Mike Simpson

Do we need a climate change agency that could coordinate all of this government-wide?

I think there is a real issue there.

I look forward to hearing your testimony this morning and working with you on the fiscal year 2011 budget.

What bothers me is what I see as a rush to throw money at the problem without a clear understanding of what we do not know.

As this week is National Groundwater Awareness Week, I am pleased to see the increased emphasis in the budget on groundwater.

Let us not let that deteriorate because of the budgets or the efficiencies you have to create within the Department.

I think we need a better effort to at least educate me as to how it is being coordinated and spent, that it is being done in the most useful way.

I think that if we could address these recommended wilderness areas in a more timely fashion, I think there would be less concern about wilderness as a whole.

I have seen the great work that it does.

The only thing certain in life anymore is that no matter what decision the Forest Service makes, they are going to be sued.

I think they are nuts, but----

When you say we put out 98 percent of the fires that start on Forest Service lands, is that being too successful?

Nobody likes wildfires but the reality is, that is part of management of a forest and fire is necessary.

The science is never settled until the people understand the science.

Are you proposing that, and if so, why?

Are the requirements different--as I understand it, the requirements are different for the Forest Service than the BLM in recommended wilderness areas?

Congress needs to do its job and not just complain about them sitting out there as recommended wilderness areas.

If there is an agency where you would think the employees would love to get up and go to work, it would be the Forest Service.

Just on that, as you know, when you start decommissioning roads, there has to be an appropriate reason to do so.

But working together, we have made a sincere effort to find common ground on many issues.

Much to the credit of Chairman Dicks, last year's conference report included historic changes in the way we budget for wildfire suppression.

I want to publicly thank Chairman Dicks for his fine work, his sense of fairness and his steady hand leading this subcommittee in recent years.

I do not believe that it is settled. Certainly man has an impact. The extent of that impact is what the debate is all about.

It concerns me when the agency says it is settled science because what is, I think, probably settled is that most people agree that climate change is occurring.

I appreciate that, and I appreciate the fact that you understand that it is those small operators that we are really concerned about.