Assault on Clean Water Act Under Way in Congress
Forty years ago, the Clean Water Act was established to protect our nation’s waters and wetlands from pollution and destruction. Recently, two Supreme Court decisions have made it difficult for the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers to fully safeguard our waters.
Oil spills, mine waste, sewage, animal waste from factory farms, and polluted runoff foul Illinois waters. We all depend on these waters for drinking, for irrigation, and for recreation. They also provide essential habitat for fish and wildlife.
Keep reading to see how you can help…
New Clean Water Act Guidance – GOOD NEWS
The EPA and the Corps recently took an important and necessary step to restore essential protections in the Clean Water Act by creating draft guidance that defines which waters are protected by the Act. The guidance is the beginning of a process to restore vital safeguards for rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands that are essential for sustaining healthy communities. Unfortunately, polluters are mustering opposition to the proposed guidance; the agencies and lawmakers need to hear from those of us who want to protect clean water.
Dirty Water Bills – BAD NEWS
We are alarmed and deeply saddened that members of the United States Congress are willing to sacrifice our health and well-being by taking away legal protections that safeguard our water. There are three dirty water bills that must be stopped:
- HR 2018 (Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011) guts some of the most important protections in the Clean Water Act by severely weakening EPA’s authority.
- S 718 (Pesticide Clean Water Act Exemption) eliminates all Clean Water Act protections against pesticide pollution.
- Water & Energy Appropriations Spending bill 26-20, section 109 is a rider that kills the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers guidance designed to restore Clean Water Act protections.
ACTION ALERT
We can protect the Clean Water Act with your help.
- First, stand up for clean water by thanking EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers for proposing guidance that protects our water (EPA and the Corps are seeking public comment by July 1st, 2011). Prairie Rivers Network encourages you to tell EPA that you support the guidance, and that the guidance should be followed by a formal rulemaking that creates binding law.
- Second, call your Congressional representatives and tell them that you want them to support clean water:
Call your Representative and tell her or him (click here to find number):
I care about clean water.
I support EPA and Corps of Engineers guidance and regulations defining “waters of the US.”
Votes in favor of HR 2018 and Water & Energy Appropriations Spending bill 26-20, section 109 are votes for dirty water and completely unacceptable!
Call Senator Durbin at (202) 224-2152 and Senator Kirk at (202) 224-2854 and tell them:
I care about clean water.
I support EPA and Corps of Engineers guidance and regulations defining “waters of the US.”
A vote in favor of S718 is a vote for dirty water and completely unacceptable!
We cannot over-emphasize the very real danger presented by these bills.
Please make your calls today. Let us know how it goes.
Your call matters.
Thank you for joining with us in this important battle for Clean Water!
(Special Thanks to National Wildlife Federation for its invaluable support on this issue.)
