Happy Birthday Clean Water Act: Legislation Turns 42 Saturday
Posted October 17, 2014 07:40 am
The lower Santa Fe River, Columbia County. (Photo:SRWMD)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - This Saturday marks the 42nd anniversary of the Clean Water Act.
Before the legislation was put in place, only one-third
of the country's waters were deemed safe for fishing and
swimming.
Now, that number has doubled, and Manley Fuller,
president and CEO of the
Florida Wildlife Federation, says the best
present Americans could give the landmark law is a
restoration of protections for streams and wetlands,
left vulnerable after Supreme Court decisions.
"This rule clarifies the Clean Water Act and it puts it
back more like it was before 2000, and we think they're
headed in the right direction," he explains.
In March, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
released a proposal that the agency says would improve
the quality of drinking water supplies for a third of
all Americans.
Opponents of the additional rules say they would have a
negative impact on agriculture, but Fuller emphasizes
the provisions actually exempt agriculture and would
protect farmers.
Supporters of the
EPA proposal point out the role water plays in
the state's economy. According to the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Commission, the recreational fishing industry
supports 80,000 jobs.
Fuller says the halt of two planned sea grass-dredging
projects in Taylor County and Pasco County show how the
Clean Water Act helps protect Florida's water supply and
economy.
"The Clean Water Act has provided a vital role in
stopping some bad projects and also modifying some
projects to minimize the impacts to wetlands," he says.
"So, the Clean Water Act is a vital cog in our efforts
to protect habitat in the United States."
More than 700,000 members of the public have submitted
comments supporting the rule. Comments are being
accepted through Nov. 14.
Photos/graphics and links added by the Observer
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