PREVIOUSLY QUIET CONGRESSMEN SIGN ON WITH OPPONENTS OF WATER QUALITY REGULATIONS

    Oklahoma Senators Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn and Congressman Dan Boren have cosigned a letter to the EPA with Arkansas Congressmen regarding an important pollution study.  STIR believes their letter gives rise to  curiosity.

    Arkansas Congressmen have long lobbied against Oklahoma water quality standards for the Illinois River including the .037 mg/l phosphorus limit due to become effective in July.  Their concern is for the impact these regulations, and the pending U.S. EPA Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study, may have on the economy of northwestern Arkansas.

    Some believe the letter is an attempt to steer the EPA's TMDL study of pollutants in the Illinois River watershed.  The letter raises questions especially in view of the Oklahoma Congressmen's previous lack of public involvement in scenic river water quality issues.  It also comes at a time when some members of Congress are attempting to undermine the Federal Clean Water Act and EPA's enforcement authority.

    STIR's believes that objective, scientific studies of watershed pollution are critically important and they should  be shared with all stakeholders.  STIR believes the EPA's TMDL study is essential to controlling pollution from point sources (sewage plants, etc.) and nonpoint source such as poultry waste running off fertilized pastures.

    STIR urges Oklahoma members of Congress to demonstrate a greater interest in scenic river water quality issues and to work more closely with Oklahoma agencies and organizations attempting to preserve and protect the Illinois River and Tenkiller Lake.  We urge them to support the EPA TMDL study by providing adequate funding that will insure the best science is used.

  The TMDL study should not be delayed or influenced by political and special interests.  The EPA's TMDL should not be crippled by requirements that may delay its implementation, requirements insuring that the wealthiest organizations can hobble the study with time consuming, "peer" reviews.  STIR believes clean water is good for business and for our quality of life and our safety.

    Oklahoma's Congressmen have not responded to questions about the letter which have been raised by the Muskogee Phoenix and Save the Illinois River, Inc.

Here is the letter.  What is your opinion?  Contact

STIR at: info@illinoisriver.org