I wanted to thank you for calling today's hearing to enable us to assess the nature of the systemic risk posed by large financial institutions.

the thing that I guess I am concerned about is we are putting all this money in these banks and where the rubber meets the road is on my street.

We want to see them act in order to protect the environment.

Well, I think management is a critical issue.

I agree with Mr. Hutchison's point, that it has to be equal to the efforts being made by other sources of bay nutrients.

To me, this is one of the low-hanging fruit areas that we should be able to do much more effective work in and it can be done in a cost-effective manner.

What can you do in working with local governments to have a more effective way of dealing with the stormwater issues affecting the bay?

I think it is an opportunity perhaps for us to institutionalize a better public transparency on how decisions are made.

As you point out, we are not going to meet the goals set out in the 2000 agreement by 2010.

I would be concerned that if we are not more specific in statute, we could fall back to a time where it may not be as high a priority.

It would be good to have clear direction in statute on these types of issues.

This hearing of the Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife of the Committee on Environment and Public Works will come to order.

We are at a D in our grading system and that is not acceptable. We are in poor quality. That is not acceptable.

We look forward to Congressman Connolly's testimony.

We want it to be based upon good science. We want it to be fair. We do want to create an undue burden on our economy.

We need to think beyond just the current structure as to what structure will give you the tools you need to accomplish the results without imposing undue burdens on the private sector.

I do think that increased subsidies--that is not the right word--cost-share programs are appropriate.

We must first recognize that the Chesapeake Bay Program has played a critical role in stemming the tide of pollution.