Statement of Senator Joe Lieberman
EPW Hearing on Open Space and Environmental Quality
March 18, 1999

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this important hearing and leading a dialogue here in Congress on how we as nation will choose to quite literally shape the landscape of our lives.

This dialogue has been percolating in our towns and our states for some time now, as the new millennium approaches and as concerns grow about the livability and breathability of our communities, about the encroachments of development and the erosion of open space, about the costs to our families and to our larger sense of place.

We have not yet quite reached an open revolt over the loss of open space. But I know that in my state of Connecticut and in many areas across the country, a lot of people are worried about what the future holds in terms of land conservation and basic health of our environment, and not just in suburbia but in urban and rural settings as well. Their angst was reflected in the high number of ballot initiatives that popped up across the nation last year dealing with urban sprawl, smart growth proposals, and land conservation, and registered resoundingly in the passage of most of these initiatives.

In Connecticut, we recently passed an Open Space and Watershed Land Grant Program with the goal of preserving roughly half a million acres in open space -- amounting to one fifth of the entire state's land mass -- by the year 2023. Right now, there are 115 active and growing land trusts in Connecticut already working hard to protect and preserve lands in their own backyards. And in our urban areas, coalitions are forming to redevelop brownfields and reengineer transportation systems to help us revitalize these struggling communities, making them more attractive, accessible and neighborly.

Behind much of this debate about open space and "smart growth" is an evolution of the traditional land use and preservation agenda. In the case of the New Fairfield Land Trust, it's as clear as their mission statement, which they describe not just as preserving the land but "Preserving Our Future." Throughout the country there is a pervasive sense that if we don't take action to develop our natural spaces wisely, the very heart and soul of our communities could be in jeopardy. The relationship between humankind and the land has evolved over the years from taming the wilderness, to conservation, to preservation, and to the environmentalism of recent decades that incorporates strong social and public health influences. Now, as the pressures of modern living bear down on us, our society is increasingly turning to wild and open spaces not just for physical health and sustenance, but in search of a balanced relationship with our surroundings that nurtures the soul of our neighborhoods.

To respond to these concerns, we will have to engage in our own policy balancing act. On one hand, our goals will require the protection of valuable natural resources and landscapes that we enjoy and hope to preserve for our children and grandchildren. On the other hand, it is imperative that we improve the every day quality of life in all communities so that those who live in urban and suburban areas can enjoy the benefits of a healthy environment.

Inherent in the call to preserve our natural environment and cultural heritage is a need for community renewal and an improved quality of life. For example, there is a building frustration with congested roads that cause us to risks our lives, pollute our air, and waste our time. By driving further on crowded highways to multiple jobs, schools, daycare, and stores, we're losing touch with our neighbors and our sense of community.

Urban sprawl and the loss of open space has not happened over night. As our economy has evolved from its industrial base, we've naturally spread outward again. We've built more houses, and needed more cars and roads. We've left our cities as jobs fled and crime and deteriorating schools proliferated. Thriving urban centers gave way to expanding suburbs, and with all these changes, we haven't as a nation taken stock of what we have lost. But we do know that if we fail to confront unplanned community growth, the loss of open space and loss of community will continue. We also know that if we fail to properly steward our coasts, forests, fields, and streams, we may lose the productivity that generations have depended upon -- risking not just our farms and fisheries, but our way of life. And ultimately, if we continue developing everywhere, we risk creating what some have called a geography of nowhere.

The good news here is that American people are becoming more conscious of these threats, and have begun to conceive responses. State bond initiatives to finance open space conservation efforts are a start. Continued cleanup and redevelopment of abandoned industrial sites and inner cities represent steps forward. Regional transportation planning decisions that reduce traffic congestion are essential to assuring both a healthy environment and livable communities.

One thing that has been made clear in this growing dialogue is that local and state input to the decision making process is critical. The people who live near threatened land are in the best position to value it and commonly devise the most creative conservation and development alternatives to it. But it is also clear that these folks can't do it alone. We need a bigger vision to solve today's problems. And we need to think broadly, recognizing that healthy communities rely on a mosaic of relationships, infrastructure and institutions in order to thrive. The challenge of planning for a sustainable future is clearly a national responsibility, deserving of a collective, collaborative, and thoughtful response.

One of the issues that we will be hearing about today and throughout this Congress is funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The Fund represents the commitment of all Americans to conserving natural treasures and preserving open space. Because the program is authorized to fund federal, state, and local conservation and recreation enhancement activities, the Fund is an avenue through which the federal government can help states and localities choose how and where they conserve open space, develop, and redevelop their communities. Sadly, over the past five years, the state portion of the Fund has gone unfunded. Fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund represents a golden opportunity to make good on our obligation to leave future generations a healthier environment and more livable communities.

I look forward to hearing from the witnesses today and participating in a constructive dialogue with my colleagues in the year ahead as we address challenges and capitalize on opportunities to wisely shape the landscape of our lives.