On 45th Anniversary of Clean Water Act, Carper Urges Continued Progress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, released the following statement to mark the 45^th anniversary of the Clean Water Act.

“President Ronald Reagan, in his State of the Union address in 1984, rightly noted that ‘Preservation of our environment is not a liberal or conservative challenge, it’s common sense.’ When Congress approved the Clean Water Act 45 years ago today – overriding a presidential veto with overwhelming bipartisan votes in both chambers – it enacted common sense policy to start to clean up the lakes, rivers and streams on which millions depend. Nearly a half-century later, the progress we’ve made to protect our waterways is visible and measurable thanks in large part to the historic standards set by the historic law.

“But there is still so much more we must do. Instead of working to roll back progress on our clean water standards, we need to strengthen protections for water sources across the country.

“In Delaware, we rely on the Clean Water Act to protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed, a drinking water source for millions, an environmental resource and an economic driver for our region. Today, we have a clean and healthy bay, but that didn’t happen by accident. It has taken decades of hard work and the implementation of strong protections to restore this critical resource. Concerned families in Delaware—and across the country—have worked tirelessly for the cleaner water we have today, and they won’t accept rolling back that progress. Congress and this administration must get to work in earnest to keep the promises of the Clean Water Act and protect the water that we all rely on and enjoy.”

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