Tell the EPA You Oppose The Repeal of the Clean Water Rule by August 13.

ACTION ALERT:  Tell the EPA You Oppose The Repeal of the Clean Water Rule by August 13.

On August 13th, the window for submitting comments to the EPA regarding the Clean Water Rule repeal will close. Since the Trump administration began, it has repeatedly attempted to repeal and replace the Clean Water Rule—an Obama-era standard that embraces science and seeks to reduce the pollution of our waterways. In mid-June the Agency announced its latest effort to cut this important environmental protection, publishing a “supplemental notice” to clarify its intentions and solicit additional feedback.

The administration’s decision to repeal the Clean Water Rule rejects scientific consensus, disregards overwhelming public support for better water protection, and makes it easier for large polluters to degrade the environment. Its reasoning is equally as suspect as it was in 2017, when it first attempted to repeal the rule. The Agency would effectively be siding with industry over the people and the environment, as the proposal would significantly reduce the jurisdiction of environmental protection in America.

The goal of the 1972 Clean Water Act is to ensure all waters of the United States are swimmable, fishable, and drinkable. The Obama rule adopted a scientific, detailed definition of “waters of the United States” to more properly protect the country’s water quality. Specifically, the rule clarified that wetlands and smaller waterbodies close to large waterbodies should be protected, stopping pollution from flowing into vitally important drinking water, wildlife habitat, and recreation spots.

With thousands of pages of peer-reviewed scientific studies supporting the Clean Water Rule, over one million Americans wrote comments in support of its adoption. When the EPA first attempted to repeal the rule in June of 2017, hundreds of thousands of citizens filed more comments to oppose that attempt. Even with that opposition, the administration continues to move forward in its attempt to gut the environmental safeguard. The August 13th deadline will give citizens another, and perhaps their last, chance to voice their support for clean water and common sense protections for our way of life. Several environmental groups, including Alabama Rivers Alliance, submitted comments in support of the Clean Water Rule and now ask citizens to do the same.

Submit your comments to the EPA by Monday, August 13 by clicking here .

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT

Copy the sample comment below. Click here to go to the EPA’s comment portal and paste the comment below into the form on the EPA’s site. 

 

Dear Acting Administrator Wheeler,

As an Alabamian who depends on clean and healthy water, I oppose the repeal of the Clean Water Rule. I strongly opposed the EPA’s first repeal attempt in 2017; this supplemental proposal is equally unsafe and unfounded. Repealing the rule would reject the unassailable science within the Clean Water Rule, degrading water quality and benefiting large polluters. When it comes to our drinking water and the health of our environment, this is an unacceptable decision. I urge you to abandon this repeal proposal and instead fully implement the 2015 Clean Water Rule.

The streams and wetlands that would be protected are vital to our health and wellbeing, and are important parts of our natural infrastructure. Not only do they feed the drinking water for more than 117 million Americans, they provide habitat for countless wildlife species. Communities throughout the nation rely on wetlands to filter groundwater and absorb floodwaters during major storm events.

Water is a way of life in Alabama. We depend on it for drinking, irrigating crops, recreation, and wildlife protection. We have 132,000 beautiful miles of rivers and streams, many of which are wetlands or small tributaries. By repealing the Clean Water Rule, the agency will make it easier to pollute those important headwaters and threaten the countless people and wildlife species that depend on them.

The Clean Water Rule is based on sound science, consistent with the law, and gets us much closer to the Clean Water Act’s goal of ensuring that all waters are swimmable, fishable, and drinkable. Please reject this supplemental proposal and the 2017 repeal proposal.

Thank you for considering my concerns.

[Your Name]