Wednesday,
June 27, 2007
U.S. House Bill Includes Big
Wins for Rivers
Source: American Rivers
“This legislation charts a path for healthy rivers and thriving communities all across the country,” said Wodder. “This bill will remove obsolete, dangerous dams, give us cleaner water, back basic river science, and protect some of our nation’s most beautiful and beloved rivers.”
Funding the Department of Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other key programs, river advocates count the Interior and Environment Appropriation as one of the most important bills to watch every year. Wodder noted several significant gains in the coming year:
- Overall, the bill includes an increase of almost $2 billion over the president’s request for environmental protection, for a total of $27.6 billion.
- The Open Rivers Initiative, which helps willing owners remove obsolete and hazardous dams to restore free-flowing rivers is fully funded at $6 million
- Funding for the Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers program more than doubles under this bill, increasing by $1.2 million to a total of $2 million.
- The budget for the U.S. Geological Survey includes a $5 million increase for the National Streamflow Information Program, which funds many of the stream gauges around the country.
- States will be able to address growing problems with sewage spills and overflows which dump more than 860 billion gallons of raw or partially treated sewage into America’s rivers and streams every year due to an increase in the Clean Water State Revolving Fund of $437 million over the president’s request to a total of $1.125 billion. Of that amount, $75 million will go to innovative new approaches to non-structural and green infrastructure improvements.
- Local groups will get badly-needed resources to protect and restore their rivers with the restoration of the Targeted Watersheds Grant program at $25 million.
- The EPA will get funding for badly-needed work in several key regions, including: Chesapeake Bay- $30 million, Great Lakes- $25 million, Puget Sound- $15 million, Long Island Sound- $10 million, and Gulf of Mexico- $4.5 million.
“Rivers across the country will be better off thanks to Chairman Obey, Chairman Dicks and their colleagues,” Wodder said. “Communities across the country owe them a hearty thank you.”
Contact:
Brad DeVries, National Media Director 202-243-7023