[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 45 (Monday, March 16, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E671-E672]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  WATER QUALITY INVESTMENT ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. DAVE CAMP

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 12, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1262):

  Mr. CAMP. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 1262, the Water 
Quality Investment Act.
  I would like to first thank Chairman Oberstar and Ranking Member Mica 
for bringing to the floor this important legislation. I am also proud 
to have worked with Mr. Pascrell on Title Three of this bill--which we 
have introduced previously.
  Sewer maintenance is a serious problem in low-lying coastal areas 
such as Michigan. It is a sad fact that many of the sewer systems in 
Michigan and throughout the country date back to the Nineteenth 
Century.
  These outdated systems often overflow with untreated human and 
industrial waste--releasing toxins and disease-causing organisms.
  Inadequate maintenance, deteriorated pipes, rainfall and snow melts 
are too often cited as the cause of these overflows.
  It is indisputable that sewer overflows pose a significant threat to 
public health and safety because they put raw sewage into rivers, 
streets, basements, and other areas of human exposure. They are also 
responsible for many beach closures, shellfish restrictions, and 
violations of water quality standards.
  In Michigan alone there have been over 1,000 reported sewer overflows 
annually. These events have contributed over 20 billion gallons of 
sewage and wastewater onto the ground and into Michigan rivers, lakes 
and streams.
  Even more staggering, the EPA has estimated that nearly 900 billion--
let me repeat, 900 billion--gallons of untreated wastewater and storm 
water are released through combined sewer overflows and separate sewer 
overflows annually in the United States.
  The Water Quality Investment Act goes a long way toward ending the 
public health and environmental crisis associated with sewer overflows 
by providing federal funds to repair and replace outdated systems. 
Local governments cannot simply fix this mess and meet their 
obligations under the Clean Water Act alone.

[[Page E672]]

  Also of critical importance in this bill are provisions to 
reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act to tackle the problem of 
contamination in the Great Lakes Basin. It would provide the necessary 
funding to help clean up contaminated sediment in over 30 concerning 
areas.
  My gratitude must also be extended to my esteemed colleague from 
Michigan, Mr. Ehlers, for his steadfast commitment to the Great Lakes 
and the passage of the Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act.
  I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 1262 today.

                          ____________________