At the request of New Mexico Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall (June 24, 2009), the National Park Service performed a reconnaissance study.

We have to stop studying. We know, on all of the Amtrak corridors throughout the country, that there is a need and a demand.

I wish, in a way, we could get the same kind of enthusiasm in the West.

What we need to do is not set up our high-speed rail and transit systems to fail. Let's set them up to succeed.

We have to be more efficient, we have to look at the rails, we have to look at barges, we have to look at truck traffic.

I want to emphasize one thing. We went through this with the power plants and sulfur dioxide.

I think you're really looking forward for the country.

The legislation that the Committee is considering today is a better product as a result of the diligent work of the sponsors.

Senator Udall for cosponsoring the bill and working with Senator Bingaman to protect this special region.

Billions of dollars of hardrock minerals can be mined from Federal lands without payment of a royalty.

Senator Bingaman, thank you for your question and your concerns regarding the effect on water supplies and riparian areas in the Resolution Copper Mine proposal.

Senator Bingaman, Chair of this full Committee, introduced legislation to reform the 137 year old Mining Law of 1872.

Secretary of Agriculture must take any action necessary to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation in administering mineral activities on National Forest System land.

Senator Bingaman has introduced the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009 (S. 796), which would establish substantial reforms to the 1872 Mining Law.

Passage of S.409 would give us access to land needed to complete our $1 billion exploration and pre-feasibility effort.

We thank Chairman Bingaman, as well as Senator Tom Udall, and their staffs, for all the hard work that has gone into developing this special legislation.

We applaud Chairman Bingaman for his leadership and commitment to safeguarding this land.

Thank you very much, Senator Wyden, and thanks for having this hearing.