[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
[May 29, 1999]
[Pages 857-858]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Memorandum on Clean Water Protection
May 29, 1999

Memorandum for the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of 
Agriculture, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Subject: Clean Water Protection

    Fifteen months ago, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Clean 
Water Act, my Administration set forth a vision for a new generation of 
clean water protection through our Clean Water Action Plan. The Action 
Plan strengthens protections for our Nation's waters, addresses the 
remaining sources of water quality impairment, and provides the tools 
and resources that States, Tribes, and communities need to control 
pollution on a coordinated basis throughout their watersheds.
    The Action Plan recognizes that despite significant progress, the 
challenge for all of us in protecting our Nation's waters remains 
unfinished. The health of our people continues to be threatened by 
exposure to harmful organisms in our waters; consumption of fish from 
many of our waters presents a threat to the most vulnerable among us; 
polluted runoff has for too long eluded remedy using conventional 
approaches. The Action Plan was coupled with a challenge to the Congress 
to reauthorize and strengthen the Clean Water Act, but the Congress has 
yet to act on this challenge.
    As we begin the beach-going season, when families are reminded again 
about the importance of clean water to their recreation, their well-
being, and the economy, we remain anxious to work with the Congress on 
strengthening the Clean Water Act. We must not wait for the Congress, 
however, before using our available resources and authority to further 
accelerate the effort to protect America's waters and the health and 
safety of the American public.
    Accordingly, I direct you to take the following additional steps, 
consistent with the Clean Water Act and the Clean Water Action Plan, to 
protect public health and clean water.
    First, I direct the Park Service and other units of the Department 
of the Interior to strengthen water-quality protections at all beaches 
managed by the Department. Improved monitoring should be used wherever 
necessary to enhance the public's right to know that beaches are safe 
for their families and to assist the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA), States, and Tribes to identify and stop the causes of beach 
closures.
    Second, I direct the EPA to work with the States to expedite the 
pace at which they will strengthen their beach and recreational water 
quality standards, so that the public will be able to enjoy the same 
strong level of protection at all the Nation's beaches no later than 
2003. In accordance with the EPA's Beach Action Plan, the EPA should 
promulgate standards in cases where a State does not amend its water 
quality standards to include the EPA-recommended criteria in a timely 
manner.
    Third, I direct the EPA to improve protection of public health at 
our Nation's beaches by developing, within 1 year, a strong national 
regulation to prevent the over 40,000 annual sanitary sewer overflows 
from contaminating our Nation's beaches and jeopardizing the health of

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our Nation's families. At a minimum, the program must raise the standard 
for sewage treatment to adequately protect public health and provide 
full information to communities about these water quality problems and 
associated health risks.
    Fourth, I direct the Department of the Interior and the Department 
of Agriculture to enhance management of Federal lands to increase 
protection of waters on or near Federal lands, and to identify waters on 
or near Federal lands that require special protection. Specifically, a 
proposal for a unified Federal policy on watershed management, developed 
under the Clean Water Action Plan, should be circulated first for 
consultation with States and Indian Tribes, and then published in the 
Federal Register for public comment no later than July 15, 1999.
    Each of these measures should be implemented through a process that 
provides appropriate opportunities for participation and comment by 
States, Tribes, and the affected public.
    This memorandum is not intended to create any right, benefit, or 
trust responsibility, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or 
equity by a party against the United States, its agencies or 
instrumentalities, or any other person.

                                                      William J. Clinton

Note: This memorandum was embargoed for release until 10:06 a.m.