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<br />THE WEEKLY NEWSLETfER OF THE WESTERN STATES WA~RcoiJNCIL
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<br />Creekview Plaza, Suite A-201/942 East 7145 So. / Midvaie, Utali84047 /(801) 561-530Q I FAX (801)255-9642
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<br />Editor - Norm Johnson
<br />Typist - Carrie Curvin
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<br />ADMINISTRATION UPDATE/ENVIRONMENT
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<br />Clean Water Act
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<br />On January 31, the Administration, rale,lSed
<br />'''President Clinton's Clean Water Initiative,". w,hich
<br />addresses funding issues, toxics, non-point $ource
<br />pollution, enforcement authority, permitting,
<br />monitoring, national estuary and watershed protection
<br />programs, ground water and drinking water protection,
<br />water use efficiency, and increasing tribal assumption
<br />of EPA water programs. While reco!)nizing that the
<br />Clean Water Act (CWA) has dramatically improved
<br />water quality, 'the initiative states that serious threats
<br />remain unchecked. The President's initiative is
<br />Intended to energize efforts to pass a new Clean
<br />Water Act and "secure clean and healthy water, while
<br />making simpler and more efficient state and local
<br />governments' central role." A more targeted approach
<br />will be used to "craft flexible, innovative, efficient
<br />solutions to water quality problems, increasingly
<br />making watersheds the basis of analysis and action."
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<br />The key policy objectives are: (1) to reduce
<br />non-point source pollution through clear pelformance
<br />objectives and by giving incentives, information and
<br />technical aid to farmers, developers, ,foresters and ,
<br />others; (2) to streamline and strengthen regulatorY and
<br />enforcement authorities to assure a prompt, effective
<br />and appropriate response to environmental and health
<br />threats; (3) to slash unfunded mandates, increase
<br />flexibility and cut red tape for states, municipalities and
<br />the private sector, so resources are targeted to the
<br />most serious quality probiems; (4) to improve and
<br />maintain the municipal wastewater infrastructure, as
<br />too many areas find their sewers and treatment plants
<br />inadequate to protect water quality: (5) to encourage
<br />dischargers to move beyond compliance with the letter
<br />of the law to innovation that will prevent pollution,
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<br />Chairman- Dave Kennedy
<br />Executive Director - Craig Bell
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<br />promote efficiency and protect living resources; and
<br />,(Elt.to,improve the quality of life for all, "".Ieaving no
<br />group, bearing p,ojsprqportionate burden: 'Of the
<br />cO,nsequencesof environrTIental pollution:;"'..
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<br />In sum the Administration is proposing "a new era
<br />in environmental protection. Instead of simply
<br />controlling the end of the discharge pipe, we propose
<br />to protect and conserve Ouf water, ,aqi!atic' habttats,
<br />and the living resources.\Vithiri,.throi.JgH;;m integrated,
<br />holistic approach, based on' hatural watersheds, and
<br />aimed at reducing pollutants from all sOLi~ces that,
<br />impair water quality. This vision for water quality is
<br />powelful and wide .enough', to realiz,e, other vttal
<br />national priorities, : ,such as improving wetlands
<br />programs, growing jobs, and addressing key border
<br />issues in a new U.S.-Mexico trade agreement." The
<br />comprehensive initiative reportedly parallels closely
<br />recently revised Senate legislation (yiISW #1028).
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<br />Department of Environmental Protection/EPA
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<br />On February 2, the House defeated a proposed
<br />rule that would have limtted amendments and debate
<br />on H.R. 3425, to transform the 'Environmental
<br />Protection Agency into a new Department of
<br />Environmental Protection. Last May, the Senate
<br />passed S. 171 to elevate EPA to the cabinet and
<br />dismantle the White House's Council on Environmental
<br />Quality (CEQ). shifting, its duties to the new
<br />department. The Senate bill passed 95-3, with an
<br />amendment requiring risk assessment and cost-beneftt
<br />analysis for environmental rulemakings. However, last
<br />fall, the House Governments Operations Committee
<br />reported its version of the bill (H.R. 3425) without such
<br />an amendment, and the House Rules Committee
<br />agreed to bar any floor amendments dealing wtth
<br />environmental policy changes. The Administration,
<br />including Vice-President AI Gore, actively lobbied for
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