Water Woes
Water is a basic need for life. Control of water is a basis for many conflicts. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back with a water control alert.It's not news when I tell you water has been coveted and fought over for centuries. Control of water, I feel has two very different meanings. One control tames rives with dams so water flow can be checked to even out flooding and low level times. Storage water also turns arid grounds into very productive areas to help feed world populations. Most thinking people can see the positive aspects of this type of water leverage. The other water control is federal and state legislative control. We do need proper control to protect water supplies and water users. Regulations of any kind seem to work the best when derived from the smallest government entity possible. The Clean Water Restoration Act, House bill 787 and Senate bill 787 would change that idea completely. As it stands now the Clean Water Act (CWA) gives the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers authority to regulate rivers and lakes and any other navigable waters of the United States. But with the current administration, the "control crowd" is flexing its muscle and would like to amend the CWA by removing the term navigable, thus the federal government would control waters of the United States. Water legislation is difficult enough with state control, can you imagine the federal government controlling every wet spot in the U.S. If the Clean Water Restoration Act makes you uneasy, contact your legislators and voice your concern. I'm Jeff Keane.
