The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) posted a critical analysis of the deceptively titled “Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act” (S. 5653) on October 12, 2026. (https://calsport.org/permitting-reform-bill-attacks-4-pillars-of-environmental-protection/). Among many of the foundational environmental laws the bill would decimate is Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. One of the less obvious consequences would be the inability of states and authorized Tribes to use Section 401 protect the safety of people who work and play in and around our nation’s rivers.
CSPA has joined American Whitewater and Friends of the River in producing a video that shows a case study of how the Clean Water Act will help save lives on the San Joaquin River.