Nethercutt Fighting Federal Ground Water Protection
George Nethercutt and Helen Chenoweth have joined a group of lawmakers urging President Clinton to block an effort to provide federal protection of ground water beneath part of Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
In a letter sent last week, Nethercutt, R-Spokane; Chenoweth, R-Boise; Doc Hastings, R-Richland, and other representatives told Clinton that protecting the Eastern Columbia aquifer system as a “sole-source” aquifer “places many farms in Washington’s rural communities in jeopardy.”
The designation, which would cover ground water beneath 14,000 square miles in Washington and Idaho, would let the Environmental Protection Agency review federally funded projects to make sure they will not pollute ground water.
While opponents of the designation say it will threaten federal farm subsidies and loans, EPA officials said such funds will be reviewed only by the agencies that distribute them.
The proof lies in the dearth of complaints from farmers living and working for years above the Spokane-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, which was declared a sole source in 1978, said Tom Lamar of the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute in Moscow, Idaho.
Lamar said the lawmakers should have checked their facts before making such a large request of the president.
“If you don’t have a clue about what you’re writing about, you shouldn’t write to him,” he said Monday.
The aquifer designation would “enhance the protection of our water supply and it will protect one of the most valuable resources we have in dry Eastern Washington,” Lamar said.
In their letter to Clinton, the representatives said the designation is an added burden to the clean water regulations farms and other businesses already face.
“Egregious regulation such as this must end,” they said, adding that it would overlap with state regulations.
The letter also said scientists have doubted an area so large could depend “on one aquifer.” Documents filed by the EPA and PCEI, however, have referred to the area as an “aquifer system” in which they say water from one aquifer in the system can move to another.
Mike Gruber, Nethercutt’s legislative assistant for agriculture and natural resources, said the interconnectedness of any water beneath so large an area - roughly half of Washington’s farm land - is open to debate.
Concerns about the regulations echoed throughout the recent congressional campaign and subsequent constituent mail, said staffers from several congressional offices.
“It’s very clear that people are concerned over the fact that once it gets this designation, it will open the door to the EPA to come in and either say `yea’ or `nay’ to projects, not just on farms but in cities and towns and communities and counties,” said Gruber.
The letter fit in with Chenoweth’s misgivings about the federal government getting involved in any water issues, said Khris Bershers, press secretary.
“Her view is the federal government has no role where water is concerned and water rights are solely a state right,” Bershers said.
Nethercutt, Hastings and Chenoweth are the only signatories to the letter with constituents above the aquifer system. Other representatives to sign the letter - written on Nethercutt stationery and carboned to EPA Administrator Carol Browner - are Jack Metcalf of Washington’s Second District, Linda Smith of the Third District, Jennifer Dunn of the Eighth District and Randy Tate of the Ninth District. All are Republicans.