Sierra Club California sponsors clean-water/wetlands bill

Sierra Club California is co-sponsoring a major clean-water and wetlands bill to fill in a huge gap created recently in the federal Clean Water Act. Senate Bill 1477, authored by Senator Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto), will require the State Water Resources Control Board to regulate fill and discharges into non-navigable intrastate waters that are no longer federally protected. Those waters include California's seasonal rivers, streams, and lakes; vernal pools; more than half of the state's wetlands; many of the streams and lakes in the Sierra; and the drinking water sources for more than half of all Californians.

Following a very narrowly worded Supreme Court decision in 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a "guidance" to its field offices that virtually eliminates federal protection for almost 20 million acres of sensitive wetlands and thousands of miles of streams. In response to overwhelming public and state opposition, the EPA dropped its formal rulemaking process to codify the change, but did not withdraw the "guidance" to its field offices, effectively leaving the enormous and very dangerous loophole in place. Several states, including New York, Wisconsin, and Ohio, have introduced legislation to fill in the gap.

California has a special stake. Because California receives most of its rain and snow during the winter, many of its streams, lakes, and wetlands are dry for much of the year. Many others are simply not navigable. Many of these wetlands provide pollution protection and additional sources for the drinking water for more than 20 million Californians. These non-navigable waters are no longer provided the basic protections of the Federal Clean Water Act.

SB 1477 passed out of the State Senate at the end of May, but has attracted a long list of opposition, including developers, realtors, water agencies, and the Farm Bureau, who will try to block it in the Assembly.

Please help Sierra Club California pass SB 1477 by contacting your assemblymember and urging them to support SB 1477. One way to do this is to join our on-line California Legislative Action Network. To sign up, go to our website: www.sierraclubcalifornia.org and click on the red "take action" button on the left. Once signed up, you will receive occasional e-mail alerts on key environmental legislation and administrative actions. By following the link in the alert, you will find information on the issue and an editable letter that can be e-mailed or faxed to your representative.

Jim Metropulos

Jim Metropulos is a legislative representative for Sierra Club California in Sacramento. He works on such issues as endangered species, wildlife and habitat, water supply and flood control, parks and recreation, and transportation.