Defining water
To the Editor:
The Clean Water Act of 1972 refers to “navigable waters of the United States.” The original intent was to prevent state “A” from polluting a river that ran into state “B,” or similar scenario. This ought to remain the extent of federal regulation when it comes to water; states are well able to monitor and regulate water within their own boundaries.
Along comes S787, the Clean Water Restoration Act, which may have been proposed due to purported concern about wetlands. But even wetlands are still navigable by canoe or fan boat, so there is no need to omit the word “navigable” to protect them.
(And did you know that wetlands naturally dry up over time? And that the DNR has to “manage” them to keep them wet? Go ask the workers at Collins Marsh, if you don’t believe me.)
Some types of water are specifically mentioned in CWRA, as being either covered or exempted, but the word “water” means water, and well-meaning definitions can be twisted or changed. Remember the quibbling over the definition of “is”? By eliminating the word “navigable,” the federal government will be given power to regulate all water in the USA, no matter the nitpicky definitions.
The very fact that they arrogate to themselves the power to decide what is covered or exempted, proves this. It wouldn’t be too long before some officials somewhere decided they had the authority over your well, and started taxing you for water, or started penalizing farmers for “using too much.”
With the government track record we’ve seen thus far, how can you trust them? If they succeed, I’d predict:
• Increased use of rain barrels, water/snow storage tanks, and private reservoirs; • A water registry, similar to the NAIS they want to push for animals; • New required permits; • New officials to dispense the permits; • New taxes; • New penalties;
• Increased hardship for farmers.
Call your senators and tell them “no” to S787, and “no” to removing the word “navigable.” Or someday you might hear an official yelling at you to stop using water.
Emily Matthews
Kiel
