Trump’s EPA is making moves to make it legal and easier for corporations and industry to pollute waterbodies and wetlands throughout the United States. We firmly oppose these continued attempts by big business and corporate actors to buy out Washington.
Climate Justice Alliance and 17 other national and local environmental justice organizations submitted a public letter opposing this handout to polluting industries, which if unleashed, will compromise our water supply, harm families, communities, and our overall environment no matter what zip code you live in. Read the details below and why the EPA must stop putting polluters over people and hold corporations accountable.
The Clean Water Act is a bedrock environmental law enacted in 1972, which made it unlawful to discharge pollutants from a point source into “waters of the United States” (WOTUS), without a permit. Recently, the EPA and Army for Civil Works proposed revising the WOTUS definition, in order to limit waterbodies and wetlands that are protected and regulated under federal jurisdiction. This was done in part, to “cut red tape”.
This proposed rulemaking is dangerous to families and communities. It would reduce federal oversight and protections of water, fast track degraded waters to frontline and environmental justice communities, and threaten our overall public health and Tribal sovereignty.
Read the full letter here.
