Lisa Murkowski

But opportunities are tied up because of red tape, whether it is policies coming out of the Federal Government or the impact of the roadless rule.

I think we know that there is still more legal wrangling and procedure before the exemption will definitively apply on the Tongass.

It felt a little bit like Groundhog's Day.

I do not think we are going to need any assistance with firefighting here in Washington, DC this morning.

I certainly realize that it was very helpful for me to go to Alaska because you have told me that Alaska is different.

I just do not see that we need to add another layer with EPA onto that regulation.

Many of us are very concerned about this, and feel that the effort coming out of EPA is a duplicative effort.

I appreciate a desire for consistency and certainty, but you have started your comments out recognizing that there are unique... to a State like Alaska.

I think you are aware that just at the beginning of this week, one of the investors... has chosen to convey their interest in the mine...

So is it not accurate, though, that EPA would still be able to veto the project once details and specifics are actually permitted?

We need to be able to do the projects like Wrangell this year.

How are we going to get to the numbers that you are talking about? I mean, are they just numbers on paper?

I would ask for a commitment that we would--that you would be able to hold at least one, hopefully more, public events scheduled in the State.

But if we have a process that does not allow for certainty along the way, it is pretty difficult to entice anybody to come in and put the dollars up front that would allow for a project, allow for economic development within the region…

And again, a preemptive veto is--this would be first ever.

I am going to yield to my colleague who also has to go chair another Appropriations Committee hearing.

This rule could dramatically expand the lands subject to regulation.

In many parts of Alaska, we continue to live in third world conditions.

An interpretation that goes a different way could really be a showstopper for us.

But we have not seen any permits. We have not seen any application.

This was just yet one more example of how folks in Washington, DC, do not get us.

I am troubled to see this proposal, very troubled.

Usually the 'one size fits all' approach to regulations does not work for my State.

I would like your commitment to continue the practice that we have had over the past couple of years to have your senior folks with operational authority sitting down with my senior advisers in discussing many of these issues.

One-fifth the size of the United States of America, a State where... almost the entire State is subject to a wetland determination.