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Citizen Petition
In Opposition To Efforts to Expand the Regulatory Reach of the Clean Water Act (CWA) to the Detriment of U.S. Economic Growth and Future Wetlands Protection
We the undersigned oppose any and all legislative efforts to expand the reach and scope of the Clean Water Act. Federal legislation, based on previously sponsored CWA expansion legislation, is expected to be re-introduced soon in the 111th Congress. If similar to past efforts, this legislative effort would:
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Unnecessarily and dramatically expand the reach of the federal bureaucracy and provide the federal government with unprecedented veto power over local land use decisions.
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Cause an avalanche of new unfunded mandates that would envelop state and local governments.
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Bring about an unprecedented attack on state and local sovereignty and erode the ability of local communities and state governments to manage their own water resources.
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Make it more costly to grow crops, provide water to cities, operate and maintain water storage and delivery facilities, produce energy (including renewable power), build and maintain public transportation systems, deliver affordable goods and services to consumers, and carry out virtually any activity that occurs on the land without federal agencies constantly threatening to interfere.
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Allow the federal government to seize jurisdiction over virtually every wet area in the country.
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Undermine Congress' original formula - a collaborative effort by the federal agencies, the states, tribes and industry to implement the CWA's regulatory and non-regulatory programs, augmented by other conservation programs.
We agree with the overwhelming majority of the American people who, according to a nationwide poll, say that they oppose these proposed extreme changes to the CWA.
Sincerely,
[signatories added here]
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