Today, New Jersey Environmental Federation, NJ Chapter of Clean Water Action, applauds passage of the Clean Water Restoration Act in the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee by a vote of 12 - 7.

"This vote is a strong rejection of the last Administration's "No Protection Policy" that threatened the drinking water sources for at least 110 million people, including 2,882,000 New Jerseyans" said New Jersey Environmental Federation State Director Amy Goldsmith. "We applaud New Jersey's U.S. Senators Lautenberg and Menendez for co-sponsoring and helping move this landmark legislation."

Beginning in early 2003, special interests pressured the Bush Administration to put policies in place that confused and delayed permits under the Clean Water Act and limited enforcement of the Act's programs. These policies, coupled with misinterpretations of U.S. Supreme Court decisions, brought enforcement of the Clean Water Act to a virtual halt and left America's water supplies and public health safeguards at risk.

Clarifying which bodies of water are protected by the Clean Water Act is critical to protecting drinking water sources and to limiting destruction of wetlands and other waters that play a role in flood control and provide wildlife habitat. Failure to protect these water resources could result in over $30 billion of annual flood damages in the continental United States and the loss of $122 billion of fish and wildlife-recreation expenditures.

There is wide support for Congressional action to fix the Clean Water Act and restore the protections that were in place just six short years ago. Earlier this year, more than 160 scientists sent a letter to President Obama urging him to support the Clean Water Restoration Act, which would reaffirm in law the interdependence of all our waters - a concept widely recognized by scientists for decades.

"37 years ago, Congress understood the importance of protecting small streams and wetlands and passed the Clean Water Act to protect all of America's waters," said Paul Schwartz, Clean Water Action's National Policy Director. "It has been one of the most successful environmental laws in history. "Under the Bush Administration, courts and government agencies muddied the issue. Only Congress can fix this problem and it is important President Obama make clear his support for the Clean Water Restoration Act."

New Jersey Environmental Federation would also like to applaud the Senate EPW for passing legislation today that will further protect New Jersey's precious coastal and inland water resources: Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009 (formerly known as the beach protection act); Sewage Overflow Community Right-to-Know Act; and Contaminated Sediment Remediation Reauthorization Act (Great Lakes Legacy Act)