Political Quotes

“I rise in opposition to these very able gentlemen's amendment. While I have some sympathy for this issue--and it's not a new one to this bill--I believe that more consistency should be brought to the way we evaluate wetland impacts, not less, as this amendment would ensure. The Charleston Method has been utilized for over two decades in various Corps districts, and it is a quick and inexpensive and consistent methodology for use by the regulated public and the Corps. In 2006 and 2007, the New Orleans district worked with its Federal and State partners to modify the Charleston Method so that it better reflected the unique conditions found in south Louisiana, resulting in the Modified Charleston Method that our colleagues have suggested. The use of this method is a longstanding one in many Corps districts. Many regulatory customers use the tool to assess their potential mitigation requirements for their impacts as well as credits required at mitigation banks. This transparency in Corps mitigation requirements has helped the applicant prepare a complete application package and determine mitigation costs up front--importantly, costs up front--costs often that are borne by the Federal taxpayer.…”