Bill to Restore Clean Water Act Introduced

Washington, DC (May 22, 2007) – Legislation designed to return crucial Clean Water Act protections to our nation’s bodies of water was introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, called the Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007, was introduced by Representatives James Oberstar (D-Minn.), John Dingell (D-Mich.), and Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich), along with a bipartisan group of more than 150 co-sponsors.

 

NRDC Clean Water Project Senior Attorney Jon Devine issued the following statement regarding the legislation:

 

“We commend the introduction of this important bill and hope Congress will act quickly and decisively in passing it. 

 

“For decades, the Clean Water Act has protected America’s water resources from industrial pollution, oil spills, sewage, and outright destruction. Recent interpretations of the law have placed many of the nation’s important water bodies in legal limbo, allowing polluters to discharge into water resources across the country without complying with the Clean Water Act’s intended safeguards. 

 

“This legislation will end this uncertainty and ensure that all of America’s water resources remain protected for future generations.”