. >> can i ask a question about nepa? >> go ahead. >> as i said, i think it's very clear as the answer to the question about the 1002 is within the national wildlife refuge. since i've been here for many debates on this discussion in the past it's clear that the 1002 is part of the arctic wildlife refuge and many congresss have turned down this same proposal that we are considering today. that is to drill in the 1002. the blm would be under this mark releasing three areas each including areas for the highest potential for the discovery of hydrocarbons. how will that impact nepa's ability to work in this case? what happens in the event if analysis finds there is significant impact to wildlife? >> none of the environmental reviews are waived. nepa is still in place, as are all of the other esa, all of the other environmental reviews that are out there, remain. so that is not touched in the chairman's mark. >> mr. fowler. >> the chair is correct that the chairman's mark does not waive neapa. there is a body of case law, howe

the nepa analysis is not taken away. all you are doing is saying, you don't have to do it repetitively or redundantly. this is what they need desperately. and i reserve. the chair: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. o'halleran: mr. speaker, i appreciate the fact that there are many items within the bill that do allow for the issues to be addressed, but taking this part of the bill and understanding that when our national forest plans are put forward, we are part of it. i live in the national forest. i have watched fires outside my front window. i have lived through watching the and time again ramifications of not addressing these issues appropriately. and i was co-chair of the arizona forest health oversight committee for 3 1/2 years and addressing forestry issues for 20 years and i believe when it comes to wilderness areas and other areas of major concern that we should not disregard and i kneeled back. the chair: the gentleman yields back the balance of his tim

the antiquities act, nepa and all the other laws still apply to minnesota. so, at the end of the day, we are protecting the boundary waters. we are protecting the superior national forest and we believe both the economy and tourism -- the environment can co-exist in northern minnesota. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from arizona reserves. the gentleman from california reserves. mr. lowenthal: mr. chairman, how much time do i have left? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california has 9 1/2 minutes. mr. lowenthal: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lowenthal: we have heard a lot about jobs, jobs, this is going to be a great job creator. i just want to highlight some of the inaccurate numbers that have been tossed around today. the sponsor of the bill earlier today said that 10,000 jobs would be created. and the majority's legislative analysis says that the bill will create 17,000 jobs. but that's not correct.

. >> federal environmental safeguards like nepa or regulations, will it accelerate ?he recovery in puerto rico >> i certainly believe that further expeditious permit something a requirement. i'm not a

. >> federal environmental safeguards like nepa or regulations, will it accelerate ?he recovery in puerto rico >> i certainly believe that further expeditious permit something a requirement. i'm not a expert on individual sets of permitting, i want to understand it's both federal, commonwealth, and municipality permitting at all levels that needs to be expedited for any private sector investment to become a quick recovery. >> do you think that's needed? >> my view is that economic growth and fast tracking projects is not inconsistent with being good stewards of the environment. and we have a very robust patriots sess within title 5 within the working group we have set with the government to assure that we -- the residents f puerto rico -- >> let me follow up with you. the i see an example of why title 5 in this instance doesn't work. mr. grijalva: public comments about the project are overwhelming in opposition. it's opposed by both mayors groups, representing all the mayors on the island. it was stalled in part because it couldn't get a permit to drain 2.1 million ga

because of the permitting, the nepa, all of that. it all takes time. so it's important to put this in the context of the whole is my point. go ahead, senator franken. sen. franken: so is the area you're talking about drilling in the arctic wildlife preserve -- the 1002. >> yes. sen. franken: is that any different? in terms of how long it will take. >> yeah. not at all. so it's not any different than this other million acres. -- sen. franken: so it's not any different than this other million acres. so why not say before we drill there and disturb this beautiful place, go to some of the other million acres first? i don't get it. i don't get it. minnesota has no oil, i'm sorry. we don't have any coal. we don't have any gas. >> that's why you need alaska. >> madame chair. [laughter] sen. cantwell: i'm not trying to close out debate, but in maybe supporting our colleague and moving on to some other amendments. i would just say that i think senator franken's point is that this will not be the last that we've heard about oil and gas development in alaska. tha

whether it's nepa, and waived or extended, the jones act. that should not eclipse the more immediate concern that we should address and not forget regarding puerto rico. this effort would require the reconstruction of puerto rico's power grid, not only rebuilding it in the way it was before, but doing it a new and better way and focus on rebuilding sustainable infrastructure and the outside of san juan, a requirement that building codes that are designed to minimize the loss of homes and commercial buildings are actually enforced and that's an issue as well. but our focus today should be on the dire situation on the ground and providing puerto ricans with every federal resource that they need. better coordination between fema, the army corps of engineers, and local ngo's and the federal government and avoiding unaccountable contracts like that with whitefish. you can't turn this around overnight, but we have to remain focused on the immediate tangible needs to our fellow americans in puerto rico, and mr. chairman, with that, i'll yield to mr

i get that it is overlapping but i would hope our discussion nepa or the is jones act, that should not influence the more immediate concern. reconstruct to order it goes power grid. we will focus on building resilient and sustainable infrastructure. will ensure building codes that to resist will be enforced. it will provide puerto ricans with every federal resource they need. avoid controversial and unaccountable contact. you cannot turn this around overnight. we have to remain focused on the immediate needs of our fellow americans. i will yield. thank you very much for being here. you tell us your annual salary. $96,000. >> what is your annual salary? >> is a matter of public record. mark --?s it russian record. in the public >> can you tell us? competitive found a compensation of three and $50,000. $350,000. >> we are running low on time. bill. your your wide it, let me get some jurisdiction as well. [no audio] and allnviting us today your work, i think my colleague. you believe the financial oversight of the management subject to the oversight power of the congress? you believe the

i get that it is overlapping but i would hope our discussion today, whether it is nepa or the jones act, that should not influence the more immediate concern. we will have to reconstruct the power grid. doing it a new and better way. we will focus on building resilient and sustainable infrastructure. we will ensure building codes that are minimized to resist will be enforced. our focus today is on the dire situation on the ground to provide puerto ricans with every federal resource they need. that includes the oversight board and the government. avoid controversial and unaccountable contracts. like white fish. you cannot turn this around overnight. we have to remain focused on the immediate needs of our fellow americans. i will yield. >> thank you very much for being i here. you tell us your annual salary. >> $96,000. >> what is your annual salary? >> is a matter of public record. >> it is in the public record. >> can you tell us? >> the board found a competitive ompensation of three and 315,000. >> we are running low on time. i like your bill. your wide it, let me get some urisdiction

it will include a regular order environment process with laws like nepa all fully applied after we pass it. so you have a regular order process before as well as after. we also strengthened our bipartisan title in the committee during our regular order markup by adding a bipartisan amendment that was sponsored by senators cassidy, strange, and king. and the provision will increase revenue sharing in the gulf coast to be used for priorities like coastal restoration and hurricane protection. i think we have all seen, given the hurricanes they have endured in the gulf region this year, there is certainly need for this critical investment. the 10-02 area in the northeast corner of alaska is a long way from the gulf coast, but it also will bring substantial benefits to every part of our nation. with this provision, we will generate substantial revenues for long-term deficit deduction, well over $100 billion over the life of the fields. i think that's important to keep it in context. we're not just talking about term within this ten-year window, but what will come our way within the life of t