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a 0.07 acre wetland Till had seci)ndar) impacts on 240 acres of 

 pristine wetlands), and it does not reflect unauthorized discharges 

 and the possible 40,000 discharges authorized, without notice to the 

 Corps, under general permits. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 figure is the only comprehensive and reliable estimate of wetlands 

 loss we have. 



We urge the Committee -- and Congress -- to step back from the 

 controversies and reaffirm the critical role that the wetlands 

 program, the §404 program, plays in attaining the central goal of the 

 Clean Water Act -- to restore and maintain the integrity on the 

 Nation's waters. We also urge the Committee to assist our effort.s in 

 securing and applying more resources to §404 wetlands delineations, 

 mapping, outreach and education, and to the program in general, and 

 thereby make its value and importance more understandable to 

 everyone. Finally, we urge Congress to support the nation's 

 burgeoning passion to protect wetlands by expanding the reach of 

 regulated activities under §404 and by incorporating the additional 

 strengthening amendments highlighted below. These are progressive 

 and necessary changes if we are ever to achieve the goals of the CWA 

 and end the long history of wetlands loss in this nation. 



Pending Legislation 



H.R. 350 and S. 1195. "The Wetlands Reform Act" 



TU strongly supports H.R. 350, the "Wetlands Reform Act," introduced 

 by Representative Don Edwards (D-CA) on January 5, 1993. This bill, 

 identical in content to S.1195 introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer 

 (D-CA), presents a balanced solution to the wetlands issue. 

 Importantly, H.R. 350 would finally close the existing loopholes in the 

 scope of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, by specifically 

 regulating most activities that destroy and degrade wetlands, not just 

 the discharge of dredge and fill material. The bill also ensures that 

 automobile tires and other trash are considered fill and cannot be 

 dumped into wetlands without a §404 permit. These changes would 

 fully satisfy our strong desire to see that the scope of regulated 

 activities is expanded to address most activities that destroy 

 wetlands. 



H.R. 350 also explicitly includes wetlands in the Clean Water Act goal 

 statement. The bill proclaims a strong, clear national policy to 

 preserve the quantity and quality of the nation's wetlands and to 



