Celebration Of The Clean Water Act 40th Anniversary

Oct 18: Environmental organizations, conservationist and legislators are reminding and celebrating that forty years ago, in a show of bipartisan support, Congress passed the Clean Water Act of 1972. Hunters and anglers have supported strong Clean Water Act (CWA) protections, understanding that clean water and healthy wetlands and streams are essential to healthy fish and wildlife. This year, they remind "we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act and the historic results this keystone legislation has achieved: healthier water to drink; cleaner streams, rivers, and lakes in which to swim, fish, and play; and dramatically lower rates of natural wetland loss." They said, "As the Clean Water Act turns 40, America must get back on the path to clean, healthy waters and wetlands. The administration must follow through on its comprehensive efforts to restore Clean Water Act protections to wetlands, lakes, and streams in a science-based manner."

    Representative John Dingell, who represents the 15th district of Michigan said, "On October 18, we mark the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. My home state of Michigan is blessed with a vast and marvelous natural resource -- the Great Lakes -- and I am proud to have played an integral role in passing this landmark legislation. As a steadfast conservationist and outdoorsman, I firmly believe that we owe it to future generations to restore and protect national treasures like the Great Lakes and the waterways we recreate in. As my dear Dad taught me, we borrow the resources of today from our citizens of tomorrow."

    A September 2012 poll of hunters and anglers found that regardless of political affiliation, 79% of hunters and anglers favor restoring Clean Water Act protections for wetlands and waterways, including small creeks and streams. Recent polls in Colorado, Ohio, and Wisconsin found similar results on this issue. In this fractious election year, it is worth noting that poll after poll shows that a strong majority of Americans support strong federal Clean Water Act protections in order to ensure clean water for all. The groups remind, "The Clean Water Act has cleaned up millions of miles of streams, small and large. Families, communities, farmers, and businesses depend on clean, healthy waters for their health, jobs, and prosperity." 

    Jan Goldman-Carter, National Wildlife Federation's senior manager said, "The Clean Water Act is essential to keeping our drinking water safe; providing millions of acres of fish and wildlife habitat across the country; ensuring abundant clean water for irrigating crops; and bolstering the robust fishery, tourism, and outdoor recreation industries. Wetlands and Water Resources. "Clean water is a public right and fundamental in protecting our livelihoods, wildlife, communities, and economy."

    Scott Kovarovics, acting executive director of Izaak Walton League of America said, "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently reported that tens of millions of Americans spend $145 billion annually on hunting, angling, and wildlife watching. These dollars are spent in local restaurants, on guides and outfitters, and on everything from shotguns to fishing rods and boats and decoys. Millions of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity, as well as our hunting and angling traditions, all benefit from Clean Water Act protections for streams, lakes and wetlands."

    Steve Moyer, Vice President of Trout Unlimited said, "America's anglers have seen first hand that the Clean Water Act has been a tremendous boon for their sporting tradition. From the most dedicated anglers to those who might only fish once per year, sportsmen everywhere can thank clean water protections for more miles of fishable water and higher quality fishing trips."

    Steve Kline, director of Center for Agriculture and Private Lands at Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership said, "The aims of the Clean Water Act – to ensure drinkable, swimmable, and fishable waters across the country – have largely not been realized. With millions of acres of wetlands and headwaters lost and still more threatened, it is time to recommit ourselves to the original goals of the legislation, which are as relevant today as they were 40 years ago."

    The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948 was the first major U.S. law to address water pollution. Growing public awareness and concern for controlling water pollution led to sweeping amendments in 1972. As amended in 1972, the law became commonly known as the Clean Water Act (CWA). The 1972 amendments:

• Established the basic structure for regulating pollutants discharges into the waters of the United States.
• Gave EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry.
• Maintained existing requirements to set water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters.
• Made it unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained under its provisions.
• Funded the construction of sewage treatment plants under the construction grants program.
• Recognized the need for planning to address the critical problems posed by nonpoint source pollution.

    Access a release from the organizations with links to related information and a fact sheet (click here). Access U.S. EPA's CWA 40th Anniversary website (click here). Access the Clean Water Network website for more information (click here). [#Water, #MIWater]

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