Press Release

April 27, 2011
STATEMENT FROM U.S. SENATOR BEN CARDIN ON THE RELEASE OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION’S GUIDANCE ON JURISDICTIONAL WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the Environment and Public Works Committee, in March joined 13 other senators in writing the President to urge the Administration to issue guidance that will “provide strong protection for our nation’s waters and restore the ability of federal agencies to enforce the Clean Water Act.”  Today, the Obama Administration has released of Guidance on Jurisdictional Waters of the United States.  Senator Cardin’s statement is below:

“America’s waters got some good news today.  Last month, we called upon President Obama to make sure that the federal government took strong steps to protect the many streams, small rivers and wetlands that are vulnerable to polluters.  The proposed guidance issued today by the Administration will help assure that our nation’s water will be clean and safe.  Recent Supreme Court decisions resulted in great confusion over which rivers and streams would be protected under the Clean Water Act.  The proposed guidance announced today is designed to address the Court’s concerns in a way that will protect waters that are important for fish and wildlife habitat, flood protection, and supplying drinking water.  As we told the President, protecting this incredible network of waters is the first step in restoring them to health.”

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