experienced that same wonder with my own children, 5, 7, 9 and 11, as I have taken them down from Albany, New York, to enjoy the Sound in the summers, and to enjoy the wonder of nature, and how it can fulfill all of us in our hearts. And also the wonder Long Island Sound offers to us as an opportunity, as others have spoken, for the economy and for clean water and for jobs and for a quality of life as we move forward.

It deserves just as much as the Chesapeake, the Everglades, the Great Lakes, as the San Francisco Bay, as Boston Harbor, if not more, from Congress. It is truly a national treasure. And we have a plan for Long Island Sound that you have heard about. It is science based, it is supported by citizens, it is supported by the States. We have Governors' agreements that have been outlined for the Sound, and you have heard about the Governors' commitment in dollars, the Governors from New York and Connecticut that have been so important towards this effort.

In fact, I want to point out for the record that in New York, the construction industry council represented by my good friend Ross and I at Audubon gave Governor Pataki the Sound Guardian award last year for his outstanding leadership in New York State of trying to move forward these efforts in the cleanup of Long Island Sound.

The Governor also talked about the most diverse coalition of all for Long Island Sound, and he talked about picketing at a conference that I organized in 1982. Outside picketing was the Governor and Ross, with picket signs such as, 'Clean Our Sewers, not Kuwait's', and 35 percent unemployment or 1 percent nitrogen, 'which is fair.'

And let me share with you now that what we were able to do on that cold January day in 9 degree weather was prevent a train wreck, to stop and listen to each other talk, to hear that when the construction industry and union leaders were talking about providing jobs, and we were talking about cleaning up the Sound, we were talking about the same thing, that we could have economic growth and we could have a cleaner Sound if we worked together. From that effort was formed the Clean Water Jobs Coalition. As we moved forward, we put together a platform that talked about local government, State government and the Federal Government, all coming through with funds for the Sound, we called it the three legs of a stool, all moving forward for the cleanup of the Long Island Sound. Well, we have gotten two legs of that stool moving forward in the past six years, dollars commitments from the States and local governments.

Now it is time for the Federal Government, who itself proclaimed Long Island Sound a national estuary, a national treasure in 1988, to come forward and help us clean up the Sound for future generations, for those future generations of my children and their children, so they can learn and think about the wonder of Long Island Sound and the wonder of nature and quality of life as we move forward.

The Long Island Sound Restoration Act is based on the Clean Water Jobs platform for Long Island Sound, providing matching Federal grant monies to State and local dollars to remove nitrogen from Long Island Sound. And as Governors Pataki and Rowland clearly articulated, the States are doing their share. And more than their share, in using their SRF money, as well as the direct grants for the Long Island Sound cleanup program.

So in summary, the Long Island Sound is a national treasure. Its restoration is a story of national significance that warrants Federal support. And again, just look across this panel, how many times do you see the construction industry, union officials, conservation groups, academic leaders, in support of one issue, Long Island Sound. So Mr. Chairman, Long Island Sound's time has come. And with the passage of the Long Island Sound Restoration Act, we can truly have all three legs of the stool and the support of the Federal Government in this effort.

Thank you very much.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Thank you, Mr. Miller.

We have found in Pennsylvania that if you frame the debate properly, it doesn't have to be environment or jobs. If it is done properly, you can do both.

Mr. Pepe, from New York?

Mr. PEPE. Thank you, Congressman, and thank you for giving us the opportunity today to make our comments on this very important piece of legislation.

I would also like to at this moment congratulate Governors Pataki and Governor Rowland for their discussions in this area and also for their efforts, exhaustive efforts, to help improve Long Island Sound with commitments on the part of each of their States to make sure that the Sound quality is improved.

Long Island Sound clearly, from all the discussions today, is a national estuary of recreation and commerce interest. Not improving this important estuary, what could be the experience of that? Well, we know. In Westchester County, back a decade ago, when nearly half of all communities in Westchester County were shut down from any growth opportunity by a moratorium issued because a sewer treatment facility in the county could not handle the overflows of storm water and other problems that were occurring at facilities that were outdated and not modernized with new technology.

