Copyright 1999 Federal Document Clearing House, Inc.
Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony
May 03, 1999
SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 2333 words
HEADLINE:
TESTIMONY May 03, 1999 DR. JOSEPH W. WESTPHAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY U.S. ARMY
CORPS OF ENGINEERS HOUSE RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND
REINVESTMENT
BODY:
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY OFFICE OF
THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY (CIVIL WORKS) WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DR.
JOSEPH W. WESTPHAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY FOR CIVIL WORKS ON COASTAL
WETLANDS AND PROGRAMS OF THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
ON RESOURCES UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 3,1999 Mr. Chairman and
Members of the Committee: Thank you for the opportunity to testify on the
importance of wetlands to the Nation and Army programs which have been
successful in restoring and protecting those resources. I am Joseph W. Westphal,
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. Wetlands can generally be
divided into two groups, tidal (coastal) wetlands and non-tidal (inland)
wetlands. Vegetation, hydrology, and soil composition, all contribute to
defining a wetland. Wetlands are not only aesthetically pleasing and provide
valuable fish and wildlife habitat, they also provide valuable economic
functions. Wetlands slow the flow of flood waters, retain them, and gradually
release them downstream, protecting downstream landowners from flooding impacts.
Wetland vegetation protects property by reducing shoreline erosion through
binding loose sediments in their network of roots, dampening waves, and reducing
current velocity. Near urban areas, wetlands act to recharge groundwater,
providing sufficient quantities of water for public use. Wetlands intercept
contaminants in surface water runoff from streets, highways, and parking lots,
by trapping and filtering wastes, sediments, and nutrients before the waters
enter rivers, bays, and the ocean. The nation has lost nearly half of the
wetland acreage that existed in the lower 48 States prior to European
settlement. Based upon a set of important principles the Clinton Administration
issued, in August 1993, over forty comprehensive wetlands reform initiatives in
order to begin to reverse the historic trend of wetland loss. The initiatives
act to improve responsiveness to the public, provide a streamlined permit
process for minor projects, expand partnerships between Federal, State, and
local agencies, avoid unnecessary requirements for the average citizen, and
encourage advance planning and wetlands restoration activities. These reforms
support a goal of no net loss" of wetlands and will increase the quality and
quantity of our nation's wetlands resource base in the future. Coastal wetlands
are valuable resources because they protect against flooding, help maintain
water quality, and provide habitat for myriad fish and wildlife species, many of
them threatened and endangered. Coastal environments are important economically
because they generate billions of dollars annually through such industries as
tourism and sport and commercial fisheries. Coastal wetlands also provide
infrastructure protection by reducing damage from hurricanes and other storms.
Louisiana's coastal wetlands provide habitat for fisheries, waterfowl,
neotropical birds and furbearers; protection for oil and gas exploration and
production, and waterborne commerce; amenities for recreation, tourism, flood
protection; and the context for a culture unique to the world. Benefits go well
beyond the local and state levels by providing positive economic impacts to the
entire nation. Coastal wetland habitats in Louisiana serve as the foundation for
a $1 billion annual seafood industry, a $200 million annual sport hunting
industry, a $14 million alligator industry, valuable fur resources, wild
crawfish resources, hardwood timber and commercial livestock range lands that
equate to thousands of jobs critical to the economies of many coastal
communities. More than 1. 1 billion pounds of fish and shellfish are harvested
annually from Louisiana waters. Domestic and commercial landing statistics
indicate that Louisiana provides more fishery landings than any other state in
the lower 48. In fact, as much as 16 percent of the nation's fisheries harvest,
including shrimp, crabs, crayfish, oysters and many finfish, comes from
Louisiana's coast. Over 75% of Louisiana's commercially harvested fish and
shellfish are dependent on wetlands. Approximately 40 percent of the coastal
wetlands of the lower 48 states are located in the State of Louisiana. This
fragile environment is disappearing at an alarming rate -- every 24 minutes
Louisiana loses another acre of land. Over the past 50 years Louisiana has lost
an average of 40 square miles of marsh a year. This represents 80 percent of the
Nation's annual coastal wetland loss for the same period. While less in the
1990s, losses continue at a rate of 25 to 35 square miles per year. There are
numerous causes for these losses, but the leading causes are disruption of
natural hydrology (and sediment replenishment), development, agricultural and
urban run-off, shoreline modification, municipal waste disposal, oil/gas
operations and chemical spills. Buffeted by the forces of erosion and impacted
by the disruption of natural replenishment of sediments, marsh subsidence has
become a major problem. Thousands of acres of marsh are converting to less
productive open water ponds, often fraught with dissolved oxygen problems. If
the current rate of coastal wetland loss is not slowed, by the year 2050 an
estimated additional 640,000 acres of wetlands will disappear from the Louisiana
coast. As a result, the Louisiana shoreline could advance inland as much as 33
miles in some areas. The loss of coastal wetlands is a national problem.
