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you for the environment of this country but has worked hard on the question of the Keys.

My good friend, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Dante Fascell, is a living legend in the Congress. He has done so much to protect the Florida Keys and has worked so hard on the environment. I am very proud to have known him and worked with him in Congress.

Henry Nowak, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources is a good friend that I have worked with on so very many issues. It is good to be with all three of my good friends. Sometimes the public doesn't know how much they have done and how much their leadership really has meant to the country and in particular on this issue.

I have enjoyed very much working with the Chairman, Chairman Fascell, on this issue, because I see it lasting for future generations. About three years ago, I had the great pleasure of having my family down here. We went snorkeling. It was the first experience for my children. It will stay with me forever how they appreciated the beauty. They appreciated what these men are trying to do and preserving it for future generations.

Mr. SCHEUER. Thank you very much, Dennis Hertel.

Now, will the Chairman of the great Committee on Foreign Affairs, one of the towering figures in the House, honor us with comments here today.

Mr. FASCELL. Thank you, Jim. I would have to stand up if you want me to tower.

I want to thank you and Dennis Hertel and Henry Nowak for coming down here, and your respective staffs, for undertaking consideration of this legislation. It is vital.

I have a prepared statement which I would ask, by the way, to have included in the record at this point and let me proceed extemporaneously along the general outline for a minute or so.

I gather there is no objection, so I am going to do it.
Mr. SCHEUER. There being no objection, so ordered.

Mr. FASCELL. Let me just give you a layman's viewpoint. You have had a chance to see this beautiful area out here, and what is underneath the water is a vital part of not only our environment but our economics as well, and also I would venture to say is an important part of the human spirit.

We have been fighting a losing battle, gentlemen, and that is why we feel it very important, the consideration that you are giving to this issue. We have tried desperately, scientists—and I say nothing-I have nothing but the highest respect, let me put it that way, for the research that has already been undertaken.

What you are proposing to do here, as I understand, is for the first time in a comprehensive scientific look, look at this problem. That is very much needed. In my judgment, that is very much needed.

We have strong diversity of opinion. There are many unanswered questions and I think the kind of effort which undergirds this legislation will help us, maybe, in solving the problems and perhaps preserving something that is so precious.

So I extend to you a not only very warm welcome, but a deep thanks and sincere appreciation for what you and your staffs have

undertaken to do with this legislation. I assure you that the international aspect of it-because that is equally important-will receive prompt consideration in the Committee on Foreign Affairs when your two subcommittees are concluded.

Thank you.

[The prepared statement of Mr. Fascell follows:]

STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE DANTE B. FASCELL AT THE
JOINT FIELD HEARING OF THE ENVIRONMENT SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE
OCEANOGRAPHY, GREAT LAKES, AND OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF SUBCOMMITTEE
OF THE HOUSE MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES COMMITTEE

ON INCREASING CORAL REEF RESEARCH PROGRAMS

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Mr. Chairmen, I want to take a moment to welcome you to the Florida Keys. I am confident that, before you leave, you will better understand and appreciate the beauty and sensitivity of our coral reef ecosystem. As with many of our ocean resources, we are only beginning to comprehend the full value of our nation's coral reefs. Therefore, I am pleased by the interest in this issue which my colleagues ia the House of Representatives have

demonstrated.

Those of us who have been observing the Keys for many years can tell you that its resources are in decline. Studies on fisheries have indicated this and studies of the reefs themselves are beginning to document the extent of the problem as well. However, there are strong differences of opinion as to exactly what is responsible for the changes we have witnessed.

Let us start with what we know: coral reef ecosystems around the world are stressed and appear to be suffering from many common threats. Often cited is the over development in coastal areas, point and non-point pollution, nutrient loading from a variety of sources, global warming, and rising sea levels. What we do not know, however, is to what degree these problems are contributing to the decline in the vitality of the reefs.

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Even though there is a comprehensive resource management strategy being developed for the reefs in the Keys, I am not sure that, at this time, we have all the data needed to make every decision. I do not say this to be critical of those who have conducted and produced quality research, for it is their work that has given us our current understanding of the problems. However, the nature of their efforts has not been as much of a comprehensive and coordinated program, as it has been a piecemeal approach. To continue down this path will not allow us to pursue long-term strategies to protect and preserve our coral reefs for the enjoyment and benefit of future

generations.

For these reasons, I appreciate the opportunity to participate in

this hearing and I look forward to the testimony of our distinguished

witnesses.

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Mr. SCHEUER. Thank you very much, Chairman Fascell.

Before I invite the first panel to come up, I want to say a word about Congressman Hertel.

Due to the vicissitudes of reapportionment and other matters, he will not be running for reelection in the fall. So this will be the last of six terms that he has served. I want to pay him a tribute, very deeply felt, a sincere tribute that in just twelve years he has assumed a position of enormous respect and influence in the Congress on all aspects of the environment.

He is a learned voice, a very dedicated voice. He has played a major role and exercised phenomenal leadership in moving the Congress ahead on a wide variety of environmental matters, and he will be very much missed.

It is a great shame that the vicissitudes and hurly-burly aspect of reapportionment sometimes results in exceedingly productive and valuable Members being left behind and opting not to run in very complicated situations.

So I want to pay a very real tribute to Dennis Hertel for his really extraordinarily useful and productive constructive career. Mr. HERTEL. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. SCHEUER. Thank you, Dennis.

I will call the first panel, Dr. Deborah Santavy, Mr. Harold Hudson, Mr. R. Tucker Scully, and Mr. Walter Jaap.

Dr. Santavy is a research microbiologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She works in the Gulf Breeze Laboratory in Gulf Breeze, Florida.

Mr. Harold Hudson is Regional biologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, centered in Key Largo, Florida. Dr. R. Tucker Scully is Director of the Office of Oceans of the U.S. Department of State in Washington, and Mr. Walter Jaap is Associate Research Scientist in the Florida Marine Research Institute, Florida Department of Natural Resources in St. Petersburg, Florida.

We are going to ask each of you to restrict yourselves to approximately five minutes and give us the gist of your testimony. Your prepared testimony will be printed in full at this point in the record.

After you have testified for five or six minutes, I am sure we will all have questions for you.

Let me say this is a very informal process and don't be awed by Congressional hearings, just think of us all being together in a living room, you kick your shoes off and we are exchanging views. It should be a very pleasant and productive experience for all of us. We up here intend to learn as much as we possibly can from you. So keep it very informal, and I am sure we will have a wonderful exchange. With that having been said, Dr. Santavy, when you feel ready and comfortable, please give us your views.

Dr. SANTAVY. Are these mikes working?

Mr. SCHEUER. I don't think so.

Dr. SANTAVY. I will try to speak loudly.

Mr. SCHEUER. It is a very bad system. It is particularly awkward because you are facing away from the audience. Any of you in the audience sitting in the back who want to come to the front rows and have a better chance of hearing, you might want to do so.

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