The Clean Water Act 30^th Anniversary:
A Time For Reflection And Time For Action

October 17, 2002

Tomorrow, as we recognize the 30th anniversary of the amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act -- the Clean Water Act-- I want to take a moment to reflect on the importance of this cornerstone of environmental legislation and to frankly address the significant amount of work that remains to be done.

Vermont is a shining example to the nation in terms of its environmental ethics and in its commitment to environmental action. I am proud to hail from and to represent a state whose people share a passionate and abiding concern for the environment.

We Vermonters are especially proud that much of the environmental progress and improvements to water the nation has achieved in the last three decades can be directly attributed to the legacy of Vermont's own Robert Stafford. Bob Stafford’s leadership in Congress helped shape national environmental policy from the time that the environmental movement was in its infancy and continued well into its maturity.

During his 30 years in the House of Representatives and in the Senate, Bob Stafford courageously and successfully stood up to those who sought to diminish and roll back our environmental standards.  His efforts were heightened during his tenure as Chairman of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, a post he assumed in 1981 during the 97^th Congress and maintained through the 99^th.   One of his crowning achievements during this time was working with Senator John Chafee to pass the Clean Water Act.

Although we should be proud of the great strides we have made to reduce and prevent the levels of pollutants and contaminants in our water, we are far from the visionary goals and ambitious standards set by those who conceived this vital legislation 30 years ago.  When Senator Stafford testified before the Environment and Public Works Committee last week, he clearly challenged us to do more.  We cannot halt the progress we have made and merely rest on our environmental laurels.

I call upon my colleagues, the Administration and the American public to look back at the debate that took place at the time and the essence of this remarkable piece of legislation.  The 1972 legislation declared as its objective the restoration and maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. Two goals also were established: zero discharge of pollutants by 1985 and, as an interim goal and where possible, water quality that is both “fishable” and “swimmable” by 1983.

Although we have had more than twice that amount of time to meet these goals, we have only managed to get half-way there.  According to EPA’s 2000National Water Quality Report released earlier this year, 39% of assessed river and stream miles and 45% of assessed lake acres do not meet applicable water quality standards and were found to be impaired for one or more desired uses. 

In Vermont, too many of our waters still fall into this category.  Over the last 30 years, we have addressed many of the point-sources of water pollution in Lake Champlain, the Connecticut River and other water bodies around the state.  Unfortunately, we learn about new pollution concerns all the time.  Years of unchecked pollution from coal-fired power plants outside of Vermont’s borders have overburdened Lake Champlain and many of our rivers with mercury.  Vermont now has fish advisories for walleye, lake trout and bass due to mercury.

There are solutions to this environmental challenge and others that threaten the health of Vermont’s waters.  We just need to act on them.  Instead, I worry that we are ignoring the warning signs, such as climate change, new health problems in our children, loss of our natural resources to pests and disease.

By its actions, I fear that the current Administration seems to be interested in protecting special interests and ignoring public support for strong environmental protections and conservation measures.  Just in the last few months, the Administration has announced plans to rewrite Clean Water Act regulations that would allow dirt displaced by mountain top mining to be dumped in waterways.  Army Corps of Engineers' regulations protecting wetlands have been relaxed, backing away from the decade-old commitment of no net loss of wetlands

Instead of looking at ways to undercut the Clean Water Act, we need to get back on track and strengthen it. 

# # # # #