However, Louisiana is the prime example and foremost battleground. As a result
of these losses, there are significant decreases in flood protection, hurricane
protection, and habitat inhabited by myriad fish and wildlife species, some
threatened and endangered. Water quality is adversely impacted because wetlands
are no longer available to filter contaminants and pollutants. Water supply is
affected by subsidence and the advance of saline water inland which reduces
groundwater recharge areas and allows saltwater intrusion into the groundwater.
Adverse impacts occur to fish and wildlife species and habitats, private
property, nature based- tourism, navigation, oil/gas activities, and
agricultural and developed areas. In Louisiana, an estimated 70,000 people are
directly engaged in wetland-dependent fisheries and in subsequent processing,
wholesaling, and other activities, and licensed saltwater sports fishermen spend
approximately $181 million annually on fishing and have nearly $1 billion
invested in boats, gear, camps, and other equipment. Estimates indicate that
economic losses are at $4,300/acre/year, a substantial impact to the local and
national economy. Extending these economic losses over a 50 year period brings
the total to an estimated $57.8 billion. By serving as a buffer to destructive
climatic forces and the episodic impact of storms, Louisiana's coastal wetlands
provide protection for the people who live and work there and the infrastructure
that supports them. More than 400 million tons of waterborne commerce (the
largest in the nation) move within the coastal channels each year. Those
wetlands contain ten major Federal navigation channels that provide access to
port facilities across the state. Louisiana's coastal wetlands also help to
protect nationally significant oil and gas facilities. An estimated 21 % of the
nation's natural gas supply, valued at $7.4 billion per year, originates from
Louisiana wetlands. Additionally, petroleum products valued at $30 billion per
year are produced in Louisiana coastal zone refineries. Concerns for wetland
losses have prompted both Louisiana and Congress to act. In 1989, an amendment
to the Louisiana Constitution established a dedicated Wetlands Trust Fund for
coastal wetlands restoration. Through this fund, up to $25 million per year in
state oil and gas lease payments, royalties and severance tax collections were
dedicated to wetlands restoration in coastal Louisiana. Congress passed the
Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) in 1990. This
Act is commonly referred to as the Breaux Act because of the leadership of
Senator John Breaux as the primary sponsor. It contains two components. The
first component, the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program,
authorizes the USFWS to provide matching grants for the acquisition,
restoration, management, or enhancement of coastal wetlands (about $6 million
annually; excludes Louisiana). Under the second component, a CWPPRA Task Force
(DA, DOC, DOI, EPA, USDA, Louisiana) provides oversight and develops, annually,
lists of high priority projects focused on marsh creation, restoration,
protection or enhancement. Under the Breaux Act approximately $35 million is
provided annually for environmental restoration and protection work in the State
of Louisiana. The Louisiana Wetlands Trust Fund provides the State's cost
sharing contribution. Total restoration project investments can exceed $40
million per year. To date eight priority project lists have been formulated
involving 81 active projects, 30 of which have been completed. When implemented,
these projects will reduce the loss of coastal wetlands by 67,726 acres over the
next 20 years. The CWPPRA authority limits the size of projects that can be
implemented. In addition to CWPPRA, the Corps can use its Section 204, 206, and
1135 authorities to construct small environmental projects where Federal costs
are less than $5 million. However, competition for the limited funds provided by
these programs is intense and there are many needs across the county.
