Political Quotes

“The National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA as we frequently shorthand it, is one of our bedrock conservation laws, and it has a simple premise: look before you leap. Its timelines are designed to provide transparency and public participation in government. H.R. 348 would move us in the opposite direction. My amendment would not fix all of the problems with this bill, but it would allow hunters, anglers, and wildlife enthusiasts to continue to enjoy the benefits that NEPA provides. Several recent stories help explain the benefits of NEPA, including the following: Recently, a plan to improve U.S. 23 in my home State of Michigan was modified to avoid the largest loss of wetlands in our State's history. Not only will this help improve the biodiversity of the region, but it will also preserve that habitat for migratory waterfowl prized by hunters. This land could have been lost and hunters would have had their access reduced if not for the robust comment process that NEPA provides. There are similar stories across the country. In 2013, changes to the Army Corps of Engineers' plan to increase storage capacity at the John Redmond Reservoir in Kansas were needed to protect prime deer and turkey hunting areas, as well as avoid the destruction of a local boat ramp providing fishermen access to the lake.…”