CRS-137 



would be to remove all wetlands from the Corps' jurisdiction, "since wetlands 

 are not navigable," he noted. 192 / 



As of the beginning of the second session of the 97th Congress, hearings 

 had not been held on the pending legislative proposals concerning the geogra- 

 phic scope of the section 404 program. Nor had hearings been held on legisla- 

 tion first introduced by Representative Chappell in the 93rd Congress and each 

 subsequent Congress, as well. Rep. Chappell's bill (H.R. 794 in the 97th 

 Congress) would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to classify and inven- 

 tory the Nation's wetlands and to evaluate the environmental contribution of 

 natural wetlands. 



Wetland issues are likely to remain controversial. Some find that the con- 

 troversy has produced a "vague and unspecific" intent from Congress toward wet- 

 land protection and the administration of section 404 of the Clean Water Act. 193 / 

 The opportunity to address these issues occurs in 1982 during reauthorization 

 of the Clean Water Act. With public views ranging across a spectrum — from 

 those who consider the expansive jurisdiction of section 404 to be the most 

 viable means of accomplishing wetland protection nationwide to others who 

 consider the program overly burdensome, particularly to small landowners and 

 developers, regardless of congressional intent to safeguard wetlands — any 

 upcoming debate will be lively. 



192 / Remarks of Hon. John Tower. Congressional Record [daily edition], 

 Vol. 12, Mar. 24, 1981. S2583-2584. 



193 / Section 404 hearings, p. 34. Senator Dole characterized the con- 

 troversy in these terms as early as 1975. 





