{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1485", "Grijalva Leads Letter to EPA, Other Agencies Calling for End to Clean Water Act Loopholes That Allow Mining Company Pollution", "2013-05-23", "2013", "2013-05", "Democrat", "House", "AZ", "Ra\u00fal Grijalva", "G000551", "grijalva.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Reps. Ra\u00fal M. Grijalva, Rush Holt and Colleen Hanabusa today wrote the heads of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), White House Council on Environmental Quality and Army of Corps of Engineers (ACE) to ask for a review of Clean Water Act implementing regulations. Loopholes currently allow mining companies to discharge waste into nearby waters in spite of the law\u2019s intent.\r\n\r\n\tThe letter \u2013 signed by 11 other Members of Congress \u2013 asks the EPA and ACE to close two specific loopholes in the rules they currently use to enforce the Clean Water Act. One states that\u00a0\u201cwaste treatment systems\u201d are not waters of the United States, allowing mining\u00a0operations\u00a0to treat rivers, lakes,\u00a0and streams as dumping grounds for untreated toxic waste.\u00a0The second was created by a 2002 regulatory rewrite that redefined \u201cfill,\u201d the leftover waste from\u00a0hard rock\u00a0and coal\u00a0mining operations, and\u00a0shifted oversight of fill disposal to Section 404 of the CWA. Scrutiny under Section 404 is much more lenient than a separate pollution standard that was designed to regulate dumping of industrial waste products.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u201cBecause of these two loopholes, the industry gets a\u00a0free\u00a0pass to contaminate our waters,\u00a0and minority populations are\u00a0bearing\u00a0the brunt of this,\u201d Rep. Grijalva said. \u201cThe administration can address this quickly without cost to taxpayers.\u00a0This is a crisis that doesn\u2019t have to exist.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u201cToo often mining companies are given sweetheart deals at the expense of local communities and the environment,\u201d Rep. Holt said. \u201cThe Clean Water Act loopholes addressed in this letter can and should be fixed administratively. Expedited action will help to ensure that low-income and native communities are protected from unsafe drinking water that has been tainted by toxic mining waste.\"\r\n\r\n\t\u201cClosing these loopholes will allow us to fulfill our obligation to protect America\u2019s rivers, lakes, and wetlands,\u201d Rep. Hanabusa said. \u201cThe intent of the Clean Water Act is clear: to ensure that clean water is available for consumption, agriculture, and recreation. While responsible mining operations serve our nation\u2019s needs, it cannot come at a devastating cost to our rural and Native American communities.\u201d\r\n\r\n\tAs\u00a0documented\u00a0in Honoring the River, a\u00a0recently released report by the Tribal Partnerships Program of the National Wildlife Federation,\u00a0Tribal\u00a0communities across the west have a long\u00a0history of\u00a0dealing\u00a0with mining pollution.\r\n\r\n\tThe text of the letter is included below.\r\n\r\n\t^^^\u00a0\r\n\r\n\tMay 22, 2013\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tNancy Sutley, Chair\r\n\t\t\t\t\tCEQ\r\n\t\t\t\t\t722 Jackson Place NW Washington, DC 20503\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tBob Perciasepe\r\n\t\t\t\t\tActing Administrator\r\n\t\t\t\t\tEPA\r\n\t\t\t\t\t1200 Pennsylvania Av. NW\r\n\t\t\t\t\tWashington, DC 20460\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tJo-Ellen Darcy\r\n\t\t\t\t\tAsst. Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)\r\n\t\t\t\t\t108 Army Pentagon\r\n\t\t\t\t\tWashington, DC 20310\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n\r\n\tDear Ms. Sutley, Mr. Perciasepe, and Ms. Darcy:\r\n\r\n\tWe are writing to urge the closing of two loopholes in the Clean Water Act\u2019s (CWA) implementing regulations. These loopholes allow hardrock mines to store untreated industrial waste in the nation\u2019s rivers, lakes, and wetlands, and addressing them will promote the protection of America\u2019s waters and support responsible mining practices.\r\n\r\n\tAccording to EPA estimates, the hardrock mining industry is the biggest producer of toxic waste in the country.The agency calculates that mining is responsible for polluting 40% of the headwaters in western watersheds.These are watersheds that provide drinking water to millions of Americans, including many Native American communities, and it would be irresponsible to ignore the inherent risks associated with mining when an administrative solution exists.\r\n\r\n\tDeveloping large mines is often complex and controversial, but there are certain practices that everyone should agree are unacceptable.In particular, hardrock mines should never be allowed to discharge untreated tailing and other industrial waste into our waters.Aquatic ecosystems are valuable and fragile resources, especially in the arid states of the Southwest and other areas across the West.Waters are also natural conduits that can carry pollution for miles if a tailings dam is improperly built, fails, or deteriorates with age.Nobody wants chemicals, heavy metals, or acid drainage\u2014 all by-products of modern mining\u2014to taint the waters in which our families fish, drink, and swim.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\tUnfortunately, there are currently two loopholes in the Clean Water Act\u2019s regulations that allow many hardrock mines to cut costs by discharging untreated industrial waste into a nearby river valley or wetland. Modern mines produce millions, sometimes billions of tons of waste, frequently containing toxic chemicals such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead.Some hardrock mining operations have used these loopholes to avoid complying with pollution standards adopted decades ago by EPA.\r\n\r\n\tPlease take immediate steps to close the CWA\u2019s mining loopholes by revising EPA and Corps regulations to (1) clarify that the waste treatment system exclusion applies only to manmade waters and (2) exclude waste discharges that are subject to effluent limitations from the definition of \u201cfill material.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\r\n\tThank you for your attention to this matter.We look forward to your reply.\r\n\r\n\tSincerely,\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tRa\u00fal M. Grijalva\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\tColleen Hanabusa\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\tRush Holt\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tJan Schakowsky\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMike Honda\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\tAlcee L. Hastings\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\tBarbara Lee\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tJared Huffman\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tJohn Conyers\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\tLouise Slaughter\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPaul Tonko\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tDonna Edwards\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tJared Polis\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t_________________\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMark Pocan\r\n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n\r\n\tcc:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gina McCarthy, Environmental Protection Agency  \r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bob Sussman, Environmental Protection Agency  \r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nancy Stoner, Environmental Protection Agency  \r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Terrence \u201cRock\u201d Salt, Department of the Army (Civil Works)  \r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Meg Gaffney-Smith, Army Corps of Engineers", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1485"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6526170764118433, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}