Political Quotes

“the Clean Lakes Program, administered by EPA under Section 314 of the Clean Water Act, is in serious jeopardy. For many years, this valuable program helped define the causes and extent of pollution problems in our Nation's lakes. States used program grants to implement effective treatments to restore environmentally degraded lakes, and to guard against future damage. Nearly 90 percent of the U.S. population lives within 50 miles of a lake, with a combined economic impact of billions of dollars. The Clean Lakes Program has provided targeted assistance to these lakes resulting in renewed recreational opportunities, increased wildlife, and enhanced property values that improved water quality brings. Despite this track record however, EPA is in the process of combining the Clean Lakes Program with the much larger Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program, Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. Section 319 is designed to address polluted runoff from cities, farms, and other sources. The needs of lake managers and lake users are too easily lost when forced to compete with projects affecting entire watersheds. Ironically, some of the most visible and immediate problems facing lake users, such as controlling non-native nuisance aquatic weeds like Eurasian water milfoil and hydrilla, are not even eligible for funding under the 319 program.”