WASHINGTON, DC, October 23, 2007 (ENS) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday enjoyed a rare moment of unanimity. By unanimous consent the senators adopted a resolution commemorating the 35th anniversary of the Clean Water Act.

The resolution was sponsored by Senators Frank Lautenberg, a New Jersey Democrat, and David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican, chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security and Water Quality, as well as Senator Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and ranking member James Inhofe, an Okalhoma Republican.

Senator Lautenberg said, "For 35 years, Americans have relied on the Clean Water Act to keep our lakes, rivers, streams and coastal waters safe for us to fish and swim. It is the law that preserves our wetlands and protects our drinking water. "

Senator Vitter said, "The Clean Water Act is responsible for many important impacts since it became law more than 35 years ago. The act has leveraged billions of dollars for state and local governments to improve water quality and address water infrastructure needs. The entire Lake Pontchartrain Basin ecosystem will continue to benefit from the assistance provided under the act."

Senator Boxer said, "The Clean Water Act has been one of our most successful environmental statutes to date. Since 1972, we have made tremendous progress, and today, our rivers, lakes and streams are far cleaner than they were three decades ago. But there is still more work to be done. Forty percent of the nation's tested waters currently fail to meet quality standards."

Senator Inhofe said, "Thanks to the Clean Water Act and the commitment by the American people, our nation's waterways are far cleaner and our drinking water dramatically improved. As we look to build upon this success, I am mindful of the challenges ahead. Oklahomans face a projected $586 million in clean water related needs over the next 20 years."

The Clean Water Act, a bipartisan measure which was enacted on October 18, 1972, is the primary federal law addressing water pollution, aiming to keep waterways safe and clean. The CWA places restrictions on pollution levels and creates water quality standards for the nation's lakes, rivers, streams and other waters.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2007. All rights reserved.