Here is more on the House vote to gut the Clean Water Act.


Wally Taylor

 




 


http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/06/22/22greenwire-house-panel-fast-tracks-bill-to-divest-epa-of-65975.html
 

 
House PanelFast-Tracks Bill to Divest EPA of Regulatory Power Over Water
By PAUL QUINLAN  
Published: June 22, 2011 
After a brief butrancorous debate, a House committee approved a fast-tracked bill that wouldshift regulatory powers over water, wetlands and mountaintop-mining regulationfrom U.S. EPA to the states. 
In a 35-19, largely party-linevote, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this morningapproved the bill (H.R. 2018(pdf)) backed by the top Republican and Democrat on the committee, ChairmanJohn Mica (R-Fla.) and Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.). 
Four other Democratsalso joined in support: Reps. Jason Altmire (Pa.),Leonard Boswell (Iowa), Jerry Costello (Ill.) and Tim Holden (Pa.). 
But the measure raninto stiff resistance from the majority of committee Democrats, including Rep.Tim Bishop of New York.Bishop is the ranking member on the subcommittee with jurisdiction over theClean Water Act, which the bill seeks to amend. Rep. Timothy Johnson (Ill.) was the onlyRepublican who voted against the bill. 
Republicanscharacterized the legislation as an effort to "rein in" the Obamaadministration EPA, which they said had run roughshod over states. They pointedto EPA's move to step up regulation of mountaintop-removal mining, includingthe agency's decision to revoke a key permit for a proposed mine in WestVirginia, Rahall's home state, and to tighten state water pollution limits inMica's home of Florida. 
"It's importantto move forward and pass this legislation because we have permitting delaysthat are stifling economic growth and job creation," said Ohio GOP Rep.Bob Gibbs, chairman of the water subcommittee. 
Critics countered withsharp concerns that the bill would prevent EPA from updating state waterpollution limits and permits after science identifies new pollution threats tohuman health or the environment. Downstream states would also suffer ifupstream states failed to adequately regulate polluting industries or enforcepermits and limits, Democrats argued. 
Bishop said the bill"fundamentally undermines our nation's commitment to clean water" andoffered an amendment that would essentially negate the changes and preserveEPA's authority over individual states. The amendment failed in a party-linevoice vote. 
"This go-it-aloneapproach flies in the face of science, common sense and decades of experienceimplementing the Clean Water Act," Bishop said. 
But Rahall rejectedthat, saying the bill re-establishes the "cooperative federalism" inClean Water Act enforcement and citing the slowdown of mining and job losses inhis state. Among the legislation's provisions is a clause to limit EPA'sability to veto "dredge and fill" permits issued by the Army Corps ofEngineers. States would have to approve such a move. 
"What we areexperiencing at least in the Appalachian region is an overreach by EPA,"he said. 
House Majority LeaderEric Cantor (R-Va.) has said he hopes to have a floor vote on the bill thissummer. Bishop objected to the committee's fast-track consideration of themeasure, noting the markup was announced just days earlier -- and held inadvance of a subcommittee hearing Friday meant to explore several of therelevant Clean Water Act issues. 
Environmental groupswere swift to condemn the vote. Ed Hopkins,director of the Sierra Club's environmental quality program, said thecommittee acted "irresponsibly" in moving forward so quickly on abill that "kicks the legs out from under the Environmental ProtectionAgency." 
"Their attempt tohijack the Clean Water Act, roll back many of its provisions and undo 40 yearsof progress in cleaning up the nation's waters opens up new avenues forpolluters to make Americans sick, dirty our waterways and further line theirpockets at the expense of the taxpayer," Hopkins said in a statement afterthe vote. 
Reporter ManuelQuinones contributed. 
Copyright 2011 E&EPublishing. All Rights Reserved. 







- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -To unsubscribe from the CONS-EQST-WATER-FORUM list, send any message to:[log in to unmask] out our Listserv Lists support site for more information:http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp
 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to:
[log in to unmask]

Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information:
http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp