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The article provides information concerning environmental law in the U.S., highlighting issues related to legislative initiatives, bipartisan engagement, comity, and consensus. It discusses the country's Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act as well as economic growth. The Senate Public Works Special Subcommittee on Air and Water Pollution is mentioned.

The article focuses on the passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972 which illustrates how environmental lawmaking should be established and contains several important lessons about the occurrences in environmental law in the U.S. The paper also emphasizes on the establishment of the law's goal of zero discharge of pollutants. The act prohibited the use of assimilative capacity as an element of the waste treatment. Howard Baker of Tennessee was responsible for the concept of technology forcing which was a trademark of Clean Water and Clean Air acts.

Offers views on the Waters of the United States coverage under the federal Clean Water Act in the U.S. Statement issued by Senator Edmund S. Muskie regarding the definition of the term; Parallel and important issues which had evolved in the Congress and the courts in 1972; Objective of the 1972 Clean Water Act.