Pollution pouring into nation's waters far beyond legal limits

[babylonsister]

Pollution pouring into nation's waters far beyond legal limits

Zachary Coile, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Friday, October 12, 2007

(10-12) 04:00 PDT Washington --

More than half of all industrial and municipal facilities across the country dumped more sewage and other pollutants into the nation's waterways than allowed under the Clean Water Act, according to a report released Thursday by an environmental group.

California was among the 10 states with the highest percentage of facilities leaking more pollutants into waterways than their Clean Water Act permits allow, according to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency obtained by the environmental group, U.S. PIRG.

California also had the dubious distinction of having the most large-scale violations - or "exceedances" - of Clean Water Act permits of any state. The large-scale violations are those that exceed the permitted level by at least 500 percent.

Environmentalists said the figures show that industrial plants and municipal wastewater facilities continue to flout the law because of insufficient policing by federal regulators.

"The bottom line is the Bush administration isn't doing enough enforcement of the Clean Water Act," said Christy Leavitt, clean water advocate for U.S. PIRG, a federation of state Public Interest Research Groups.

more...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/10/12/MNIPSOF76.DTL&type=politics

[GliderGuider]

1. Now this is a strange feeling

We spend so much time around here worrying about global energy problems, Climate Chaos, the death of the oceans etc. etc. etc. It's almost nice to have a good old-fashioned water pollution story once in a while. Makes me come all over nostalgic it does. Ahh, the good old days...

[tom_paine]

2. LOL. Gallows humor.

n/t

[babylonsister]

3. It's not funny, but you just kwacked me up! nt