Here's the EPA's list of major environmental legislation.
- The Freedom of Information Act of 1966
- National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
- The Clean Air Act of 1970
- The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
- Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1972
- The Endangered Species Act of 1973
- The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974
- The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
- The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976
- The Clean Water Act of 1977
- Comprehensive Environmental Response Act of 1980
- The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986
- The Emergency Planning & Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986
- The Oil Pollution Act of 1990
- The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990
- Food Quality Protection Act of 1996
- Chemical Safety Information Act of 1999
Notice anything funny about this list? It starts out with a bang. Clean Air, Endangered Species, and Clean Water all come in the space of seven years. Then the pace kind of... slows. In particular, you might notice that the last eight years are empty of environmental accomplishments. Why? You don't have to look any further than the White House, now occupied by a man who announced during his first congressional run that he wanted to eliminate both the EPA and OSHA. He was aided by a Republican congress that failed to send him any significant bills, and which colluded with administration efforts to weaken existing laws.
Now is our chance to change this. The Clean Water Protection Act is only a few lines long, but by removing ambiguity around the idea of "fill material" it closes a loophole that mining companies have been exploiting for the last three decades.
Here's how Appalachian Voices (where kossack faithfull works in support of this legislation) puts it.
The Clean Water Protection Act reestablishes the original intent of the Clean Water Act: to protect our waterways, not give industry permission to pollute and bury them.
With the Bush administration about to weaken the existing Stream Buffer Zone Rule (you can comment on the proposed changes here), the CWPA is our best chance to save the mountains.
The Act has 103 cosponsors, but it needs more if it's going to get out of committee, onto the floor, and passed. If your representative is already on the list, thank them and let them know this issue is important to you. If not, it's even more important that you contact them and tell them to sign on. Immediately.
Here are three more states' worth of Democratic representatives who have not yet signed on as cosponsors. Among this group, John Salazar and Grace Napolitano both deserve special attention today, as they're part of the subcommittee where the bill is currently trapped. Tell them you want their support, and you want this bill moving.
Ask them to support the Clean Water Protection Act |
Check after the break for a list of kossack rock stars who took time out to contact their representatives yesterday!
Update [2007-10-16 18:19:24 by Devilstower]: From the comments below
faithfull: We've just added Lipinski (IL-10) and I just got a call from John Halls (NY-19) legislative director saying that they are onboard. These are two huge targets, because they both sit on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Hall also sits on the Water Resources Subcommittee. BIG BIG news!
Keep the calls comin!
My Heroes
These kossacks took a moment yesterday to contact their representative about the Clean Water Protection Act.
afguy08 | rlamoureux | faithfull |
plf515 | susie dow | Mogolori |
Leslie in CA | neia | crose |
cham | Jim in AZ | betson08 |
Jersey Joe | SethO | LisaZ |
ezdidit | emmasnacker | RunawayRose |
bklynDrew | prodigalkat | goblin |
If I missed anyone, please let me know.