Testimony of Kameran L. Onley, Nominee to be

Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Department of the Interior

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator Domenici, and members of the committee.
It is an honor and privilege to appear before you today as the
President's nominee for the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at
the Department of the Interior. I am both humbled and honored that
President Bush and Secretary Kempthorne have recommended me for this
position.

I appreciate the fact that my husband Doug can be here with me today. We
were married during my second year at the White House Council on
Environmental Quality and he has been such a great friend and support to
me during these past years of public service. I'd also like to thank the
committee for inviting our new baby girl to join me here today, but my
husband and I opted to spare everyone her spontaneous bursts of
enthusiasm; it might be music to my ears, but I can't promise everyone
would see it that way.

A little bit about my background. I was born and raised in Seattle,
Washington and still consider the "Evergreen State" home. I am the only
grandchild of ten who has left the state and quite frankly no one in my
family can understand why. It was during the family camping trips along
the Sauk River in the Cascade Mountains that I first developed my
passion for the environment and I feel fortunate to have been able to
parlay my passion into my professional life.

My formal education consists of a B.A. in Economics with a minor in
Biology from Seattle University and an M.S. in Agricultural Economics
from Clemson University. I was in my junior year at Seattle University
when I realized the linkages between the fields of economics and biology
-- both are studies of systems -- human and animal -- and both provide
ways of understanding how complex systems interact and evolve. The
insights that have come from both of these fields can help to inform and
improve public policy.

Since graduate school I have worked in varying roles in public policy.
As a Research Assistant at the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental
Research, I worked with the dairy industry in rural Texas to address
water quality issues; as Research Assistant at The Mercatus Center - the
position I held before joining the Administration -- I analyzed the
impacts of federal regulations on the public. I also worked as a Program
Officer for the Charles G. Koch Foundation, where I experienced
first-hand how the non-profit sector plays a crucial role in generating
public policy.

For the last six, almost seven, years I have had the privilege to serve
the public as a member of the Bush Administration. I joined the White
House Council on Environmental Quality in July, 2001, where I focused
the majority of my time on ocean and coastal policy. Most notably I was
responsible for leading the interagency group in the development of the
President's "U.S. Ocean Action Plan." I entered the Department of the
Interior in January 2006 as Assistant Deputy Secretary, where I have
continued my work on ocean and coastal issues and serve as the
Secretary's principal policy advisor on Everglades restoration. My work
chairing the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force has required
me to build consensus with all partners, federal, state, local and
Native American governments, and the private sector, to advance
restoration goals.

My professional experience has provided me with the insight into the
complex interface of environmental, economic, and cultural merit. I
understand the management challenges that result from this complexity
and, if confirmed, I am committed to bringing the same collaborative
problem-solving focus to a new position within DOI.

In July of last year, I assumed the responsibilities of the Acting
Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, including overseeing the
Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Geological Survey. During this short
time, I have developed an even greater appreciation for the complexity
of water issues in the West and the necessity of employing sound science
in the public interest.

I have found that both Reclamation and the U.S. Geological Survey are
committed to identifying new and better approaches to deal with the
water challenges facing our nation. Secretary Kempthorne has outlined
the "Water for America Initiative" to ensure that communities have
reliable water supplies for the 21st century. Last year, the National
Science and Technology Council reported that: "Abundant supplies of
clean, fresh water can no longer be taken for granted." As we can see
from watching the evening news over the last year, water scarcity is no
longer just a problem for the arid West---it is a problem for the
Nation. We are seeing prolonged droughts and water conflicts in areas
such as the Southeast, where people are used to having unlimited water.
Through this Water for America Initiative, the Bureau of Reclamation and
the U.S. Geological Survey will leverage information, technology and
local and state partnerships to help communities secure reliable water
supplies. If confirmed, I will work with the Committee on implementing
legislation to make this initiative a success.

If confirmed, it will be an honor to work with the U.S. Geological
Survey, the Nation's premier science agency. The U.S. Geological Survey
provides reliable information and scientific products for natural
resource managers, emergency response organizations, land use planners,
decision-makers at all levels of government, and citizens in all walks
of life. USGS\'s broad spectrum of scientific expertise includes
geography, geology, hydrology, and biology, and its products inform a
range of activities from recreational hiking and fishing to dam
operations and earthquake and volcano prediction. USGS science helps the
Department and others manage resources in cost effective and
environmentally sound ways.

Finally, I share the commitment of the President and Secretary
Kempthorne to conservation of our natural resources. I know from
personal experience that broad consultation produces better decisions,
that transparency in the deliberative process, including good
communication, avoids needless conflicts, and that cooperation is
preferable to and often can head off litigation. I pledge that if
confirmed, I will consult with you on issues that are of interest to
this Committee, I will communicate with your constituents, and I will
search for cooperative solutions to the complex issues that would fall
within my ambit.

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today.