Marco Rubio

We recognize Senator Rubio and Senator Nelson as one of our own warriors in this struggle to continue the existence of Apalachicola Bay

United States Senators from Florida Honorable Marco Rubio and Honorable Bill Nelson will hold a congressional field hearing to examine the lack of freshwater flow down to Apalachicola Bay.

Yes, just one last question.

Yes, I am sorry, that was my next question, so I am glad you are touching on it.

No, no. Is the flow the only issue impacting the ecology? Are there other issues, other than the flow, that are impacting the ecology of the estuary?

The flow is happening? Or are those some of those things that you can start to do already?

But that is something we could use emergency funding for? And would that be----

You could go back 50 years and see what it looked----

Hence the restoration stuff we just talked about.

I think it is fantastic if we could find funding to help people who are suffering to, you know, overcome the short--and midterm burdens and what all that means, but ultimately they want to stay in this business.

Taking off on that, Colonel Chytka, my understanding is that navigation is one of the authorized uses within the basin.

Well, as you work on the operation manual, do you plan to emphasize water conservation?

Do you know how much more water Georgia has requested? And when you consider that request, how do you account for the impact that any additional withdrawal is going to have on the entire water system?

What we want is basically to take a count of the volume and then basically have a system of fairness that would apportion it across the states that use it.

Well, my last question is, why does the process of drafting an environmental impact statement take so long? And are there any plans to expedite that?

I look forward to continuing to work with the Committee on these very important issues, answering any questions you may have.

The funding is not going to be easy, but we are going to have to find it.

The hearing is entitled, 'The Effects of Water Flows in Apalachicola Bay: Short- and Long-Term Perspectives.'

The goal of today's hearing. We have two primary goals. The first is we want to continue to build the Congressional Record that we will be able to go back and use to justify our continued efforts to congressionally direct the Army Corps of…

These hearings matter, because they allow us to create the congressional record that justifies the actions we want to take.

Congress needs to get it funded as soon as possible.

The reason why I ask is that might be one of the things we want to include in any sort of funding vis-a-vis the emergency declaration.

Anyone who is in this meeting today, no matter what state you are from, would recognize that a solution is required.

The legislation passed by the Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, included a provision that was supported by myself, Senator Nelson, and the Senators from Alabama, Senator Sessions and Senator Shelby.

I made and will continue to make any legislative solution to address this water flow as my number-one priority