Date: 2011-07-13
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I yield myself the balance of my time. Let me refer my colleagues again to basic facts. Fortyseven States have entered into agreements with the EPA because they have decided. in spite of the challenges that we all have on making sure that we do the right thing. that it is the right thing to do. that clean water is our priority. And I would offer as a viable picture a recollection of Americans who had to live through histories when water was not clean. We did have that era in our lifetime. or at least in the lifetimes of many. I would argue that that is not the life we would like to go back to. This particular section is protecting us against pollutants that degrade surface water. rendering it unsafe for drinking. fishing. swimming. and other activities coming from a vast variety of chemicals. industry. and other sources. By regulating the sources that dispense these harmful pollutants. the EPA is able to ensure that all States have access to safe drinking water. Do you want a jobs bill? Then you create the companies that are going to help us keep our waterways clean. Put people to work cleaning water. Put people to work complying with the right thing to do to ensure that we have clean drinking water. to ensure that babies and working moms and families can turn on that faucet. and to ensure that they can drink that clean water. We want to work with industry. We want to be able to come halfway. but we dont want to return America to a time when you would dip down. You find in developing nations the enormous number of diseases that children have because they do not have clean water. Go to some of our developing nations. See what theyre washing themselves in. See what theyre drinking. Thats not America. We have the opportunity to be the kind of nation that works with our businesses but also the kind that fights for our children and provides the opportunity for clean water. I ask my colleagues to stand with us and to strike section 2 to allow us. one. to go for a compromise if we can. but also to stand for those who would welcome clean water. Lets end diseases that can be caused in this reckless manner. I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment to support clean water in America. Mr. Chair. I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 2018 the "Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011." which ensures the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will continue to have authority to oversee issues related to the standards for and issuance of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. My amendment will strike section 2 of the bill. ensuring the vital role played by the EPA in determining whether or not certain pollutants enter our waterways. Providing States with nearly unlimited authority to determine which pollutants can enter our waterways does not take into account issues that arise when States disagree. The EPA is a unifying body. issuing regulations that ensure all States have standards that they must follow. Bodies of water cross State lines. and the water quality standards of one State are very likely to impact neighboring States. The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that all wastewater discharges to surface water receive a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. 47 States. including Texas. where I represent the 18th Congressional District. are currently authorized to issue NPDES permits. Texas has been authorized to issue these permits since September 14. 1998. The pollutants that degrade surface water. rendering it unsafe for drinking. fishing. swimming. and other activities. come from a vast variety of chemicals. industry and other sources. By regulating the sources that dispense these harmful pollutants. the EPA is able to ensure that all States have access to safe water bodies. It is important that the EPA be able to set a universal standard that all States follow. States may lack the resources and funding to adequately implement the NPDES program and properly regulate sources of water contaminants. Additionally. States may not have the resources or expertise needed to continually evaluate regulations in order to ensure that water remains safe. Preventing the EPA from regulating the levels of pollutants in bodies of water may give jurisdiction over the issuance of permits to the States. but it certainly will not allow States to set their own standards for water quality. If the EPA is not able to set universal standards. downstream States will be subject to the water quality of upstream States. Contaminated groundwater will spread beyond State borders. impacting the lakes. reservoirs. and agriculture of nearby States. putting the people and the economy of its neighbors at risk. In 1906. Missouri sued Illinois for discharging sewage into a tributary of the Mississippi River that ultimately rendered drinking water unsafe in Missouri. Restricting the EPA from holding all States to the same standards will inevitably lead to many suits of this nature. I believe this bill sends us in the wrong direction when it comes to protecting our nations bodies of water. This bill leaves a false impression that the EPA is an organization that arbitrarily picks and chooses what chemicals States can and cannot permit to enter our precious waters. Rather. the EPA has a broad responsibility for research. standardsetting. monitoring. and enforcement with regard to five environmental hazards: air pollution. water pollution. solid waste disposal. radiation. and pesticides. The EPA represents a coordinated approach to each of these problems. including an important standard for clean water. Mr. Chair. I strongly urge opposition to this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.