Attacks on conservation bills would only benefit polluters

These shameful attacks would advance the agenda of our country’s biggest polluters at the expense of wildlife and the clean air and water on which we all depend.

{mosads}The Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act have enjoyed decades of broad bipartisan support. The loopholes that would be opened would block the Environmental Protection Agency from doing its job — threatening drinking-water supplies for more than 117 million people and endangering thousands of streams and wetlands across the country.

Our elected leaders are expected to safeguard our public health and natural resources from special interests. Yet some of the recent proposals to undermine landmark conservation legislation would turn back the clock on the last three decades of progress on ensuring clean air, clean water and wildlife protections.

I’m counting on our members of Congress and President Obama to put a stop to any further efforts to gut our country’s fundamental conservation laws.

Washington