Considering the staggering rate of wetland loss, the CWPPRA and the other Corps
small projects authorities are only a partial solution. Projections are that
only 23% of coastal wetland losses will be offset by gains accomplished under
these authorities. There is a critical need to find ways to address coastal
losses which are comprehensive, large scale, and sustainable. The recently
completed COAST 2050 plan could serve as the foundation for a new
consensus-based, integrated approach to dealing with coastal wetland losses.
COAST 2050 was developed under the authority of Breaux Act. It was a joint
planning initiative by the Louisiana Wetland Conservation and Restoration
Authority, the Breaux Act (CWPPRA) Task Force, and the Louisiana Department of
Natural Resources. The goal was to develop a strategic plan to protect and
sustain the State's coastal resources for future generations in a manner that is
consistent with the welfare of the people. Coastal restoration strategies were
solicited from regional planning teams and their effects were evaluated.
Resources and their uses were identified and prioritized. This plan should
provide the basis for a coastal policy that will help coordinate strategies
among the Federal and State coastal restoration programs and the State Coastal
Zone Management Program. The Coast 2050 process was intended to increase the
number of implementable projects and improve performance and effectiveness of
Breaux Act projects. Part of the Coast 2050 initiative involved communicating to
the public the extent of the problem and the need for coastal restoration. Each
parish and local community was asked to describe what they would like their
region to look like in the year 2050 and to partner with the agencies to develop
strategies to address those problems and needs. In addition, the goal of the
Coast 2050 initiative was to develop a technically sound strategic plan to
sustain coastal resources and consider coastal wetland restoration needs within
the context of needs for transportation, hurricane protection and the general
welfare of the population. The main features of the plan involve the restoration
of natural processes through watershed management (such as river diversions and
hydrologic restoration), and watershed structural repair (such as restoration of
barrier islands). Institutional processes, such as coordinating mitigation
planning with restoration efforts and implementing best management practices,
are part of the plan. Also part of the plan are coastwide strategies, such as
dedicated dredging for wetland creation, grazing control, and terracing.
Regional strategies are far too numerous to mention, but include such measures
as restoring upper basin swamps, barrier island restoration, marsh creation with
dredge material, river sediment and freshwater distributions, shoreline
protection, and delta building. Construction of the plan would cost about $14
billion. The Coast 2050 plan is already serving as the basis for long term
solutions. The Breaux Act agencies are now using Coast 2050 strategies to
formulate candidate projects for the 9"' priority project list. However, the
funding of projects selected on the 9'h and subsequent lists will depend on the
reauthorization of the Breaux Act this year. I support that reauthorization as
an integral foundation to the implementation of more comprehensive, longer-term
solutions to the National problem of coastal losses. Many more projects are
needed to ensure a sustainable coast that retains the functions and values of a
natural ecosystem. As you know, the President has proposed a Lands
Legacy Initiative as part of the FY 2000 Budget. This initiative calls
for permanent funding for many of the same purposes as the subject legislation.
Specifically, the budget provides approximately $1 billion within a balanced
budget in FY 2000 and a permanent funding stream of at least $1 billion/year
beginning in FY 2001. The principles that underlie the Administration's
Lands Legacy Initiative are provided as an attachment to this
testimony. Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to testify on the
importance of wetlands to the Nation and Army programs which have been
successful in restoring and protecting those resources. This concludes my
statement. I will be pleased to answer any questions you or other members of the
Committee may have.
LOAD-DATE: May 11, 1999
