| To: | Members & Subscribers |
| From: | National Office |
| Date: | October 20, 1997 |
| Re: | RA 97-24 |
New Administration Clean Water Initiative
At a ceremony recognizing the 25th anniversary of the Clean Water
Act on Saturday, October 18, Vice President Al Gore announced
a new Clinton Administration Clean Water Initiative. The event,
attended by AMSA and other clean water stakeholders, featured
remarks by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator
Carol Browner, Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and Representative
Jim Oberstar (D-MN), ranking minority member of the Transportation
& Infrastructure Committee.
Control Of "Polluted
Runoff" Receives Considerable Attention
The ceremony clearly looked ahead to future challenges, as well
as celebrated the Clean Water Act, which was characterized by
EPA's Administrator as "a great American success story."
Administrator Browner cited "polluted runoff from urban,
suburban and rural areas" as the most serious pollution problem
that remains unaddressed. The presence of Secretary Glickman
at the event signaled greater coordination among federal programs
and recognized efforts underway at the Department of Agriculture
to control runoff through the Environmental Quality Incentive
Program and Conservation Reserve Program. Rep. Oberstar, a long-time
advocated for strengthened nonpoint source control and author
of H.R. 550, The Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Act of
1997, spoke against a voluntary program to control nonpoint
sources, and called for a program "with teeth."
New Initiative Focuses
On Public Health, Runoff Control And Watersheds
Calling for a "comprehensive approach to water quality at
all levels of government," Vice President Gore directed the
Secretary Glickman and Administrator Browner, in consultation
with all other affected agencies, to develop a "comprehensive
Action Plan." The Plan as conceived would have enhanced
protection from public health threats posed by water pollution;
more effective control of polluted runoff; and, promotion
of water quality protection on a watershed basis as its three
major goals. Included in the initiative is the requirement for
the Action Plan to "encompass all appropriate regulatory,
incentive, compliance, enforcement, and budgetary steps."
All elements of the Action Plan require input from state and
local agencies, as well as Tribal governments, Members of Congress,
and the public. The Vice President's memorandum, attached for
your review, calls for the Action Plan to be submitted within
one hundred twenty days, following review by the Council on Environmental
Quality and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). All elements
of the Plan are to be coordinated with OMB and consistent with
the President's budget.
This new initiative follows on the heels of EPA's October 14 release
of a draft strategy titled, "Nonpoint Sources: Picking
Up the Pace --- EPA's Draft Proposal Strategy for Strengthening
Nonpoint Source Management." The strategy presents an
overall vision that "all States and Tribes, with active assistance
and participation of all stakeholders, are implementing dynamic
and effective nonpoint source programs to achieve and maintain
beneficial uses of water by the year 2013." The draft strategy,
which was released at a two-day meeting of stakeholders from leading
state, federal, local and private sector groups, will be described
in detail in Regulatory Alert 97-25, due out this week.
AMSA will be an active advocate for Association positions as efforts
to proceed with the Clean Water Initiative and finalize the draft
nonpoint source strategy evolve. Members will be kept apprised
of new developments as they occur.
ATTACHMENT: Memorandum on Clean Water Initiatives (Please contact
AMSA's National Office at 202/833-AMSA for a copy of this memorandum)
