House Approves Pallone Amendment That Prevents EPA From Weakening Sewage Blending Rules

Washington, D.C. --- The U.S. House of Representatives approved by voice vote a bipartisan amendment tonight offered by U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Bart Stupak (D-MI), Clay Shaw (R-FL) and Jeff Mil ler (R-FL) that prevents more partially treated human sewage from being dumped in our waterways. The amendment was included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.

The amendment offered by Pallone and his colleagues will block the Bush administration from proceeding with a policy change proposed in November 2003 that would weaken the 30-year-old Clean Water Act. Earlier today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it no longer intended to finalize the proposed rule. While Pallone was pleased with EPA's announcement, he and his colleagues proceeded with their amendment to send a strong congressional message opposing policies that would put more sewage in our water.

In November 2003, EPA proposed to allow publicly owned water treatment facilities to combine filtered but untreated human sewage with fully treated wastewater before discharge anytime it rains instead of only during periods of extreme weather. Implementing this policy would effectively lift the current prohibition on bypassing the critical second step in the treatment of wastewater, allowing more bacteria, pathogens, viruses and parasites into our waterways.

"New Jersey's waterways will continue to be protected from human sewage thanks to today's actions by the House and by EPA," Pallone said. "The American people understand sewage in their water, and EPA's timely decision to withdraw its ill-advised rule shows just how unpopular it was. Today's strong bipartisan House vote sends a message to the EPA not to weaken existing sewage rules down the line."

In February, Pallone initiated a bipartisan letter of 135 Members of Congress that was sent to Acting EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson urging the EPA not to weaken the Clean Water Act in reference to sewage. The letter sent a strong message to the Bush administration, a message the agency heeded today, that this policy change was not supported on Capitol Hill.

Last year, New Jersey had a total of 168 beach closure days, most caused by the discovery of contaminants found in improperly treated sewage. Sewage contamination was also the cause of shellfish bed closures late last year in Ocean County.