On the recordJuly 22, 2013
I thank my friend from California for the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 697, the Three Kids Mine Remediation and Reclamation Act, and urge my colleagues to support the bill. This bipartisan legislation, which has the support of the entire Nevada delegation, including Senators Reid and Heller, is critical to the cleanup and revitalization of long-dormant land near Henderson, Nevada. H.R. 697 sets up a public-private partnership to address the remediation of the more than 1,200 acres of former manganese mining and industrial lands for redevelopment. These activities, as you have heard, date back nearly a century and were critical to our national defense during World War II. But over the last 50 years, the already nasty, polluted site has become increasingly dangerous. Accordingly, the cleanup of this land is a top priority for the Nevada State Department of Environmental Protection, the city of Henderson, and for the thousands of southern Nevada residents who live nearby. I support this legislation to clean up the Three Kids Mine for both safety and environmental reasons and to create opportunities for redevelopment of the site for beneficial use and economic potential. So I would urge my colleagues to join me and the Nevada delegation in support of this bill.
