The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing on the bill that would exempt toxic aerial fire retardant from the Clean Water Act on Wednesday, Jan. 28.
This is a significant hearing that will directly impact the progress of this bill. We need everyone to contact committee members and urge them to oppose the bill, HR 3898, aka the PERMIT Act.
This hearing is a critical step where Senators will hear testimony from stakeholders and experts, decide to edit the bill, and/or vote to send the bill to the full Senate.
Key committee members are:
- Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R, West Virginia).
- Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D, Rhode Island).
- Republicans (majority members) Kevin Cramer (North Dakota), Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming), John Curtis (Utah), Lindsey Graham (South Carolina), Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Pete Ricketts (Nebraska), Roger Wicker (Mississippi), John Boozman (Arkansas), Jon Husted (Ohio).
- Democrats (minority members) Bernie Sanders (Independent, Vermont), Jeff Merkley (Oregon), Ed Markey (Massachusetts), Mark Kelly (Arizona), Alex Padilla (California), Adam Schiff (California), Lisa Blunt Rochester (Delaware), Angela Alsobrooks (Maryland).
Please call these senators. Tell them that aerial fire retardant is laden with toxic metals and should not be exempt from the Clean Water Act. Tell them not to allow this attack on our precious water to continue.
You can reach the main committee office at 202-224-6176. You can reach each of these senators’ offices by calling the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Official documents, witness lists, and the live broadcast of the hearing can be viewed here: Senate EPW Committee – January 28 Hearing.
Photo: A slurry bomber drops aerial fire retardant on the Coconino National Forest, Arizona (Forest Service photo by Mike Chaveas).
