Clean Water Act in 50

THE INVESTIGATION OF THE HILL IS UNDERWAY. A BIG CELEBRATION FOR NATIONAL WATERWAYS THIS WEEK MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT. LETICIA: BUT A NEW REPORT SHOWS THAT ONLY HALF OF THE NATION’S RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE CONSIDERED CLEAN. BY AMY LOU IN OUR WASHINGTON EDITORIAL WHY SOME SAY THIS IS NOT A REASON TO CELEBRATE. AMY: WHEN THE CLEAN WATER ACT WAS PASSED IN 1972, THE GOAL WAS TO CLEAN UP ALL WATERWAYS WITHIN 11 YEARS. NOW 50 YEARS LATER, ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAY WE’RE JUST ON THE SIDE. >> MATS OF DEAD FISH COVERING THE WATER. YOU WOULD SEE LARGE CAMPS OF ALGAE AND SMELL IT. AMY: ENVIRONMENTAL ERIC SCHAEFFER, who grew up near the Potomac River, remembers life without clean, accessible water in the nation’s capital. MORE THAN 50 YEARS LATER, HE SAYS, THE POTOMAK HAS IMPROVED DRAMATICLY, THANKS IN PART TO THE CLEAN WATER ACT. >> IT’S BETTER THAN IT WAS. AMY: A REPORT CO-AUTHORED BY SHAEFFER SHOWS THERE’S A LOT TO NOTE AS STATES PASS NEW WATER TREATMENT LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS. >> WE NEED TO KEEP THIS REVENUE AND CONTINUE THE WORK STARTED BY THE CLEAN WATER ACT. AMY: BUT THE GOOD PICTURE OF PROGRESS LOOKS MORE LIKE Treading Water. SCHAEFFER SAYS HALF OF THE OVER 700,000 MILES OF U.S. RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE STILL POLLUTED FROM AGRICULTURAL AND RAINWATER AND FAILURE OF WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE. >> YES, WE HAVE SOME PROBLEMS AHEAD. BUT LET ME BE CLEAR: WE HAVE HISTORICAL RESOURCES. AMY: EPA ADMINISTRATOR MICHAEL REAGAN SAYS a stream of new investments from the Biden administration could rebuild infrastructure and address climate change. MEANWHILE, THE AGENCY SAYS IT STRENGTHENS REGULATION AND ENFORCEMENT TO HOLD OVER GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY. >> TOGETHER WITH THIS RELATIONSHIP, THIS INFUSION OF CAPITAL AND THIS OPTIMISM, WE GO. AMY: 50 YEARS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO IMPROVE AMERICA’S WATERWAYS LATER, SCHAEFFER SAYS MORE MAY BE NEEDED AS POPULATION GROWTH AND STORM AMOUNT CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR POLLUTION. >> ULTIMATELY, THE PUBLIC MUST DECIDE WHAT VALUE YOU PLACE ON CLEAN WATER. AMY: THE REPORT ACCUSES EPA OF NEGLECTING ITS OBLIGATIONS TO REVIEW POLLUTION IN MAJOR INDUSTRIES SUCH AS REFINING AND CHEMICAL PLANTS. WE HAVE REACHED OUT FOR COMMENT AND HAVE NOT HAD A REPLY SO FAR. IN WASHINGTON I’M AMY LOU, THREE KCRA NEWS. LETITIA: NOW LOOK AT TH

Clean Water Act in 50

Updated: October 24, 2022 11:11 am PDT

A big celebration for the nation’s waterways this week as the Clean Water Act celebrates its 50th anniversary. Conservation agencies set a goal of cleaning up the country’s waterways by 1983. But nearly 40 years later, the report says the country is only halfway to that goal. Amy Lu reports from Washington, DC

A big celebration for the nation’s waterways this week as the Clean Water Act celebrates its 50th anniversary. Conservation agencies set a goal of cleaning up the country’s waterways by 1983. But nearly 40 years later, the report says the country is only halfway to that goal. Amy Lu reports from Washington, DC