U.S. Congress - S.787 Clean Water Restoration Act
S.787 - Clean Water Restoration Act
A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify the jurisdiction of the United States over waters of the United States. view all titles (3)
All Bill Titles
- Official: A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify the jurisdiction of the United States over waters of the United States. as introduced.
- Short: Clean Water Restoration Act as introduced.
- Short: Clean Water Restoration Act as reported to senate.
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Displaying 31-49 of 49 total comments.
Actually, Mcbee, you DO in fact have to claim an injury in order to file a citizen suit under ยง 505 of the Clean Water Act. The Act cannot abrogate the requirements of Article III standing; plaintiffs must meet the requirements of showing (1) injury in fact, (2) that their injury was caused by the defendant, and (3) that a federal court can provide a remedy. In fact, the Supreme Court has been very careful not to throw federal courts wide open to environmental litigtation. Take a look at Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555 (1992), to see what I mean.
How can so many people here believe everything the right-wing media says? The brasschecktv.com video sited states that this law will give the Federal Government “ownership” over all these waters, and then complains that this is unreasonable seizure without just compensation. But if you read the bill… (Read the bill! How come so many people are so sure of their opinions here and have never BOTHERED to read the bill?!)…it doesn’t say anything at all about ownership or about giving the government any new authority over these waters. It just restores the government’s ability to keep people from pouring chemicals into waters that will poison our drinking water. Do you want to drink poison? THINK about it. A little thinking here would do people a lot of good.
If you click on the money trail tab on this website its pretty easy to see who is opposing and supporting this bill. Here is what it states.
Specific Organizations Supporting S.787
Ducks Unlimited
Earthjustice
American Whitewater
League of Conservation Voters
American Rivers
Clean Water Action
Sierra Club
U.S. Public Interest Research Groups
Natural Resources Defense Council
Environment America
National Wildlife Federation
Southern Environmental Law Center
Specific Organizations Opposing S.787
National Mining Association
National Corn Growers Association
This bill does not expand the clean water act. It just restores it back to the way it was in the 80’s and 90’s. The only farmers this bill will affect are the factory farmers that wish to dump huge amounts of toxins directly into the water. The bottom line is that if you were able to farm before without issue then this will not affect you.
The Clean Water act of 1972 was hailed as a great environmental success and many other countries have copied these standards and are still using them to this day. Some countries have even tighter regulation.
During the Bush administration there were a couple court decisions that changed the way it was interpreted and this essentially gutted the Clean Water Act allowing unlimited dumping into any waterways that are not considered navigable even if these waterways directly feed the great lakes or other important bodies of water.
The intent of this bill is to restore protections for rivers, streams and wetlands that may be subject to question due to the recent Supreme Court rulings in SWANCC and Rapanos.
Get your facts straight.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Water_Act
Quit trying to twist the facts by hiding behind what you declare to be “inappropriate” or “inaccurate” phraseology. If you’re not willing to read these bills with an open mind, and not with this Governmental Conspiracy Theory attached to everything that you read, see, and say. “Scare tactic” yeah right, and I’m the boogie man.
Firstly the wording in this bill needs significant work – however I agree with the intent. I think people need to stop the senseless “government takeover” nonsense and look at what this bill is really trying to accomplish – protection of water resources in this country. If private owners were meeting their responsibilities, there wouldn’t be a need for expanded regulation – which is what this bill does. As a nation we need to move beyond the “what’s mine” mentality and recognize that water is of such importance that we need to do more to protect it. I’m not saying the federal government is always the best protector, but our EPA does have enforcement capability – and we need it.
This does not just concern land that is soggy for a few months. It concerns permanent creeks, small waterways, marsh lands, and swamps that are currently not protected but were before 2002. And yes, it protects seasonal waterways as well. Seasonal waterways does not mean the puddle in your backyard or the 6ft stream coming from your gutter downspouts. Anybody saying so is exaggerating. Seasonal waterways includes creeks that run for a few months a year. This could be from snow melt or during periods of heavy rainfall. Almost all of these connect to larger bodies of water, sometimes through the underground water table. Isolated waterways that do not connect to larger bodies of water are not going to be covered. And the most important thing to remember is that this bill is NOT expanding the clean water act. It is simply bringing the clean water act back to the way it was from 1972-2002. If you did not have any problems in this time then NOTHING will change for you.
And to those who claim this is a land grab? How on earth could you think this? The clean water act allows the EPA or army corps of engineers to decide what you can dump in the water and how much. It does not allow them to take your land. Where would you get this ludicrous idea?
Landowners are “allowed” to keep the land they paid for and continue to pay taxes on that land.
The government can only keep you form using your land, raise those taxes each year and allow the public access. No grab! right?
It is far more insidious than just a “land grab”
All of you conspiracy theroist’s should back up and take a look at how goofy you make each other sound. Every one of you are trying to hide behind words that you think makes yourself look imprtant.
There has been a bill like this in place already, and its time is nearly run out. This bill Reintroduces that original bill. If you all hate America so much that you want to see her polluted and messed up by toxins that slowly strangles the life out of the people living here, then move to another country. From there you’d have a better chance of getting your way.
You people are stupid. The govt already has jursidiction over your property. If you murder someone in your backyard, you can still be prosecuted. This bill is about extending the power to prosecute in cases of polluting american waters. That is, if a chemical plant dumps waste into a creek. That plant can still be prosecuted despite the fact that the creek is not navigable. It is important that this passes so we and our children and grandchildren dont have to drink water with inumerable poisons in it.