We are making significant progress there.

What, if anything, can be done to help? And we recognize that the budgetary issues are extraordinarily debilitating and we appreciate that.

I am also very optimistic that language that was included in last year's Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriation bill that transfers the authority over air quality issues in Arctic OCS from the Environmental Protection…

the President has been very strong on supporting the future of natural gas. It is an abundant domestic resource.

And I think we'll all look forward to seeing that plan when you bring it up then.

They are working. They are being aggressive on it. It's not as if they're putting their head in the sand.

I do think it was prudent that we conducted this study.

I'm sure you probably anticipated this question.

Are you concerned that what might result is lower bonus bids coming out, less production on Federal lands, which then results in less revenue to the Treasury?

But, we're assuming that that's going to be the case. We get lucky, basically?

Is that 600 projects across the Nation then in all of these different areas? Whether it's oil and gas, mining, et cetera.

These funds are absolutely, absolutely critical for the delivery of so many programs to Native Alaskans.

So, will the USFS notify these permit holders and the contract holders if their operations next season are going to be delayed or cancelled because of this decision out there?

I was a little surprised that the Chugach National Forest was selected as one of the first eight forests to revise its plan under the new rule because as it stands right now, the Chugach Plan doesn't require revision for yet another 5…

What do you think about the proposal to move the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from the Department of Commerce to the Department of the Interior?

Well, and as we talk about tribal consultation, it makes sense to have that consultation with all of the affected agencies.

One of the concerns that I'm hearing from folks is that the concern that these will be overlapping or duplicative regulations.

It seems to me is common sense.

Will that information be shared publicly, or will there be provisions that will allow for protecting any trade secrets that might exist?

if fisheries were under the Secretary's jurisdiction here, we could probably ensure better salmon dinners

I appreciate that. And I hope that your voice feels better than normal levels.

So you really haven't invested any time or effort to see how those synergies might come together?

I appreciate the budget constraints that you are dealing with.

Independent studies have indicated tourism and conservation, outdoor recreation, and historic preservation bring in about 8 million jobs to this country every year.

The cruise industry basically has to set their schedule well more than a year out.