S. 787 would amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify the jurisdiction of the United States over waters of the United States.
Detailed Summary
Clean Water Restoration Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to replace the term "navigable waters" that are subject to such Act with the term "waters of the United States," defined to mean all waters subject to the ebb and flow of the tide, the territorial seas, and all interstate and intrastate waters and their tributaries, including lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, natural ponds, and all impoundments of the foregoing, to the fullest extent that these waters, or activities affecting them, are subject to the legislative power of Congress under the Constitution.
Declares that nothing in such Act affects the authority of the Secretary of the Army or the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the provisions of the Clean Water Act related to discharges: (1) composed entirely of return flows from irrigated agriculture; (2) of stormwater runoff from certain oil, gas, and mining operations composed entirely of flows from precipitation runoff conveyances, which are not contaminated by or in contact with specified materials; (3) of dredged or fill materials resulting from normal farming, silviculture, and ranching activities, from upland soil and water conservation practices, or from activities with respect to which a state has an approved water quality regulatory program; or (4) of dredged or fill materials for the maintenance of currently serviceable structures, the construction or maintenance of farm or stock ponds, irrigation ditches and maintenance of drainage ditches, or farm, forest, or temporary roads for moving mining equipment in accordance with best management practices, or the construction of temporary sedimentation basins on construction sites for which discharges do not include placement of fill material into the waters of the United States.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 6/18/2009: Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
AnnW
(logged in user) June 12, 2009, 2:46pm (report abuse)This is why I'm against this bill.
THE GREAT WATER HEIST on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqHaUadsapc&feature=PlayList&p=CCE716B2A...
L. Hansen
August 21, 2009, 12:48pm (report abuse)Cities and states already regulate this. This is excessive bureaucracy and overregulation. Did you know that if there is a pond in your neighborhood, you may already be charged thousands of dollars to bring it up to local regs and now Uncle Sam is reaching his ugly tentacles into your pocket. This will give the federal government control over YOUR WATER AND THE LAND IT SITS ON.