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The Clean Water Act exists as one of this nation’s premiere environmental statutes. The Act has been instrumental in improving the health of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. It has stopped billions of pounds of pollution from fouling the water and dramatically increased the number of waterways that are safe for swimming and fishing, and as a drinking water source. The landmark legislation established a national commitment to restore and maintain the integrity of our nation’s water resources.
Regrettably, over the past six years the current Administration has presided over the slow, but steady, dismantling of the Clean Water Act and the results are telling. Inadequate budgets, the easing of regulatory safeguards, and misguided priorities have brought about a dramatic reversal in national water quality trends. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an overwhelming majority of Americans – 218 million – live within 10 miles of a polluted lake, river stream, or coastal area. States have identified almost 300,000 miles of rivers and streams and more than seven million acres of lakes that do not meet State water quality goals.
Adequate investment in our nation’s drinking water infrastructure has also been woefully neglected. Two years ago the EPA conducted a survey of the needs of public water systems. The survey estimates that public water systems need to invest $276 billion on drinking water infrastructure improvements over twenty years to comply with drinking water regulations and to ensure safe water. Failure to make these necessary investments will lead to a serious deterioration in water quality and a decline in productivity and economic prosperity for the nation. State and local governments can not tackle this enormous challenge alone. The federal government must be a willing and able partner and the time to act is now.
Congress made a commitment more than thirty years ago to restore and protect the nation’s water quality, and I stand ready to do my part in upholding this commitment. Over the coming months my subcommittee will be introducing legislation aimed at reauthorizing a series of long overdue Clean Water Act program provisions and water infrastructure bills aimed at restoring and maintaining integrity and confidence in our nation’s water resources.
The Federal government must renew its commitment to ensure the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of our nation’s water supply. We owe future generations no less.
U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure. She represents the 30th Congressional District, which includes downtown Dallas, Northeast, East Oak Cliff & Pleasant Grove; all of Balch Springs, De Soto, Lancaster & Hutchins and parts of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Glen Heights, Wilmer and Ovilla.
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