WH Guts Safeguards For US Streams & Wetlands; Threatens Drinking Water For 117 Mill Americans

[appalachiablue]

'Trump Administration Finalizes Repeal of Pollution Rule, Threatening Drinking Water Sources for 117 Million Americans,' EWG/Environmental Working Group, Jan. 23, 2020.

WASHINGTON – Today the Trump administration finalized its plan to repeal critical safeguards that prohibit the dumping of industrial and agricultural pollution into sensitive waterways that provide tap water for more than 117 million Americans. The repeal of the Waters of the U.S. rule, or WOTUS, will remove protections for many small streams and wetlands, which were put in place under President Obama in 2015. The rule determines which streams, rivers and lakes are protected from pollution by the federal Clean Water Act and extends protection for millions of acres of wetlands that filter drinking water.



Although environmentalists and the Environmental Protection Agency's own science advisors oppose the Trump administration’s rollback of WOTUS, agribusiness, mining and the real estate development industries have pushed for its repeal since President Trump took office. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, a former lobbyist for the coal mining industry, plans to announce the final repeal during a speech Thursday in Las Vegas before the National Association of Home Builders convention.

Small streams are where big rivers start, and the best science confirms that dirty streams lead to even dirtier rivers. Millions of Americans drink water directly connected to 234,000 miles of small streams that will now be unprotected as a result of the repeal. “The damage President Trump is doing to the nation’s drinking water supply and to the laws and safeguards once in place to protect it is appalling and indefensible,” said Craig Cox, EWG’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “Once again, the president is turning his back on science and the public’s health at the behest of polluters.”

EWG estimates at least 72 million Americans in more that 1,000 counties throughout the country draw at least half their drinking water from small streams.
https://www.ewg.org/release/trump-administration-finalizes-repeal-pollution-rule-threatening-drinking-water-sources-117

- 'Biggest Loss of Clean Water Protection the Country Has Ever Seen': Trump Guts Safeguards for US Streams and Wetlands, More, https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/23/biggest-loss-clean-water-protection-country-has-ever-seen-trump-guts-safeguards-us

[pbmus]

1. My family has been involved in these most important safeguards

In our world...this is what our representatives are saying, when they say that the Big Con is dangerous RIGHT NOW TO OUR EXISTENCE.

[kimbutgar]

2. I'm glad I live in California because we have our own clean water rules

But don’t those people in red states want clean drinking water and fresh up polluted streams to fish in ? Sadly his cult members will never hear about this. And when they and their children start getting sick will they blame the Democratic Party or MF45?

I hope he brags about it In his re-election. And takes the credit for dirty water.

[appalachiablue]

3. It could be that red states don't have the environmental awareness &

media infrastructure of the very blue states. There's also lots of threats that green measures will 'cost jobs!' spewed by right wing politicians. And people likely don't follow news that much, certainly not progressive news.

On that note, and as I've discussed w friends in Seattle and SoCal, it would be great and a life saver if the LA media or some of our liberal leaning ultrawealthy would develop another left media venue that's affordable and accessible. But for some reason this is usually dismissed by many with the usual fabrications.

PS Sorry to say, illness and cancer are very profitable to some, as we know..

[keithbvadu2]

4. Several pics of serious river pollution

Several pics of serious river pollution

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142422857

[appalachiablue]

5. Great pictures of US river pollution, tx.