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For the past two years Congress has repeatedly limited and reversed
environmental protections under pressure from big business. But on May
18, Environment New Jersey and our allies were able to break through
the influence of industry lobbyists and prevail on the House floor.
Clean Water Act defended
When the Bush administration’s EPA introduced the policy of “No
Protection,” it signaled a major step backward for the quality of our
water. The 2003 policy removed protections from the small streams and
wetlands that are the lifeblood of the nation’s diverse water system.
But in a flurry of late-night votes on May 18, the House of Representatives
voted to stop the EPA from implementing the “No Protection” policy, effectively protecting 20 million acres of wetland and thousands
of miles of streams and rivers.
Environment New Jersey and our allies will continue to work against
policies like these that strip our wetlands and waterways of the protections
they deserve.
Protecting the right to know
In the fight against toxic chemicals, knowing is half the battle.
Years ago, environmental advocates worked to create the Right-To-Know
program, which requires companies to report on toxic chemicals that
are released to the environment. Last spring, the House voted to uphold
these protections, after they came under attack by EPA action. “The House stood up for the American public and paid notice to the more
than 110,000 comments submitted in opposition to EPA’s rollback of the
Toxic Release Inventory,” said Environment New Jersey’s Doug O’Malley. |
