Clean Water Restoration Act

The United States Senate is considering adoption of SB 787, also known as the Clean Water Restoration Act. If approved, SB 787 would amend the Clean Water Act by extending the authority of the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA, the two federal agencies charged with enforcing the Act.Currently, the CWA regulates point source pollution discharges into “waters of the United States.” The United States Supreme Court has interpreted the phrase “waters of the United States” to exclude isolated waters, such as ponds, intermittent streams, and wetlands which do not have a “significant nexus” to a navigable waterway. These bodies of water are not regulated by the CWA.

SB 787 would change the CWA to significantly broaden the scope of the bill. If SB 787 passes it would have significant impacts on all private property owners across the United States , water of the United States ,could mean any water private or public > what waters would be considered are not defined . This could potentially mean that all land use activities near any type of surface water would require a federal permit.- atving, hunting ,biking ?

There is nothing in the law of the land, the United States Constitution (reference Article 1, Sec.8 item 17) that provides for Congress to purchase, designate, appropriate or further "take" any land for any purpose other than "erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dock-yards, and other needful buildings".

Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley is on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Please contact Senator Jeff Merkley and tell him that you oppose SB 787 . That this is an area for state, and local control not the Federal Governments . Demand that Senator Merkley call for hearings on SB 787, this could have large effects on small businesses and property owners.

Senator Merkley’s number is (202) 224-3753.