October 05, 2022| Environment
By: Holly Odgers
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, the primary federal law governing water pollution and a critical tool in restoring and maintaining the health and safety of our country's waters.
Before the 1972 Clean Water Act, it was common practice to dump waste like industrial by-products and untreated sewage into our nation’s rivers and lakes, causing widespread pollution and contamination of our water systems. Large and small waters across the county were unsafe for wildlife, drinking water, and human contact. Ohio’s Cuyahoga River was so polluted with oil and grease that it caught fire more than a dozen times and Lake Erie was so full of industrial pollution, sewage, and farm run-off that it was declared functionally dead.
Recognizing the public health and ecological crisis of these practices, Republicans and Democrats united on October 18, 1972, to pass significant amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948. The resulting law, known as the Clean Water Act, established the basic framework for regulating the discharge of pollutants to lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands and for protecting our water resources.
One of the United States' first and most influential modern environmental laws, the Clean Water Act ended the culture of dumping into our waters and provided the resources needed for communities to protect water supplies, purify drinking water, and treat sewage. It is because of this landmark legislation that today, Lake Hopatcong and waters across the nation are cleaner and healthier, providing clean water for drinking, healthy habitat for fish and wildlife, and recreational opportunities like fishing, swimming, and boating for all.
On October 18, the day of the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, The Watershed Institute, Raritan Headwaters, Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership, NY/NJ Baykeeper, and Duke Farms will hold a celebration.
The event will offer a presentation on how the Clean Water Act has influenced policies and efforts in New Jersey and roundtable opportunities for guests to discuss key water-related issues today. The featured guest speaker will be Katrina Angarone, Associate Commissioner for Science and Policy at the Department of Environmental Protection, with the state Department of Environmental Protection. There will also be the opportunity to join one of two post-event field trips. Tour the beautiful Duke Farms property on a bike or paddle down the D&R canal.
Find out more and register HERE.
