Mark Udall

I would note for the record that in part the genesis for this idea was a particular ski area in Colorado that wanted to operate within the law.

I want to thank the 15 co-sponsors that joined me in supporting this bipartisan legislation.

The Fire District has worked long and hard-and in good faith-with the Forest Service.

I feel that if we do fully fund research projects and adaptation projects, then I feel truly what is going to happen is that we are going to get in front--we are going to be proactive in getting in front of this problem.

It is incumbent upon the Federal Government to work with us in partnership to create new strategies, new policies to address what we have always wanted to do.

I do believe we cannot afford to not respond. As Dr. Williams suggested, if we do not address it now, it will cost us a much greater price later on.

It is our job to make sure that we protect and create the opportunity for all our national parks to adapt to the most sever impacts of climate change.

The national parks, simply put, give us the ability to better understand, mitigate, and adapt to a changing climate.

The National Park Service management policies say very little that directly refers to climate change.

I would like to applaud and thank all of you for your efforts. However, I would also like to urge you to consider fully funding these efforts.

The purpose of today's hearing is to consider the impacts of climate change on the National Park System.

I look forward to our partnership continuing as we face a lot of the challenges that our Nation has.

Thank you for taking the time to be with us today.

When you thought I haven't been doing the right thing on behalf of Rocky Mountain National Park.

We did just pass this new law, you can collect rainwater.

Have not the Western Governors been working on that challenge? Do they not have a policy now that, at least, is in its nascent stages of being developed?

Other panel members, comment on how we enhance water supplies, or at least maintain the levels that we've come to depend on, here in the West.

If this is the largest threat the national parks system faces, $10 million does not strike me as very much money to be trying to figure out how we're going to deal with this.

We'll ask Vaughn that question for the record.

What happened in the past, happened in the past; now we have new challenges in front of us.

Look, you've got to work together and combine these resources.

I assume, on pretty good authority, that there's an increasing interest, on the group of political subdivisions, to coordinate...

What was the term you used, 'If you sit, stand, or sleep as a visitor, the Park Service is focused on mitigating or eliminating the danger in those' settings?

I understand that the impacts of climate change are a major management challenge for the National Park Service.

This subcommittee hearing will come to order.