Jason McCoy

ENGL 301

The Effectiveness of the Clean Water Act

Research Question: How effective is the statutory punishment for both civil and
criminal regarding the Clean Water Act?
Thesis: The Clean Water Act was not fully effective in solving water quality
problems.
Annotated Bibliography
Lyon S., & E. Stein. (2009) How effective has the Clean Water Act been at
reducing pollutant mass emissions to the Southern California Bight over the past
35 years? Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Vol. 154, Issue 1-4, p.
413-426.
Summary: This research focused on studying the effectiveness of the
regulations.
It compared earlier pollution rates to current pollution rates; and then
adjusted the results to population growth. The researchers found that the Act was
successfully in reducing pollution from one dominant source, but not so
successfully in preventing pollution from so called non-point sources, such as a
storm water runoff. I agree with this source because they did a good job
comparing earlier pollution rates to current pollution rates in a non-biased way. I
will be utilizing their data in my paper.
Murchison, K. (2005). Learning from More Than Five-and-a-Half Decades of
Federal Water Pollution Control Legislation: Twenty Lessons for the Future.
Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review. Vol. 32. P. 527-598.
Summary: This article addresses how the 1987 Amendments to the Clean
Water Act successfully solves earlier problems, while also addresses issues the
Act didnt solve.

Jason McCoy
ENGL 301
I will use this article for two purposed: two show where the Act was
effective and to address where it was not. I partially agree with this source
because although they address how the 1987 Amendments to the Clean Water
Act successfully solves earlier problems, there are some subjective biases the
author has. I will be utilizing quotations and possibly expert testimony in my
paper.
Cornejo, J. & R. Jordan, Clean Water Act Section 404 Enforcement, Winson &
Elkins, L.L.P., retrieved from
http://www.velaw.com/UploadedFiles/VEsite/Presentations/CWASection404Enfor
cement.pdf.
Summary: In this article, two attorneys analyze the civil and criminal
punishment provided by the Clean Water Act.
I will use this article to illustrate the punishment available under the Act.
This will be part of the background material. I agree with this source because I
trust the data and description both attorneys provide. I will be utilizing data and
their description in my paper.
Duhigg, C. (2009) Clean Water Laws Are Neglected, at a Cost in Suffering. The
New York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&.
Summary: The article discusses the problems with enforcement in certain
regions, such as West Virginia, and how the lack of enforcement affects families,
who do not have safe drinking water at their homes.
I will use this article to illustrate why the Act was not fully effective. I
partially agree and disagree with this source because there are many ways to
address the problems. I will be utilizing the data and description in my paper.