Statement by U.S. Senator John H. Chafee
U.S. SENATE ENVIRONMENT & PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
Hearing on Open Space and Environmental Quality: Perspectives on the Issue, Problems and Proposals

Good morning. I am excited about the hearings today and tomorrow on open space and environmental quality. These hearings mark the beginning of a close, extended look by this Committee on the issues of open space, sprawl, and their relation to environmental quality.

This opening round of hearings has two purposes. First, it provides an introduction to the issues and the vigorous debate surrounding them. Second, it provides an opportunity to explore specific Federal proposals that are likely to be raised during the consideration of the budget resolution in the near future.

Much attention has been given to the subject of open space and development in recent months, as a result of the resounding success of state and local ballot initiatives across the country, and numerous Federal proposals following on the heels of these initiatives. The ballot initiatives presume that there is a problem to solve, and the Federal proposals presume that there is a role for the Federal government. Before making these presumptions, we must first look at the nature, extent and consequences of land development, particularly sprawl.

Land development has been described as a three legged stool comprised of community, economy and environment. With respect to this last leg, sprawl can have a profound impact on environmental quality, including water quantity and quality, air quality, traffic congestion, wildlife and natural habitat, and waste disposal. When one dissects the issue of sprawl into its individual components, one is looking at the panoply of environmental subjects under the jurisdiction of this Committee.

The conservation of open space has been one of the most important priorities for me throughout my career, both as governor and as senator. When I think of where I will spend my time when I leave the Senate, it is not in the shopping malls around Providence; it is in the wildlife refuges of Trustom Pond and Block Island, and the state parks of Colt and Brenton Point. And for the countless species that pass through Rhode Island, these places serve as essential habitat.

While I will listen to the witnesses over the next two days with an open mind, I will not be revealing any secret to say that I am biased. I believe that the loss of open space occurring in parts of the nation is a problem, and I believe that the Federal government does have a role to play in helping to solve it.

Let me give you an example. When I was governor of Rhode Island, I started the Green Acres Program in 1964. We received Federal funding through the Open Space Program, a precursor to the Land and Water Conservation Fund. And during the 35-year life of the LWCF, Rhode Island received almost $40 million in Federal grants, leveraged by an equal amount of state funding, for open space conservation and recreation, and another $11 million for land acquisition for our refuges.

Rhode Island continues to do wonderful things to care for its precious acreage. In 1994, it adopted a Green Space and Green Ways Plan; in 1996, it developed a Land Protection Plan; in 1997, citizens started a collaborative planning effort called Grow Smart Rhode Island; and in 1998, voters approved a $15 million open space bond issue. It is also gearing up for a $50 million bond issue for the year 2000.

States like Rhode Island can benefit greatly in their endeavors from Federal assistance. Currently, the most significant Federal program is the LWCF, and last week, I drafted a letter to the Budget Committee requesting full funding for the LWCF. The letter was cosigned by 35 of my colleagues in the Senate. Smaller Federal programs also exist, and both senators and the President believe that there is an opportunity for a greater Federal role, as evidenced by their proposals.

Before we consider these proposals, however, we should have a better sense of the nature and consequences of sprawl, and the efforts by state, local and private organizations to address sprawl. Only then will we have a solid foundation on which to discuss whether the Federal government should be involved, whether the current proposals address the problems, and whether a new proposal might be warranted.

The hearings over the next two days will explore these issues. We have a wonderful, diverse and illustrious gathering of witnesses for these hearings, and I am eager to hear their testimony."