Editorial: A clearer Clean Water Act

New York Times Editorial: A clearer Clean Water Act

"The Obama administration has rightly declared its support for Congressional efforts to restore the broad reach of the Clean Water Act. The law, passed in 1972, was intended to protect all of the waters of the United States, large and small. That mission has since been muddied by two Supreme Court decisions that narrowed the law’s scope, weakened its safeguards against pollution and confused federal regulators.

"The administration has written to Senate and House committees urging them to act on bills that would restore federal jurisdiction over all wetlands and streams. All of the environmental big guns signed: Nancy Sutley, the chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality; Lisa Jackson, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; Ken Salazar, the interior secretary; Tom Vilsack, the agriculture secretary; and Terrence Salt, the acting chief of Army Corps of Engineers. "

"Their intervention is timely. (To continue reading, click here)"

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Ten Commandments judge Roy Moore to seek GOP nomination for governor

ARKANSAS: State GOP chairman defends mentioning sexual persuasion of Democratic lawmaker

FLORIDA: Gov. Crist signs controversial growth management bill

GEORGIA: State's pre-vote citizenship check called flawed by U.S. Justice Department

KENTUCKY: State faces budget shortfall for third year in a row

LOUISIANA: School board change bill and smoking ban to be discussed at Capitol

MISSISSIPPI: State puts Public Service Commission hearings online

NORTH CAROLINA: State joins effort to develop national common core of education standards

SOUTH CAROLINA: Gov. Sanford considers veto of payday lending bill

TENNESSEE: Clergy question the guns-in-bars legislation

VIRGINIA: State to receive $2.4 million to reduce pollution in Chesapeake Bay

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