We both share a common interest in ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

We need to address this.

Well, the one thing that would preclude them is if it's not possible to gain access to them.

One of my top priorities has been ensuring that we honor our commitments to Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

I am very troubled by some of the proposed policy provisions in the budget request.

the EPA designation comes in and essentially circumvents that public input.

Let me ask you, though, because the initial comment period for the original SEIS had ended in October.

Does it make a difference? I mean, recognizing that our domestic production is down, I understand that production will fall 13 percent in 2011 primarily because of the decreased activity in the Gulf of Mexico.

The EPA shouldn't be using arbitrary designations, like ARNIs, to override statutes that are passed by the Congress.

I think the common person would look at this and can't believe that we're having a conversation that we would be regulating milk as an oil product and need to have some kind of a response plan.

Can you tell me how you determined the amount of these fees and if there are any circumstances under which they might be adjusted?

Senator Collins and I actually led an effort, a letter that was signed by some 50 Senators a few years ago, where we restored some of the funding for LWCF.

I recognize that today's hearing is about our fiscal year 2012 budget request, but most of the questions that I will direct to you this afternoon involve policy.

I think it is important when we look at the issue, and I ask you as subcommittee members when you look at the issue and ask yourself the question why now and why this kind of funding.

It is slamming on the brakes. In fact, at the rate that the lands selected in Alaska... we do not finish this until the year 2075.

we need to better handle, in terms of what is what the criteria is and, more importantly, avoiding any arbitrary definitions.

Are you considering conducting such an analysis?

I worked hard to address this problem. We got legislation passed in 2004 to help accelerate it.

We felt by going with this list, this gave us the best chance to be able to reach an agreement.

I've been very critical of the EPA throughout this hearing, but I was raised by a mother who is very generous.

One of the areas where Alaskans have benefited from the EPA and their programs has been the Alaska Native Villages Program.

What we are faced with--we just had the--a project in the interior of the State be denied because of an ARNI designation on the Tanana River.

One more question before my time expires here, and this relates to an issue that was brought up in the Energy Committee hearing last week.

this is an asset that's going to be necessary as we deal with the fires, whether they're up in my State or out in Senator Tester's part of the country.

Well, and I appreciate the fact that you have just said that you don't believe that these that this will endanger human health, and that's what we're looking at in the issuance of these permits.