The Clean Water Authority Restoration Act Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and James Jeffords (I-VT) introduced the bill in the Senate. Representatives James Oberstar (D-8th, MN), John Dingell (D-16th, MI), Jim Leach (R-1st, IA) and Sherwood Boehlert (R-23rd, NY) introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives. Thanks to Rep. Jim Leach for cosponsoring this bill. And thanks to members of the Cedar-Wapsie Group and Iowa City Group who met with him, and for those members of Eagle View and Leopold Groups who contacted him. NEWS RELEASE 408 C Street N.E. Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202)547-1141 Fax: (202)547-6009 www.sierraclub.org February 27, 2003 For Immediate ReleaseContact: Ed Hopkins, 202-675-7908 SIERRA CLUB PRAISES BILL TO RESTORE VITAL CLEAN WATER PROTECTIONS Sierra Club Urges Americans To Ask their Members of Congress to Support Clean Water Legislation Washington, DC: The Sierra Club today applauded the introduction of the "Clean Water Authority Restoration Act of 2003" as an important step for safeguarding wetlands, small streams and ponds from mining and other industrial waste dischargers and developers. These waterbodies perform critically important functions, including storing floodwater, filtering pollution, replenishing groundwater and providing habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife. "This bill clarifies that Congress intends for Clean Water Act protection to extend to all of the nation's waters, including the so-called isolated wetlands, streams, ponds and other waterbodies that play such an integral role in our environment," said Carl Pope, Executive Director. "Allowing pollution of a seemingly-isolated stream is likely to result in pollution of groundwater or downstream waters. These waters are really not isolated, and if we want to minimize flooding, have clean water, and provide habitat to the many species that depend on our waters, we should safeguard all the nation's waters." The bill is a response to a Supreme Court ruling in 2001 which dealt a serious blow to the protection of the nation's waters by narrowing federal authority to control water pollution in seasonal wetlands and other waters that lack permanent surface connections to flowing waters, including prairie potholes, playa lakes, vernal pools, Carolina Bays, and intermittent and ephemeral streams. The Supreme Court ruling in Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) v. Army Corps of Engineers overturned the federal government's long-held authority under the Clean Water Act to protect non-navigable, intrastate, isolated wetlands, streams and other waterbodies from pollution based on their use by migratory birds. The Court's 5-4 majority opinion went beyond the ruling by throwing into question whether federal Clean Water Act protections apply to any wetlands, streams and other waters that may be considered isolated. In the wake of confusion created by the Court's opinion, varying interpretations have been applied by the agencies and in the courts. In some areas of the country, the ruling was seen as setting aside federal protection of waterbodies that are not immediately adjacent to rivers and streams used for navigation. Last month, the Bush Administration issued policy guidance and an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that go beyond the Supreme Court's decision in narrowing the scope of the Clean Water Act. The EPA has estimated that the guidance could remove Clean Water Act protection from as much as 20 percent, or some 20 million acres, of the nation's wetlands. This estimate does not even consider the additional extent of streams, ponds and other waters that industry is likely to claim are "isolated" and unprotected. The Sierra Club welcomed the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act of 2003 as a critical step to restore broad protection from uncontrolled discharges of pollution and filling of wetlands. The Sierra Club urges citizens to call their members of Congress and ask them to support this important bill. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]