"While small communities and small construction projects in every other sector of the economy must comply with strong storm-water standards, the Bush administration is giving a free ride to the oil and gas industry," said Sen. James M. Jeffords (I-Vt.), who was the chairman of the Environment Committee before Republicans gained control of the Senate. "With this proposal, we are seeing our nation's water quality standards go down the drain." "Everybody admits there is pollution coming from these sites," said Sharon Buccino, a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "They're being excused from the process that requires them to address that."