Mark Kirk: “I rise in celebration of this, one of the most important environmental laws in the history of our country, the Clean…”

“I rise in celebration of this, one of the most important environmental laws in the history of our country, the Clean Water Act. For 35 years, the Act has helped limit the discharge of pollution that poisons our water and our beaches. I think it's not enough just to commemorate groundbreaking legislation. As illness, beach closings, habitat loss, and billions of dollars in lost economic opportunity and environmental damage continue, Congress should move to strengthen the Clean Water Act. This year sheds particular light on a gaping hole in the Clean Water Act. Just a few months ago, we learned that the State of Indiana ended a decade-long dumping ban in the Great Lakes, allowing British Petroleum to increase by 54 percent its ammonia dumping in Lake Michigan, and adding 35 percent more sludge to the lake each day. It was only due to the vigilance of citizens and environmental organizations and lawmakers around the Lake Michigan shore that we got BP to back down. Thanks to the thousands of Illinois volunteers, BP has now agreed to maintain its current discharge levels. But shockingly, the permit that was issued by the State of Indiana was completely allowed under the current Clean Water Act.”