Mark Begich

I will say one thing. One, I appreciate you all here.

If I am a business and I want to relocate, and let us say FEMA and other agencies recognize this area due to climate change and other issues, disasters will continue to kind of hit this area.

Thank you very much.

Let me also just associate my comments with Senator Murkowski in regard to the secure school funding issue.

I want to talk to you about the Roadless Rule, which of course you know that the Alaska delegation is totally opposed to on many fronts.

I just want to kind of see what the connection is if there is one.

Will you commit to meet with the industry groups to get this clarity on how hydropower can be utilized within the roadless areas?

How long before that's resolved?

I would be very interested in any of that kind of issue that you could bring forward to us.

And then, once they comment on it, what is next?

You have the flexibility by division within the Agency essentially.

Can you give me--and I know it is hard without knowing some of the comments that come in...

I did a lot of that when I was mayor of Anchorage where we really, you know, implemented a lot of E-Government and it changed the whole way we did business.

That, to me, has been a huge plus for us in Alaska and it's had some ability to move some things that may be not as fast in the past.

I just have a couple of quick questions. One is on the general issue of resource development within Alaska, maybe mining, oil and gas, and so forth.

I want to, I guess, not just you, but other agencies, give you the flexibility especially in order to get into the E-Government ability.

I know Senator Blunt has a piece of legislation that I signed on to regards to flexibility with essential employees.

Get the science right.

I appreciate your end comment there that you're working with Under Secretary Hayes regarding the coordinating effort.

Senator Begich wrote in a recent letter to President Obama.

What I see here is either one of two things--an effort by the Administration to change the nature of what the Coast Guard does for this Nation, or an extremely short-sighted and risky reaction to the current fiscal environment--neither of…

My worry is that, between that and the mitigation measures, which reduce the timetable they can drill, it really is putting a stranglehold on their ability to be successful in striking in one of the largest oil fields in the country once…

I think sometimes--well, I'll just leave it at that. I won't get into my commentary about CBO.

I have seen some of that housing, and you actually had to live in it at times, and I know that, and there is a great need there.

I think that would be appropriate.