Many workers in the building industry were out of work. People had to leave the industry and their life's work. Many moved from the community. There was great distress in the local environment. So we have felt and know the effect of not having good quality environmental infrastructure. That is why this legislation to save Long Island Sound is so important.

With respect to what communities need. Westchester County today, Long Island and New York City are moving forward with programs to improve sewer treatment infrastructures. However, bonds are limited and on their own, they can only do so much. For instance, in Westchester County, just this month is the first phase of combined sewer overflow improvements funded entirely by Westchester County, with little support from New York State Environmental Bond Act funds.

But virtually no support from the Federal Government. It is time in our view that the Federal Government step up and begin taking an active role in the needs of improving local facilities discharging into the Long Island Sound and other waterways in our commu

nity.

H.R. 3313 as is not only good environmental legislation but also a jobs bill, one that will create many jobs in our community in economic development, growth and also performing work that needs to be done at these facilities. For every million dollars spent in improving sewer and water treatment facilities nearly 50 jobs are crated in direct and indirect employment.

So those important numbers are necessary for this legislation to gather support.

In closing, I would like to read from the Clean Water Jobs Coalition brochure that David spoke of. Comments by my good friend who is in the audience behind me, Nick Signorelli, Sr., who is business manager of Operating Engineers Local 137. He stated, the old adage jobs versus the environment, is passe. Environmentalists

and construction industry officials realize that by working together, jobs, sustainable development, and a clean environment are a reality.

Investment in water pollution control will increase the rate of return on private capital, increase the growth rate of labor productivity, boost private plant and equipment investment, and expand the tax base.

I certainly fully with Nick and his comments. That is why we are here today in support of H.R. 3313. Thank you.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Thank you, Mr. Pepe.

Mr. John Atkin, the Executive Director of Save the Sound, Inc. Mr. ATKIN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the Committee for giving me the opportunity to testify here this afternoon.

My name is John Atkin. I am President of the Save the Sound. We are based in Stamford, Connecticut and Glen Cove, New York. I also serve as co-chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee, with David Miller, for the Long Island Sound Study.

It also feels like old home week for me, too. I served for 10 years in the Connecticut State House of Representatives and State Senate with not only Governor Rowland, but with Congressman Shays and Congresswoman Johnson as well. I appreciate all of their leadership in providing protection to Long Island Sound. I thank the members of the Connecticut and New York delegations for sponsoring this important piece of legislation.

You have heard from all the previous speakers on the facts, the geology and the geography of the Sound, and the need to protect the Sound and an understanding of what hypoxia, low dissolved oxygen, is. I want to talk very quickly and briefly about a couple of other coalitions that have formed to make sure that the process of cleaning up Long Island Sound really works and is really a priority.

Nitrogen reduction and seeking funding to make it happen has been a priority of many players around the Sound. The CAC, the Citizens Advisory Committee, which I referred to earlier, consists of representatives of 60 citizen and user groups around the sound, and has consistently made the reduction of nitrogen loading a priority.

Save the Sound, additionally, last year coalesced with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and the State's second largest business organization, the Southwest Area Commerce and Industry Association, to urge Connecticut's legislature to increase the bonding money available. This successful effort led to the legislature approving $120 million a year for these two years to be used for this clean water fund and reducing nitrogen loading and upgrading sewage treatment plants in the south. That totals the $240 million that the Governor referred to earlier stated.

Additionally, the legislature approved a mechanism that would increase the grant portion of funding to municipalities for the nitrogen reduction phase of upgrades. In other words, right now the State clean water fund provides money to municipalities in a low interest loan but the nitrogen reduction phase of that money that goes from the State to the municipalities is a grant portion. That portion was actually increased in an effort again to reduce nitrogen.