Clean Water Act faces challenges in Congress
While we strive to pay the bills and put food on the table, and even enjoy a day or two of fishing, there have been efforts afoot to weaken the National Clean Water Act.
The federal EPA is responsible for guarding the health and well being of streams, lakes and waterways from misuse, but some members of Congress want changes made in the clean water law.
Mining interests and other companies have asked the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers for approval to conduct their business in areas protected by the act. The EPA has exercised its veto authority only 13 times since 1972, and the Army Corps processes almost 60,000 such permits each year.
The most recent use of this authority was in the case of the proposed Spruce No. 1 mountaintop removal mine in West Virginia, which would have buried six miles of streams with mining waste, polluted miles of downstream waterways and, according to the EPA in their final determination on the permit, would “eliminate all fish, small invertebrates, salamanders, and other wildlife that live in them.”
Firearms warning:For those who travel by air to get to a hunting or shooting destination, you may need to consider extra protection for your checked gun cases. Outdoors writer Tom Gresham does a radio show dealing with firearms and he had his friend, well-known firearms instructor Clark Aposhian, on with him recently. Aposhian reported that one of his pistols was allegedly stolen while in the custody of Southwest Airlines after he had declared the firearms with the airline and had them checked by TSA. When his locked case arrived, the padlocks had been cut off the case, and one of the pistols was missing. He filed a police report, contacted the airline, and contacted the Transportation Security Administration.Neither the TSA nor Southwest Airlines has taken responsibility for the missing firearm. No one wants to talk about who cut the padlocks off the case. Southwest says it isn't their responsibility. TSA says it's the airline's responsibility, and the police don't appear to be making progress on the case.Fishing update:Lake Michigan: Good salmon angling in water not too deep. Coho and kings coming from the 50-foot levels out of Waukegan, while Chicago boats are fishing a bit deeper. The perch bite is on with force. Good perching coming from Montrose Harbor, as well as Navy Pier.Fox Chain: Largemouth action good on Bluff Lake and Lake Marie. Muskie activity a tad slow, but the walleye activity improved with the addition rainfall, which in turn pushed current through necked-down areas.Skokie Lagoon: Excellent bluegill fishing in north pool.Bangs Lake: Good bass action in the open weed pockets.#376; Mike Jackson can be reached via email at angler88@att.net. His radio program is heard 6-7 a.m. Sundays on WSBC, AM-1240.