James Oberstar: “We need to step it up further. Environmental permitting is only one of--well, it is a big one, but it is one of many…”

the diverse water resources challenges throughout the United States are often studied, planned, and managed in individual 'silos,' independently of other water areas and projects.

But we all also recognize that the potential cost of meeting these needs is immense.

The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 is a bill this committee has worked on for the past 4 years, actually 6 years, starting in the time of the Republican majority, when our committee was united, our committee was unified behind this…

I, too, have natural resources--national forests, national parks, wildlife refuges. When fire, as it does regularly, strikes the national forest, that land regenerates. The oil destroys. It likely cannot be restored by itself or by human…