U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., and U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., scored a win this week as their “Local Water Protection Act” cleared a congressional committee.
Craig introduced the bill, which U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., are backing in the upper chamber, earlier this month.
“The bipartisan effort to reduce harmful water pollution increases grant funding for state and local governments to decrease water pollutants, including addressing toxic agricultural runoff, septic to sewer conversions, legacy pollutants, impacts from dams, effects of channelization of water bodies and other forms of pollution,” Mast’s office noted.
The bill would add $200 million annually to the Section 319 Grant Program run by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offering states funds for controlling water pollution.
Craig’s bill cleared the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this week.
“Our lakes and waterways are critical to Minnesota’s economy and the pride we all hold in the natural beauty of our state,” Craig said on Wednesday. “I appreciate Representative Mast’s continued partnership on the bipartisan Local Water Protection Act to help us renew and increase funding to keep our waters clean and safe for generations to come, and I am proud to see this important legislation moving forward.”
“This bipartisan bill will increase federal support to address pollution from agricultural runoff, assist with septic to sewer conversions and prevent other forms of pollution,” Mast said. “Not another day should go by where the federal government allows Americans to be poisoned through the water they drink, bathe or swim in.”
The bill is now headed to the House floor.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
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