AIR/WATER pollution report - SENATE HOLDS AGAINST TOWER-WRIGHT BID, SENDS FWPCA AMENDMENTS BACK TO HOUSE

Oct 13, 2026

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A weekly air and water pollution briefing summarizes U.S. legislative and environmental updates in 1976, focusing on Senate action on Federal Water Pollution Control Act amendments (S.2710). It explains how the Tower-Wright amendment’s narrow defeats shape conference committee strategy and funding continuity for fiscal 1977. Additional notes cover House likely rejection, possible alternative bill handling, and related positions on construction grants, sewage priorities, toxic effluent deadlines, and public works timing.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

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SENATE HOLDS AGAINST TOWER-WRIGHT BID, SENDS FWPCA AMENDMENTS BACK TO HOUSE

Other Provisions of Senate Bill

Vol.14 No. 36 September 6,1976 *Senate Sends FWPCA Amendments Back to House………………………………………………………………Page352 *OCS Bill Sponsors Seek Informal Accord to Avoid Delay……Page353 *Corps Says Ocean Dumping of Dredge Spoil Not Harmful……………………………………………………Page353 *President Proposes S1.5-Billion Parks Program……Page354 *EPA Draft Permits Federal Funding for Sewage Start-up…………………………………………………Page355 *EPA Reports S1-.lion in75 P.luien Faes………………………………………………………………Page355 *Fluorocarbon Controversy Conini:s…Page356 *EPA Authorizes Coal Conversion at 37 Electric Plants…………………………………………………………Page356 *House Passes Two Automotive R&D Bills………………………………………………………………………Page356 SLANTS & TRENDS CLEAN AIR ACT AMENDMENTS,H.R.10498,will come before the House again Wednesday. General debate was abruptly concluded on Thursday, amid Republican threats that attempts to move further would provoke a deliberate stall. House leadership has denied published charges by Commerce Committee members that the leadership itself has caused the delay, prompted by oil and utility lobbyists, and insist that the bill will be passed this week. Com- mittee sources are also saying a bill will be passed this week, but there are at least two pos- sible alternatives. One, the bill could be left to die, putting more pressure on the automobile industry. Two, the House could adopt an abbreviated bill, a simple extension or new auto emission control schedule, and yield to the Senate in conference committee. * 南 THIS WEEK MAY BRING HOUSE action to send Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments, S.2710, to conference committee(see story page 352),and a Senate vote on a public works appropriations bill which, unlike its House counterpart, provides all the S700-million authorized for wastewater treatment. National Academy of Sciences report on the fluorocarbon/ozone depletion controversy will not be released this week as planned, however; as of press time, the report had not cleared final review. 米 * NOTICE OF APPEAL HAS BEEN filed by Department of Justice to reverse the recent court decision ordering Environmental Protection Agency to release for obligation about $137-million for areawide planning grants under Section 208 of the Federal Water Pollu- tion Control Act. But no decision has been made as to whether that appeal will be pur- sued, DOJ told A/WPR last week. Justice is reviewing EPA's recommendation to drop the case - EPA program people want to use the funds - and Office of Management and Budget's recommendation that the appeal be pursued. 摩座 UPDATE ON KEPONE CASE:U.S. District Judge Robert R. Merhige has found two Al- lied Chemical Corp. employes not guilty of conspiring to cover up discharges of Kepone into the James River. Merhige said the government simply did not prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Also,EPA has agreed to undertake a feasibility study of dredging the James to remove Kepone contamination, but said declaring the pesticide a hazardous sub- stance would not, at this time, help solve the problem. AIR/WATER pollution report_ ## SENATE HOLDS AGAINST TOWER-WRIGHT BID,SENDS FWPCA AMENDMENTS BACK TO HOUSE controversial dredge and fill permit program and sent new Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amend-ments,S.2710,back to the House(A/WPR,Aug.30,1976,p.342).Sen.John Tower(R.Tex.)firstwon a 39-38 vote substituting House-approved language authored by Rep.Jim Wright(D.Tex.)forthe committee's compromise dredge and fill provision,then lost 39-40 on reconsideration.Sens.Howard Baker(R.-Tenn.)and John Pastore(D.-R.I.)had been at a White House meeting for the firstvote,but returned in time to turn the tide. When the House returns from its Labor Day recess this week,it will likely reject the Senateamendments to S.2710 and call for a conference committee.Narrow defeat of the Tower-Wrightamendment could make it difficult for Senate conferees to sell their own dredge and fill program

FAQs

What action did the Senate take regarding FWPCA amendments?

The Senate sent new Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments (S.2710) back to the House, following votes on the Tower-Wright bid and related language changes.

Why might Senate conferees have difficulty during conference committee?

A narrow defeat of the Tower-Wright amendment could make it harder to justify their dredge and fill program in conference or to reach a compromise.

What additional amendments were adopted or discussed beyond the dredge and fill provisions?

The text notes House-adopted amendments not addressed by the Senate, including state administration of construction grants, allowing ad valorem taxes for user charges, state priority-setting for sewage funding, and extending the deadline for toxic effluent standards.

Oct 13, 2026

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