This account funds programs that are important to both sides of the aisle, including permitting for Construction Projects across the country, toxic Risk Prevention and parts of the successful Brown Fields Program and pesticide licenses. I understand the money would direct more funding to states in appalachia and appalachia is suffering, from raging environmental harm. Unfortunately, i cannot support deeper cuts to the e. P. A. I oppose the amendment and reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentlewoman reserves. The gentleman from virginia is recognized. I yield to the chairman such time as he may coe desire to consume. The chair the gentleman is ecognized. I understand the gentlemans goal. Mr. Calvert we can accept this package of amendments at this time, work toward maintaining funding for six states in a final fiscal year 2018 enacted bill. If were able to achieve that, i hope we can count on the gentlemans support to pass that package and the 2018 spending bill. I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment and yield back. I reserve the remainder of my time. Chip the gentlelady from minnesota is recognized. Ms. Mccollum i appreciate the challenges that the gentleman suffering in his state and throughout appalachia. But i can just not support any more deeper cuts to the e. P. A. And so i must oppose the amendment and if the gentleman is ready to close, i would yield back. The chair the gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from virginia is recognized. I ask my colleagues to help us transition the economy in central appalachia and support the amendment. I yield back. The chair the gentleman yields back. The question is on the amendment as modified offered by the gentleman from virginia. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The amendment as modified is agreed to. For what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition . I rise to strike the last word. The chair the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. I yield to the gentleman from georgia for the purposes of a colloquy. The chair the gentleman is recognized. Thank you, chairman calvert. I would like to thank the subcommittee chairs and chairman calvert for their work on this legislation. I am committed to pursuing a comprehensive, alloftheabove Energy Strategy and would like to take this time to engage in a colloquy on section 438 of this bill pertaining to offshore Wind Development. Mr. Hice as a representative from a hostal area i want to ensure that all offshore Energy Development is mur sued in a pragmatic manner. Section 438 restricts funding for the department of the interior to administer offshore wind leases within 24 nautical mile office the coast of maryland. This language hinders offshore Wind Development by imposing unprecedented and burdensome requirements on three existing leases. Typically offshore Wind Turbines are constructed roughly 12 nautical miles from the coastline which is generally out of sight from shore. By doubling the setback, section 438 unreasonably restricts these projects and sets a poor policy precedent for future development. Furthermore, modifying the terms and conditions of the leases violates the sanctity of the lease and creates considerable uncertainty for Companies Pursuing any offshore wind project. Its critical that we establish regulatory and contractual certainty in all areas of Natural Resource development. Americas offshore wind industry is in its infancy and the poll sthirks precedents that we set today will affect investment long into the future. The language contained in text 438 is concerning for reason and i look forward to working with the gentleman from maryland in the future to find a more appropriate solution. I yield back. Mr. Calvert mr. Chairman, i yield to the gentleman from maryland for the purpose of a colloquy. Thank you, mr. Chairman, for allowing me time to discuss an issue important to my constituents in ocean city, maryland. Im proud that ocean city is home to beautiful beaches and views and as a as a result has a booming tourism industry. I want to respond to conference ocean City Residents regarding the visibility of Wind Turbines offshore. Siting turbines within 24 nautical miles of the shoreline, i believe our tourism will be compromised. I believe every effort should be made to minimize the effect of this on the view. This addresses the needs of the local community. I look forward to working with my colleagues to develop a practical solution to this challenge and i yield back. Mr. Calvert as i mentioned in our full committee markup, i understand my colleague, dr. With all these offshore projects many varying viewpoints need to be take intoon account and i appreciate that we have been able to address many of these views and concerns here today. Its my hope we can work with the authorizing committees of jurisdiction and all interested stake holders to identify some better sloughs as we move forward flu fiscal year 2018 process. I thank you, mr. Chairman, and i yield back the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman yields back. The chair would like to announce that it understands that amendment number 14 will not be offered. It is now in order to consider amendment number 15 printed in house report 115297. For what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition . Mr. Chairman, i rise to offer amendment number 15, h. R. 335 he storing funds to a. M. L. Pilot program. The chair the clerk will designate the amendment. The clerk amendment number 15 printed in house report 115297, offered by mr. Thompson of pennsylvania. The chair pursuant to House Resolution 504, the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. Thompson, and