Click here to watch a video of the hearing from Nov. 19
Opening Statement of Environment and the Economy Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus
Today, the subcommittee will be taking a look at the harmful algal blooms in drinking water, including the source water used for drinking. I thank Representative Latta for his efforts on this issue and for bringing it to the subcommittee’s attention. He has delved into the minutia of this issue in search of useful and long-term solutions to this problem.
Having sat in some of the meetings Mr. Latta has been having on this issue, I realize what a complex and widespread issue this is, but one which only gained national attention a few months ago.
Some folks may be tempted to think there are easy solutions to this problem, but I caution jumping to simple or sweeping conclusions. There is no single “smoking gun” that leads to algae-based toxins in drinking water, I believe we will hear our witnesses say there are still plenty of things we don’t know about this subject.
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Witness Testimony and Additional Background
Click here to view the hearing background memo and witness testimony on the Energy and Commerce Committee website.