Steve Rothman: “Mr. Chairman, I rise to discuss an important issue regarding the Fish and Wildlife Service's ongoing work in the…”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise to discuss an important issue regarding the Fish and Wildlife Service's ongoing work in the Hackensack Meadowlands area of New Jersey. The Fish and Wildlife Service has termed the 8,400-acre Hackensack Meadowlands an ``aquatic resource of national importance,'' an area 10 times the size of Central Park in New York City, located in the most densely populated area of the most densely populated State in the Nation, New Jersey, just a handful of miles from the Empire State Building. The Meadowlands is home to 65 species of nesting birds and 50 species of fish and shellfish. During the last 2 fiscal years, Mr. Chairman, Congress has directed the service to assist the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in its ongoing feasibility study of preparing alternative approaches to preserving the meadowlands. In fiscal year 2003, the committee provided $180,000 for the service's New Jersey field office for such purposes. I want to thank both Chairman Taylor and Ranking Member Dicks for their past and continuing support of this important project.”