Last Wednesday, June 19, the House Resources Committee held a hearing on the dumping of 200,000 tons of toxic sludge into the Potomac River by the Army Corps of Engineers. "And, despite the fact that this practice is in blatant, indisputable violation of both the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of re-issuing the Corps' permit to dump," according to Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA), chairman of the Parks Subcommittee. A recent story in the href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020619-13558.htm">Washington Times reports that internal EPA documents argue that the sludge actually serves to protect fish by discouraging them from swimming where fishermen are present. "To suggest that toxic sludge is good for fish because it prevents them from being caught by man is like suggesting that we club baby seals to death to prevent them from being eaten by sharks. It's ludicrous," Radanovich told the Times.