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Tuesday, 24 June 2008 11:41 |
For far too long, Americans have been kept in the dark about the steady
stream of untreated sewage that pollutes our rivers and lakes. Today,
thanks to Congressman Tim Bishop (D-NY) and Congressman Frank LoBiondo
(R-NJ), that could change. Lawmakers in the House of Representatives
passed a landmark bill requiring sewage treatment plants to notify
Americans in the event of a sewage spill.
Washington D.C. - For far too long, Americans have
been kept in the dark about the steady stream of untreated sewage that
pollutes our rivers and lakes. Today, thanks to Congressman Tim Bishop
(D-NY) and Congressman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), that could change.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed a landmark bill
requiring sewage treatment plants to notify Americans in the event of a
sewage spill.
"The safety of our water should never be a guessing game," said
Rebecca Wodder, President of American Rivers. "Thanks to the Sewage
Overflow Community Rightto-Know Act, people will know when their local
rivers have been contaminated by sewage. When contaminated tomatoes
were discovered in supermarkets, they were pulled from the shelf. We
need the same warning when our waterways are polluted. Knowledge is
power, and in this case, knowledge can mean the difference between
staying healthy or falling ill."
The Sewage Overflow Community Right-to-Know Act (H.R. 2452) received
widespread support on both sides of the aisle, passing the House
unanimously. The legislation enjoys broad support from more than 150
groups including numerous public health groups. The bill requires
sewage treatment plant operators to monitor their systems and notify
the public when an overflow has the potential to affect public health.
Currently, the public is only occasionally notified of sewage spills.
By requiring public notification, H.R. 2452 will protect millions of
Americans from exposure to untreated sewage spills that could make them
sick. This first line of defense is critical, as 860 billion gallons of
raw and partially treated sewage are dumped into our rivers, lakes and
coastal waters every year. The bacteria, viruses and parasites found in
untreated sewage can cause severe symptoms including gastrointestinal
problems, infections and fever, as well as heart, liver or kidney
failure, arthritis and even cancer. Public notification will help
Americans continue to safely enjoy the rivers they love by avoiding
contaminated areas until the threat has passed.
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American Rivers is the leading national organization standing up for
healthy rivers so communities can thrive. American Rivers protects and
restores America's rivers for the benefit of people, wildlife and
nature. Founded in 1973, American Rivers has more than 65,000 members
and supporters nationwide, with offices in Washington, DC and the
Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, California and Northwest
regions. www.AmericanRivers.org
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