Is Help on the Way for Watersheds in the Bay?

Congressman George Miller Says "Absolutely!"

Executive Director Linda Hunter interviews Congressman George Miller (Democrat-California, 7th Congressional District) about how the federal stimulus package, green jobs, and environmental education programs will impact local watersheds.

Linda Hunter: During the crafting of the stimulus package, policymakers called for "shovel ready" infrastructure projects. Environmentalists fear that these projects are limited to brick and mortar jobs and exclude important natural resource protection programs throughout the state. Do you consider ecological infrastructure to be as important as traditional infrastructure in terms of long-term benefits to our watersheds and our Bay?

George Miller: Absolutely -- and these are exactly the kind of infrastructure programs that we funded in the Recovery Package. These funds in the Recovery Package should be very helpful for those working to protect our watersheds and our nation's natural resources more broadly. Under the new law, the Fish & Wildlife Service will receive $165 million to be spent on habitat restoration, and the Department of Agriculture will receive $650 million for capital projects including watershed restoration and ecosystem enhancement.

We've also included an unprecedented $126 million for the federal water recycling and reuse program administered by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. That program helps local water managers to treat wastewater and use the clean water that results for commercial irrigation and industrial processes -- this helps keep wastewater out of our natural waterways, and decreases our state's dependence on the Bay-Delta for our water supply.

LH: You were a strong proponent of the Green Jobs Act of 2007, a bill that would have provided $125 million per year for green jobs training. As chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor, can you update us on how the stimulus package will address this critical need? How can green jobs benefit watersheds?

GM: The Recovery Act that President Obama recently signed allocates $500 million for the Green Jobs Act, which means jobs in the energy efficiency and renewable energy fields. Water and energy are inextricably tied, and the more efficient we can be with both vital resources, the better for everyone. By making the transition to a more energy- and water-efficient economy we will significantly reduce our impact on the climate as well as natural waterways like the Bay-Delta.

LH: The Watershed Project works with thousands of teachers and students in District 7 to foster a new generation of watershed stewards. Do you consider environmental enrichment programs to be an important part of national education policy?

GM: Environmental enrichment programs give kids the tools they need to create a more sustainable future for this country. When we make the environment a priority in our children's eyes, it encourages them to protect it -- and it prepares them for the green jobs of tomorrow.

To learn more about Congressman Miller's commitment to ensuring that outdoor education is an important part of every child's learning experience, read about the No Child Left Inside Act.