Hill Heat

The Oversight Committee is holding a business meeting at 10:00 a.m. to consider several bills. The Carbon-Neutral Government Act (H.R. 2635), is designed to reduce the emissions of the federal government, currently the largest energy consumer in the United States.

:: Witness Statements :: David Powner BGen Susan Mashiko Dr. John Marburger, III

The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans, led by Del. Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU), will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills: H. Con. Res. 147 (Brown): Recognizing 200 years of research, service to the people of the United States, and stewardship of the marine environment by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its predecessor agencies, and for other purposes. (Recognizing NOAA for 200 Years of Research, Service and Stewardship)

H. Res. 186 (Pallone): Supporting the goals and ideals of National Clean Beaches Week and recognizing the considerable value of American beaches and their role in American culture. (National Clean Beaches Week)

H.R. 1834 (Saxton): To authorize the national ocean exploration program and the national undersea research program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (National Ocean Exploration Program Act and the National Undersea Research Program Act of 2007)

H.R. 2400 (Bordallo): To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish an integrated federal ocean and coastal mapping plan for the Great Lakes and coastal state waters, the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone, and the Continental Shelf of the United States, and for other purposes. (Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act)

Witnesses: Panel 1 Craig McLean, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Programs and Administration, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce Robert Ballard, Ph.D., President, Institute for Exploration, Mystic Aquarium Larry A. Mayer, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, NOAA-UNH Joint Hydrographic Center, University of New Hampshire J. Frederick Grassle, Ph.D., Director, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University Walter McLeod, President, Clean Beaches Council Bob Richards, P.E., Vice President, Alaska Division, FUGRO PELAGOS, INC.

The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Water and Power, led by Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), will hold an oversight field hearing on “The Fryingpan-Arkansas Project at 45: Sustainable Water for the 21st Century.”

Witnesses:

Panel I

• Bill Long, President, Southeastern Colorado Conservancy District, Pueblo, CO
• Mike Ryan, Regional Director, Great Plains Region, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Billings, MT

Panel II

• The Honorable Lionel Rivera, Mayor, Colorado Springs, CO
• Terry Scanga, General Manager, Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District, Salida, CO
• Bill Thiebaut, District Attorney, Pueblo County, CO
• Jay Winner, General Manager, Lower Arkansas Water Conservancy District, Rocky Ford, CO
• Sandy White, Water Lawyer, La Veta, CO

Panel III

• The Honorable Edward J. Tauer, Mayor, Aurora, CO
• Drew Peternell, Director, Colorado Water Project, Trout Unlimited, Boulder, CO
• Chris Treese, Manager, External Affairs, Colorado River Water Conservation District, Glenwood Springs, CO
• Wally Stealey, Arkansas Valley Rancher, Pueblo, CO

Subcommittee hearing.

Witnesses:

• Donald E. Powell, Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Andrew D. Kopplin, Executive Director, Louisiana Recovery Authority
• Walter Thomas, Resident, Lower 9th Ward, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Connie Uddo, Director, St. Paul’s Homecoming Center/Beacon of Hope Resource Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Debbie Gordon, President, Chimney Wood Homeowners’ Association, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Frank A. Silvestri, Co-Chairman, Citizens’ Road Home Action Team (CHAT), New Orleans, Louisiana
• Frank A. Trapani, President, New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Nelson R. Bregon, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Disaster Policy and Response, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• David I. Maurstad, Assistant Administrator, Mitigation Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Susan Elkins, Executive Director, Office of Community Development, State of Louisiana
• Isabel Reiff, Senior Vice President, ICF International, Inc., and Chief Program Executive, Louisiana Road Home Program

Committee site

Since early 2006, Robert Cobb, the inspector general of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has been under investigation for allegations of misconduct. After a review of 79 allegations, in early 2007, the Integrity Committee of the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE), an organization of agency inspectors general, issued a report finding that Mr. Cobb had abused his authority and demonstrated the appearance of a lack of independence from the agency’s top officials, particularly Sean O’Keefe, NASA’s former administrator. Most of the allegations came from current and former employees of NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG).

Witnesses

Panel 1

• Ms. Evelyn R. Klemstine
• Mr. Kevin Winters

Panel 2

• Mr. Paul Morrell
• Mr. Michael Wholley

The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Water and Power, led by Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills: H.R. 31 (Issa, R-CA): The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wastewater and Recycled Water Facilities Act of 2007 H.R. 1526 (Miller, D-CA): The Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Authorization Act of 2007

Witnesses: Robert Quint, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Bureau of Reclamation, Washington, D.C. Ronald Young (H.R. 31), General Manager, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, Lake Elsinore, CA Gary Darling (H.R. 1526), General Manager, Delta Diablo Sanitation District, Antioch, CA Nancy Parent (H.R. 1526), Councilmember, City of Pittsburg, CA Larry Wilson (H.R. 1526), Board of Directors, Santa Clara Valley Water District, San Jose, CA

The hearing will be webcast live on the Committee’s web site at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov.