[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 16, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
     S. 1114 THREATENS ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT

  (Mr. ALLARD asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks and include extraneous 
matter.)
  Mr. ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, members of the Colorado State House of 
Representatives and State Senate recently informed me of their 
opposition of S. 1114, which will seriously hinder the flexibility of 
both the State and localities in Colorado and this Nation.
  The Clean Water Act has made considerable progress in achieving its 
goal of restoring the biological integrity of the Nation's water. 
Seventy-five percent of the Nation's waters are in compliance with the 
standards now set by the EPA.
  The legislative proposals in S. 1114 severely threaten the 
flexibility of the States to operate in an innovative manner in 
creating programs to meet and go beyond the Clean Water Act goals.
  If S. 1114 passes, federally supervised zoning and land use programs 
would be put into effect. This is the last thing the States and 
localities of Colorado and this Nation need in helping clean up our 
water.
  Colorado and other States continue to succeed at meeting the 
expectations of the EPA. But, they need the flexibility to adopt 
policies which are tailored to their needs.
  That is why I'm sharing with you the following resolution.

                     House Joint Resolution 94-1015

       Whereas, The United States Congress is considering measures 
     to reauthorize the federal Clean Water Act in S. 1114; and
       Whereas, The Clean Water Act has made considerable progress 
     toward its stated goal to restore and maintain the chemical, 
     physical, and biological integrity of the nation's water with 
     approximately 75% of the nation's waters complying with 
     applicable standards; and
       Whereas, This success is based on the flexibility of the 
     Clean Water Act to allow the states to create and administer 
     innovative programs to meet the Clean Water Act goals; and
       Whereas, Legislative proposals such as S. 1114 threaten 
     state primacy and flexibility which are essential components 
     of the Clean Water Act by substituting provisions which would 
     amount to a federally supervised zoning and land use program; 
     and
       Whereas, Additional unfunded federal mandates to support 
     this program without state primacy and flexibility is bad 
     public policy; and
       Whereas, The United States Senate Committee on Environment 
     and Public Works is currently considering S. 1114, and the 
     General Assembly wants the concerns of the state to be 
     addressed during consideration of the measure; now, 
     therefore, be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the 
     President of the United States Senate, the Chairman and 
     Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Environment and Public 
     Works Committee, the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency, and the Colorado Congressional Delegation.

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