Sherwood Boehlert: “What I want my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Louisiana, to note is that the funds are interchangeable.…”

“What I want my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Louisiana, to note is that the funds are interchangeable. This gives the flexibility to the State government, the State government agency administering the fund. As you well know, because you are a student of this, as you well know, presently farmers get zip from the State revolving fund, nothing. We are setting up something that says, We are responsive to your need for financial assistance. We will give the money in a State revolving fund. We will fence off $500 million for nonpoint source pollution. However, in recognition of your legitimate concern, we will give the flexibility to the State. The State can use all of that money for other than nonpoint source pollution, if that is its highest priority. But I would respectfully submit to the gentleman, and that has been pointed out to me by a number of my colleagues from agriculture States, that in many States they have done very well in terms of addressing the problem of waste water treatment plants. They have got what they need. But they need more assistance for nonpoint source pollution and they have not had the source.”