Dear ,
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced plans to revise the definition of 'waters of the United States'—a critical term in the Clean Water Act that determines which waterbodies like rivers, streams, wetlands, and other waters, are protected under federal law. A Supreme Court case already massively reduced the number and types of waterbodies that receive protection, effectively opening the door for polluters to jeopardize our drinking water, public health, environment, and economy. We cannot afford to further weaken these vital protections.
Will you join us in urging EPA to offer the broadest possible protection for American waterbodies?
If a waterbody is not included in the Clean Water Act definition of “waters of the United States,” then industrial waste and municipal sewage (e.g. toxins, pathogens, carcinogens, and radioactive materials) can be dumped without federal treatment or pollution controls. This can contaminate drinking water supplies, kill fish in rivers and lakes, and make children sick when they go swimming.
A clear, broad regulatory definition of “waters of the United States” is critical for protecting the drinking water for millions of Americans, reducing the public’s exposure to toxic metals and pollution, and preventing the contamination of thousands of miles of waterways across the country.
Letting pollution flow into our shared water resources without protections will endanger communities and public health by way of contaminated drinking water. We may take safe drinking water for granted, but that luxury was hard fought. And if we are not vigilant, it can all go away.
EPA says they must revise the definition of “waters of the United States” in order to lower the cost of doing business. Yet, eliminating clean water protections would be a disaster for the economy, as EPA’s calculus does not factor in higher utility bills, exorbitant cleanup costs, flooding disaster damages, healthcare expenses, reduced agricultural production, and lost business opportunities.
We need EPA to prioritize people over corporate profits.
Leave your own personalized comment today in support of fully protecting American waterways!
Sincerely,
Waterkeeper Alliance