a member opposed each will control five minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania. Mr. Thompson mr. Chairman, thank you. Chairman of the subcommittee, appreciate the opportunity to offer this amendment. Prior to the Surface Mining and control reclamation act of 1977, coal mining played a role in the United States for nearly two centuries providing Critical Energy and job fours nation. Across pennsylvania and throughout appalachia we continue to have great needs in reclaiming abandoned minelands and restoring waters that have been impacted by historical mining active thes. Since 1977 we have made great gains in restoring our historical mine lands but much more work needs to be done. The federal office of Surface Mining has estimated that the unfunded liabilities of abandoned minelands across the nation exceeds 10 billion with nearly half of that obligation located in pennsylvania. To complement the funding from the a. M. L. Trust fund, which was established through smkra, this legislation contains appropriations for the a. M. L. Pilot program in order to support additional funding for abandoned minelands for areas that need assistance most. This Program Provides grants to states, to, quote, to accelerate the remediation of a. M. L. Sites with Economic Development uses in mind. Unfortunately this legislation provides 32 million less for the pilate program compared to last years level. My amendment is simple and would not increase federal spending. The amendment would restore funding for the abandoned Mineland Reclamation Program to its 2017 level. By reallocating funds from the e. P. A. s Environmental Programs and management by the same amount. Mr. Chairman this where these funds are coming from is consistent with the mission of that account that would be they would be taken from. The difference is by putting it into the a. M. L. Pilot program with laser focus, were focused on Environmental Concerns that have been identified and we are funding remediation techniques that are proven. Now we have an only fwation to clean up our environment and restore our abandoned mine larneds and waters. This Program Helps us to do just that. I thank the chairman and Ranking Member and urge my colleagues to vote yes on this amendment and i reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman reserves. For what purpose does the gentlewoman rise . I claim time in opposition. The chair the gentlelady from minnesota is recognized. I strongly oppose this amendment that takes more money away from the e. P. A. Ms. Mccollum this is a duplicate of the last amendment offered by the gentleman from virginia earlier. It cuts another 32 million from the e. P. A. s operating accounts. Now our country right now is dealing with two catastrophes caused by hurricanes. The destruction is going to be felt for years. And the e. P. A. Right now is one of the primary federal agencies responsible for protecting human health, monitoring air and water and managing recovery and cleanup. So it would be reckless to adopt another amendment that would further cripol the e. P. A. These two amendments would cut the e. P. A. By 18 million. I strongly oppose the amendment and i reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentlelady reserves. The gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. Mr. Thompson i thank the chairman, i thank the gentlelady for her comments, my point is, this takes 32 million and puts it like a laser on air air on an area we we know the environmental damage is well documented, its a very and we have effective publicprivate partnerships to address. Im pleased to yield to the chairman. Mr. Calvert were prepared to accept this amendment, i understand the importance of the amendment for those in the appalachia region, i encourage adoption of the amendment and i yield back. The chair does the gentleman yield back . Mr. Thompson i reserve. The chair the gentlelady is ecognized. Ms. Mccollum i reserve. The chair the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Thompson i believe i have the right to close. The chair the gentlelady from mp as the right to close. Mr. Thompson i yield back. The chair the gentlelady from minnesota is recognized. Ms. Mccollum i thank the chairman. Once again, i understand clearly what the gentleman from pennsylvania is trying to accomplish. I wish we could accomplish that goal. But with already 240 million cut to the e. P. A. , all the challenges on the pemplet p. A. Just recently agreed on this floor by a voice vote to cut the e. P. A. Another 75 million. This would be another 33 million. So i hope that we can reach a place in the funding that the chairman and i have that we can address the serious concerns you bring to the floor where you have successful programs but at the same time i would be cutting opportunities for cleanup, especially with all the disasters looming, forest fires, disasters, cleanup i just had recently in my district that came out of the blue, the e. P. A. Wouldnt have money to respond. With that, i strongly oppose the amendment and i yield back. The chair the gentlelady yields back. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from pennsylvania. