[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 65 (Friday, April 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E844-E845]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 INTRODUCTION OF THE DeLAURO-LOWEY WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AND ESTUARY 
                        RESTORATION ACT OF 1995

                                 ______


                           HON. NITA M. LOWEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 1995
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, today Congresswoman DeLauro and I are once 
again joining with a geographically diverse group of our colleagues in 
reintroducing legislation to renew and expand the Federal Government's 
role in controlling pollution and in stewarding our coastal resources.
  Our legislation--the Water Pollution Control and Estuary Restoration 
Financing Act--was first inspired more than 4 years ago by the 
dedication of citizens in our communities who have spearheaded the 
effort to save Long Island Sound. In fact, labor, business, and 
environmental groups in New York and Connecticut have taken the bold 
step of setting aside historic differences to work together to address 
the need for effective water pollution 
[[Page E845]] control. Just last fall, their hard work took a major 
step forward with the signing of the Long Island Sound Clean-up Plan by 
the States of New York and Connecticut and EPA Administrator Carol 
Browner.
  Despite these achievements for Long Island Sound, much remains to be 
done to take our Nation's estuaries off the endangered list. 
Nationally, we face an appalling backlog of water quality 
infrastructure upgrade needs that threatens to choke our economy just 
as it is robbing our waters of life-giving oxygen. Quite simply, we 
need leadership at the Federal level to match the energy and ingenuity 
of our communities that are working toward a better environmental and 
economic future. Without strong Federal leadership and substantial 
funds to back it up, we run the risk of squandering over 20 years of 
progress in cleaning up and protecting our waters.
  Therefore, our legislation will re-ignite Federal, State, and local 
cooperation in water pollution control by significantly increasing 
annual authorization levels for the State Revolving Fund [SRF] Program 
to $4 billion and then $5 billion beginning in 1998. In the context of 
our continuing budgetary problems, these authorizations may appear 
high. But without a renewed Federal commitment to clean water, the 
estimated $200-billion shortfall over the next decade in sewage 
treatment upgrades leaves our States with two unacceptable 
alternatives: swamp their residents with higher taxes, or allow vital 
waterways to die and their economies to stagnate. It is encouraging 
that the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment has recently 
approved an increase in the SRF to $3 billion. This is an important 
step in the right direction, but I hope this Congress can do better 
before the bill becomes law.
  In addition to expanding and modernizing the Nation's water pollution 
control infrastructure, we must support efforts to spend clean water 
dollars as intelligently as possible. To that end, our legislation 
departs from past practice by earmarking a portion of the SRF funds for 
the implementation of comprehensive estuary management plans. These 
comprehensive conservation and management plans are designed to utilize 
the most cost-effective mix of policies to reduce water pollution in 
sensitive coastal regions. And, rather than heavy-handed mandates from 
Washington, these plans are founded on voluntary partnerships among 
people with a shared vision for reinvigorating our economy and 
revitalizing our bays, rivers, and beaches. At present, communities in 
and around 21 of our Nation's estuaries are at work developing plans; 
another half dozen will be added to the National Estuary Program [NEP] 
later this year.
  Moreover, our legislation would strengthen section 320 of the Clean 
Water Act, which authorizes the National Estuary Program. First 
established under the Water Quality Act of 1987, the NEP provides a 
mechanism for bringing together Federal, State, and local authorities--
and interested citizens--to develop comprehensive, watershed-based 
plans for cleaning up and protecting nationally significant estuaries. 
In Long Island Sound, Puget Sound, Massachusetts Bay, and a number of 
other estuaries, the NEP has helped bring about unprecedented 
cooperation aimed at saving these threatened waters and the economies 
that rely on them.
  Our bill would build on the success of the NEP by clarifying the 
funding and staffing responsibilities of Federal agencies concerned 
with the program, including the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] 
and the National
 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]. Specifically, the bill 
states that implementation of estuary management plans is a non-
discretionary duty of the EPA. The measure seeks to improve Federal 
leadership in the NEP by directing the EPA to promulgate guidelines for 
development, approval, and implementation of comprehensive management 
plans. Other important proposed changes include measures to improve 
coordination of clean-up efforts with other Federal activities in 
estuaries. In short, this bill is designed to make certain that those 
plans do not end up on shelves in bureaucrats' offices, but instead 
truly clean up these critical bodies of water.

  In the 103d Congress, the DeLauro-Lowey Water Pollution Control and 
Estuary Restoration Financing Act received strong bipartisan support 
and backing from a unique nationwide coalition of business, labor, and 
environmental groups who recognize the ties that bind the condition of 
our waters and the state of our economy. Provisions similar to our bill 
were included in the clean water reauthorization bill reported last 
year by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
  As we reintroduce our legislation today, however, we do so at a time 
when the Clean Water Act is under attack. The act's reauthorization 
that is being developed in committee threatens to undermine much of the 
progress that has been achieved in approving our Nation's water 
quality. For example, by decreasing protection for our Nation's 
remaining wetlands and repealing provisions in the Coastal Zone 
Management Program that require coastal States to develop enforceable 
polluted runoff control programs, this legislation would turn back the 
clock on environmental protection and pose new threats to our Nation's 
vital waterways. We must not allow this to happen.
  Mr. Speaker, our legislation is a call to action that says through 
sensible investments in water pollution control we can help ensure our 
economic and environmental future. Without Federal assistance, our 
estuaries will die while the long-term growth of our economies suffers.
  In conclusion, I want to thank all 36 of my colleagues who have 
joined Ms. DeLauro and myself in introducing this legislation. We all 
are keenly aware that by failing to help our municipalities meet their 
infrastructure needs, we are forcing them to tie up scarce local 
dollars that otherwise could be used to improve schools, fight drugs 
and crime, provide housing and health care, or meet the needs of the 
elderly and disabled. In the end, every one stands to lose. We also 
understand that clean water is a national priority. Just as rivers and 
coastal waters affect and are affected by the policies of various 
States, an interstate commitment is essential to success.
  The time has come to act, Mr. Speaker.
  

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