A gift for polluters at a huge cost to the rest of us
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s announcement that he plans to roll back the Clean Water Rule jeopardizes 2 million miles of streams and millions of acres of wetlands across the country. Many of our nation’s most iconic places, from the Great Lakes to the Chesapeake Bay will also feel the impacts of a repeal.
Informed by findings from over 1,000 peer-reviewed studies, scientists and other experts collaborated to create the rule. This extensive research was designed to assure that protections cascade far beyond just the waterways directly protected under the rule. Healthy wetlands and tributary streams result in healthier rivers and, even further down the line, healthier bays and estuaries.
Unfortunately — but not unsurprisingly — polluters went after the rule from the very beginning. They put pressure on decision makers to repeal the rule. We worked alongside our partners and were successful in stopping those attempts. But now, the Trump Administration plans to hand polluters a huge victory. Here are a few of the incredible places that will suffer unless the public speaks up to tell the EPA to leave the rule intact.
The Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay supports an important commercial fishing economy — most notably the source of renowned Maryland blue crabs. But the declining health of the Bay led to decreases in crab populations and has prompted decades of restoration efforts.
The success of this mission requires clean tributaries feeding into the Bay, and with a watershed extending from New York all the way down to Virginia, this is a big task. But the Clean Water Rule provides protections that would keep pollution out of the Bay, aiding in the long fight for restoration.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation released a statement in response to the EPA’s announcement:
“Clean water is a right, not a luxury. The proposal to rescind the federal clean water rule would allow more pollution in headwater streams and wetlands… Now is not the time for the federal government to weaken efforts to reduce pollution.”
The Great Lakes
Every year, 37 million anglers, hunters, and bird watchers visit the Great Lakes. Accounting for 95 percent of the country’s surface freshwater, it’s not hard to see why these incredible bodies of water serve as recreational hubs.
Unfortunately, agricultural runoff has led to major problems. The most recent “State of the Great Lakes” report found that toxic algal blooms are still all too common and undermine the health of the lakes. Not only does this threaten tourism to the region, but it presents health risks for year-round residents. An Ohio State University study found that regions with frequent algal blooms have a higher death rate from liver disease. And in 2014, 400,000 Toledo, Ohio residents lost access to drinking water due to a Lake Erie algal bloom.
The Clean Water Rule would provide much needed oversight on agricultural runoff, tackling this problem head on. But without oversight, scientists expect these issues to become even worse, returning the lake to levels of pollution that haven’t been seen for decades.
The Gulf of Mexico
As if the Gulf of Mexico doesn’t face enough threats from oil and gas development, agricultural runoff has also caused immense damage. A dead zone in the Gulf appears every summer — and it’s growing. This year, scientists expect it to reach the size of New Jersey. This has a major impact on the economy, with the shrimp and commercial fishing industry struggling to bring in a significant catch.
Researchers agree that factory farms are the clear culprit for the dead zone. The Clean Water Rule provides the regulatory authority to take on these polluters and begin making progress to clean our Gulf.
These are just a few of many places that stand to lose if the EPA repeals the Clean Water Rule. We need to speak up before it’s too late. The EPA is accepting comments on their plan for the next month. Take a moment and let them know you support protecting clean water.
