More about Congressional attacks on the Clean Water Act. Wally Taylor -----Original Message----- From: Ed Hopkins <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Fri, Jun 17, 2011 10:35 am Subject: Re: [WATER-ISSUES] NYT: A Sneaky Attack on Clean Water Rules I'm sure that there will be a similar effortto handcuff the EPA when its funding bill comes up, in a couple of weeks. These restrictions on the Corps and EPA may well pass the House,although we will continue to try to stop them. They put the EPA onthe defense, but of course they will not become law unless the Senate agreesto them. We need to persuade Senators to oppose amendments like these. We also need to hold elected officials who support these amendmentsaccountable. In the vote on the Corps amendment thisweek, not a single Republican supported the amendment to allow the Corpsto take administrative action to clarify the scope of the Clean Water Act. Even the more conservative sportsmens' groups who are very involvedin this issue were unable to get any Republican support. If people want more info on this issue,please contact me or Dalal Aboulhosn. We also have info on our websiteat http://www.sierraclub.org/watersentinels/policy/default.aspx (We're out of commission for thenext few days because of an office move.) Ed Hopkins Sierra Club 408 C Street, NE Washington DC 20002 202-675-7908 phone 202-547-6009 fax [log in to unmask] From: Rita Chapman <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Date: 06/17/2011 11:16 AM Subject: Re: [WATER-ISSUES]NYT: A Sneaky Attack on Clean Water Rules Sent by: Discussion ofWater Issues <[log in to unmask]> What does this do to USEPA,the nation’s other clean water enforcer? ~ Rita Chapman ~~ ><> ><>~~ ><> ~ ><> ><> ~~ ><> ><>~~ Rita Chapman Clean Water Program Director Water Sentinels Program Sierra Club Michigan Chapter ofc: 517.484.2372 http://michigan.sierraclub.org/issues/greatlakes/watersentinels.html Keep Clean Water Clean! Nature stays true andkeeps the faith. I can do no less. From: Discussion of Water Issues[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Ed Hopkins Sent: Friday, June 17, 2011 10:08 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [WATER-ISSUES] NYT: A Sneaky Attack on Clean Water Rules http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/17/opinion/17fri3.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=clean%20water&st=cse A Sneaky Attack on Clean Water Rules Published: June 16, 2011 Congress often kills or delays federal regulations it doesn’t like bysimply denying agencies the money they need to carry them out. This sparesCongress from actually debating the regulation on its merits. House Republicans are adept at this, especially on environmental rules.Their latest intended victim is a worthy initiative aimed at protectingstreams and wetlands from development and pollution. In April, the Obama administration issued new guidelines to federal agenciescharged with enforcing the Clean Water Act, chiefly the Army Corps of Engineers.The guidelines, which the administration hopes to codify in a federal regulationlater this year, are badly needed. Two muddled Supreme Court decisions,and earlier guidance from the George H. W. Bush administration, had effectivelylimited protections to navigable waterways. The new guidelines providemuch-needed protections to thousands of miles of small streams and millionsof acres of wetlands that are no less crucial to the health of the nation’sdrinking water and its aquatic ecosystems. The guidelines simply reaffirmed the original intent of the 1972 CleanWater Act, which was to protect “all the waters of the United States.”But this was far too radical for home builders, farmers, oil companies— anyone with an interest in filling in streams and wetlands. On Wednesday,their friends on the House Appropriations Committee added a provision tothe Army Corps of Engineers spending bill prohibiting the corps from spendingany money to “develop, adopt, implement, administer or enforce” the newguidelines. This effectively kills them. The administration must make sure that this reckless provision does notmake it into the Senate version of the spending bill. Americans care deeplyabout clean water. They want more protections, not fewer. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-EQST-WATER-FORUM list, send any messageto: [log in to unmask] Check outour 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