COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
10:00 a.m.

• Official hearing transcript
• Press Release - Witnesses: President Obama’s Ocean Zoning Plan Will Stifle Economic Growth, Create Regulatory Uncertainty, Threaten Jobs (10/4/2011)
• Resourceful Information - Top 10 Things to Know About President Obama’s Plan to Zone the Oceans (9/30/2011)
• Key Issue - President Obama's National Ocean Policy

OVERSIGHT HEARING ON:

• "The President’s New National Ocean Policy - A Plan for Further Restrictions on Ocean, Coastal and Inland Activities"

OPENING STATMENT:

The Honorable Doc Hastings
Chairman

WITNESSES AND TESTIMONY:

Panel I

The Honorable Sam Farr
Member of Congress

Panel II

W. Jackson Coleman
Co-Managing Director
National Ocean Policy Coalition
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Jim Gilmore
Director of Public Relations
At-Sea Processors Association
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Christopher Guith
Vice President - Policy
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Barry Rutenberg
Chairman-Elect of the Board
National Association of Homebuilders
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Marc Gorelnik
Board of Directors
Coastside Fishing Club
(Truth in Testimony Form)

John Bullard
President
Sea Education Association
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Jim Lanard
President
Offshore Wind Development Coalition
(Truth in Testimony Form)

BACKGROUND:

The hearing will examine the job, energy and economic impacts of President Obama’s Executive Order 13547 that established a new National Ocean Policy and Council that could severely restrict the recreational and commercial uses of our oceans. The President’s new National Ocean Policy requires a new federal initiative called Marine Spatial Planning, otherwise known as ocean zoning, which could place huge portions of our oceans off-limits to recreation, energy production, transportation, and other commercial activities. The reach of this policy may extend far inland, potentially impacting all activities that occur on lands adjacent to rivers, tributaries or watersheds that drain into the ocean. The implementation of this Executive Order will have repercussions that will be felt not only on our coasts, but throughout our economy, up our rivers and into our farms and homes.

Other Hearings in the Series:

• Hearing - Full Committee Oversight Hearing on "The President’s New National Ocean Policy - A Plan for Further Restrictions on Ocean, Coastal and Inland Activities" held on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.