Clean Water Act
The Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) provides the basis for most American water pollution control laws. Significantly, the Act regulates releases of pollution and toxic substances into waters of the United States and ensures that surface waters are fit for human recreation. All waters with a “significant nexus” to “navigable waters of the United States” fall under the prevue of the CWA. However, the term “significant nexus” has been the subject of great legal debate. Many believe that nonpoint sources of pollution were intended to be covered by the act as well. However, to date, these sources (most notably large farms) are not subject to provisions of the CWA.
Cry Wolf Quotes
[The impact on industries and farmers of dropping the word 'navigable' from the Clean Water Act] could be catastrophic.
The general public wants both blue water in the streams and adequate employment for the community. The older plant may not be able to afford the investment in waste treatment facilities necessary to provide blue water; the only alternative may be to shut the operation down. But the employees of the plant and the community cannot afford to have the plant shut down. They cannot afford to lose the employment furnished by the operation.
To remove jurisdiction of thermal discharges to the higher Federal level offers no evident benefits in the public interest, and on the contrary our experience has shown that it will lead to decisionmaking[sic] on the basis of arbitrary formulas without giving proper weight to the local conditions that do affect public interest.
Clean air, land and water are vital to all of us. But so are jobs, food, clothing and housing. We have to weigh the total impact on the environment along with the economic and social costs in order to clean up.
Evidence
-
Protecting the Clean Water Act: 37 Years of Progress
A fact sheet extolling the achievements of the Clean Water Act.
-
Water Quality Today - Has the Clean Water Act Been a Success?
The Clean Water Act works and it hasn't impeded economic growth.
-
Jobs vs. The Environment: An Industry-Level Study
Four industries that operate under intense environmental regulatory scrutiny, but haven't lost jobs as a result.
