60 



Overwhelmed with pollution and lined with concrete, urban 

 watersheds can no longer clean themselves. Their fish and 

 wildlife species are depleted. They remain choked with garbage 

 and debris. A recent 1992 EPA study found that while urban 

 population areas take up only approximately 2.5% of the total 

 land surface of the country, pollution from these areas accounts 

 for 18% of impaired river miles. Importantly, these degraded 

 urban streams too often run through our poorest and least 

 enfranchised communities. 



While certain provisions of the Clean Water Act do addrt--' ; 

 some of the current threats to urban rivers, the severity of the 

 problems facing these streams warrants a specific program 

 designed to give special attention to the restoration of 

 metropolitan rivers. The most effective vehicle for that 

 restoration is the empowerment of local activists and local 

 government entities to carry out small, site-specific projects on 

 rivers in which they are personally invested. 



Accordingly, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, (D-D.C.) 

 recently introduced H.R. 3873, the "Urban Watershed Restoration 

 Act of 1994." We wholeheartedly endorse the passage of this 

 landmark legislation and applaud Ms. Norton's leadership on the 

 very important issue of protecting and restoring our nation's 

 urban streams. H.R. 3873 currently enjoys the support of its 42 



