Protecting Clean Water
CLEAN WATER ACT AT 40
This year marks the
40th anniversary of passage of the Clean Water
Act. Forty years ago, as rivers caught fire and
waterways large and small were choked with
pollution, the American people demanded action
to improve and protect their water resources.
Congress responded by passing the Clean Water
Act. Today, thanks in part to this landmark
law, water quality has improved nationwide.
While real progress has been made, serious
challenges remain. Non-point source pollution
– runoff from lawns, farm fields, and parking
lots – is widely recognized as the most
significant threat to water quality today.
In addition, progress we’ve made in conserving our nation’s waters is threatened because the protections the Clean Water Act provides to streams, wetlands, and other waters have been weakened and undermined. Divided U.S. Supreme Court decisions in 2001 (SWANCC) and 2006 (Rapanos) threaten key tenets of the law, and policies adopted by the Bush administration marginalize longstanding science concerning the connections between waters.
As we celebrate 40 years of progress, we must also remember how much is at risk if Clean Water Act protections are weakened further. Information on this page highlights the problem and the League’s fight to ensure the Clean Water Act protections are restored.
FIGHTING TO PROTECT STREAMS AND
WETLANDS
One of the League’s top
national policy priorities is restoring
critical Clean Water Act protections to
wetlands, streams, and other waters. Although
the League has been leading efforts to pass
legislation in Congress to address this
problem, the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers have clear
authority under the Clean Water Act to restore
some of the lost protections. In fact, Supreme
Court justices, including Chief Justice
Roberts, have called on these agencies to do
just that. This page provides information about
this issue and the League’s efforts to
restore long-standing Clean Water Act
protections.
In the News
- Members of Congress Urge President to Finalize Guidance, Start Rulemaking (PDF) (March 12, 2012)
- The state of our waters: Time is running out to restore national wetland and stream protections (1/31/12)
- Clean Water Finding Few Friends in Washington (Field & Stream "The Conservationist" blog, 1/25/12)
- National Hunting and Angling Groups Support Clean Water Regulation (PDF link) (12/14/11)
- Keep the Clean Water Act Strong (New York Times, 11/28/11)
- We must protect our prairie potholes (Houston Chronicle, 9/23/11)
- State Laws Not a Substitute for the Clean Water Act: New Report Finds Many Waters at Risk (Scott Kovarovics, IWLA Conservation Director, 9/16/11)
Administration Takes Critical First
Step to Restore Clean Water
Protections
In April 2011, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
Army Corps of Engineers took a crucial first
step to begin restoring long-standing Clean
Water Act protections for streams, wetlands and
other waters. The agencies proposed
guidance that would better protect small
streams and wetlands that provide critical
habitat for fish and wildlife, flood control,
drinking water, and many other
benefits. The guidance was available for
public comment for 90 days (through July 31,
2011), and the agencies are reviewing public
comments prior to issuing final guidance.
Guidance Documents from EPA and the Corps
Facts for Sportsmen
- "Clean Water Act Guidance: A Balanced Approach to Restoring Clean Water Act Protections" fact sheet (PDF)
- "Hunters and Anglers: Supporting Our Nation's Economy and Conservation" fact sheet (PDF)
- More Than 250 Sportsmen and Conservation Groups Speak Out for Clean Water (comment letter to EPA)
- Sportsmen Support Clean Water Act Guidance (letter to Congress) (PDF)
- National Hunting, Angling Groups Applaud Release of Clean Water Guidance (press release)
At-risk Streams Provide Drinking
Water for 117 Million
Americans
Small streams, especially
ones that may not flow all year, are especially
at risk of losing Clean Water Act protections
and becoming vulnerable to increased
pollution. However, analysis by
the Environmental Protection Agency
concludes that these streams flow to public
drinking water systems serving more than 117
million Americans. The EPA Web site breaks this
information down for every state and many
counties nationwide.
Additional Background
- Clean Water at a Crossroads (PDF): The League's Conservation Director, Scott Kovarovics, teamed up with Jan Goldman-Carter from the National Wildlife Federation to write this clear and insightful summary of the threats to America's waters today — and how hunters and anglers can safeguard our waters for future generations.