Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates 32nd Anniversary of the Clean Water Act

Title: Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates 32nd Anniversary of the Clean Water Act
Date: 10/18/2004
Location: Washington, DC

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates 32nd Anniversary of the Clean Water Act
Decries Bush Administration for Attempts to Undermine Landmark Legislation

Washington, DC - In recognition of the anniversary of the Clean Water Act today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement.

"Thirty-two years ago today, the Federal government undertook an important national commitment to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of our nation's waters," said Lee. "And since the modern Clean Water Act came into existence, I'm proud to say that we have made substantial progress in cleaning up our waterways and restoring the health of our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters.

"But as we celebrate the accomplishments of the modern Clean Water Act, we should be mindful that there is still a lot left for us to do", Lee cautioned. "Recent EPA reports indicate that almost 300,000 miles of rivers and streams and more than 7 million acres of lakes still do not meet water quality goals."

"We should also take this time to re-dedicate ourselves to the fight against the Bush Administration's ongoing efforts to weaken the Clean Water Act and undo all the progress we have made. By rolling back important environmental regulations which curb pollution and by slashing funding for the repair and replacement of our wastewater systems, this administration has repeatedly shown its willingness to endanger our own health and well-being, and to jeopardize the integrity of our natural environment."

"I believe that as a global community, we must quickly recognize the dramatic impact that human development has made on our natural environment and work to reduce the human footprint that we leave behind on the world. By trying to weaken the Clean Water Act, this Administration only enlarges that footprint."