We are pleased to provide comments to you on these proposed regulations, because the nation's Governors are committed to cleaning up the waters of the United States in an effective and fair manner. States have always supported the Clean Water Act's goals to restore and maintain the quality of the nation's waters.
Water resources are central to the nation's economic and environmental well-being.
We are concerned that the proposed regulations will lead to a shift in the traditional relationship between states and the federal government beyond what was intended by Congress in the Clean Water Act. The most significant role the federal government can play is to assist states by providing funds needed to achieve water quality goals. Resource needs for improving and maintaining the quality of the nation's waters are a shared responsibility between the federal government and the states. Historically, federal funding for state implementation of water quality goals has been extremely limited, and when adjusted for inflation, dramatically reduced during the last twenty years. We are concerned that the proposed regulations impose costly new requirements on states.