Legislative Agricultural Chairs VII
State
Agriculture and
Rural Leaders
Resolution 2009-06
Resolution
on the Clean
Water Act
WHEREAS: in
1972, Congress passed the Clean Water
Act, a product of thoughtful deliberation; and
WHEREAS: the
burden for overseeing the Clean
Water Act is shouldered by the states through their frontline
monitoring,
assessing and protecting the health of the nation's waters; and
WHEREAS: Congress
specifically recognized the
important role of the states in Sec 101 (b) of the act stating, 'it is
the
policy of the Congress to recognize, preserve and protect the primary
responsibilities and rights of the states to prevent, reduce and
eliminate
pollution, to plan the development and use of land and water resources
and to
consult with the Federal Administration in the exercise of this
authority;' and
WHEREAS: Congress
has debated legislation that
would expand the Federal role under the Clean Water Act to 'all waters
of the
United States'; and
NOW
THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED:
that State Agricultural and Rural Leaders is supportive of the
'cooperative
federalism' that Congress originally created under the Clean Water Act
and
believe legislative efforts should not diminish or reduce the role of
the states
as recognized under current federal law; and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this
resolution be sent to The United States Congress, Secretary of
Agriculture, and
the agricultural committees of the state legislatures.