Water experts tell Trump no, the homeless aren't hurting California water quality
The Trump administration tried to pin California’s water woes on the homeless, but water quality experts say there is little connection between homeless camps and water pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) criticizing California for "failing to meet its obligations” on sewage and water pollution, blaming homelessness for the contamination.
But Steve Fleischli, senior director of water initiatives at the Natural Resources Defense Council said: “No self respecting EPA scientist or regulatory staffer is going to claim there’s a direct connection between the homeless and the issues raised in that letter. It’s a pure political stunt.”
The letter the EPA sent Thursday was the second this week from the agency criticizing the state’s environmental record. The first threatened to withhold highway funds over air pollution. “The EPA is aware of the growing homelessness crisis developing in major California cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, and the impact of this crisis on the environment,” the letter said, noting reports of “piles of human feces.” The letter then goes on to site exceedances in lead, arsenic and copper.
Steve Fleischli, senior director of water initiatives at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said some parts of California do have serious water quality issues, as do 17 other states where communities have petitioned the EPA to push local agencies to clean up their water. He added “The Trump administration is cutting funding for clean water, while blaming the states for increased water pollution.”
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/463439-water-experts-tell-trump-no-the-homeless-arent-hurting-california
= new reply since forum marked as read
