In my State of Maine, we have a 60-day permitting period for new technology research, development, and demonstration projects.

Given the hazardous chemicals present at many locations, terrorists could view them as attractive targets.

Do you not see a concern with shifting the risk?

I was making very clear that it was Congress' prerogative to reauthorize the law.

your first priority is to prevent the law from expiring?

The Long Creek watershed near Portland, Maine is one of the first in the Nation being required to reduce nonpoint source pollution under the Clean Water Act.

the Administration has done a good job, has been open to suggestions and comments and ideas from the regulated sector.

Mr. Poorman, when people think of the chemical industry, they tend to think of Dow Chemical.

But I want to start my questioning of this panel by noting an issue that is not legitimate, and that is, when the Blue-Green Coalition in its letter to this Committee completely misrepresents comments that I previously made in 2007.

I hope that as MMS looks at leasing opportunities on the OCS for renewable resources, that you will revise the draft regulations which do not include the Gulf of Maine at this time.

it is absolutely critical that this legislation be reauthorized in its current form as a minimal statement of maintaining the progress that I think we have made.

Personally, I join with the Administration in thinking that exemption leaves a troublesome security gap.

the notion here being that there is a range of activity that might allow these vulnerable facilities to reduce the risk both to themselves and to the surrounding communities.

is an effective program for addressing the security risks associated with the Nation's high-risk chemical facilities and is helping to make our country more secure.

there now seems to be general agreement that CFATS is making a positive contribution to our national and homeland security and should be continued.

I believe the Department has developed an effective approach for both identifying high-risk chemical facilities and assessing the security risks associated with them.

Mr. Chairman, no one is more conscious than I of the risks that our Nation faces through an attack on a chemical facility.

I was pleased to cosponsor that legislation, and while it did not itself become law, it certainly helped prompt Congress.