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Do You Surf, Dive, Swim, Fish, Boat or Simply Enjoy the the Pacific Ocean?
Then Read On!

Clean Water Alert!

"Dirty Water Bill," H.R. 961, Heading for Vote this Spring

Contact your representatives now and throughout April!

The Clean Water Act is moving -- BACKWARDS!  Congress has already taken
initial committee action to weaken the nations clean water and wetlands
protection, and your Senators and President need to hear from you now, before
this harmful bill becomes law.

H.R. 961 would reverse all of the progress made in cleaning up our local
beaches and abandons the goal of the Clean Water Act to restore all the
nations waters so that they are fishable and swimmable.  Committee hearings
on this terrible bill were held in February and were dominated by industry
and agribusiness testimony.  These same groups were invited to secret,
closed-door sessions by Chairman Shuster to craft loopholes and exemptions to
the Clean Water Act!  

No input from environmentalists, sustainable farmers, or even the
Environmental Protection Agency was all
process.

How is Clean Water compromised in H.R. 961?

The  new legislation would allow cities 10 year exemptions from properly
treating sewage.  All sewage plant improvement in the City and County of Los
Angeles would immediately stop.  Although 70% of area voters agreed in two
separate elections that we need sewage treatment improvements and are willing
to pay for them, both agencies have already voiced their commitment to apply
for waivers and overturn their court agreements to clean up Santa Monica Bay.

Wetlands laws would be destroyed.  Protection for vast tracts of wetlands
would be eliminated by substituting a political definition of wetlands for
the current scientific one. Enforcement measures for remaining wetland acres
would be severely weakened.

Goals for reducing polluted runoff -- the nations largest source of water
pollution -- are virtually eliminated.  The bill permanently exempts all
cities under 100,000 residents from doing any storm water management.  In Los
Angeles County, only NINE of the 88 cities contain over 100,000 residents. 
Storm water pollution  prevention in L.A. County would essentially be killed.
 

The Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Law -- the newly enforceable program to
control runoff in the coastal zone -- would be abolished completely.

What You Can Do

Take 3 minutes NOW and write letters to your senators and the President
today.  Don't let the politicians cheat you out of 25 years of hard-won
environmental progress!

Attached are sample letters and addresses. The senators are correct for
anyone who lives in California--if you live in another state check with your
local library for your senators. Feel free to copy the letters verbatim or to
personalize them. Just get writing! Mailed letters are the most effective,
but if you can also fax or call. If you have any questions or want more
information, please call the office  or e-mail us.

Heal the Bay is a non-profit advocacy group of more than 10,000 members
working through a combination of research, education, public outreach and
policy-orientated programs to make Santa Monica Bay and Southern California's
coastal waters safe and healthy once again for people and for marine life. 

Heal the Bay 
Mail Address: 1640 Fifth Street Ste. 204, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: 1-800-HEALBAY 
Fax: 310 395-6878
E-mail: heal_the_bay@earthspirit.org


Sample Letter for Senators Feinstein and Boxer 


Dear Senator____________,

HR 961, the Clean Water Act Reauthorization, will be in your hands shortly. 
I urge you to oppose this "Dirty Water Bill," which rolls back 25 years of
environmental improvements and weakens clean water and wetlands protections. 


The bill will directly affect my community and stop improvement of local
ocean water quality.  In addition, beach quarantines and sewage spills could
become regular again because the regulations to enforce clean water will be
gone.  Unbelievably, the bill also takes away my right as a citizen to sue
polluters or even to be notified when pollution is being dumped into my
water.

Please stand by your promise to protect the health and safety of the people
of California, and VOTE NO on the proposed Clean Water Act legislation.

Sincerely,

Name
Address
City, State  ZIP


                                                   


Sample Letter for President Clinton


Dear President Clinton,

The Clean Water Act Reauthorization will be in your hands shortly.  I urge
you to veto this "Dirty Water Bill," which rolls back 25 years of
environmental improvements and weakens clean water and wetlands protections. 


The bill will directly affect my community and stop improvement of local
ocean water quality.  In addition, beach quarantines and sewage spills could
become regular again because the regulations to enforce clean water will be
gone.  Unbelievably, the bill also takes away my right as a citizen to sue
polluters or even to be notified when pollution is being dumped into my
water.

Please stand by your promise to protect health and safety of the people of
this nation, and VETO  the proposed Clean Water Act legislation.

Sincerely,

Name
Address
City, State  ZIP

                                                                             
                                               

Addresses:

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC  20510
(202)224-3841	fax (202)228-3954


The Honorable Barbara Boxer
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC  20510
(202)224-3553	fax (202)228-3789


President Bill Clinton
The White House
Washington, DC  20500
(202)456-1414


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