ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Jim Oberstar spent 34 years representing northeastern Minnesota in Congress, but he says one of his proudest legislative accomplishments took place before he was elected.

In late 1971, while a top staffer for his congressional predecessor, John Blatnik, Oberstar played a key role on the committee that wrote the Clean Water Act.

This legislation became the cornerstone of environmental protection in the United States. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says the act helped transform the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities area from a dead river choked with sewage to a national recreation area.

To mark this year’s 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, the MPCA has posted an interview on its website with Oberstar recollections about its passage, along with more information on the impact on Minnesota waters.

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