Max Baucus: “If I might, one other point, Mr. President. It is not as if the EPA is sending out thousands of inspectors to harass…”

“If I might, one other point, Mr. President. It is not as if the EPA is sending out thousands of inspectors to harass local water system operators either. That is just not the case. There is not a massive Federal enforcement apparatus in place. I might say that in 1992, the Environmental Protection Agency brought 269 cases under the Clean Water Act--not this act, a different act. In 1992, there were 269 cases. They brought 303 cases under the Clean Air Act; different act, not this act. Under this act, it brought 18; only 18 cases, not a massive number of cases. In addition in 1992, the highest penalty under the Clean Water Act, a different act, was $2.9 million. Under the Clean Air Act, the highest penalty in 1992 was $6.7 million. What was it under the Safe Drinking Water Act, this act? The highest was $70,000. I think the average of that year was $38,000 for the two cases. One other point: There are 200,000 public water systems in this country. There are only 60 EPA drinking water inspectors. There are 200,000 systems in our country, and only 60 inspectors. It is not a whole, big massive enforcement bureaucratic apparatus that is going after all of these systems. Another point that is important to remember. I do not know if the Senator fully intends this amendment. A significant percentage of the drinking water systems in our country are private. As I read this amendment, it only applies to the public systems.”