U.S. EPA warned of the potential dire consequences of legislation being fast-tracked through the House that would give states final say on rules concerning water, wetlands and mountaintop-removal mining.

In a four-page legal analysis (pdf), EPA said the measure (H.R. 2018 (pdf)) sponsored by House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) and ranking member Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) "would overturn almost 40 years of federal legislation by preventing EPA from protecting public health and water quality."

GOP House leaders expect to bring the bill to a floor vote this summer.

Following citizen testimony including that of Clean Water Action Program Director Andria Ventura, Santa Clara County Supervisors moved toward banning single-use paper and plastic bags at a meeting on April 13. Andria's testimony is one of many actions that make up Clean Water Action, California's "Take the Trash Out" campaign to curtail the flow of trash into California's waterways.

Noting that numerous recent municipal and county ordinances as well as the Santa Clara County proposal are leading similar state legislation, Andria told KTVU television news, "What's happening at the local level will drive what's happening at the state level."

Children's Bath Products Tainted with Cancer-Causing Chemicals

Lack of Regulatory Oversight Allows Toxic Products in Marketplace

In March 2009, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released a national report called Toxic Tub, which revealed that despite claims like "gentle" and "pure," dozens of top-selling children's bath products contain unregulated cancer-causing chemicals. The report found formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, both carcinogens, in several popular baby products including Johnson's Baby Shampoo, Sesame Street Bubble Bath, and Huggies Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea baby wash.