Senate Proceeding on Oct 14th, 2009 :: 2:32:45 to 2:40:00
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2:32:41 to 2:33:02( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: using co2 for enhanced oil recovery and using co2 to produce fuel through the growth of algae. i thank the senator for yielding. mr. nelson: mr. president, i want to speak about the bill that's in front of us. the energy and water appropriations bill. it certainly is going to continue to help us provide for

2:32:45 to 2:40:00( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Bill Nelson

2:33:03 to 2:33:24( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: the nation's energy needs and water infrastructure, but it also restores funding to our of ports at restoring -- our efforts of restoring america's everglades and for many years the everglades have languished

2:33:25 to 2:33:46( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: over a half century ago, three-quarter of a century agoe idea was to get rid of the floodwaters an mankind went in there and reversed what mother nature intended, drained and sent fresh water out to tide water and did it exactly the op

2:33:47 to 2:34:07( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: sivment a--the opposite. what we're trying in this massive project is to restore the massive echosystem tha once dominated the entire south half of the peninsula of florida. and this water resources development act is a major step

2:34:08 to 2:34:28( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: toward restoring parts of that everglades. now, it was also helped by the stimulus bill, and that put a signifant amount of funding toward restoration. about $360 million. and building on that momentum

2:34:29 to 2:34:49( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: the president's budget for fiscal year 2010 include included $214 million in funding for the everglades from the army corps of engineers. but despite the best bipartisan efforts of the florida

2:34:50 to 2:35:12( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: delegation, the final bill contains $180 million in funding for the everglades instead of what we had hoped for. and we do instead have exciting things happening this year even though we don't have the fund in a few months there are going

2:35:13 to 2:35:34( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: to be two groundbreaking projects that are critical to restoring the everglades. the construction of the tami trail bridge and the picuyne strand. i have been assured by the administration that site one,

2:35:35 to 2:35:55( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: which is one of the projects that is funded minimally in this appropriations bill and the indian river lagoon also funded minimally are going to have the funds needed to go forward from another source, perhaps the stimulus bill.

2:35:56 to 2:36:16( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: and i want to express my appreciation to the administration. we've overcome great obstacles to get us this far. this bill settles the question of whether the indian river lagoon and site one are new starts or not. they start them and they in 2010

2:36:17 to 2:36:38( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: we will begin construction on those new projects. now, it was oliver wendell holmes that said the greatest thing in the world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we'r moving. and when it comes to the everglades restoration we are

2:36:39 to 2:36:59( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: going in the right direction. we have great science. we know what needs to be done. we're doing it. in 12 months, we've allocate allocated $600 million for the everglades and in the next year we're going to break ground on four projects. now, i want to conclude by

2:37:00 to 2:37:21( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: saying, mr. president, that restoration not only means doing these projects, which often are army corps of engineer projects. but it also means protecting the 68 threatened and endangered species that call the everglades home.

2:37:22 to 2:37:42( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: and just yesterday a long awaited federal port was released tt found that the burmese python, this giant constrictor snake, and four other large constrictor snakes pose a high risk to these kind of environments in the united

2:37:43 to 2:38:04( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: states. we've been saying this for the last three years, but we now have the by the federal government. they say, in particular, florida, texas, and hawaii

2:38:05 to 2:38:28( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: provide prime habitat for these giant predators. remember, these predators have no natural enemies. it doesn't make any difference if the critter has scales or feathers or fur, the constrictor snakes consume them

2:38:29 to 2:38:51( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: all and we have 68 threatened and endangered species in the everglades that call the everglades home. and these snakes, according to the superintendent of the everglades park, he says there may be as them because they proliferate so greatly.

2:38:52 to 2:39:14( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: they got one female. they found 56 eggs inside of her ready to hatch. that's how much they proliferate. and so up what the national park service staff, the scientists and the citizens of south florida have been concerned

2:39:15 to 2:39:35( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: about for the past years, the enormous damage caused by importing invasive species like the burmese python. and so we're going to ton work with -- continue to work with the florida delegation and the department of interior and the secretary ken salazar has taken

2:39:36 to 2:39:56( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: a personal interest in this with the army corps of engineers, with the state of florida, the local communities, the citizens who are committed to the everglades toward restoring this national treasure. mr. president, i have five unanimous consent requests for committees to meet during today's session of senate. they have the approval of the

2:39:57 to 2:40:01( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: majority an minority lead -- and minority i ask unanimous consent that