[19970821]96-910ENR_第105届国会的清洁水问题.pdf

96-910 ENRUpdated August 21, 1997Clean Water Issues in the 105 CongressthClaudia CopelandSpecialist in Environmental PolicyEnvironment and Natural Resources Policy DivisionSummaryFor the 105 Congress, reauthorization of the Clean Water Act may be a prioritythin the second session. The Act was last amended in 1987 and authorizations expired onSept. 30, 1990. Clean water was a priority for the last two Congresses, but no legislationwas enacted. In the 104 Congress, the House passed a comprehensive reauthorizationthbill, but during House debate and subsequently, controversies arose over whether andhow the Act should be made more flexible and less burdensome on regulated entities.Issues likely to be of interest again in the 105 Congress include funding, overallthflexibility and regulatory reform of water quality programs, and measures to addresspolluted runoff from farms and city streets. Reforming the Acts wetlands permitprogram, a pivotal and contentious issue in the recent past, also remains on the legislativeagenda for many. During the first session, committees with jurisdiction are givingpriority to reauthorizing two other laws, Superfund and the Intermodal SurfaceTransportation A