Dear John,
Be warned -- we are now living with drinking water protections that date back to 1986. Last week, Trump’s EPA officially rolled back the much-needed Clean Water Rule that President Obama instituted four years ago.
This rule limited pollution in small streams and tributaries -- including drinking water for one in three Americans. This means if Trump gets his way, our water could be poisoned with toxic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and who knows what else.
The good news: The EPA is taking public comments on the proposed changes. We can still pressure the agency to reject this reckless rollback. But we must act fast, John!
Protect our water from toxic chemicals: Tell the EPA to uphold the Clean Water Rule.
The Clean Water Rule protected 20 million acres of wetlands and half the stream miles in the U.S -- 60% of our total waterways. And it helped ensure our waterways could filter pollution and support communities and wildlife. These are protections we need to protect public health and rein in corporate polluters.
Ever since the rule was finalized by the Obama Administration in 2015, Big Polluters have been trying to dismantle these protections. And Trump has been right there with them. After all, the Rule made it hard for oil, coal, and chemical companies to dump dangerous pollutants into our waters.
If Trump’s rollback takes effect, it will give polluters a free pass to contaminate our drinking water. It would also rescind the requirement for polluters to clean up hazardous chemical spills into our waterways. The only beneficiaries would be corporate special interests who would be able to pave over or drain wetlands, destroy streams, and pollute our water without consequence.
Trump’s Administration is closer than ever to handing over our waters to Big Polluters, but we can still stop this corporate giveaway. Can we count on your support in the fight to protect our water?
Help protect our water from Big Polluters: Stop Trump from gutting the Clean Water Rule!
Since day one, Trump and his corrupt Administration have worked hard to eliminate as many environmental protections as they can. To date, the EPA has already finalized 46 deregulatory actions, and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler says there are an additional 45 rollbacks in the works.
Make no mistake, these rollbacks are to make Trump happy and fulfill his agenda, not protect people. In fact, as a result of this Clean Water Rule rollback, people like you and me could soon be drinking contaminated water in our homes, schools and workplaces.
Trump’s Administration is gutting basic protections for clean water and health in the hopes that the public will look the other way. But we know Friends of the Earth members like you are taking notice, and that’s why we need your help fighting back, John.
Help send 35,000 comments to the EPA: Tell the agency to fight Trump’s attacks on our water protections!
Standing with you,
Marcie Keever,
Oceans and vessels program director,
Friends of the Earth
