Izaak Walton League Urges EPA and Corps to Protect Streams and Wetlands by Withdrawing Controversial “Waters of the USA” Definition
To protect the nation’s essential and dwindling supplies of clean water, the Izaak Walton League strongly opposes the misguided re-definition of “Waters of the United States” proposed by EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The rule proposed by EPA and the Corps would endanger the small streams and wetlands that sustain fish and wildlife, protect drinking water, reduce flooding and support local economies. In formal comments submitted to the agencies on January 5, the League urges them to withdraw the proposed rule and reaffirm a previous 2023 rule that is more faithful to science, the law and the intention of the Clean Water Act as approved by Congress.
The combination of this proposed rule and the flawed 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision by the Supreme Court would, by the agencies’ own estimates, deny Clean Water Act protections for more than 80 percent of the nation’s remaining wetlands and millions of miles of streams.
Statement by Izaak Walton League Acting Executive Director Jared Mott
“Clean water is indispensable to public health, ecological integrity and economic well-being. Congress affirmed this principle through the Clean Water Act of 1972. For more than five decades, the Act’s purpose has provided the foundation for protecting drinking water supplies, commerce and outdoor recreation. This is based on the settled scientific understanding that upstream pollution degrades downstream water quality. The EPA proposal will increase regulatory confusion, undermine cooperative federalism and directly conflict with the Clean Water Act’s objective.”
The Izaak Walton League has focused on water quality issues for more than 100 years, starting with its 1924 victory saving the wetlands along the upper Mississippi River.
The comments submitted by the League to the EPA and the Corps describe the many enduring benefits of streams and wetlands, which include:
- Natural water filtration
- Flood mitigation
- Climate resilience
- Biodiversity
- Economic and recreational benefits
- Hydrologic connectivity
- Wildlife habitat
Founded in 1922, the Izaak Walton League fights for clean air and water, healthy fish and wildlife habitat and conservation of our natural resources for future generations. The League plays a unique role in supporting community-based science and local conservation and has a long legacy of shaping sound national policy. See www.iwla.org.
Contact: Michael Reinemer, Communications Director, mreinemer@iwla.org
Re docket ID number EPA-HQ-OW-2025-0322]
Your kit will include a bottle containing 25 nitrate test strips which you can use to test your water source(s) throughout the year. You’ll also receive postcards explaining how to use your nitrate test strips and how to share your Nitrate Watch results on the Clean Water Hub.
Your kit will include four test strips so you can test your waterway throughout the season. You’ll also receive a chart to help you interpret your results and a postcard with instructions for completing a Salt Watch test and reporting your findings.