Anglers, Boaters, Others Should Be Very Worried
Anglers, Boaters, Others Should Be Very Worried
Everyone who loves the water, along with everyone who enjoys a cold drink of water, should be extremely concerned with a bill that has been introduced into Congress. The Clean Water Restoration Act, which is also known as Senate Bill 787 (2009) sponsored by Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin has already undergone committee hearings and could be sent to the Senate floor immediately.
Why is this bill so terrifying? It is because the Federal government is attempting to claim ownership of all water in the U.S.. And when I say ALL water, that is exactly the truth. This act removes the key word “navigable” from the original Act and goes from there. If it passes,then all water everywhere will fall under the authority of the Federal government.
What exactly makes up the “water” being discussed by this bill? It includes every lake and pond, including farm ponds on private property. It includes every river and stream, including all dry stream beds because they might occasionally contain water. It includes every”wetland” including muddy spots in farm fields because migratory birds might land on them. It even includes all groundwater held in aquifers. All waters inside the U.S. would come under the jurisdiction of the Federal government.
Any activity of any kind that might affect any water in any way will be subject to the Clean Water Restoration Act. A federal permit would be required for just about any activity on or with water. Anglers will not be able to launch their boats or even cast a line into water without first clearing the proposed activity with the feds.
Furthermore the Federal government will be able to do anything it wants with any water it needs. If Iowa, Texas, California or Georgia is suffering from a drought, the feds could pipe water from the Great Lakes. If animal-rights folks want to stop fishing on Canandaigua, it could be done with the flick of a bureaucrat’s pen.
When I first heard about this proposed federal bill, I said to myself, “No Way!.” It was simply inconceivable. The “state’s right” issues of the Nine and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution would not allow this kind of power grab. But then I did the research, and I found it all to be true, and the Constitution was being ignored.
If you want to check it out for yourselves, log onto “YouTube” and search for “The Great Water Heist, Parts One and Two” Part one explains the problem. Part two is video of Senate hearings from last month. I was so mad after viewing part two that I could have bitten a twenty-penny nail in two.
The half-truths, deceit and lies I documented as the supporters of this bill attempted to push it through were incredible. They claimed the original Clean Water Act, passed under President Nixon’s administration, is what they are using a model for this 2009 legislation.But Nixon’s bill did not contain any reference to “wetlands” and was limited to navigable waters only.
And they also claim that President Reagan signed the Clean Water Act that then contained an amendment that included “all wetlands”. The truth is that Reagan vetoed that Act specifically because it did attempt to extend federal jurisdiction over “wetlands”. The Democrats in Congress at that time overrode his veto.
If you do watch “The Great Water Heist” part two, take note that, near the end of the hearings, Republicans offered a number of amendments to the proposed legislation that would have denied jurisdiction to the government over specific types of water such as ground water(affected only by wells drawing from them), private ponds, small streams and the like. And you will hear each amendment defeated by the Democratic majority on every proposed amendment.
With credit being given to the Daily Messenger’s Outdoor Columnist.