You might be asking yourself, “Why would I be opposed to ‘Restoring Clean Water’? I want a clean healthy source of water for my family to drink, cook, bathe and swim in—why would I try and stop forward thinking legislation?”
The answer is simple. The Clean Water Restoration Act is NOT about clean water, it IS about expansion & consolidation of federal power.
One of the tricks of a good public relations team is to create a slogan that is catchy or a “feel-good” title so that people will think you are working in their best interest—but the reality is that top layer of the bill is to lull us into complacency, or trust. Then buried in the belly of the bill is the one or two line zinger that can change our freedoms forever. We miss it, is slips by quickly and by the time we realize what has happened it is too late to make changes. Government is in control of our backyard!
Why do I need to be concerned? How will this bill affect my family and our daily life?
April 2, 2009, right as the Senate was leaving for spring break, Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and 23 co-sponsors introduced legislation that would amend the Clean Water Restoration Act (S. 787), which is similar to legislation introduced in the 110th Congress. Passage of the bill would change the term “navigable waters” to say “waters of the United States”
“(25) WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘waters of the United States’ means all waters subject to the ebb and flow of the tide, the territorial seas, and all interstate and intrastate waters (including tributaries of those waters), to the maximum extent that those waters, or activities affecting those waters, are subject to the legislative power of Congress under the Constitution.
‘‘(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘waters of the United States’ includes lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, and natural ponds, and all impoundments of those waters.’’
What does this mean to you and me? This legislation will require a Clean Water Act permit for gutters, driveways, culverts, agricultural ditches, farm ponds and roadside ditches would dramatically increase the time required to process permits and create a backlog of projects. The bill also adds “all activities affecting these waters” a land use control provision that appears to be with out limits.
That means that the federal government can say that your favorite fishing hole (even though it is on your property) is now off limits, or your cattle grazing near the pond, marsh can no longer be there. You can no longer take the kids from the youth group down the river for the annual raft trip. The rain that has been collected on the rain buckets to water your garden is federal water and subject to a permit!
The real goal of the Clean Water Restoration Act (S787) is to give Corps and EPA Control over your water and all your watersheds. That means National Land Use Controls as well as control over all your water and land. That's because all land is in a watershed. The proposed Clean Water Restoration Act (CWRA) (S787), will give the Corps and EPA control over your property and water.
It will redefine what the term "wetlands" means in the law. It will eliminate the requirement that the Corps and EPA limit their jurisdiction to "Navigable" waters and give those agencies control over any water or "activities" affecting water.
Congress is considering expanding the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act of 1972 to include all waters of the United States and not limit it to "navigable waters" as is currently the law under two Supreme Court Decisions, the Rapanos and SWANCC Supreme Court Decisions of 2006 and 2001. The Clean Water Restoration Act (CWRA) (S787) even goes far beyond that by adding the language, "the activities affecting these waters", which is essentially a limitless national land use control provision.
Friends this will change how we live today! Are you willing to let a few people in Washington DC tell you how you can recreate, plant a garden, feed your livestock or even build a pond in your backyard. This is more than Big Brother, this is ultimate control by the federal government.
CWRA (S787) will vastly expand the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers and the EPA. That would give the Corps of Engineers and EPA jurisdiction over nearly all private and Federal land. The Supreme Court limited that jurisdiction in the two Supreme Court decisions.
What do I do? Begin by calling your Senator; tell them to not support S. 787 “The Clean Water Restoration Act”. You can call any Senator at (202) 224-3121. Then focus on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
| Click here for the Committee on Environment & Public Works website |
| Majority Members |
Minority Members |
Barbara Boxer (D-CA) - Chairman
Thomas Carper (D-DE)
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
Amy Klobuchar (DFL-MN)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Tom Udall (D-NM)
Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) |
James Inhofe (R-OK) - Ranking
David Vitter (R-LA)
John Barrasso (R-WY)
Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Christopher Bond (R-MO)
Lamar Alexander (R-TN) |
Write any Senator at:
The Honorable _________
US Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Call any Senator at (202) 224-3121.
Then have your friends and family call or write.
You must take urgent action to help stop the CWRA (Clean Water Restoration Act). This bill will have a huge impact on business, agriculture, small communities, rural America, farming, ranching and all private lands. It will overturn the Rapanos and SWANCC Supreme Court Decisions of 2006 and 2001.
Please support the Nation Water Conservation Alliances, as we prepare this grassroots outreach every dollar counts to make a lasting impact on our rights as citizens of the United States.
Please send a check to:
National Water Conservation Alliance
P.O. Box 65246,
Vancouver, WA 98665-0009
You can also add your name and email to our address on this website, that way we know to make sure we send you all the special alerts about the Clean Water Restoration Act.
