[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 1, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E683]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               EARTH DAY

                                 ______


                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 1, 1996

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert my Washington 
Report for Wednesday, May 1, 1996 into the Congressional Record.

               Earth Day 1996: Protecting Our Environment

       On this, the 26th anniversary of Earth Day, we can take 
     great pride in the advances that have been made in 
     environmental protection. We have succeeded in reducing the 
     levels of lead and other dangerous pollutants from the air. 
     Lakes and rivers, once so contaminated they could catch on 
     fire, now support large fish populations. Forests are 
     rebounding. Endangered species, like the eagle and the 
     buffalo, have been saved from extinction and are now 
     thriving.
       Hoosiers strongly support cleaning up our air, water, and 
     land, and they want to leave the environment safe and clean 
     for the next generation. They do not want to cut back on our 
     environmental investment. Hoosiers do not say to me that we 
     have too many parks, or that the air and water are too clean. 
     They overwhelmingly support sensible, targeted and moderate 
     laws necessary to keep the environment clean. They also 
     support the view that states and localities have a greater 
     role to play in the environment, and that environmental laws 
     should be based on sound science and a careful balancing of 
     costs, benefits and risks. I agree with their common sense 
     beliefs.
       Several federal laws provide the foundation for 
     environmental protection in this country. As we celebrate the 
     26th Earth Day, it is helpful to understand how these laws 
     work, how they have contributed to a cleaner environment in 
     Indiana and around the country, and how we can improve them 
     as we meet new challenges.


                         improving air quality

       The Clean Air Act, originally passed in 1970, seeks to 
     protect human health and the environment from outdoor air 
     pollution, such as car exhaust and factory emissions. The Act 
     has dramatically reduced air pollutant levels. From 1984 to 
     1993, emissions of lead declined by 89%, particulates by 20%, 
     sulfur dioxides by 26%, and carbon monoxide by 37%.
       Congress substantially revised this law in 1990 to 
     strengthen the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency 
     (EPA), states and the private sector to work cooperatively to 
     improve air quality, particularly in cities with significant 
     pollution problems. The new law also aims to reduce 
     pollutants which cause acid rain and contribute to global 
     environmental problems, including ozone depletion and global 
     warming.
       The new law also expanded efforts to develop cost-effective 
     ways to reduce emissions for coal-fired power plants. Such 
     utilities are common in southern Indiana and throughout the 
     Midwest, providing relatively inexpensive electricity to 
     residents in the region. The burning of coal, however, does 
     contribute to air quality problems. The Clean Coal Technology 
     Program, which funds six projects in Indiana, provides 
     assistance to help defray the costs of pollution control.


                           cleaning our water

       The Clean Water Act, passed in 1972, is the main law 
     protecting our streams, lakes, estuaries, and coastal waters. 
     It aims to limit the amount of waste flowing into surface 
     waters. It also provides local communities with low-interest 
     loans to assist in the construction or upgrade of municipal 
     wastewater treatment facilities.
       Wastewater treatment has dramatically reduced pollution in 
     our rivers, lakes and streams. These efforts have improved 
     the quality of drinking water and preserved fish and other 
     aquatic life. Since 1972 the number of people served by 
     modern sewage treatment facilities has almost doubled and the 
     level of pollution discharged by municipal treatment plants 
     has declined by 36%.
       The other important federal law protecting water resources 
     is the Safe Drinking Water Act, passed in 1974. The Act 
     requires EPA to determine which contaminants threaten public 
     health and set standards for safe pollutant levels in 
     drinking water. These standards generally apply to public 
     water systems. The Act has made tap water safer from harmful 
     contaminants, including bacteria, viruses, and certain 
     chemicals.
       I appreciate that improving water quality costs money. I am 
     sensitive to the concerns of local leaders who want the 
     flexibility to achieve cleaner water in more cost-effective 
     ways. Consequently, I have supported measures to make federal 
     rules more flexible, less costly and less complex to assist 
     them in pollution control efforts.


                          conserving the land

       The federal government has worked cooperatively with 
     farmers since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s to control soil 
     erosion. The Natural Resource Conservation Service, formerly 
     the Soil Conservation Service, has national responsibility 
     for helping farmers and ranchers develop and carry out 
     voluntary efforts to conserve and protect our natural 
     resources. This effort has helped improve farm productivity 
     while preserving water and soil quality.
       Considerable debate has focussed in recent years on 
     wetlands conservation. Wetlands include swamps, bogs marshes, 
     and prairie potholes, and are considered crucial to water 
     quality protection and flood control. The problem is that 
     wetlands have been disappearing at a significant rate. 
     Indiana lost well over 80% of its wetlands between the late 
     1700s and the mid-1980s. Nationwide, wetlands are declining, 
     primarily because of growth and development, at a rate of 
     290,000 acres a year.
       The key to wetlands conservation is finding a way to 
     protect these valuable resources without imposing significant 
     economic costs on farmers and other landowners. The 1996 farm 
     act approved earlier this year takes some steps toward 
     striking an appropriate balance between environmental and 
     economic interests. The new law streamlines current rules and 
     makes them more understandable to farmers and other land 
     users.


                               conclusion

       Indiana and our country have been blessed with a bountiful 
     environment. This blessing cannot be taken for granted. We 
     all have a stake in the preservation of our environment. 
     Earth Day reminds us of our successes over the last 26 
     years--cleaner water, cleaner air, cleaner land--while 
     committing us to preserve our natural heritage for future 
     generations.
       The challenge facing the U.S. is finding an appropriate 
     balance between preserving our environment and promoting 
     economic growth. Cleaning the environment has become more 
     complicated. We must search for more effective ways to 
     protect the environment with less cost and less regulation. 
     My view is that we do not have to sacrifice environmental 
     protection to get economic growth. We can have both. Growth 
     creates jobs and increases our standard of living; 
     environmental protection improves public health, conserves 
     valuable resources upon which growth depends, and preserves 
     the natural beauty of this country.

                          ____________________