House Vote against Clean Water Protections Ignores Toledo Lessons

WASHINGTON (September 9, 2014) —One month after the toxic algae disaster in Toledo demonstrated the perils of water pollution, the Republican-controlled House today passed a bill (H.R. 5078) to block improvements in the Clean Water Act that would help prevent such crises in the future.

Jon Devine, a senior attorney in the Water Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, made the following statement: 

“It is appalling that the House Republicans would vote against safe drinking water and against clean water for recreation and wildlife.  The recent toxic algae disaster in Toledo shows Congress should be working to strengthen water protections, not weaken them. The GOP bill would sow confusion among stakeholders by derailing current administration efforts to safeguard critical waterways, and the Obama administration has already threatened to veto the legislation.”