Lynn C. Woolsey: “how much farther are we going to have to roll back the clock before we realize the harm that we are doing to our…”

“how much farther are we going to have to roll back the clock before we realize the harm that we are doing to our environment? Do we have to get to the point of rivers catching on fire again? The EPA, the agency that is supposed to be protecting our environment, is attempting to turn back the clock by releasing a new policy that will increase waterborne diseases and deaths. This latest EPA policy to allow sewage treatment plants to routinely divert untreated sewage into our rivers and oceans, where we get our water and where we swim is not something that appeals to me. Instead of turning back the clock and allowing sewage to flow freely in our rivers, we must increase our investment in upgrading wastewater treatment plants. Ironically, this bill actually decreases the amount of federal funding for upgrading wastewater treatment plants. It is time that we started moving forward and not backward on protecting our rivers and our oceans. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this important amendment.”