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The amendment is agreed to. The gentlelady is recognized. Ms. Mccollum i request a roll call. The chair pursuant to clause of rule 18, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from pennsylvania will e postponed. It is now in order to consider amendment number 18 printed in house ereport 115297. For what purpose does the gentleman from arizona seek reck seek recognition . I have an amendment at the desk. The chair the clerk will dez egg nate the amendment. The clerk amendment number 18 printed in house report 115297, offered by mr. Grijalva of arizona. The chair pursuant to House Resolution 5004, the gentleman from arizona, from pl grijalva, and a member opposed each will control five minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from arizona. Mr. Grijalva my amendment would restore 1 million in cuts to the Environmental JusticeProgram Within the e. P. A. With an equivalent cut to leadership and administration within the d. O. I. Office of the secretary. In 1992, the program was created and originally called the environmental equity office. It was created after a series of releases of reports that revealed polluter sites were disproportionately located in lowincome communities and communities of color. With minimal support, the program has provided communities with leveraged resources to do things like revitalize neighborhoods, build Health Centers, expand affordable housing, create green space and recreation areas. More importantly raise the awareness of disproportionate treatment in both affected communities and decision making. Despite the success within the e. P. A. For decades, we are not even close to dealing with the issue of Environmental Justice. In 2016, the United States commission on civil rights found that racial minorities and low income communities are still disproportionately affected by the siting of Waste Disposal facilities, permitted emissions facilities and they often lack the political and financial power to properly bargain with polluters when fighting a decision or seeking redress. A report found that clean water access and sanitation infrastructure on numerous reservations across the nation resee him nl developing countries than the rest of the nation. Nearly half of these homes lack access to Drinking Water, sewage. Native families often end up drinking unclean water and increase disease and risk and impairs tribal Economic Development. Additionally, lowincome communities have been on the front line of houstons petro chemical facilities for decades and they were the first to feel the effects as chemical plants caught fire and polluted floodwater went into their neighborhood. The e. P. A. Office of Environmental Justice integrates concerns of these communities within the general activities of the agencies. This is not a program that can be scaled back especially as concerns of Environmental Justice continue to arise around Hurricane Harvey and now in irmas path. It is critical we protect communities of color from disparity impacts caused by environmental pollution. 1 million is not a lot of money but reaffirms the significance of the office and sense of equality. Today, i ask my colleagues to join in defense of these communities and show them that Congress Cares about their Public Health, housing and their importance as people. I urge a yes vote on the amendment and i reserve. The chair the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. Does the gentleman rise to seek time in opposition . I seek time to oppose the amendment. Given our allocation, which was 824 million below the fiscal year 2017 level, we had to find areas to trim. Mr. Calvert it is important to know that the bill does not support the elimination of the program as proposed in the president s budget. It was the committees effort to find some middle ground. While i can appreciate the gentlemans interest to maintain fiscal year 2017 enacted level, the allocation of the committee doesnt support those levels. Therefore, i urge my colleagues to vote no on the gentlemans amendment. I reserve. The chair the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. The gentleman from arizona. Mr. Grijalva let me yield to the gentleman from from west virginia, a member of the Natural Resources committee as much time as he can consume. I thank the Ranking Member. Mr. Chairman, im proud to rise in support of this amendment to restore funding to the Environmental JusticeProgram Within the e. P. A. This program enables the agency to better assist frontline communities that are disproportionately impacted by pollution. Lowincome and minority communities face hazardous pollution and environmental contamnapts due to where their members live and work. The harms are real. For instance, higher levels of air pollution result in members of minority groups having higher death rates and higher numbers of emergency room visits and hospital stays. As the cochair for united climate and Environmental Task force, it is my mission to combat these injustices and make sure they no longer bear the unequal burden of economic and environmental and health harms. That is why, mr. Chairman, this amendment is so important. The Environmental JusticeProgram Leverages federal funds to greatly improve health and quality of life in our most vulnerable communities. Communities have been better able to revitalize neighborhoods, build Health Centers and create new green spaces. I urge my colleagues to show lowincome and minority communities that we care about their health, housing and overall wellbeing by supporting the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from arizona is recognized. Mr. Grijalva i yield back and urge a yes vote. The chair the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from california. Mr. Calvert i urge a no vote and yield back. The chair the question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from arizona. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the noes have it the gentleman from arizona. Mr. Grijalva i ask for a recorded vote. Pursuant to clause 6, rule 18, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from arizona will be postponed. It is now in order to consider