Niki Tsongas: “My amendment is very straightforward. It restores a bipartisan provision to the bill, one that was actually approved by…”

“My amendment is very straightforward. It restores a bipartisan provision to the bill, one that was actually approved by Congress and signed into law by President Obama. In 2009, Congress approved the King Cove Land Exchange under the condition that it be found to be in the national interest by the Secretary of the Interior. After a transparent 4-year review that included over 70,000 public comments and 130 public meetings, Secretary Jewell ultimately concluded that it was not in the national interest, and the land exchange was not approved. Nevertheless, the legislation that was approved and signed into law in 2009 with Democratic and Republican support included language that, should the road be approved, it would have required the State of Alaska, Federal agencies, and local residents to develop a mitigation plan for the road so that impacts to migratory birds, wildlife, and wetlands are minimized. The land exchange language that was passed by Congress in 2009 is similar to the legislation that we are considering today, with a few notable exceptions, including the removal of the section requiring this environmental mitigation plan. It is common practice for any new road construction project to include an environmental mitigation plan, especially a road through such a sensitive area. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my commonsense amendment to reinsert this bipartisan language, and I reserve the balance of my time.”