Berne was settled in 1852 by Mennonite immigrants who came directly from Switzerland, and named the community for the capital of Switzerland. They began the chore of preparing for farming by clearing the land.
Intentions, however, were not always equal to actions. Implementation of the Clean Air Amendments was made difficult by a reluctant automobile industry and the energy crisis of the early 1970s. The 1970 act gave the auto industry a temporary way out of meeting the tougher standards.
The principal law governing pollution of the nationâs surface waters is the Federal Water. Pollution Control Act, or Clean Water Act. Originally enacted in 1948, it was totally revised by. amendments in 1972 that gave the act its current dimensions. The 1972 legislation spelled out.