Sherwood Boehlert: “we are coming to the close of a spirited and very serious debate, and I want to commend all those who have participated…”

“we are coming to the close of a spirited and very serious debate, and I want to commend all those who have participated for the seriousness of purpose. My substitute addresses the stated objective of H.R. 478 in a manner that does not violate a very important piece of legislation, the Endangered Species Act, and in a manner that is friendly and sensitive to the environment. We have a choice. Do we want to solve a problem or do we want to beat up on the Endangered Species Act? I do not find the Endangered Species Act, despite the fact that it is so well-intended, to be perfect. It requires some refinement. But that is another debate for another day. This purpose today is to address an emergency situation. We have been faced with an emergency situation and we have come up with an emergency response, a response that allows the repair work to go forward not just after the fact, as some have been concerned with, but prior to the fact if there is a substantial threat.”